Volunteer Spotlight: Amanda and Brad Newman
CCC Couple Invests Deeply in Relationships Locally and Abroad
Amanda and Brad Newman are CCC members with an active presence both locally - at the church campus and in their home - and abroad, in Rwanda. Here they discuss those areas of service, and the joy it brings them.
How long have you been part of CCC?
We started attending three years ago and joined the church a few months later.
What volunteer role(s) do you serve in at CCC?
We are community group leaders and community group coaches in Arise [Young Adults]. Basically we’re doing what we can to feel forever young. Amanda also serves on the events planning team, because what girl doesn't love to throw a good party? We also serve in short-term missions to Rwanda, Africa, where we lead marriage training under a local pastor, Jean Baptiste. In addition, Amanda helps train local Rwandan women to make products we sell for COPO [a ministry led by Jessica Taylor of Village Church, formerly Christ Community Church-Phenix City].
What do you enjoy about serving at CCC?
We have had a passion to disciple young adults for around 13 years. We love opening the doors of our home and exposing our happy chaos to young adults. In their book, “Multiply,” David Platt and Francis Chan say the most important aspect of discipleship is sharing your lives with others. Those in our group get to see how we do life: our parenting, our marriage, our cooking, our cleaning, our non-ministry activities – it's all on display. And it's all for the purpose of offering a real-life example to a generation that many times does not have a Godly family to learn from. We show them how love covers a multitude of mistakes, and how, yes, you can juggle supper, “hangry” kids, vacuuming, and so on, and still make it a priority to have quality relationships. It's such an honor for people to trust you with their spiritual growth, and we absolutely love it!
How long have you been part of CCC?
We started attending three years ago and joined the church a few months later.
What volunteer role(s) do you serve in at CCC?
We are community group leaders and community group coaches in Arise [Young Adults]. Basically we’re doing what we can to feel forever young. Amanda also serves on the events planning team, because what girl doesn't love to throw a good party? We also serve in short-term missions to Rwanda, Africa, where we lead marriage training under a local pastor, Jean Baptiste. In addition, Amanda helps train local Rwandan women to make products we sell for COPO [a ministry led by Jessica Taylor of Village Church, formerly Christ Community Church-Phenix City].
What do you enjoy about serving at CCC?
We have had a passion to disciple young adults for around 13 years. We love opening the doors of our home and exposing our happy chaos to young adults. In their book, “Multiply,” David Platt and Francis Chan say the most important aspect of discipleship is sharing your lives with others. Those in our group get to see how we do life: our parenting, our marriage, our cooking, our cleaning, our non-ministry activities – it's all on display. And it's all for the purpose of offering a real-life example to a generation that many times does not have a Godly family to learn from. We show them how love covers a multitude of mistakes, and how, yes, you can juggle supper, “hangry” kids, vacuuming, and so on, and still make it a priority to have quality relationships. It's such an honor for people to trust you with their spiritual growth, and we absolutely love it!
How does it feel to serve God in this way, knowing this is a role He has shaped you for?
Brad: Society can tend to make us self-focused. Serving where God has gifted you helps you live for something so much larger than yourself. I get so much joy when I am teaching young people, and that joy is multiplied when I feel the Holy Spirit is putting thoughts in my head and words in my mouth.
Amanda: Doing life with people can be messy and hard. It is time consuming and often involves more than the couple of hours you initially commit to. When middle-of-the-night calls happen, and you are walking out difficult issues with people, and you realize even when it's exhausting you're feeling the most alive, that's when you know the Holy Spirit is the one doing the work. That's when you see fruit, and you realize walking out your calling is so much bigger than just you. I love that feeling. I don't ever want to waste time doing things that don't matter.
How has the CCC staff equipped and empowered you for these roles?
Mason Stewart, Brandon Branigan, Anja Staten and Jodie Creswell have been our biggest cheerleaders. They welcome us into their ministries eagerly and encourage us to use our gifts. We have sweet times of encouragement and brainstorming. We work together as a team. Also, we took the Embryo class with Billy Gross to help develop our community group leadership skills. Brad has taken Kelli Wommack’s “How to Lead Well” development class. And Gill Price has met with us regularly to disciple us and encourage us.
Do you have a favorite memory or special moment from a time when you served at CCC?
Wow, it's really hard to narrow it down to one, even though we have only been here for a short time. So, we'll be rebellious and share a few:
Brad: Society can tend to make us self-focused. Serving where God has gifted you helps you live for something so much larger than yourself. I get so much joy when I am teaching young people, and that joy is multiplied when I feel the Holy Spirit is putting thoughts in my head and words in my mouth.
Amanda: Doing life with people can be messy and hard. It is time consuming and often involves more than the couple of hours you initially commit to. When middle-of-the-night calls happen, and you are walking out difficult issues with people, and you realize even when it's exhausting you're feeling the most alive, that's when you know the Holy Spirit is the one doing the work. That's when you see fruit, and you realize walking out your calling is so much bigger than just you. I love that feeling. I don't ever want to waste time doing things that don't matter.
How has the CCC staff equipped and empowered you for these roles?
Mason Stewart, Brandon Branigan, Anja Staten and Jodie Creswell have been our biggest cheerleaders. They welcome us into their ministries eagerly and encourage us to use our gifts. We have sweet times of encouragement and brainstorming. We work together as a team. Also, we took the Embryo class with Billy Gross to help develop our community group leadership skills. Brad has taken Kelli Wommack’s “How to Lead Well” development class. And Gill Price has met with us regularly to disciple us and encourage us.
Do you have a favorite memory or special moment from a time when you served at CCC?
Wow, it's really hard to narrow it down to one, even though we have only been here for a short time. So, we'll be rebellious and share a few:
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Want to get involved as a volunteer at CCC? Take our Gifted to Serve class (details and dates here) to learn how God has uniquely shaped you for service. If you already know how you're gifted and what you want to do, jump right in - contact Anja Staten (anja@ccclive.org) for next steps.