Every year on MLK Day, community leaders in Charleston, Missouri, gather at the Bowden Community Center to celebrate that city’s progress in human rights and community development. This year, however, the event was a bit different. The community collaborative sponsoring the event, Fresh Start Improvement, chose Grand Avenue Church Pastor Lusajo Kasyupa as the keynote speaker for the MLK Celebration in Charleston.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated his life to serving our community. But what exactly is “community?” A community is defined by relationships, mutual assistance, and shared purpose. These three elements form the core pillars of what constitutes a community. Additionally, the community is driven by a fundamental virtue: love, which manifests itself in generosity, kindness and courage. When you combine these aspects, you create a space where individuals find belonging and meaning.
Pastor Kasyupa has a vision for Charleston, a vision to create MLK’s dream of a bonded community. Kasyupa was selected as this year’s keynote speaker due to the Charleston community’s growing familiarity with him through various community outreach projects sponsored by the church in 2024. These projects included: (1) paving the church parking lot, which improved the surrounding neighborhood; (2) a Summer Bike Giveaway, where 80 new bicycles were distributed to local youth; (3) the Back-to-School Backpack initiative, which provided 50 backpacks filled with school supplies to students at Charleston’s R-1 school district; (4) a Fall Chili Cook-Off that drew scores of community members to the church for a warm bowl of chili; and (5) a Winter Coat Drive, which donated over 60 new coats to community members as well as to other churches in the area. During all of last year, “The Avenue” shone its light before the people of Charleston, allowing them to see its good works (Matt. 5:16), and these efforts did not go unnoticed.
At the MLK Celebration on January 20, the congregation of The Avenue showed up in full force, and the Mass Choir performed several spirited songs. By then, the packed gymnasium was ready for an inspiring message. Pastor Kasyupa delivered a heartfelt sermon entitled “Divine Assignment,” which brought the entire audience to their feet.
Little did the congregation know that Fresh Start Improvement had something special in store for them. At the end of the program, the 2024 Community Award was presented to The Avenue. Excited shouts echoed throughout the auditorium, proclaiming, “Divine assignment… we’re on divine assignment!”
Ellen G. White noted in Testimonies to the Church – Vol. 9 that four qualities characterize a converted and relevant church:
- Regular Prayer Meetings Focused on Unity –Those truly converted will work together in Christian unity. There should be no division in the church of God, and no unwise authority should be exerted over those who embrace the truth. The meekness of Christ should be evident in all that is said and done.
- Regular In-reach to Nurture the Needs of Members – Converted church members should strive to meet each other’s needs through godly conversation, humility, prayers and earnest efforts. They should also appreciate the good work that the Lord has established among them.
- Regular Out-reach to the Community – “Christ’s work is to be our example. Constantly, He went about doing good. In the temple and synagogues, in the streets of cities, in the marketplaces and workshops, by the seaside and among the hills, He preached the gospel and healed the sick” (9T 32).
- Giving to Tithes, Offerings and Special Projects – Those who are truly converted will see themselves as God’s stewards and will use the resources He has entrusted to them for the advancement of His work.
Pastor Kasyupa and The Avenue have remained steadfast in these four areas over the past few years, and the results of these efforts have validated Mrs. White’s testimonies. Under Kasyupa’s leadership and that of his ministerial team, The Avenue has demonstrated that converted good works can inspire a community to engage in even more positive actions and greatly add to the relevance of the church.
Robert Lawrence Salter is communication leader for The Avenue Church in Charleston, Missouri.
