Our First Church Planting Apprentice
Jonathan Lugo will be the first of our Church Planting Apprentices under the banner of NEU Church Planting. Currently, Jonathan lives in Puerto Rico with his wife Tereangeli and their three children, Jonathan Isaac, Joangeli, and Abdiel.
Jonathan has been accepted to the NEU Apprenticeship with a view to planting a church in Central Falls, RI. Central Falls made national news in 2010 when the entire High School faculty and staff were fired. At that time only 55% of the students were proficient in reading and 7% were proficient in math. (You can read more here.) Central Fall is the only majority-minority city in the state with over 60% identifying as Hispanic. 32% of the residents of CF live under the poverty line ($26,200 for a family of four). Central Falls is also famous as the home of actress Viola Davis.
Jonathan's Next Steps
The first step for Jonathan is to raise the funds needed for his year of apprenticeship (target date: March 1). After that, their family will move to RI and begin the one-year Apprenticeship, which includes:
- Working with us at NEU
- Being mentored by Pastor Luke Harding at Godspeed Church
- Participating in a Spanish-speaking international cohort with Church in Hard Places
- Being assessed as a church planter with NEU and Acts 29
If all goes well, at the end of the Apprenticeship, Jonathan will plant an Acts 29 church, be sent out by Godspeed Church, and will continue to be guided and served by NEU Church Planting.
Church in Hard Places
Church in Hard Places is a key partner of NEU. One of our board members, Matthew Spandler-Davison, is the executive director of CiHP. CiHP provides the resources of what we believe to be the best church planting ministry there is for those working in the world’s poorest communities. We are grateful for their partnership.
How to Support Jonathan and NEU
We invite you to watch this video, to pray for Jonathan and for Central Falls, and to consider giving generously to this church plant. Jonathan is mature, tested, educated, and passionate about reaching this needy community with the grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Would you join him by praying and giving? Thank you!
