- 438 East Street, New Haven, CT 06513
Menu
Those words can be put up on the front door of The 180 Center. Of course, we’re still working on the back of our building, but that’s not the construction to which we refer. In 1 Corinthians 3:9, Paul says, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.” And Paul continues in Verse 11 declaring, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Friends, we are excited about the foundation that is laid and being built upon in the hearts of the men in The 180 Discipleship Program!
Our eighteen month Discipleship Program is a BIG commitment. Everyday The 180 Center is opens at 7:00am and, after walking a mile from their ministry home, the disciples serve a free breakfast to our community. From 8:00am-12:00pm volunteer teachers from community churches come and share foundational teachings. We break for lunch, again the men serve the homeless and anyone in need a free meal. After lunch the disciples sometimes listen to more teaching or work on homework or training booklets. At 3:00pm, they return to the ministry house and have many opportunities to apply what they are learning as they live in a community setting. One disciple shares:
“God has been drawing me into His community and teaching me how He would have me relate to others. I’ve drawn a lot from learning and growing, as well as living together with the guys and serving together with them day by day. I even got baptized this summer. It was a great joy and honor to stand with the church and publicly claim a position alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ. Choosing to love others I understood, but choosing to be loved is what God revealed to me this summer.”
Choosing to receive Christ’s love and the love of others is one of the greatest work’s that God’s been doing in men at The 180 Center. We rejoice that all of the men in the program chose to be water baptized this summer! For some of them, it was a second time….
“This summer was a summer of healing for me. God has filled me with the Holy Spirit since getting baptized for a second time in my life. I have a new outlook on life and a feeling that God has called me specifically to where I am at. God has helped me become more diligent in the study of His Word; that diligence has added to my faith and built a stronger relationship with Jesus than I have ever had. I can say God has made me more excited that I have been in a very long time about what the future holds for me.”
After six months in the Discipleship Program, the men are allowed to have a supervised visit home to visit family or friends. Part of the construction going on in the disciple’s lives is restoration with loved ones. It is a joy to see the work that only God can do!
“I am from Fair Haven and the best thing that has happened to me in my 40 years of life is that I gave my life to the Lord. He has accepted me just how I am and has forgiven me of all my sins I ever committed. He has shown me so much grace and mercy. He has made some restoration in my life and I’m still working hard to be more like Him. I am so confident that He will guide me through it. I have faith in Him. God will change my way of loving.”
To prepare for the future growth of The 18O Center, your generous financial contributions were used to do other important construction projects too this summer! We have been zoned to open a 16 bed men’s shelter for New Haven, so we are working hard to get that done. Watching the bathroom and showers get tiled caused us to get excited; the drop ceiling is finished, plus the electrical and plumbing work is completed! The installation of two commercial steel doors, the bathroom sinks and toilets, and the painting and spackling are all works in progress at this time. We can’t thank you enough for your partnership and support in this effort. Please continue to pray for us as we wait on God for the finances to finish the men’s shelter.
How is God at work in your life? All of us are under construction; we are a work in progress! Our men would be encouraged to hear your testimony of how God has laid the foundation of Jesus Christ in your life and how God is building on it. Send us an email we can share with our disciples. They would love hearing from you! We pray that you will be encouraged and built up in His love and the power of the Holy Spirit!
SHARE about The 180 Center on social media! We are on Facebook and Twitter. Share our ❤ for those in need! Share about our 18 month program for men!
PRAY that God provides the labor and finances to complete the new building in His timing. Your prayers are powerful!
SERVE as a skilled laborer with the renovations. Contact us through email.
GIVE A donation towards our new building. Give online or by mail. Online giving is through this website (click ‘donate’ in the upper right hand corner).
Our ultimate goal is to reconnect individuals to God, their families, and a supportive community.
The 180 Center could not survive without your donations. We are completely funded by the generosity of our church and partners. We thank all who have or are going to donate. God bless you!
If you’d like to donate, there is 2 ways:
Mail checks and money orders to:
The 180 Center, PO Box 6806, Hamden, CT 06517
To donate online, click the button below. You will be taken to a secure donation page (PayPal). We personally do not collect or store any payment information.