- 438 East Street, New Haven, CT 06513
Salvation is a gift of God’s grace that cannot be earned, nor can one pay for it. Christ paid the price in full, and it is freely available to anyone who puts their faith in Jesus Christ. However, discipleship comes with a cost. In Matthew 16:24-26, Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” Bob Goff shares, “Our problem following Jesus is we’re trying to be a better version of us, rather than a more accurate reflection of Him.” Following Jesus is not about behavior modification; it involves a change of heart. Discipleship costs everything we have! We surrender our will and yield to His.
The 180 Center offers an 18 month long residential discipleship program. So, what does that look like? In this newsletter, we thought we would share with you what a day in the life of a disciple at The 180 Center looks like. You won’t hear one mention about getting stuck in traffic, texts or emails, paying the bills, watching the news, or a wonderful restaurant experience. The 180 Center men being discipled do not drive cars, have cell phones, receive paychecks, watch TV news, or go out to eat. However, they do walk quite a bit, write letters, request items they need by “writing on the run-up”, hear what others say about the news, and sometimes get treated to some delicious food. Still, who better than a disciple at The 180 Center to share about a day in their life? This newsletter is the combined result of two disciples that were requested to share. We hope you will read and get a clear picture of the work Jesus Christ is doing at The 180 Center!
Come follow Me,’” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people
Matthew 4:19 NIV
When I wake up in the morning around 5:00am, the first thing I do is choose God because He chose me first. I thank Him for choosing me and commit myself to Him. I say, “Lord, whatever you have for me today, I’m all in.” After that, I have a cup of coffee, listen to worship music, and get ready to walk to The 180 Center. It takes us about 15-20 minutes to walk there. On the walk there, I fellowship with my brothers and prepare my heart to serve the people that come in for coffee and oatmeal. We put on Christian music when we arrive, serve breakfast from 7am-8am, and talk and listen to people who come in from the outside.
We have out first Bible Study class at 8am. I’m always looking forward to the lessons the teachers bring, each one has their own style and testimonies to share. I always find something that pertains to me. We have three Bible studies every morning and take breaks in between. At 12pm we serve the community lunch and talk to the people who come in to eat. Some days we have another Bible study class at 1pm, other days we spend time doing homework from our classes or we read the Bible and journal on our own.
Wednesdays are unique because we have Conflict Resolution on that day. We basically share the conflicts we’ve had over the past week within ourselves, with others; and sometimes even with God. A panel of leaders holds us accountable and challenges us to practically apply God’s Word to our lives. Personally, I’ve grown a lot from Conflict Resolution. I talk about my process and how I am doing. I’ve learned to deal with conflict in a healthy way, and use the tools I’ve been given throughout the week.
We usually leave The 180 Center by 3pm and walk to our ministry home in Fair Haven. When we get home, we have Dwelling Time, which is when I get my private time to talk with Jesus. We prepare dinner and eat at 5:30; then we do chores that need to be done. After chores, we have time to fellowship and talk about our day, plus work out any offenses we’ve had with one another. Sometimes we watch a Biblical movie. On Monday nights, we return to The 180 Center for an evening of prayer for the city of New Haven. On Wednesdays, we return for a group prayer walk around our city, and on Friday nights we return to the Center to have a Christian based 12 step meeting. It’s open to the public too.
We are usually in our rooms by 9pm after snacking and showering. I thank God and pray. I’ve been asking Him to restore my relationships with my parents and my daughter. Lights are out at 10pm. I put my head on my pillow and that’s it.
“You are not your own; you were bought at a price.”
1 Corinthians 6: 19b-20a
Recently, we visited Trinity Church in Woodbridge. Trinity’s Men’s Ministry invited to men from The 180 Center and Teen Challenge in Moodus, CT, for an evening of fellowship, outdoor games, and a BBQ dinner. After dinner, two men shared their testimonies about their journey to freedom in Christ. The evening ended with Pastor Robert Turner from i Care Outreach in Bridgeport, sharing a powerful testimony and a message of hope and encouragement.
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!
Psalm 133:1
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 for our 18 Month Discipleship Program and The 180 Center. PRAY for people to receive Christ and become His disciples! Also, please PRAY for provision of the installation box in the parking lot. God hears your prayers!!
SERVE with your church group by making a breakfast or lunch. Contact us at the180center@gmail.com.
GIVE a donation to The 180 Center. Thanks so much for your generosity! Any size gift is appreciated. Give online (click ‘donate’ in the upper right hand corner) or by mail. Please send checks to: The 180 Center, P.O. Box 6806, Hamden, CT 06517
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.