New England is special. I’m not just talking about the foliage, the maple syrup, history, or the unique personality, culture, and accents associated with being a New Englander. New England is also distinctive when it comes to the challenges faced by the Lord’s church and those who have decided to follow Jesus. Yes, of course, sin will always be “the problem”; Jesus will always be the answer; and faithfulness must always be the life and the course that we take.
New England Christian net
Beyond these basics, however, there are things that make us different, special issues facing Christians who live in the northeastern-most portion of the US, issues that are not well addressed by either our brotherhood’s fine educational institutions or publications. This is probably because they aim to address those things that are important to the bulk of the brotherhood found in the south and southwest. But challenges for churches and Christians in the Bible Belt are different from those met on the mission field of New England.
Congregations of 300 members are not at all typical for New England; youth groups of more than 10 are rare; ministry specialization is almost unknown; and men’s business meetings (that can sometimes have the same sort of “flair” as New England town meetings) are the most common way of conducting church business. There are special situations associated with church work, church dynamics, leadership, evangelistic outreach, and ordinary Christian living in New England. Many congregations, perhaps even most, don't have a full time minister—and haven't for years; most do not have elders; and many a congregation is led an untrained brother who holds a full time job and struggles to put together a Sunday sermon and Bible class on Saturday evening—year after year. Add to this the fact that New England generally is the least religious section of the nation, and it becomes clear—New England is special.
New England Christian Net is reemerging after a few years' hiatus to try to fill that gap. Our editors are New England preachers; our writers are either currently working among the churches in New England or have worked here in the past. The issues that we write about will constantly keep the needs of New England churches of Christ in mind. Many of our articles in this issue are beginning with this expressed principle.
This being said, however, we are also hopeful that our readership will expand beyond New England's borders. Smaller churches may find some articles helpful; churches in the larger northeast will find it helpful; mission churches (foreign or domestic) may find some articles translate well to their own region; and those interested in New England mission work may get clearer insight into our needs and challenges.
Editors
Park
Park Linscomb, has been working for the church in Manchester for 41 years. He graduatated from Lubbock Christian University in 1974 with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Bible (minor in Biblical Languages) and received a Master of Science in Human Services 10 years later (Counseling and Community Psychology) from what is now Southern New Hampshire University. His special area of ministry is preaching, teaching the Bible, Christian counseling, and evangelism. His special interests include biblical languages, biblical archaeology, and computers.
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Jay
My name is John Repecko, but I prefer to be called Jay. I started at the Concord Church of Christ in Concord New Hampshire in May 2013. I came to Concord from Caribou Maine where I served the Caribou Church of Christ for almost seven years. I am a 2006 graduate of Sunset International Bible Institute where I earned my Bachelor in Religious Studies in Congregational Ministry and a 2009 graduate of Amridge University where I received a Bachelor of Science in Bible and Ministry. I am a New England native, growing up on the North Shore in Massachusetts. My wife and I have two children who are both married and we have three grandchildren.
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David received His Bachelors of Theology from the Bear Valley Bible Institute in 2011. He has been working with the Lakes Region church of Christ in Tilton NH since the fall of that same year. While David is not a New Hampshire native (having grown up in Colorado), he has a passion for seeing the Lord's church in New England thrive!
David Rollert