Pastors Jay & Stacey Coleman- Their “Journey” Through Life

By DeeDee Dupree

Pastors of Journey Church, Jay and Stacey, are undeniably a couple that share a divine connection. Alongside their three sons, they are a family of ministry. “We are a team- We are in it together,” Stacey stated with a charming smile.

Journey is a Life Giving, non-denominational church that offers an endearing, small church warmth hosted in a large facility to accommodate the Central community.

Journey Church found its new home in the Central Community in 2008.  The first day of church service in the new building brought in 535 people. Journey has now grown to over 1100 members.  The quick growth has exceeded Pastor Jay’s expectations. He is in awe watching God’s work in the community.

Jay met Stacey shortly after his 18th birthday.  He had recently dedicated his life to the Lord and prayed for a Christian friend and companion.  “Proverbs 18:22 says, He who finds a wife finds a good thing.  And I certainly did,” Jay stated, winking at his wife. “It’s great working side by side with your spouse.  I love that she leads the worship service at church and we get to spend so much time together. There isn’t another person I’d rather spend my time with.”

At the heart of Journey's mission statement is that people Connect with Christ, Grow in their faith and to Serve those around them no matter where they are. The members of this church certainly exemplify this motto. Hearing story after story of how members of the church give their time and energ, it  is truly quite inspiring.  Team Hope is an example of people striving to make a difference, not only here in the United States but in Nicaragua as well. The Gaudin’s, a couple in the church, lead the missions and have dedicated their lives to helping those that have nothing. 
Q & A: What would you say is your biggest accomplishment since starting Journey church?  Watching people respond to the Gospel. It is an accomplishment to simply watch families transform and begin to serve God together.

What is your biggest disappointment? We have not experienced much disappointment as far as the church is concerned.  However, my best friend passed away the week of Easter.  I was completely devastated.  But let me say I can't express how wonderful the people of this church were.  They rallied together, had church services and supported my family.  Each of them are true warriors of prayer and selflessness.

What are your thoughts on the Central Community and the spirit of volunteerism that seems to resonate with its resident? We call it Servolution and it's amazing. People giving of their time, going out into the community and being the hands and feet of Jesus. We have so many families that are a part of our Serve team and I would love to thank them for the way that they represent Christ to our community. We are so blessed to have them in our lives and as a part of Journey.

Do the pastors of all local Central churches get together with a common goal for the community?  Yes, the Mayor hosts a breakfast once a month where we fellowship with one another.  There are many great churches in the area led by some wonderful pastors.
Stacey, can you tell me about the worship services?  Our music is contemporary. We do play a few hymns sporadically, but overall we try to keep the music current and relatable to our growing church. 

Your approach to ministering differs from a lot of churches I’ve attended. It definitely has a laid back, small community atmosphere.  What led you to this approach? I started off many years ago teaching children’s church. I soon realized kids and adults like story telling.  People in general do not want to be preached at. They enjoy hearing stories they can relate to. This, in turn, opens their hearts and minds to God’s word.  We present the gospel in a way to help people deal with real life issues they face everyday. I often tell the congregation, We don’t just go to church, we ARE the church— wherever we are.   I truly believe that.

Does it take a large staff to run this size church? Our staff is actually quite small. It consists of some truly remarkable people.  We are blessed to have a really creative team.  We brain storm together and they just make it happen.  They constantly amaze and impress me. We are always thinking of new ways to serve the community.  Our Journey Girls will be hosting “Summer Pink-Nic” July 24th 6 – 8 pm. For more information on this event and our service times, check out our website @ www.journeychurchcentral.com.
COME TAKE THE JOURNEY WITH US.