Bringing Them In

Pastor Christopher Martin gently lays his hands on Fredricka Savage to deliver God’s blessing as she cries out in a surrender to Jesus. As the other weeping members of the congregation surround her, Fredricka lifts her hands in a plea for forgiveness. Martin slowly moves through the sanctuary, blessing the congregation who found their way to the Sunday morning service at the Cathedral of Faith Ministries’ Church of God in Christ. He connects with them all, one by one, each of them in a state of prayer and surrender. At least one parishioner nearby lies on the ground – enraptured and convulsing – and speaking in tongues.

“All we have to keep us going is faith in God,” says Martin later, alluding to the current situation faced by the Flint community.

Before the sermon starts on Social Media Sundays, Martin makes his way around the church as members whip out smartphones from their pockets to take selfies alongside their leader and fellow devotees. As the sermon begins, Martin asks members of the congregation to call Flint community members who are not present. Through the room, fingers dial numbers and dozens of phones are then held up with the calls put on speaker. The minister welcomes all who are listening – both those who are present and those on the line.

As an only child – born in Chicago and raised in Flint – Martin has experienced the community’s development over the years. He saw how his faith developed as he watched his mother’s health deteriorate. “There were a lot of things I experienced and a lot of things I had to get used to,” said Martin.

Christopher Martin married Felicia 22-years ago, after meeting at the University of Michigan, and went on to have three children in the years to come. After three jobs and spending eight years on the Flint School Board of Education, Martin resigned in 2005 and founded his church in 2008. The following year, the church moved to an old school board building on Dupont Street nestled near Hasslebring Park, where it remains now. In 2014, after years of paying rent, the ministry bought the building with cash and spent $350,000 for renovation and repairs.

As the church and congregation grew, it became a vital gathering place for the community. During Flint’s water crisis, the church became a site for distributing water to area residents. As the community poured into the church, Martin preached messages of hope, restoration, faith and resilience. The messages hit home and the church community continued to grow.

As the Pastor continues to bring people in, Martin’s community building and hard work is not lost on his church family. “(Our) pastor does a lot. He does a lot of behind the scenes stuff,” shared nearly 9-year congregation member Angelina Massie. For instance, the parish offers several outreach programs to serve and engage Flint’s community. The church programs include “Beat the Streets,” a door-to-door Gospel and prayer ministry, various food distributions, free breakfast and lunch programs for children, as well as Back to School rallies. Every morning throughout the week, Martin invites residents to a time for prayer and the word of God. “People are looking for hope and looking for answers,” said Martin.

The service concludes with affectionate embraces between congregation members. Martin recognizes and welcomes new residents in the church community. He says goodbye for now, but anticipates their arrival the following week. The church body clears the sanctuary and cars roll out of the parking lot quickly.

But they’ll be back.