Scripture is clear that our God is one that desires to restore, to make whole and to redeem. It is also clear from the very beginning and throughout humanity’s history that family is at the core of his great plan. Family is one of the primary ways by which the faith is to be passed on from generation to generation. It is beautiful and a demonstration of God’s power whenever he works through family to win our children. It is also an incredible miracle when God works through families to win other families for Christ.
In 2004 Ed and Nancy Dawson were leading the North Region of the Indianapolis Church of Christ. Mission-minded themselves, Ed and Nancy instilled the same heart into their daughters Lindsey and Erica. Lindsey (now Lindsey Heigerick of the Cincinnati Church of Christ) began building a relationship with a friend from school named Jessica Brewer. Jessica’s parents,Darrin and Doris Ann, had visited services a few times with families like Philippe and Rosalie Jonquet, as well as Christian and Phyllis Calderon (Doris Ann’s cousin).
Lindsey, along with some of the other young teen girls in the congregation, began a weekly Bible study time on Friday mornings before school. Jessica had always noticed that there was something different and special about Lindsey, and invited herself to join the Bible study. Jessica came regularly and grew close to several girls from the church. A few months later, Ed and Nancy invited Jessica’s parents to a Sunday service. Not long after that, on August 13, 2006, Darrin and Doris Ann were baptized into Christ. Jessica was baptized August 11, 2008 and younger brother Daniel on February 10th, 2012.
The Brewer family’s story does not end there. Following high school, Jessica attended the University of Kentucky and was a great part of the Lexington Church’s campus ministry. During that time she developed a passion for serving in the ministry and served as an intern in Lexington. In 2016 Jessica married an awesome young man baptized at Virginia Tech named Bradford Knight. They then served as volunteer teen leaders in the Hampton Roads Church of Christ. Bradford and Jessica both still had a desire to end up as full-time ministers. As God would have it, in 2018 the Indianapolis Church was looking to hire a new couple to serve in the youth and family ministry. Bradford and Jessica bravely and excitedly heeded the Spirit’s call and took the position. So, almost 12 years after she was baptized in the Indianapolis Church’s youth and family ministry, Jessica and her husband came home, now as the ministers of the group.
God has also used the rest of the Brewer family in some great ways over the years. Daniel attended Indiana University and was a significant part of the recently re-planted campus ministry there. He and his new wife Caroline (Van Hoorde) are now a vibrant, giving couple in the Indianapolis Church’s young professionals ministry. Darrin and Doris Ann are prominent members of the congregation. Darrin is on the board of directors. As a couple, they lead the church’s “Cultural Connections Group.” This is a ground breaking group formed several years ago, which aims to help promote an environment where racial and cultural differences are embraced, nurtured and accepted. This is pursued by various events and initiatives in which the congregation participates. The Brewers lead that group wholeheartedly and its impact is being felt in incredible ways.
It has been a blessing in recent years to see the way God’s incredible plan is being carried out in this congregation. Embracing the “Cradle to Campus” approach, aiming to build and train families from the moment a child is born, the Indianapolis Church has seen God do amazing things. The congregation aims to have great children’s ministry and youth and family ministry. This has played a role in the development of the three campus ministries of the Indianapolis Church, and that in turn has helped grow the young professionals ministry which now numbers over 60 disciples. What a blessing it is when God not only works from generation to generation, but also from family to family!
