- Church planting & multiplication
Stefanie Kabemba couldn’t wait to become as busy as a bee in New Britain, Connecticut, a multiethnic city of 72,000 where honeybees influence a baseball team, a bridge and a new Converge church.
She and her husband, Israel, joined the servant team of Vox Church to pray and lovingly minister there. The city west of Hartford is home to college students, several ethnic groups and generations of blue-collar workers.
“People in that city are hungry to know the true gospel,” Stefanie Kabemba said. “We just saw the Lord’s work happen so quickly.”
They’ve been part of Vox for eight years, first at the New Haven campus and then at a Middletown location. She said the church consistently reflects the Lord’s kingdom by sharing the gospel, serving the poor and seeking the good of the numerous cities where Vox exists.
Related: Vox’s vision for New England means changing cities through the church.
Now, the Kabembas and dozens of other disciples have stirred the city as they encounter Christ. The church has baptized 15 people, with more baptisms planned in August.
“Vox Church is being the hands and feet of Jesus,” she said. “It’s transforming their minds and their hearts right before our eyes.”
The church creates something the community has never received
Pastor Chris Tep said these early accomplishments reflect the power of the church’s team of volunteers. He said they have been faithful and energetic in their labors.
The church first worshiped on October 8, 2023. The group prioritizes Sunday services, weekly community groups, outreach activities and monthly prayer.
Ken Martin of neighboring Berlin and his wife, Karen, began to experience the ministry when they started attending Vox with their daughter, Jennifer.
Ken said that the presence of the greeters quickly delivered an incredible blessing to the Martins.
“I’ve never felt that true commitment and love from another person I don’t even know,” he said.
That genuine, benevolent interest has transformed his ministry presence as he serves on Vox’s launch team.
“We reach out, we embrace each other, we love each other,” he said. “You’re not getting that at Home Depot.”
Past struggles and present unbelief hanging around New Britain
Tep explained that New Britain has been through a lot as a city, as manufacturing declined and businesses moved out of the Northeast. But, the city’s predominantly blue-collar residents maintain their pride in being from New Britain, a city known for industrious people.
That’s part of why the community embraced bees as a symbol of sorts and a message about the life they’re to create. Tep, who grew up in nearby Bristol, said many New Britains are familiar with Jesus but don’t attend church or worship regularly.
“People need that spiritual awakening,” he added.
Vox is also developing relationships with college students at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. Many of those students are agnostic and unaware of the purpose, life and hope available in God and his church.
Helping people hear the voice of God
The revelation that the Lord of the Bible speaks to people inspired the church’s name, Vox, which means “voice” in Latin. New Britain has embraced Latin with a city motto — Industria implet alveare et melle fruitur — which means “Industry fills the hive and enjoys the honey.”
God’s people, aware that he wants to speak life to the city, have embraced the gospel mission like worker bees to fill up the hive of New Britain with the life of Christ.
“At the end of the day, the voice of God is the voice that will bring us to Jesus,” Tep said. “That is the voice that brings us to hope, that is the voice that brings us joy, that is the voice that will lead us to salvation.”
Love is bringing respite from life’s challenges
The church organized a Serve Day to volunteer in New Britain to meet community needs. Believers prayed with people at coffee shops and volunteered on tasks the city needed to be done. Thirty to 35 people showed up, Tep said, busy and ready to act for the good of the neighbors.
“We are called to be this working bee for the city,” Tep said. “We should be going out and being present, taking action. That’s how the gospel speaks in New Britain.”
That spirit also motivates people who come to know Vox believers. Ken Martin sees people come to church with broken hearts and personal hangups and struggles.
“We’re getting the respite from all of life’s challenges and feeling embraced,” he said.
Then, he’s watching as those people get welcomed in and find themselves in the kingdom of the beloved Son.
“God is showing up at Vox Church,” he added.
That’s what Stefanie and Israel Kabemba want for their neighbors. Through the service of so many volunteers, Vox Church is seeing people connect with the Lord and find their needs met through the church.
“The outreach events are how we tell the city that we’re here to serve you wholeheartedly,” Stefanie said. “It’s so evident that they see somebody for the first time meeting their needs. That’s the first step to evangelizing.”
Converge's 10 districts have committed to deploying 312 church planters before 2026. Read more inspiring church planting stories and learn about the goal to send out 312 church planters in five years.
