Saturday May 1, 2010 is a day that Nashville will remember for many years to come. The Nashville flood washed a lot of things away but there is one thing that it built up. Community. The people of Nashville immediately began to help their neighbors affected by the flood.
As Thomas Todd, pastor of Concord Community Church of the Nazarene, was driving down Concord Road two days after the flood, he noticed that there were masses of people at El Shaddai, trying to salvage what they could from their beloved church. Todd stopped and looked for German Castro, the pastor of El Shaddai Christian Church. Todd had known of El Shaddai as it was just down the street from Concord Community but Todd and Castro had never met.
Standing before the church building and its congregation, Todd knew what he must do. He walked over to Castro, handing him the keys to Concord Community Church. This was now to be a home for El Shaddai.
It seems a little chaotic for two churches, with different denominations, congregating in the same building. But both El Shaddai and Concord Community Church have benefited greatly from this transition. Todd has seen how denominations have separated the body of Christ and prevented unity.
Todd believes firmly that as the body of Christ, we have the same needs. We worship the same God.
Todd understands there is different theology within denominations but ultimately you cannot argue against the Word of God and the Word commands us to take care of our brothers and sisters. That is exactly what Todd was following when he handed the keys to Castro.
As for the future of El Shaddai and Concord Community Church, they will continue to share the building until another opportunity opens up for El Shaddai. They have both been extremely pleased in this arrangement and no problems have occurred. Todd would like to see the two churches do more things in the community together.
“El Shaddai can reach a whole different group of people that Concord Community Church may not have ever been able to”, says Todd.
Currently the youth groups of each church are beginning to merge and all are excited to see how it plays out. No matter where El Shaddai ends up in the future, Todd knows there will be a lifelong partnership. Their time in the same church building has been a beautiful example of what community within the body of Christ looks like and he wouldn’t have changed a thing.