Emergence

As we move closer to relocating Emergence to a new site, you'll see more and more evidence of the pieces coming together.

One of the crucial pieces to our church moving forward is seeing the mission (Loving Jesus, Loving People, Plowing a Counter-Culture) played out among all generations and all facets of the ministry.

Many of you know we have been looking for someone to direct the Children's Ministry in the new facility for about a year and a half now. We've trusted God to bring the right person at the right time, and we absolutely believe He has answered that prayer!

Our new Children's Director is Nate Nakao! He's a young guy with a call on his life to pour into children and families with all that he is.

There are too many pluses to mention when it comes to Nate, but just a few: he has experience in launching a children's ministry in a new site, he is passionate about the work he is called to, and he's a guy who knows the culture, as he has called North Jersey home for his whole life.

You can come meet Nate this Sunday at all services, but in the meantime, get to know him a little bit through this interview:

Hi Nate.
Hi Steve.

You’re our new kids ministry guy!
Yep!

So, wanna answer a few questions?
Sure. Whatcha got for me?

Nothing really. Just questions.
Wait. Wha—?

So what drew you to childrenʼs ministry?
When I was in high school, I went on a trip with my youth group to help out at a camp out on Long Island. It was a great experience that gave me the opportunity to serve in ways I never would have tried on my own. Without realizing it, Iʼd begun to develop a love for working with kids at that time. At the college I went to, all students were encouraged to serve in the surrounding towns in some capacity, and I decided to help out in a midweek childrenʼs program that one of the nearby churches hosted.

After I moved back to New Jersey I started to attend Liquid Church in Morristown, where I became friends with a guy named Bobby Perrotti (who just so happened to be the Director of Liquid Kids at the time). I joined his team and began getting heavily involved in the programming at Liquid Kids. It was around this time that I started to sense that God was calling me toward this type of ministry.

When did you first begin to follow Christ?
I can’t pinpoint an exact date that I first trusted Christ as my Savior; rather, it was a long process that began when I was around five years old.

I grew up in a Christian family, and for practically my whole life I was at church multiple times every week. When I was about six years old my family started attending an independent hyper-fundamentalist church. (For those who donʼt know what that is, hyper-fundamentalists are “evangelicals who are angry about something.”)

I spent seventeen years at that church; I even attended a hyper-fundamentalist college. During my junior year I began to struggle with my faith to the extent that by the time I graduated I was ready to give up on Christianity.

After moving back to New Jersey in 2007, my best friend introduced me to Liquid Church, where I discovered Christʼs teachings actually being lived out. About a year later I embraced this faith as my own and declared that I would be a follower of Jesus.

As you look forward to what’s ahead here at Emergence, what are you most excited about?
The most exciting thing about Emergence to me is the desire to truly live out the gospel. Being part of a community that is striving to love Jesus, to love others, and to plow counterculture here in Jersey is one of the greatest things I can think of. But beyond that, seeing children learn about what that looks like in their own lives is what excites me personally.

The other thing that’s exciting for me is the thought that God’s kingdom is beginning to move here in Jersey. Most people in American Christian culture have no idea what to do with Jersey. It’s an odd place on the Christian map, and most church leaders are afraid to touch it. But churches like Emergence get that it’s probably the best place to be.

What are some things you love about ministry?
The best thing about ministry to me is the relationships that develop when people start to discover what it looks like to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Christ said that the distinguishing feature of His followers would be their love for each other. Never is that more evident to me than when we work shoulder-to-shoulder in spreading His kingdom.

What are some of your ministry pet peeves?
My biggest pet peeve in ministry is the term "Sunday School". Kids already go to school Monday through Friday. Who would want to go to school Sunday through Friday? That doesnʼt sound like a good time to me.

What kind of music do you listen to?
My absolute favorite band right now is MUTEMATH. At this moment Iʼm listening to music by the band Fiction Family. I also listen to a lot of stuff by the Beatles.

What are some of your hobbies?
I often get excited about doing stuff Iʼm not particularly good at. I love playing Halo on XBox Live, but my friends who also play usually destroy me. I love Fantasy Football, but Iʼm horrendous at it, and I usually end up in last place.

In my spare time, I watch baseball and football (sometimes simultaneously), I play video games when I have the time (which, sadly, is almost never), and I strum songs by Hillsong United on my guitar.

How do you feel about working with me and Ryan?
Pass.

No, really. How is it being a part of this team?
Um. . . I have lots of work to do.

Really? You don’t want to give this one a stab?
Maybe after I finish what I’m working on.

You sure?
You guys are awkward.

Um. . . okay. Bye Nate.