In a community where many have lost all hope, Pastor Eric Readon stands in the gap to make a difference in the lives of the underprivileged and disadvantageous.

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA, USA, March 5, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Pastor Eric Readon has been the subject of much debate during his 13-year stint as Pastor of New Beginning Missionary Baptist Church in Miami Gardens, FL. His checkered past prior to his spiritual redemption has caused some to question whether he is fit to lead a congregation of believers, much less his community. But when the record is shown, Readon’s efforts in revitalizing the community, and inspiring the youth to go down a more positive path in life, leaves one with no other conclusion that he is without a shadow of a doubt…God’s servant.

The first Sunday that Readon took the helm as New Beginning’s new pastor in 2004, only 49 of the church’s 250-member roll attended. But Readon did not let the lack of support deter him from the task at hand. Eric knew that the vision of his father, the late Dr. I.H. Readon, could not falter. Additionally, he saw a great need in the community for change. Through hard work, dedication, and diligence, Readon (God’s servant) would continue to lead the ministry to greatness. Today, the church boasts a 600-member roll, and the positive impact of the ministry can be felt throughout the community.

Readon has since earned his Bachelor’s in Christian Education; a Master’s in Theology; and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Theology from Smith Chapel Bible University. But the accomplishments he is proudest of are the great things he has implemented to improve the violence-ridden and poverty-stricken community where the ministry is based. This servant of God, with a heart for the youth of the community, has gone on a crusade combating problems facing the underprivileged children in the area.

To inspire the youth of the community to strive for excellence, Pastor Readon garnered support from famous Hip Hop artists who come into the community with words of motivation to encourage them. Music celebrities Birdman and Fat Joe both stepped forward to assist Readon in restoring the community’s peace and providing youth with alternatives to the destructive lifestyle that is claiming so many young lives. These artists have reaffirmed the point that the hard-core life many artists rap about is more fantasy than fact, and that Hip Hop music is just as much a “job” as it is an art form. Their effort is yet another step towards the empowerment of our youth, as Pastor Readon shines as a beacon of hope for youth and adults alike.

Pastor Readon heads up a mentorship program that services some 150 kids per week on average. These kids are a motley crue of dropouts, drug addicts, murders, gang members, gun violence perpetrators, homeless youth, and many are in bad family situations at home. To many of these youth, Readon has become a father figure—even those that have parents at home. In the history of the program Readon has not only helped the kids, but he has also provided job placement for many of their parents. He has also covered funeral expenses for community children who were murdered and their parents could not afford a proper burial. In one instance, Readon provided Christmas presents for the children of parents who were murder victims. Readon’s motivation comes from a personal place as he himself came from a broken home.

“I believe that [the children] can still survive after making bad choices,” says Readon. “But when a child doesn’t know what to do or how to change their direction in life, they need guidance…someone to help lead the way. And that’s what we’re trying to make happen in this community.”

Readon’s ministry is working in conjunction with Miami-Dade Infill Housing to build and provide affordable housing within the community. Whether it’s to go into dilapidated neighborhoods to refurbish blighted properties, or to build residential units from the ground up, Readon views Infill Housing as one of many solutions necessary to turn around an already grim picture of the fate of the community. He believes Infill will help create a better atmosphere for community residents, as well as increase the community’s holistic value.

Most recently Pastor Readon contributed an additional $1,000 to the reward being provided through Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers for information leading to the senseless murder of Isaiah Solomon, a fifteen-year-old boy who was shot six months ago while attending the funeral of another slain teenager. As displayed so many times before, Readon exhibits his personal convictions and concerns regarding the safety of the youth in the community, and it is his hope that the perpetrator of this heinous crime is quickly brought to justice.

Pastor Readon has recently begun drafting a book of his memoirs slated to be released at the end of this year. This personal account of his life, “From the Streets to the Pulpit,” will chronicle his story of triumph from his path to eminent destruction to a place of respect, admiration, and godliness. His plans for the future is maintaining and acting upon his love for God first; then his family; his church; and finally his community, as he strives to draw ever closer to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Today’s spiritual leader finds their greatest challenge in being relatable to the people they are leading. It seems more times than oft that leaders, who have lived a life devoid of adversity and personal blunders, is the exception and not the rule. If we look at the Bible’s apostle Paul, we see a man who had gone as far as persecuting and murdering Christians for their beliefs, before he had his own personal encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. And although there were many that still feared the man he was (Saul of Tarsus), he still went on to be the greatest apostle of them all. We don’t have the full dossier of all that Pastor Eric Readon will accomplish and overcome; but like the apostle Paul and many that followed, it is apparent that Readon has already begun the journey that will inevitably identify him as…’God’s Servant’.

NBMBC
New Beginning Missionary Baptist Church
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God's Servant Helping Our Local Community, this video shows past and present highlights of the accomplishments of Pastor Eric Readon.