REV MICHAEL MALONE CALLED TO BE THE PASTOR OF FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH STOCKTON

Michael Malone is a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, but no stranger to Northern California. His family moved to San Diego in 1958 and later to the Bay Area, when he was 15 years old. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from Cal State Hayward. He went on to earn his masters degree in marriage and family therapy from Abilene Christian University in Abiline, Texas. He worked as a social worker for two years before moving to Indiana to become a substance abuse specialist.

A masters degree of divinity from Christian Theological Seminary at Indianapolis followed before he took a pastorate in Olney, Ill. for two years and then the Wellesville, N.Y., Disciples of Christ Church. 

He has a number of goals for the church, but the most immediate includes an assessment of what the church needs to do to improve its relevance to the community.  “My immediate goals are to assess the health and direction of FCC,” he said. “What does FCC do best? Where does it need to improve? What vision does it have, and how can we work together to bring about that vision? What are the gifts of the congregation in general, and what are the spiritual gifts of individuals? What is the spiritual health of the congregation, and how can we improve?” 

Michael’s family plans to be involved in the life of the church in a major way. “I believe my greatest assets as a pastor are my passion for God and my love of God’s creation. God has blessed me with an ear to listen, with compassion, and the gift of counseling.  Laurie is also a tremendous asset,” he said

Michael believes there are four areas of assessment needed in order to develop other long range goals and a vision for FCC Stockton. These include evangelism, worship, mission and spirituality.  “A decline in church attendance is in direct proportion to the church distancing itself from the culture and not keeping up with the changes of knowledge, technology, music, and ways of learning and relating,” he said. He added, “There are many people in the community who are anti-religion yet are very spiritual. How can we connect with them, reach out to them, and bring them along on our Christian journey? Many others are hurting and need healing from their wounds. How can we reach out to them and offer the healing presence of Christ? How can we make the church and the worship engaging for those who do not know our traditions, who have grown up watching movies, music videos, etc.?”

Michael believes the primary purpose of the church is to proclaim the good news of Christ which liberates the oppressed. That is accomplished through worship and also by what we do in the community and world. He feels one of the primary reasons for being the church is to equip the members to do works of service as they are gifted and called. “As Christians we need to witness to the world concerning God’s alternative kingdom of equality and justice. The church must be involved in hands-on ministry. Even the  building exists to not only be a sanctuary for the members, but also a sanctuary for the community.”

“The world is rapidly changing. We no longer live in a Christian culture (if we ever did), yet we have been blessed with a message that is as powerful today as it was 2,000 years ago, or 400 years ago, or 100 years ago. The message is still relevant: God created us with a purpose, and God loves us, even though we have not been faithful.  How we communicate that message in a world in chaos is our greatest challenge