How does a young pastor move from roughly 200 people in the church pews on an average Sunday to mega-church status?
That’s what 27-year-old Anthony S. McCaa Sr., founder and pastor of New Life Fellowship Church in University City, wants to know. He thinks he might have an answer.
“One goes from a congregation of 200 to a mega-church through persistent planning and executing the vision,” McCaa said.
McCaa’s vision will be at work this weekend as New Life celebrates its three-year anniversary May 1-4 at the church, located at 8310 Olive Blvd.
The church is deliberately non-denominational.
“I didn’t want my ministry to be bound by denominational barriers,” McCaa said.
“I felt like the community, particularly west St. Louis, needed a church like ours that accepts people like they are. Our niche is that we do not put up any barriers as to color, dress, hang-ups, issues.”
McCaa said an early trend in his growing congregation is that of “highly educated young adults.” He guessed that they see something of themselves in their young, hustling, entrepreneurial pastor.
New Life has a business development on the horizon, a child development center servicing kids from two to six, set to open on June 1. Presently McCaa is working with the state Department of Health and Senior Services to make sure the center is properly equipped to be certified.
New Life has 18 ministries working under McCaa. He particularly credited Min. Lorren Buck, Phillip Graves and Sister Niketa Scales for their leadership. Sister Tiffany King coordinated the anniversary weekend. The first lady is Shantelle McCaa.
Before McCaa started his own church, he served as youth pastor at Prince of Peace MB Church under the leadership of Pastor Willie E. Kilpatrick.
“I started as youth pastor because my initial training was in education,” McCaa said. “I have a passion for youth.”
In fact, he taught in the St. Louis Public Schools for three and a half years before becoming a full-time pastor.
He did his own studies at Central Visual and Performing High School, with a music major. His home church growing up was New Jerusalem Cathedral COGIC, 2047 E. Grand Ave.
The former music major described the music ministry at New Life “as live and energetic music, more contemporary than traditional.”
That’s what folks will be hearing when New Life’s three-year anniversary celebration kicks off with a two-day revival at 7 p.m. May 1 and 2 at the church, 8310 Olive Blvd. On Sunday, May 4, New Life is hosting a worship service at 10:30 a.m. and a banquet, “An Evening of Eloquence,” at 6 p.m. The banquet will take place at Friends – A Meeting Place (716 N. Compton); tickets are $30.
Anniversary guests will include: Minister Darrell Rice of Shalom City of Peace; Pastor Shadrach Robinson of Friendship Baptist; Elder Brian Harrison; the Berean Praise Team; Youth on the Move: Phase II; Kenneth DeShields; and God’s Creation.
For more information, call (314) 991-LIFE (5433).
