They call me Nehemiah. At least, that’s what they used to call me when I joined the graduate chapter of my fraternity a few years after graduating from college. Nehemiah was my “line name” before I became a “brother.”

Once I fulfilled all the initiation requirements, including attending classes to learn the fraternity’s history, participating in community engagement activities, and completing my “Brick” (prominently displayed on a shelf in my office), the symbol of brotherhood and unity, I was ready to belong to Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity historically established for African American men.

Whether it was a primal instinct stirring in my gut or a deep-seated need to be part of a group, I yearned to belong. So, I embraced the title of an “Alpha man.” This affiliation showed me a profound sense of identity and purpose, a realization that I was part of something greater than myself. This longing to belong, be seen, be known, and be included is a universal human desire. It transcends rituals, dress, and handshakes and speaks to our innate need to matter to others.

Over the years, my fraternity has provided me with a community. No matter where I am, when I see a brother wearing our fraternity colors, “Black and Gold,” it’s a sign of connection and belonging. But as great as being in my fraternity has been, it hasn’t shielded me from conflict and disagreements, and, in some extreme cases, it was incapable of providing direction through life’s chaotic moments.

I don’t identify with the name Nehemiah as much these days. If I’m honest, as pastor of Snellville Community Church, I identify more with the name Moses, whom God called to inspire and lead people through unsettled space to discover new life. Like Moses, who was disappointed with belonging to the Egyptian palace in the Exodus story, I found that what I was searching for was more than fraternal bond; I was searching for peace in belonging.

Fraternities, groups, and other organizations offer ways to connect to individuals, but they fall short of providing a road map to new life and peace. In the Bible, the word peace is found 397 times in the Old Testament as the Hebrew word translated as “Shalom” and 97 times in the New Testament as the Greek word translated as “Eiréné.” 

Shalom can be translated as “to destroy the authority that establishes chaos.” Eiréné can be translated as “to join or weave together.” If we combine the two words for peace, we get: God’s spirit destroys the authority that causes disunity and brings us back to the relationship of interconnectedness and interdependency. In other words, peace destroys chaos and creates relationships of belonging to a community. 

As a church with “Community” as its middle name, our task is to receive, experience, and offer peace - God’s spirit that destroys the chaos in people’s lives to create belonging in relationships. 

Belonging to a community is more than just a passive act of attending services or participating in activities. It's an active spiritual discipline that allows us to experience the transformative power of God's love. It reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles and need God's grace. More than that, it's a source of unwavering support, a wellspring of encouragement, and a nurturing environment for our faith to grow. It may not always be easy, but the rewards are immeasurable.

I’m grateful to belong to a community where people matter to God, and we do life together to transform Snellville.

At the Intersection,

Dr. Quincy D. Brown

Senior Pastor