We’re upping our goal So…we’ve decided to up our goal from $10,000 to $12,000. “Why would you do that during Covid-19?!” I hear you ask. Here’s why. Firstly, a generous couple have decided to match every donation to Steps in the next two weeks up to $4,000! Having raised $4,500 already, all we need is a further $4,000 and our goal will be met. Dear Ben, To aid in the goal for this year, instead of sending a check, we want to do it differently. We will match giving to Steps Ministries, starting today, April 26, 2020, up to $4,000.00. I think this can be accomplished and you will be able to exc ..read more

Written by Ben Tagg Marijuana for recreational use has been legalized for New Yorkers. New York is among 16 other states that have legalized pot in recent years. Recreational Marijuana use is also legal in Washington D.C. Even though this has been talked about for many years in New York, it’s come quite suddenly for many people. There is mixed opinion on the measure, causing a shock for some and a sigh of relief for others.  For me, it came as quite a surprise, and not a good one. In the past two weeks, I’ve been trying to hear both sides of the argument and read up on how these changes h ..read more

Stay safe! It’s a cute little phrase that’s been going around lately.  Variations of this phrase are “be safe” and “stay home, stay healthy”.  This and other similar expressions are spreading infectiously because of the Covid-19 pandemic that has shaken the whole world in recent months.  While I’m not against common sense, PPE and quarantines, I am quite nauseated by these expressions.  I’ve developed my own form of phrase “don’t stay too safe”.  Some people laugh at it, some people love it, others give me a blank expression as they try to conceive what I’m driving at ..read more

There’s been a lot of talk about pronouns lately. Pronouns are a very important part of the English language. Well, before we go any further, this blog post isn’t about pronouns, it’s about prepositions. Now that I’ve got your attention, I want to talk to you about something that every Christian, especially church pastors, leaders, priests, vicars, etc. should consider. What are our church’s prepositions? You may have heard someone pose you the question “If your church closed today would the city mourn?” This question is incredibly good and also convicting. It cuts right to the heart and chall ..read more

Written by: Shalom Bhatti “Why of all the cities in the U.S., are you travelling to Buffalo?”, the interrogating U.S. border patrol officer at the airport questioned. “Good question”, I thought to myself. My Two Weeks at Steps My name is Shalom, I work in Birmingham (UK) as a high school Science teacher, as well as a youth leader at my Church. A year earlier, the Holy Spirit prompted me: “You will be working in New York as a teacher”. The thought had never occurred to me before. I had never been to the U.S. Following prayer, wise counsel, an much deliberation, I pursued this divine leading. I ..read more

We’re so happy with how the mural came out! Grace and her friends from the Cleveland Institute of Art did an excellent job. Thank you to all that donated to this project especially the people of The Tabernacle who gave most of the funds to make this dream visible. The mural, located at the corner of Seneca Street and Imson Street in Buffalo, was designed by Grace LaPrade, based on an original sketch by Ben. It’s designed to be an expression of God’s heart to bring restoration to our city, our neighborhood, and us. The Words HOPE – No matter who you are or what you’ve done ..read more

I wrote this article a few years ago. It was relevant then, but I’d like to re-share it because I think it’s still relevant now. We’ve never had a time (since I came to America in 2005) that more people are needing help. In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of people to have to ask for help they wouldn’t have needed before. It’s so critical that we truly lift people and don’t just give them a hand out. Read on. Christmas is around the corner. In addition to preparing for Christmas with our families, many of us are seeking ways to give back to those who are less fortunate than us. The ..read more

by Aaron Belleville Art by Gary L Wolfe Two ways of defining the gospel As Christians, we’re all familiar with the word “gospel”. It is the core of everything we believe. But, as I’ve come to realize in the past couple of years, we all have a slightly different idea of what the term means. The Church at large is pretty much divided on how we see the gospel message. It is presented either as:  1) The message of sin and redemption, made possible by Jesus’ death on the cross.                     ..read more