Hope House for Christian N.U.R.T.U.R.E.

Life on Life Discipleship

Disciple-making is best done one-on-one. Growing as a Christian is both caught and taught. For this reason we have been bringing people into our home to live with us in Biblically-functioning community for over 30 years now. Whether we lived in Providence, RI or Norwood, MA or Bedford, NY or Stamford, CT, or Roselle, IL or Chicago, IL, we have followed God’s call to do life together with others. During different seasons, this has meant bringing in young professionals who need Christian mentoring and connection to bringing in inner-city high school students. Wherever God has taken us, this ministry of radical hospitality has been one of the key ways God has used us to make disciples.

Since 2017, we have invited middle and high-school students and others from the community to live with us in our home and receive the safe, loving and Holy Spirit-empowered love that we have been giving to our own children for over 20 years. My wife Jen, who is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), and I ran foster homes before we had children. We are familiar with the challenges that young people, who have suffered neglect and abuse, go through and the kind of community and environment that helps them to heal and mature into all that God has called them to be. God has uniquely called and qualified us to house, parent, develop a student’s potential and train as high-level student athletes and artists through Christian discipleship. Jason and Jen have been training athletes at all levels for over 30 years. We have seen how the extra focus, love, nurture, discipline, structure and the power of the Holy Spirit greatly increases one’s development and opportunities into adulthood. God has broken the hearts of our staff to help under-resourced people transform into maturing disciples of Christ.

As of November 2023, we are in a season of transition, sabbatical and listening for God’s guidance. We continue to support people who have lived with us recently as well as mentor men who have lived with us 20 years ago.

The N.U.R.T.U.R.E. Process

and the Seven Values of Abundant Living

  • Nurturing and caring for God’s creation as life stewards. Good Stewardship is the reasonable and loving response to our gracious God.

  • Unconditional love received and given through God’s Grace. Grace is God’s bridge to us and our bridge to other.

  • Rules to guide our lives toward God’s will. Guidance is necessary in order to carry out God’s will.

  • Training in righteousness to develop Godly desires, feelings, thoughts and actions. Growth is a process toward full maturity in Christ.

  • Unity with other brothers and sisters in Christ in Christian community. Groups of Biblically functioning community provide the optimal environment for life change.

  • Resurrection power enabling our obedience and service in His Kingdom. Gifts of divine empowerment are given to all believers to grow God’s church.

  • Exalting God and pointing others to Him. Glorification of God is the goal of our lives and the church.

Testimonials

  • "Being a part of Christian community with the Pankaus has made me feel closer to God. Listening to the teachings and lessons during the church services have taught me a lot, like learning about the grace of God, forgiveness, finding out what the Lord really wants us to do and helping others come unto Christ. As I sit and listen to the things that are being taught by the church pastors, I sometimes try to picture how the stories they share from the Gospel of John would play out. One of the events that I like from John is when Jesus brought Lazarus back to life after everybody saw him pass away and be put in a tomb. In the sermon, Pastor Pankau talked about how Martha ran up to Jesus and told him that he was late and that Lazarus had been dead for three days. Even though He knew it, it didn’t bother Him and at the end He amazed everyone who was present that day when He brought Lazarus back to life. Pastor Pankau then said that everything the Lord does, He has a reason for it, like what He did with Lazarus' death. He is also specific with what He does because He wants us to know that He is the son of God and that we should put our faith in Him (like how He called out Lazarus' name because if he had called out “come forth” without a specific name, everyone from the grave could have walked back out alive). From this story it has taught me that the Lord has a plan for all of us and that He sent us to Earth for a reason and that He has a mission for us to accomplish. As I spend more time with the church I can testify that everything that they stand for and talk about are true, and I know that the teachings, lessons and help they give will help you as you go on in life because I have experienced it as I have started to grow and learn in this new environment. I also know that if you have any questions or start to feel that you are lost, they can help you and guide you as you try to find your way towards Christ. If you come to church you will not only see it as a wonderful church but the members in the church will feel like family because of the warm welcome you get when you enter and having the feeling like you have at home."

    -Sereana

  • “The Pankaus have helped me tremendously with moving into their home for the school year. The Pankaus also talk me through adversity and help me get through it to continue the day. I am very thankful for them being great problem solvers in my life. I am very thankful to have this place be a second home to me.” 

    -Will

  • “Being a part of Christian community with the Pankaus has helped me understand what it actually means to follow Jesus, and understand how much He sacrificed for me. Church with the Pankaus is so different from other churches because it teaches me the difference between the “prosperity gospel” and real Christianity. This experience not only brought me closer to God but also is teaching me how to become a better man. I have truly been impacted because I see deeper into Christianity than I did before. I actually can feel that I am not lonely anymore because I know that God is always with me. I know that God can communicate to us in numerous ways. Confessing my sins won’t guarantee that everything is ok, but confessing and repenting is key. I learned that repent means ‘to turn’, so if I am truly repenting, then I am turning away from the sins I confessed and toward a god guided and empowered life.”

    -Tre

  • “Being a part of this church community has helped me and my son in so many ways. I found my way back to the Lord. I'm also teaching my son the word and how to apply it to daily living through the church and Bible study. It is a blessing for me and my son to be a part of the Hope House and meeting new members of the church. Thank you for helping me restore my faith in Jesus Christ.”

    -Yvonne