Joy is mine, joy is mine, joy today is mine. I told Satan to get thee behind, joy today is mine.”

Voices ring out, bodies bob and hands clap to the traditional gospel song as the offering basket is passed from hand to hand.

A group of lively young people bounce in one corner of the sanctuary, while two young boys laugh and try to get each other to clap out of time.

Although the congregation primarily comprises black people, the attendees of New Birth Baptist Church cover a wide spectrum: from the blond white woman in the front row to the ebony-toned man standing next to her.

This scene might turn some heads in Ames as the city’s increased cultural diversity has been a hot-button issue for more than a year, but this church’s leader said he is excited to see the discussion on increased diversity continue.

“The world is diverse, so that strikes me as funny when people say, ‘Well, it’s becoming more diverse.’ Is that a bad thing? They make it sound like it’s a bad thing. It’s a good thing that Ames is becoming diverse,” said Robert Knight, pastor of New Birth Baptist.

Knight has been the church’s head pastor for two years, and was called upon to lead it after its founder, Deland Myers, moved out of town. He said the church has about 60 or 70 people associated with it, but on most Sundays they see around 40 people in attendance.

One of unique things about New Birth Baptist is its location. Since July of last year it has been holding services in the Helser Chapel of the Collegiate Presbyterian Church.

The church had been meeting at the Memorial Union since its founding, but since it is not primarily a student congregation, it was forced to find a new place to meet. Knight told Mayor Ann Campbell about the situation, and she told an acquaintance from Collegiate Presbyterian about New Birth’s need for a home.

“All told, it was a matter of a friend knowing a friend knowing a friend — nothing more complicated than that, actually,” Campbell said.

Campbell met with Pastor Knight and the leadership of Collegiate Presbyterian, who made arrangements to let New Birth Baptist use their facilities on Sunday afternoons. Campbell said as far as she knows everyone is still happy with the agreement.

Over the past year, the city has been hosting various programs to increase cultural awareness and open discussion of race issues in Ames, and Campbell said the situation with New Birth Baptist was a step in the right direction.

“I’m convinced that the inclusive community effort is going to be best served by lots of individual steps in lots of different venues, and I think this is an important one,” Campbell said.

“Peace is mine, peace is mine, peace today is mine. I told Satan to get thee behind, peace today is mine.”

There are some 30 people sitting in the Helser Chapel this Sunday afternoon, and on a snowy day in March, Pastor Knight is thankful that even this many showed up.

He greets each attendee individually as they take a seat and asks how they are doing, saying things such as, “God is good all the time, amen?”

Knight towers over the congregation in his long black robe emblazoned with two red crosses across the chest. His face, lightly flecked with white stubble, beams at the church from behind wire-rimmed glasses as he begins the service.

“Just a closer walk with thee, grant it Jesus is my plea,” Knight sings, his only accompaniment a tambourine he taps lightly against his hip.

The congregation stands and joins in singing the familiar hymn, in a style that many churchgoers would find very unfamiliar style, complete with a swing rhythm and syncopated clapping.

The crowd, though mostly black, is diverse.

All ages are represented here, and one ISU student said that’s what he likes about it.

Marcus Glenn, graduate student in agricultural education and studies, said he has been attending New Birth for about two years.

He is originally from Houston and said when he moved to Iowa for school, he never expected to find a church like New Birth.

He teaches Sunday school at the church and said he helps in whatever way he’s needed with the church.

He said the church’s outreach to children in the community is one of the major things that drew him there.

“They understand there’s a lot of kids that probably don’t go to church and probably have a different type of moral fiber,” Glenn said. “I just hope that it would have a positive influence on a lot of them.”

Recently, the city of Ames has heard concerns from the public about new residents from urban areas, and how this might be contributing to the rising crime rate in Ames.

Many of these new arrivals are black individuals, and Knight has taken a stand as a public voice for race issues in Ames.

At a City Council meeting in February, Knight spoke during a public forum and expressed his concerns about requiring stricter criminal background checks for Section 8 Housing applicants.

He told the council that the whole issue was based on fear, and that people’s integrity was being judged by the color of their skin, not the quality of their character.

The council ended up voting against the background checks.

“I prayed before I went, and what actually came out of my mouth that night was not what I had written on my paper,” Knight said, with a smile. “I know that I was led to be there. Without a doubt.”

“Victory is mine, victory is mine, victory today is mine. I told Satan to get thee behind, victory today is mine.”

Pastor Knight approaches the pulpit to start his sermon, begins to speak, and realizes the microphone isn’t turned on. He turns to the man behind the sound board.

“Brian, can you give me a little sound? I think I may have turned number one down, amen?”

After listening to Knight long enough, one begins to accept “amen” as a proper form of punctuation. He has a way with words.

Knight opens his Bible to the book of Job, and begins to passionately narrate the story of the man who did all of the right things, yet lost everything he had.

At times, Knight’s voice ducks down to an intense whisper, but when he emphasizes a point, his voice bellows out over the congregation. He leaves the pulpit and approaches the crowd while telling stories from his own experience, and repeats the points he wants his church to remember.

“Stop telling God how big your problems are – start telling your problems how big your God is. Do you hear me?” Knight slows down, and emphasizes every word.

“Stop telling God how big your problems are. Tell your problems how big your God is.”

Knight said he doesn’t know what’s in store for his church, but he said he knows that his church is not meant to be one that caters only to black people.

“My belief is that when we all get to heaven, there won’t be a black church, white church, or Hispanic church, it’s going to be all of us praising God,” Knight said. “If that’s the case, then why can’t we get along down here?”

He said Sunday morning is the most segregated time in America today and that in order for that to change, people are going to have to be willing to be made uncomfortable.

Knight said even his own church is going to need to be willing to adapt to changes in the community in order to be welcoming to more people.

But for Knight, issues of race and worship style aren’t part of his goal for the church – he said he just wants to reach out to as many people as possible.

“We’ve got to celebrate Christ. Those worldly differences will come and go, just like fashion and fads, but Christ will never fade.”

As Knight winds down his sermon, he reminds his congregation to always keep their spirits up, and not to question why they are seeing hard times.

He reminds them that all people go through troubles, but each person has to choose how he or she will respond.

As for Knight, he chooses to respond with faith and a smile.

“Get thee behind me, Satan,” he says. “Talk to the hand.”

New Birth Baptist Church

Worship service – 12:45 p.m. Sunday

Sunday School – 11:30 a.m. Sunday

Where: Helser Chapel, Collegiate Presbyterian Church, 159 Sheldon Ave.