Monday, November 30, 2009

Our Neighborhood


*Note zip code 60064 is North Chicago excluding the Navy Base

Why is this the case? Lord, have mercy.

Some other thoughts:

“Ethnic identity and reconciliation with other people are central to being a citizen of the kingdom of God.” –from The Heart of Racial Justice

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:1-4

Union with Christ. All tribes, united with Christ. All nations, united with Christ. All peoples, united with Christ. May the church, both outwardly and inwardly, reflect this fantastic Kingdom diversity.

How does this call affect ministry in our neighborhood? How does the church, instead of following society, reflect the Kingdom in attitude and action? The road forward will be painful...but glorious. It is the call to die to self and live by faith in the Son of God.

"Unity should not be a goal we strive for but a gift we receive when we listen to the same voice of the same Lord." -Dr. Cha quoting someone (sorry, couldn't remember who it was)

Monday, November 23, 2009

It was good for us to have been here

Two weeks ago, I went to a meeting at Trinity’s student center for those interested in participating in a poverty simulation/homeless weekend experience in Chicago. A girl named Ella was organizing this event to give Trinity students a glimpse of what it may feel like to “walk in the shoes” of someone who is homeless. Hopefully the weekend would promote greater awareness of the struggles of the homeless and develop a better understanding of how to minister to someone in that context. As a part of this introductory meeting Ella brought Qualin (pronounced Quail-lynn), a sixty two year old Christian man, who had lived most of his life on the streets.

Though he was asked to share a brief testimony, Qualin spoke for 50 minutes about his life. His thoughts were jumbled and his timeline wasn’t linear, but his words were filled with grace and passion for God. He told stories of seeing friends beat to death (literally) in front of his eyes, a kind pastor who let him live with his family in their basement, learning how to read after becoming a Christian as an adult and a difficult cycle of alcohol and drug abuse/addiction. His honest stories kept coming and coming... and I realized that was part of the homeless culture. He had no strict sense that the meeting was only supposed to go from 7-8 and he was only alloted 20 minutes.

After Qualin’s life story, as Ella was explaining the format of the evening, Qualin interrupted her, saying that he felt God telling him to do something. Saying that he saw her doing mighty things for God, he pulled out a hundred dollar bill from his pocket and gave it to this college Senior for her ministries. She tried to refuse, but he said, “You need to say yes. It is from God.”

After the meeting, I thanked Qualin for coming and sharing his story with us. Though he did not know the exact wording or reference he replied, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Cor 1:27) I left the meeting saying to my friend Danny, “It was good for us to have been here.”

A few observations/questions:

Though his grammar was poor, he stuttered, he was missing a few front teeth, he misquoted Scripture passages, he went deep on rabbit trails, and spoke slowly...
I never heard someone testify to God’s goodness so much in a short period than Qualin.

Have I ever seen a man or women like Qualin (i.e. homeless person) speak in a Sunday morning church service or Christian college/seminary chapel service? In my 24 years of going to church and my 7 years of attending Christian chapel... No.

All of the other speakers I have heard have been very polished, articulate, clean, dressed up, well-groomed, and intelligent. Is it bad or wrong that I have never seen anyone even close to Qualin’s caliber in these services? Why do we not have people like Qualin speak to our churches and ministries? I agree, it may be a bit awkward for the audience, but what in fact may we be depriving ourselves of in ignoring the input from the community of homeless and poor?

by Mark Hershey

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Gospel Servanthood


The following is an excerpt from Reverend Pflegor’s 2004 commencement address at Northpark University. For the whole address, click here (highly recommended).

“See, that’s what true servanthood is all about – that’s what gospel servanthood is all about – that’s what discipleship is all about. It’s about caring and sacrificing and serving, without asking, “What am I going to get out of it?” or “How will I get paid back?”. But it’s a willingness to pay the cost because I understand I have been saved by grace, but saved for service. And discipleship will cost.

Charles Spurgeon said, “A church which does not exist to do good in the heart of the city has no reason to justify its existence and a church that doesn’t exist to fight evil, take the side of the poor, denounce injustice and hold up righteousness is a church that has no right to be.”

……

Finally, as we leave here to live our faith, let me close with the words of a simple woman who was of little stature but of great significance - Mother Teresa:

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Love them anyway. When you do good, they will accuse you of egoism and ulterior motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you will make false friends and real enemies. Be successful anyway. The good that you do will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Sincerity and openness make you vulnerable. Be sincere and open anyway. What you build up over years of work can be destroyed. Build anyway. Your help is really needed, but people may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway. Give the world your best, and it will knock your teeth out. Give the world your best anyway.”

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. – Matthew 28:19-20

Monday, November 16, 2009

Exciting New Program at Trinity


The following is taken from the Trinity Graduate School.

"Today's student is very aware of social issues on both a local and global level: trafficking, poverty, HIV/AIDS, malaria to name a few. Christian students in particular have a greater awareness that their responsibility includes care for the marginalized. Trinity Graduate School is on the forefront of equipping students to address such needs by developing programs that empower students to tackle issues with a biblical worldview.

The new emphasis at TGS focuses specifically on social entrepreneur ventures that create opportunities for solutions to some of these local and global social concerns. A social entrepreneur addresses issues by catalyzing enterprises that create sustainable change for improvement of the social conditions and quality of life of people. The social entrepreneurship emphasis equips students with the skill set to launch ventures that address these concerns."

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Are Some Tickets Punched?


A few weeks ago in Cincinnati, several Trinity students gathered with nearly three thousand people to worship Jesus and learn how to follow Him better. This annual event is called the CCDA (Christian Community Development Association) and next year, CCDA is returning to Chicago. I hope to see even more Trinity students and professors next year soaking in this movement of God that is renewing our church and changing our world.

As I reflect on this year’s CCDA experience, the speaker that stood out the most for me was Bart Campolo. Bart, the son of well-known evangelist and social activist, Tony Campolo, did not fall far from the apple tree. Whether you love or hate him, Bart’s straight-forward no-nonsense delivery jolts his listeners in ways that leave them thinking and dialoguing long after his message has been delivered.

This year, Bart jolted me with a statement I have thought about and dialogued about since he said it…“For some people, their ticket has already been punched.” Bart was referring to individuals whose life circumstances are so bleak that their future has already been determined or severely limited.

When Bart said this, he was speaking about a time in his life when he was unhappy as the Executive Director of Mission Year. As the Executive Director, he spent most of his time telling miracle stories to potential supporters about individuals who got off the street because of God’s saving work in their life. When he resigned as the Executive Director of Mission Year, he moved among the poor in Cincinnati, and purposely did not start a church or ministry. He works a normal job and lives among the poor like a regular neighbor. He spoke of two neighbors in particular; one who is old and homeless and the other a young girl who was raped and then blamed for being raped by her alcoholic abusive mother. Using these individuals as examples, Bart suggested that for some people, their ticket has been punched. The damage has been done.

At first, I hated what Bart said. Jesus modeled for us faith, hope, and love. He told us to overcome evil with good, and assured us we can walk in victory and transformation. Bart was wrong to have said that.

But Bart’s message was not all wrong. Bart wanted us to understand that we are not called to fix people. We are called to love. We are called to treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves. Bart shared that there has not been much change in his homeless friend’s life. He is still homeless. But today, when Bart walks by, the homeless man now stands up to receive a hug, and that, Bart said, is more important than “fixing” his problems.

Although I believe other services could be offered to Bart’s homeless neighbor and that his ticket has not been punched, I am thankful for Bart’s message and I respect him as a man of God. I was reminded that my first job is to love. Whether problems are solved, the sick are healed, or lives are changed, there is an inherent goodness in loving others and treating them with the God-given dignity they deserve. Simply put, if we fail to love, we fail what matters most.

By Cliff Nellis

Monday, November 9, 2009

Living the Call of Christ Faithfully


From Migliore, Daniel. Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology. p.13.

“What bearing does the gospel have on the everyday decisions and actions of the community of faith and its individual members? What patterns of our own life, what institutional structures that we may have long taken for granted, must now be called in question by the gospel? What structures of evil must be named and challenged if the gospel is to have any concrete impact on human life in the present? Where can we discern the signs of new beginnings in a world marked by terror, apathy, and injustice?

All these questions presupposes an inseparable bond between our trust in God’s grace and our call to God’s service. The gospel of Jesus Christ proclaims God’s gift of forgiveness, reconciliation, freedom, and new life. But the gift of God enables and commands our free, glad, and courageous discipleship. Theology and ethics are thus conjoined. As James Cone writes, “Theological concepts have meaning only as they are translated into theological praxis, that is, the Church living in the world on the basis of what it proclaims.” True faith works through love (Gal 5:6). We cannot seriously receive God’s gift of new life without asking equally seriously what God commands us to do. Theology exists to remind us of God's gift and command, and thus keep alive the question: What would it mean for us personally and corporately to bear a faithful and concrete witness to the crucified and risen Lord in our world today?”


The above statement is like water to parched lips. As I am part way through my seventh straight year of biblical education, which I am grateful for, I find that I sometimes lack the motivation and focus I should have in intently studying God’s Word. I don’t know if it is burnout or the desire to finally enter “full-time” ministry rather than trying to balance work, school, and ministry all at once. Either way, quotes like the one above have been a wellspring to my theological studies. Specifically, this quote from Migliore refocuses my understanding of theology and reenergizes my passion to study these important questions. I’ve realized that theology cannot be done in a vacuum and for Migliore to bring the study of theology to such an important, serious, yet practical level is refreshing. Migliore helps refocus my theological study because I can get bogged down in the complications and intricacies of my faith that I do not understand. He also reinvigorates my theological study as well because I have often been left yearning for practical intersection between my theological education and my Christian life. The above paragraphs have inspired and refocused me this morning. I pray that they will be an aid to you as well.

by Mark Hershey

Thursday, November 5, 2009

CCDA Reflections


When surprise questions appear on an apostolic social test--and it makes you feel a little sheepish--it is nice to be surrounded by 3,000 friends who care.

That is about how I felt at the Christian Community Development Association Conference in Cincinnati last month. While in a crowd of Christ followers dedicated to restoring under-resourced communities, John Perkins spoke to our souls from 1 John, an epistle that forced me to consider which kingdom priorities I have de-prioritized in my fledgling work as a minister.

The apostle wrote, "And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother" (1 John 4:21).

Love God and love others. I know. This is a hand-me-down maxim among those who serve in under-resourced areas. Ministers of mercy are the first to point out that it is a seriously confused Christian who tries to pull apart the commandments that Jesus joined together (Matthew 22:37-40). Since I passionately affirmed this notion long before the conference, the CCDA gathering caught me off guard by teaching me how I needed to be reconfigured by it.

God's lesson for me began when I started to see patterns in the testimonies of seasoned urban ministers. Many recounted how their callings led them into relationships with the disenfranchised. These relationships launched them into spiritually exhausting battles against injustice. Some admitted that the intensity of these battles whittled them down until they felt dangerously disconnected from God, co-laborers, or even those they were serving. Then they learned to establish relational laws that cleared up their perspective on loving God and loving others well.

God used their perspectives to confront me with three simple Great Commandment questions.

1) Do you really believe that prayer is an indispensable aspect of compassion ministry?
In a leadership workshop, one pastor who started a homeless ministry said his spiritual gift was "taking new beachheads for the kingdom." Many CCDA people have similar gifts. They had huge visions, few resources, and amazing energy for God, but they also had the wisdom to remain on their knees. They thought it was laughable to abstract the ministry of mercy from steadfast prayer. As I reflect on past attempts to do something for the Lord without praying, I wonder how I ever hoped to accomplish anything for him without loving him enough to remain in communion with him. Deep intimacy with God is the wellspring of compassion ministry that glorifies him.

2) How much do you cherish your co-laborers?
Not only was there an entire session devoted to synergy, but the communal CCDA atmosphere itself was a refreshing contrast to conferences where people are treated as mere depositories of new information. There was general embodiment of the notion that the ministry to the poor is truly a "team sport" as veteran urban minister Bart Campolo said. The emphasis on a communal approach to urban ministry reminded me how misguided it is for me to prioritize projects over people, especially in an exhausting vocation that so clearly requires team members who are committed to one another.

3) How are you working to deepen relationships with the people you are serving?
Some showed how too many programs to serve the poor can strain relationships between ministers and impoverished residents. Although some boundaries are important, relationships flounder when contained exclusively within the boundaries of programs. In a workshop, Steve Corbett, a professor at Covenant College, revealed how a correct definition of poverty can prevent this phenomenon. Instead of thinking poverty as a lack of resources, he suggested viewing poverty as fractured relationships, relationships that Jesus Christ came to redeem. This challenged me to view development not as something done to people or for people but with people.

These questions have me rethinking whether or not my perspective on urban ministry truly reflects kingdom priorities.

by Luke McFadden

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Loving when it costs

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." -Luke 6:27-36

Here is a moving story of a social worker living with these principles.

Please post with your thoughts!