A Look Back

During our staff meeting today we were asked to reflect on 2009... specifically in any areas where God was active. As I look back I can think of several key areas where God has impacted me. My life has changed dramatically in many ways this year, but God has been there throughout the entire realm of new experiences. I am so thankful for the challenges of life because they have presented opportunities for me to grow as a follower of Christ. The following are some random thoughts about moments that were significant to me throughout the course of 2009.

Overture I: In January I officially started the DMin program at BGU by heading to Seattle for two weeks of intense urban studies and field expriences. I heard over 40 lectures during that time, and we spent hours learning in the hands on environments of the streets. During that course I began to build the foundation of transformational leadership which I carried back with me to Pittsburgh.

The Move: After studying the incarnational leadership model in Seattle, Julie and I finally decided to take the urban plunge and move into the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Our urban adventure has had many ups and downs, but we have learned to seek God in the midst of unpredictable circumstances. We've been able to build strong relationships with people. Most of all, God has shown up for us in ways that people who live comfortably can only imagine or read about in books. God wants us to depend upon Him, and God cares deeply for the poor. We are learning so much!

Overture II: At the end of last summer Julie and I had to opportunity to go to Costa Rica and Mexico City for the second course in the DMin program. I learned so much through this exprience! As an example, Julie and I spent some time with a church group who ministered to prostitutes at night on the streets of San Jose. That group modeled for us how to demonstrate Christ's love effectively to people who are caught up in the lifestyle of prostitution. Although that experience greatly stretched my comfort zone, that knowledge has carried over for Julie and I and we recently had the opportunity to minister to a prostitute in Homewood. God is so amazing to plant a seed in us in a foreign country that we were able to utilize months later on the streets of our own neighborhood.

Externally Focused: In March and September I had the chance to travel to Dallas for the final two externally focused leadership communities at the Leadership Network. Those meetings helped to fuel my passion for mobilizing North Way to get outside the walls of our church to connect with people in need. Those meetings have yielded great fruit as I have had to opportunity to train multiple staff members and lay leaders in the fine art of leading our church to become externally focused. We still have a long way to go, but I believe that God is moving in this area at the church. We are making an impact in Pittsburgh!

I could go on about the many unique expriences from 2009, but I guess I should just read my blog entries from this past year to find out the full scoop on what happened... freezie pops, the urban chorus, the book reports, and so much more. The point is that I have a lot interesting things that I will be reflecting on as I enter into 2010. Do you have interesting things to reflect on? Were there any big things that you wish you had taken the chance on last year? Will you in 2010?

Consumerism and Materialism

On the topics of consumerism and materialism, Soong-Chan Rah writes, "American Christianity has acquiesced to the materialistic values of American society and is no longer distinguishable in its values and norms from the excessive materialism of American society... The American dream becomes confused with biblical standards. As more and more wealth and possessions are accumulated by the Christian, there is an assumption that they are in the will of God and that more blessings are coming their way." - from The Next Evangelicalism

What do you think about those words? I am definitely not against individuality and prosperity, as some have accused me of. However, I am concerned that American Christianity in many circles has bought into the prosperity gospel, which I believe is heresy. But cultural Christianity seems to be more subtle than outright proclaimation of prosperity gospel. It creeps into our lives and families and churches, and we often do not even notice. We do not notice that, as Christians, maybe our lives are not all that different than nonChristians.

DMin update

Well, I just found out tonight that I received an A on my Overture II course! That means two classes down and... many to go. The comments from the professor were very kind, and I have to admit that I was very relieved to earn a good grade. I poured myself into these initial classes, and it feels great to be done with my first year.

The courses I took this year will serve as a comprehensive foundation for the remainder of the classes. 2010 kicks off on February 1 with an intense round of theology classes: Old Testament, New Testament, and Hermaneutics. Then, I will go to Seattle again in May for a Global Christian History course taught by Ray Bakke. Later in 2010 I will work on some specialization courses, which may take me back to Seattle again or possibly another international trip. I am interested in a trip to Rowanda in October to take an inside look at the reconciliation process following the genocide in that country.

As I progress through the program the classes will become more and more specific to my work in Pittsburgh. The specialization I have selected is urban youth ministry, and I am working toward publishing my research as a book during the process of writing the dissertation. I really love Bakke Graduate University and the DMin program. I have been stretched and challenged as a leader in ways that I never imagined would be possible for me. This has been quite an adventure so far!

Loss of Community

I read a great book recently by Soong-Chan Rah called The Next Evangelicalism. He develops many interesting points in the book which I will probably chew on over the next couple of months. He dedicates one chapter to individualism, which has captured American culture and the American Evangelical church. In the book, he writes, "The narcissistic individualism of American society finds a direct corrolary in the American Evangelical church. Our church life becomes an expression of an individualism, yielding a self-absorbed narcissism. Instead of the church becoming an expression of a spirtual life lived in the community of believers or a spiritual life expressed in the context of a neighborhood community, our church life becomes a fulfillment of our individual desires and needs. Elements of the worship service, including the preaching of the Word and the worship of God, become reduced to a form of therapy that places the individual at the center of the worship service. Excessive individualism in American society yields, therefore, the loss of community life."

A couple of things have seemed strange to me lately. Why do many Evangelical churches have to "generate" community through small groups? Is it because we live such an individualistic lifestyle in America that we have so distanced ourselves from others that we need to try to force community? Also, many well-meaning Christians have been calling me lately to get them in touch with "needy people" that they can help this Christmas. I do not see anything wrong with that, and I am happy to help them, but why do they not know any poor people on their own? Often American people try to distance themselves intentionally from poor people by choice in terms of where they live and work and play. Does the American Evangelical church reflect that same attitude?

Do you see a big difference between the American church and American individualistic culture? Do you think the American Evangelical church overemphasizes the personal aspect of Christianity at the expense of the cultural mandate of God? Do you experience authentic community? Are you in any authentic (not top-down) relationships with people who are marginalized by mainstream American society?

Another Podcast Site

You can also check out the podcast at www.journeymenpodcast.com.

"The Journeymen" Podcast

I've launched a new podcast with my friend, Steve Brennan. Check it out at http://journeymen.libsyn.com/ and let me know what you think. You can also find it on itunes.

Have a great day!

Bryan

Thanksgiving in Homewood

I have a lot to be thankful for this year. This was my first Thanksgiving as a resident in Homewood, and I am continuing to gain unique perspectives on life. I think I could probably best describe these perspectives by sharing what I experienced over the past four days. In the past we have typically travelled during this time period (last year we went to New York City), but this year we stayed in the Burgh.

On Thursday (Thanksgiving Day), we woke up in Homewood and watched the Macy's parade on TV. We drove to the North Hills (suburbs) for a huge meal with extended family. Then we drove back to our house in Homewood to spend the night. It was not really an unusual day. On Friday we had some extended family visit us at our house in Homewood. We decided to take them to the Frick Art and History Center located in Point Breeze just a couple of blocks from our house. Those couple of blocks present quite a contrast (the average home price in Homewood is $22,000... the average home price in Point Breeze is well over $300,000). The contrast is most dramatically emphasized by the huge Victorian Frick mansion on Penn Avenue and the accompanying grounds, which just might be described as the most affluent home and grounds in the entire city. The "garage" on the property alone has twenty or thirty luxury antique cars that are symbolic of the wealth generated by coal and steel barons in Pittsburgh during the industrial era. The family built an extra building to accomodate their extensive collection of fine art. The grounds also include a green house, a fancy restaurant, and a gift shop that was at one time a large building used as a play house for kids (it actually had a functioning bowling ally). Today the grounds draw visitors from all over the region because people are interested to peak into the lives of affluent people from a bygone era. While we toured the area I was amazed at the level of extravagence, and I felt at peace on the well-manicured property that in many ways represented the pinnacle of human success and achievement.

After the visit my parents took the girls with them to spend the night at their place so Julie and I had a date night. We went to the south side to eat out and go to a movie. We decided to watch The Blind Side, which many people have recommended to us as a must see. It really was a good movie, and I am hopeful that all of the young people that I work with are able to overcome difficult circumstances to become healthy and thriving adults (even if they don't become football stars). In one of the scenes from the movie, the young man serving as the main character is involved in a scuffle where gunshots are fired (thankfully he is not hit). That was probably the most dramatic scene of the movie. Julie and I went home and both experienced wierd dreams (don't movies do that to you?). At about 2:30am I was jolted out of sleep to the sound of gunfire that seemed to be right outside of our house. My heart raced, and I peeked out the window to watch as about five police cars circled my block in search of the culprit. I'm not sure if anyone was injured because I didn't hear anything on the news, but that was definitely the closest shots I've heard since we moved hear. I could not fall back asleep, so I read my Bible for a while. On that particular night, I read in Revelations about how Jesus wins... He comes back in power to claim the ultimate victory over all evil. I finally fell asleep with the thought in my head that God is in control, and in the end... God wins. We already know.

On Saturday we picked up the girls and went to a birthday party for one of the girls' friends in the suburbs. We had a great time, although I had a hard time forgetting about what what we had experienced over night. I don't think that anyone else at the party was quietly contemplating how to respond appropriately to gunshots (should I have called the cops... did anyone see me looking out the window... how can I keep my daughters safe from stray bullets). After the party I spent time with my one to one mentee in Homewood, and then we had a LAMP family over to our house for dinner. We had a great time connecting with them, and right after dinner five boys from the neighborhood stopped over to hang out. We had a full house as everyone visited for several hours. On that particular day our house felt like the hub of the community, with so many different people stopping by to visit. I think I answered some of my questions about the gunshots... this is what I'm supposed to be doing about the gunshots in Homewood. Maybe if the young people I interact with in Homewood grasp a positive alternative vision for their lives from a young age then they won't be interested in shooting guns a few years from now.

On Sunday we went to church at North Way Oakland, and then we had a nice relaxing afternoon. Then... more kids from the neighborhood stopped by. I can't wait until we have our basement finished! Then we can have more space for them. We were resourceful though... we played football in the school parking lot and then we all ate sloppy joes for dinner. After dinner I had the "boundaries" conversation with the boys (you can't come over every night)... don't know if it sunk in. We'll see.

All in all, it was an eventful Thanksgiving. We experienced community in the suburbs and in the city. We are building relationships with our neighbors. Kids' lives are being impacted by the work we're doing. That's always something to be thankful for.

A Work Day on Race Street

Last Saturday we helped a LAMP family with a work day at a house on Race Street in Homewood. Lots of volunteers made the event a big success. Thanks to everyone who contributed! You can still join us on the next two Saturdays as we paint and install flooring.

Downward Mobility

Lately, I have been trying to wrap my head and heart around Henri Nouwen's concept of downward mobility. He writes, "Our lives in this technological and highly competitive society are characterized by a pervasive drive for upward mobility. It is difficult for us to even imagine ourselves outside of this upwardly mobile lifestyle. Our whole way of living is structured around climbing the ladder of success and making it to the top... The story of salvation stands radically over and against the philosphy of upward mobility. The great paradox which Scripture reveals to us is that real and total freedom is only found through downward mobility. The Word of God came down to us and lived among us as a slave. The divine way is indeed the downward way... The disciple is the one who follows Jesus on his downward path and thus enters with him into new life. The gospel radically subverts the presuppositions of our upwardly mobile society. It is a jarring and unsettling challenge."

Because I was raised in an upwardly mobile society, it seems "normal" to me to be as successful as possible. I have a difficult time living out a downardly mobile lifestyle. For instance, I desired to move to Homewood probably a year before we actually made the move. I wrestled with it for a long time. There were probably several factors playing into that decision for us as a family, but I can attribute almost all of them to the lifestyle demands of upward mobility. For a long time, almost everything in my conscience was screaming, "No, you fool! You're going in the wrong direction! Get back in line! You're supposed to live in a nice, safe neighborhood with great schools... the kind of place where you can walk at night and feel safe. You need more money, a better paying job, a bigger house, and a nicer car." It sounds silly to me to generalize it like that, but it really was like that. I felt like the full weight of the American marketing machine was against me!

So what finally pushed me over the edge? God. Simply, God. Or as Nouwen said it, "The gospel radically subverts the presuppositions of our upwardly mobile society." Following God has "radically subverted" my comfortable lifestyle. I cannot say that I am a follower of Christ and then live out a lifestyle that aligns comfortably with the world. I still struggle with this on a daily basis, and I know the Western church is absolutely paralyzed by this issue at the moment. Often one cannot tell the difference between a Christian and a nonbeliever, or a church and a country club. Imagine what the body of Christ would be like in America if we truly embraced the radical calling of downward mobility that was modelled by our Saviour?

It's Alive!

In my men's group this morning we had some great discussions about the body of Christ. The church is an amazing organization. In fact, it is not just an organization... it is alive. Greg Ogden, the author of our group's curriculum, wrote, "When people in the body take responsibility before the Head to know and exercise their assigned functions, the church becomes a living organism." The body of Christ has endured for thousands of years, and it will endure for eternity.

When I first started with LAMP four years ago, for some reason it seemed to me that I needed to have a hand in everything that went on involving North Way and Homewood. I was present at just about everything, and was deeply involved in each match with each of the mentees. I was in the Homewood schools nearly every day. That system seemed to work well until something happened. We grew... fast! I initially formed a group of eight people to serve as a LAMP leadership team, and Family Guidance assumed a broader role in volunteer supervision and support. Now, there are many other churches involved in LAMP and much that goes on that I do not have a direct hand in guiding. Over 200 North Way members have been trained to mentor, and I am unable to stay intimately involved with each of the matches as I was in the beginning. This is such great news! As I look at LAMP now, I can truly see an example of how the body of Christ is fulfilling its function. So many different people are offering their unique gifts to one another and to their mentees and their families. I am always amazed to see people living out their callings.

I believe that it is in this place of interdependance that we find community. Authentic relationships develop out of shared experiences. I would gladly stand shoulder to shoulder with any one of the LAMP mentors in a battle because I know that they are for real. They stand in the gap for others, and they are dependant on God and others in the body to be sustained. Several people involved in LAMP are now my closest friends whom I depend on almost daily. Unfortunately, I also know many people who I would not want standing next to me in a battle. These are the posers... folks who are fronting. Lukewarm Christians. Cultural Christians whose lives look no different than those living in darkness. They may talk about the poor, or have great dreams of doing something big for the Kingdom. Their actions do not follow their words, and I would not trust them if my life was on the line. At the end of the day, they depend on themselves. Ogden wrote, "Independence and self-reliance are the enemies of community. Without vulnerability and an awareness of need there is no basis for community. Unfortunately, it is often in the church that we find the facade of having it all together."

Are you for real, or are you putting up a front for others? Are you in an authentic faith community, or are you going through the motions and depending on yourself to get by? As much community as I experience, I still yearn for more. God continually refines me to fight selfishness and embrace authenticity. I have a long way to go. If you were called to the front lines of the Great Battle (which we all are whether we know it or not), would you want me standing shoulder to shoulder with you?

Dealing With Drivenness

Although I believe that I have a generally calm personality, I am also a very driven person. That has its benefits sometimes, but it also gets me into trouble. Urban ministry issues are often very complex. Quick fixes and more effort do not necessarily yield immediate results in the lives of the young people that I work with in Homewood. In fact, sometimes the kids get worse before they get better. Also, mentoring is a seed planting ministry that is intended to lead to long term generational impact. I need to work hard, but sometimes the challenges are so many that I push myself too hard in order to try to achieve greater results or life change that I cannot really control.

This is also true on a personal level with me. The doctorate program that I am in should take five years to complete at a regular pace, and this morning I actually tried to convince Julie that I could do it in three years (even though we can't afford it at that pace and it would put a strain on the family). And it's not just that. At the end of the day, I'm often left with the feeling that I could have done more. More work... more fun... more time with Julie... more time with the girls... more time with friends... more time with God... more people over for dinner... more reading... more exercise... more blogging! In many cases for me, my drivenness leads to sin. I harm myself spiritually, physically, mentally, and socially when I take on too much. I harm others... often Julie and the girls bear the full brunt of my busyness and distraction.

So, what is the remedy for drivenness (or as I sometimes call it, adult onset ADD). Why do I have a hard time just resting, or sitting still, or not multitasking? It is tough to slow down when you are leading at full speed. I believe God desires for me to have a healthy "rhythm" to life. Many people call that balance, but have been learning through my classes that balance is not possible for leaders nor should it be something to be aspired to. The key is embracing joy in suffering. Leadership comes with a cost, and being a true follower of Christ often comes with suffering. God designed me a certain way, and the key is learning how to harness my "DNA" for good use by being disciplined. As a leader, I am always going to have many irons in the fire. I need to learn how to operate with loose ends, and urban ministry in particular is a constant reminder that I am never going to achieve some status in life where I am completely balanced.

What do you think? Is balance possible? Is being balanced actually being comfortable? Does God call us to be comfortable? Does God call us to embrace suffering?

Harvest Party

I am so fired up about the Harvest Party in Homewood tonight. Over 600 people from the community have signed up to attend, and over 200 volunteers from North Way are planning to participate in the fun. It is really an inspiring thing to see such a tangible expression of service on the part of the student ministries and kidz teams at North Way, as they have taken a major step to become more externally focused. God is so good for opening the door to such a cross-cultural event, and I know God will be glorified tonight no matter the outcome.

I also have that interesting feeling that you only get before a special event. Anxiety tries to creep in, and nervousness or stress want to take over. But... the excitement brings the adrenaline of possibility, or that the risk could pay off! People will be stretched from their comfort zones, and breakthroughs in relationships will occur. People will be blessed by both giving and receiving. I believe that God shows up in these types of scenarios, when we as Christians take steps of faith.

So, if you're in the Pittsburgh area tonight, come on out to the Faison Primary School in Homewood from 7-9pm. It's going to be a great time! If you can't make it, please cover the evening activities in prayer.

A Great Day in Homewood

I'm recovered from being sick, and I had a great day today. This morning I had coffee with a good friend who I've been meeting with just about every week for the past couple of years. It's great to have a buddy in my life who I can talk to about anything, and who I know is shoulder to shoulder with me in the battle. After my time with him I went to read to kids at Faison Primary as part of "celebrity" reader day at the school. I read a funny dinosaur book to Kyra's first grade class, and I was reminded once again how fun it is to hang out with kids. I feel so welcomed at the school, and they have open arms for any kind of positive contributions to the kids in the school.

I had lunch with friend from my men's group who has taken an interest in my life, and he came to Homewood to check out what I'm into. He's a guy I really respect a lot who has been discipling me as part of the group, and it was so nice of him to just enter my world for a couple hours. I love showing people around Homewood and sharing about how God is moving. Later in the day I got to mentor some kids at Faison Intermediate, and then I finished the afternoon off at a fun after school program with Julie and the girls at Faison Primary. There are so many interesting things to do in Homewood, and also interesting people to connect with.

This evening I had a good walk with Julie, and some really fun time with Kyra and Sierra before they went to bed. I am so blessed with the family that God has given me! I love my girls! I can't wait to see what God has in store for our urban adventure tomorrow!

Choices

Julie and I are starting to settle in here in Homewood, and now we are in a unique stage in our journey where we need to make little decisions about things that will impact day to day living. For instance, what grocery store are we going to shop at? There are lots of options within just a few minutes of where we live, but we want to shop at places as close to Homewood as possible to support the local economy. However, Homewood does not have a grocery store. Also, where are we going to work out? There are many fine options in neighborhoods like Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, or Penn Hills, but we decided to get a family membership at the local YMCA in Homewood. We love it!

While these choices seem small, they do have a broader meaning for us. Are we going to choose to really LIVE in Homewood? I know putting our daughter in Faison was a big step for us in that area, but are we committed to that concept in everything we do as a family? If we are going to be good neighbors, we need to actually get to know our neighbors. There are some other areas that we still have some reservations. For instance, when we go for a walk, we always walk in the direction of Point Breeze. I have noticed that the only time I really intentionally go for a walk in Homewood is when I am either studying something or showing somebody around while talking about LAMP. Why is that? Is it fear? Is it rational?

The point is... the choices we make have consequences not only on ourselves but on the people around us. Are we willing to let God stretch our comfort zones by taking risks and trying new things, or are we arranging for our own comforts in our choices. Do you consider how your day to day choices impact others?

Tongues of Fire

Tongues of Fire: The Explosion of Protestantism in Latin America
by David Martin
Blackwell Publisher (1990)

Protestantism is exploding in many parts of Latin America. This book documents many aspects of that movement in a region that is largely know for its Roman Catholic heritage. The growth of Protestantism is especially popular amongst people groups who are underprivileged. Although the author attempts to write simply, the book brings to light many profound concepts that are quite useful in understanding how God is moving throughout the globe in complex contexts. He focuses on the relationships between Hispanics and Anglo-Americans, successful ministry models which were transplanted from England to the United States, the religious spread of the gospel throughout the Latin American world, the advance of conservatism, the transformation of culture, and unique perspectives in the final chapters about the potential spread of the gospel around the world.

It was very interesting to read about how Christianity spread differently in different Latin American countries. For instance, why did Protestantism make such a huge impact in countries like Brazil but less so in other areas? David Martin wrote that “The depth of Protestant penetration and its variable incidence can be roundly demonstrated. The deepest penetrations have occurred in Brazil and Chile, in Nicaragua and Guatemala, and (outside strictly Latin America) Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. In Brazil, up to 20 percent of the population of 150 million is Protestant.” (50) The book goes into detail about the rapid growth of Protestantism in Brazil and also the Pentecostal movement in Latin America in general. Mercy and justice were themes found in the chapters on Brazil and Pentecostalism, characterized by the concept that “Pentecostals are people imbued with hope and with what they discern as ‘power,’ but they have little hope of power through politics.” (66)

Many people in Homewood are searching for hope. Sometimes hope comes in the form of small breakthroughs, and sometimes it comes in the form of major, systemic breakthroughs. These could also be described as movements. Several movements have been at the forefront of the Homewood community for the past few years since I have been working with the people here. The new school is helping to improve the education of the children in Homewood. Test scores have been improving, and the community has been experiencing transformation delivered by the district with all of the resources filtered into Homewood. The city government last year unveiled a project that is intended to reduce crime in the city by 80 percent. This year a children’s zone has been introduced into the community, engineered in the same fashion as a similar program in Harlem that achieved major results. The Pittsburgh Promise is a scholarship program that gives kids from Pittsburgh $40,000 for college, with the intention of transforming communities and keeping families in the city. All of these ideas are innovative and interesting, but there is no substitute for a movement of God! I believe God is moving in Homewood.

A Violent Evangelism

A Violent Evangelism: The Political and Religious Conquest of the Americas
by Luis N. Rivera
Westminster/John Knox Press (1992)

This book gives a history of the Spanish conquest of the Americas based around the common goals of God, gold, and glory. The first part of the book describes the military conquest of the Americas, which were often legitimized by religious reasoning and imagery. The second section addresses the issues of slavery and general loss of freedom of the natives. Thirdly, the book criticizes the conquest of the Americas from a theological perspective. The life of Bartoleme de las Casas is outlined throughout the narratives of the book, with his life serving as a prophetic thorn in the side of political and religious authorities of the sixteenth centuries. The perspectives of his many adversaries, such as Gines de Sepulveda, are also presented at length.

I felt that the author presented a balanced view of the life of las Casas. He consistently confronted powerful people for the sake of the poor and oppressed. He viewed the natives as human beings, and he lamented their poor treatment. Sepulveda, an Aristotelian humanist scholar, believed that “the Indians lacked humanitas… that quality of mind and spirit that makes a specific people competent to attain civilization.” (134) The author brings in many different perspectives on the violent evangelism that took place in the Americas. Often the perspectives, in light of history and our modern context, bring about the validity of las Casas’ arguments (even though his utopian view was often rejected by the intellectual, political and religious powers of his day).

Several themes from this book are applicable to my ministry context in Pittsburgh. Bartoleme de las Casas was an amazing activist who assumed a type of prophetic role in the midst of great political and religious persecution. I would like to model my life after him, in terms of standing up for what is right even despite the negative consequences. Rivera wrote that “Las Casas was fully imbued with the prophetic biblical and evangelical traditions favoring the poor and denouncing oppressive power.” (240) As I work in Homewood, will my life be known as one that favored the poor and denounced oppressive power? I need to be a student of history. In reading this book, I noticed many themes involving the powerful and powerless that parallel issues in the United States. We still have oppressed people living in America. Rivera said, “The oppressed poor are unprotected in the face of the violence of the powerful. Their vulnerability and precariousness are a threat to their very lives, not just to their liberty and happiness.” (175) Some of the African-American residents in Homewood have endured suffering due to generations of oppression from the mainstream culture in the United States. I will not be effective as an urban ministry leader in Homewood without seeking to understand the context of the oppressed poor. Also, I should pay attention to language, because seemingly minor distinctions in language can lead to great injustices. In the case of the Spanish conquest of the Americas, a cycle of slavery and oppression was perpetuated for centuries based on language technicalities found in legislation released by the Spanish crown and the Catholic Church. Language is not neutral. James 3:5 says “Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.” In reference to the tongue, we have great power to do great harm or great good.

Religion in Latin America

Religion in Latin America: A Documentary History
by Lee M. Penyak and Walter J. Petry
Orbis Books (2006)

Often the voices of marginalized people are cancelled out of historical accounts compiled by people in positions of power within a given society. Thankfully, this historical Latin American anthology provides a platform for many voices that have in the past been pushed aside in favor of content that more closely aligns with the historical accounts of mainstream powerful society. The anthology grapples “with the realities of imperialism, racism, poverty, and injustice.” (xix) Many original documents are given that force readers and students to reflect for themselves on the concepts outlined by the authors. As an example, a letter from Christopher Columbus lies right beside a letter from Bartoleme de las Casas who often prophetically spoke out against the tactics Columbus implemented in the New World.

The entries in this anthology are fascinating. Specifically, the voices speaking into issues that have shaped so much of modern culture are often prophetic, often off target, but almost always interesting. I am intrigued at the concept of bringing unheard voices “to the table,” although I am still uneasy about my role in the facets of contemporary society that continue to perpetuate differences between races and classes of people. To that end, I would turn to las Casas’ essay that presents a prophetic perspective on the nature of human relations. Most of his brief letter to the royalty in Spain focuses on negative oppressive behavior of the people sent to settle New Spain, but he does mention one hopeful comment. “One thing they did was brought knowledge: they asked permission to have the sons of some caciques (few of them to be sure), perhaps four, and taught them to read and write and I suppose their good example taught Christian doctrine, for they were good and lived virtuously.” (21) This concept jumped out at me because I lead many Christian adults to mentor young people in LAMP. I am hoping that the ministry makes a huge transformational impact. My fear is always that we will be ineffective and perpetuate a cycle of negative stereotypes between races, classes, and Christians and the unsaved.

There are so many themes from this book that I could apply to my ministry context in Homewood. Because I live and work in a predominantly African-American community, I was particularly drawn to an entry by Carolina Maria de Jesus, who was a poor great-grandchild of slaves in Brazil living in the early to mid-1900s. She taught herself how to read and write, and she wrote, “… in the United States they don’t want Negroes in the schools. I kept thinking: North Americans are considered the most civilized. And they have not yet realized that discriminating against the blacks is like trying to discriminate against the sun. Man cannot fight against the products of Nature. God made all the races at the same time. If he had created Negroes after the whites, the whites should have done nothing about it then.” (211) Her diary was published in the early 1960s, but her observations still hold true today. When I first started working in Homewood four years ago, I was astounded that in our culture there are still parts of town that are “white” and parts of town that are “black.” It was not until I began studying cities at Bakke Graduate University that I discovered that systematic racism and oppression at powerful levels led to much of the intentional divisiveness that exists in many American cities today.

Justice, Mercy and Humility

Justice, Mercy and Humility: Integral Mission and the Poor
by Tim Chester
Paternoster Press (2002)

Integral mission has been an important aspect of the Overture II experience in Latin America, and this book pulls together many different angles on that topic. The book starts out with a general introduction of the meaning of integral mission, which is “the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel.” (2) The essays focus on three broad categories that are relevant to the modern context of integral mission. They are: globalization, the poor and the church of the poor, and advocacy. Context is provided to the discussion by introducing historical features and timelines of integral mission, including an overview of a document called Transformation: The Church in Response to Human Need, which Rene Padilla describes as “the strongest evangelical affirmation of commitment to integral mission in the last quarter of the twentieth century.” (55) The principles of integral mission have changed the face of global missions over the course of the past several decades.

I agree that a bottom-up approach to missions, characterized by the concept of “with” and not “for,” is needed for the complex and pluralistic environment of the human condition in our modern world. Saul and Pilar Cruz noted that the old missionary model of the 1950s “became the detachment of thought and compassion, of eyes and hearts and of hearts and hands.” (92) The shift to integral mission should be welcomed by the world with open arms. On the other hand, Gary A. Haugen made a rather strong statement by saying, “The church’s response to the call to advocacy is threatened by two opposite hindrances to obedience – paralyzing ignorance and paralyzing sophistication.” (188) I would push back on this statement because most of the Christians I know who are paralyzed with inaction in missional activity do so because they are too busy and distracted. Many have the heart to serve, but they are held back by the physical restraints of time and resources. I am not saying that I believe that these are acceptable excuses for failing to act when God calls. I am simply pointing out that Haugen’s generalization of the church has many more layers of people stuck in a cycle of activity not related to integral mission.

Since reading this book, and seeing how these concepts were modeled for us in Latin America, I have worked hard to continue to generate an integral lens for LAMP and the other local outreach efforts that I am involved in leading in Pittsburgh. The general overarching approach that I have been using involves the question, “Is our church doing this project with the people in need or for the people in need?” I have also been energized to keep up the work of mobilizing our often busy church community into relationships with those who live in some of the darkest and most violent places of our city. Peter Kuzmic wrote, “People need a message of hope and life for situations of despair and death. We have learned that there is no authentic mission from a safe distance. Mission with integrity does not take place in antiseptic conditions." (157) I honestly believe that God has uniquely placed me in this position at this church so that I can help the people at North Way Christian Community to bring the message of hope and life to people living in situations of despair and death in the city of Pittsburgh.

Christians at the Border

Christians at the Border
by M. Daniel Carroll R.
Baker Academic (2008)

The immigration debate is a heated and polarizing issue in the United States. M. Daniel Carroll R. wrote this book to bring a fresh perspective on the debate from a Christian viewpoint, specifically related to developing a new starting point that could bring refreshing wisdom and a truly biblical lens to a complicated issue. He starts with an overview of the history of the massive migration of people from Hispanic countries in Latin America to the United States, pointing out along the way the Hispanic churches that are growing at as fast of a rate as the migration is occurring. He then gives a biblical foundation for how Christians are required to act toward immigrants, by pointing out that “Christians must think about and act on Hispanic immigration as Christians.” (20)

Christians at the Border is full of rich resources that are applicable to the most recent hot topics regarding the immigration debate. The author dissected many of the fragile and stereotyped arguments that mainstream cultural Christians in America have perpetuated in this modern era. I agreed with the author’s conclusion that “An appropriate response to the complicated situation in society will not come from detached, objective analysis, cost-benefit calculations, efficiency quotients, and cultural arguments. The decisions that are made and courses of action that are recommended should be commensurate with the life of Jesus – his actions, his teaching, his cross.” (139) That is a strong statement about the call of Christ to overcome the world in relation to the immigration debate. In other words, first and foremost we are all called to be followers of Christ before we think about judging others based on differences.

Although this book focused mostly on the immigration debate, I found that it had many implications regarding my work in Homewood. There are many aspects of cross-cultural communication in the Hispanic immigration debate in America that serve to capture the complexities of the cross-cultural relationship between African-American and Caucasian Americans. The author suggests that “the American identity has never been a static entity. It has meant different things at diverse times, as millions from all over the world have come to this country and have added their part. African-Americans were forcefully kept from the cultural mainstream for the longest time, first as slaves and later as a despised minority. The Civil War and civil rights legislation were not enough to guarantee that those Americans could become part of, let alone participate in defining, the national identity.” (48) We live in a time when America has an African-American president. Many people assume that racism and oppression has ended. However, the people living in Homewood still experience the true realities of being racially and economically outside of mainstream society on a consistent basis. Christians living in the mainstream of any society have a moral calling from God to engage people living in the margins of society. The story of the Good Samaritan, which is outlined in the book, is a profound analogy of that counter-cultural calling in the words of Jesus. Christians are called to be different than the world.

The Politics of the Spirit

The Politics of the Spirit: The Political Implications of Pentecostalized Religion in Costa Rica and Guatemala
by Timothy Steigenga
Lexington Books (2001)

“Latin America is currently experiencing a massive religious transformation.” (1) That is how the author starts out this book, and in the following chapters he outlines the data and several stories behind the movement from Catholicism to Protestantism in a region that had been extremely adverse to such a shift in the past four centuries. The reason that this is such an important shift is that the influence of Protestantism has also facilitated a renewed interest in Latin America around the ideas of democracy and capitalism. Strong components of both democracy and capitalism are important features of many countries seeking to move up in the new twenty-first century era most commonly characterized by the forces of globalization. The author notes that “Protestantism is particularly important because it is a movement primarily of the poor in a region plagued by poverty.” (3) The issues explored are the tension between Catholicism and Protestantism, the differences in data between religious subgroups in Latin America, religion and politics in both Guatemala and Costa Rica, and religion and gender relations in both countries.

The data showed that “religious affiliation is a good predictor of attitudes toward the morality of potentially conflictual political acts.” (56) I was amazed at how much religion tied in to politics as I read through the content of this book. I know from experience in talking with people that the two are interconnected, but this research shed some amazing light on the subject. I agreed with the author’s findings that “Religion often serves to motivate social and political changes that are difficult to discern and interpret because they are not immediately recognizable at the level of national politics.” (154) That concept holds true for Latin America, and it is also profoundly true for the United States.

I come from a religious background that is very politically conservative. The church I attend tends to be politically conservative, thus the idea that politically conservative ideas are religiously normal. On the other hand, I live in the community of Homewood that tends to be very politically liberal and religiously liberal. The main entrance to the public school where I work and my daughter attends school has a life size picture of Barack Obama in the entrance to the building. I am close friends with several Christians from Homewood who voted enthusiastically for Barack Obama. My point, and that of the book, is that often politics and religion are combined. As in the case of Guatemala and Costa Rica, or the suburbs of Pittsburgh and Homewood, these interactions can be very different. The majority of my job at North Way Christian Community involves mobilizing politically conservatively people to be involved in meaningful relationships with politically liberal people. That is a dilemma I have truly grown to love so much because relationships tend to blur the lines between what people think they know for sure and what they do not know about the world.

Manana

Manana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective
by Justo L. Gonzalez
Abingdon Press (1990)

Author Justo Gonzalez presents many different lenses for the study of God with his words that challenge readers to unpack their paradigms of theology. The author captures the tension between a religion of the powerful and the powerless, and of mainstream society and the edge of society. The Hispanic culture in the United States represents a deep history of working out a cumulative relationship with God based on the tension of that premise. Gonzales summarizes this book by saying that “the experience of being a part of the ethnic minority has led me to reinterpret the meaning of the Bible, which I still cherish as a result of my previous experience of being part of a religious minority.” (26) He outlines the concept of manana, which means “tomorrow” in English, but he uses it as a theological term for hope in God’s economy for Hispanic people who have been oppressed and lived in poverty for generations. The Holy Spirit empowers people living in struggle to embrace God’s hope for a brighter future tomorrow.

This was a very challenging book for me to read because I come from a background of a position of power and privilege in America due to my skin color and where I was raised. The author brings a prophetic voice to the concept of what it means to be a Christian. I was very impressed by the depth the author went in which to strip down my biases, but I would have liked to have had more content about proactive measures that mainstream society can implement to participate in the process of manana. The book seems to be written to Hispanic minorities and other people who experience oppression. It is not necessarily intended to outline strategies for how persons in positions of power and privilege may participate in the reconciliation process. Then again, a book about how people can choose to give away power and privilege might not exactly be a best seller in the United States!

I am reexamining how I interact with people in Homewood. How often do I offend people by being insensitive to the complexities involved in one person’s struggle to overcome systematic injustice and oppression? I repented often when reading this book because I have projected so much of my cultural and spiritual biases onto the young people I mentor. I am not alone in this. Gonzalez points out that, “In every denomination, power and prestige in society at large translates into power and prestige in the church. It is as if a higher understanding in the social hierarchy were an indication of a closer connection to God. Thus while we do not lift up our eyes to the holy places where the baals are worshiped, we are often invited, by the church itself, to lift up our eyes to the stories of success where today’s baals are worshiped.” (119) As North Way Christian Community continues to expand our influence in Pittsburgh, and specifically in Homewood, it will be important for our large, mostly middle class or affluent, church to grasp the concept that we are not trying to pull people out of poverty into our definition of success. We should seek to bring the hope, or manana, of Jesus Christ and nothing more. We are not able to fix any person or any neighborhood. We simply need to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit in all of our outreach efforts.

Fire From Heaven

Fire from Heaven: The Rise of Pentecostal Spirituality and the Reshaping of Religion in the 21st Century
by Harvey Cox
Da Capo Press (1995)

The Pentecostal movement is shaping much of modern Christianity in the world. In Fire from Heaven, Harvey Cox attempts to study and explain Pentecostalism because it is one of the fastest growing movements in the world. He attempts to provide a neutral perspective for outsiders who are interested in understanding how the church is growing globally at such a fast rate. He describes the symbols of the Pentecostal church, which include such things as “high-amperage music, voluble praise, bodily movement including clapping and swaying, personal testimonies, sometimes prayers ‘in the Spirit,’ a sermon full of stories and anecdotes, announcements, lots of humorous banter, a period of intense prayers for healing, and a parting song.” (6) Interestingly, he confirms the fact that Pentecostalism is mostly an urban phenomenon, so it has implications for people who are involved in urban ministry. A historical context, dating back to Azusa Street, is provided early on in the book, followed by chapters emphasizing the importance of mysticism and hope to the religion. The author also touches on certain dynamics of the global expansion and the future of the movement in the United States.

Nobody can deny that the growth of the Pentecostal movement throughout the world has been amazing. One of the things that I struggle with most, and the author also pointed this out, is the seemingly overdone focus on demonic activity, or exorcisms, in the church. Much of it seems trivial. Cox writes, “What annoys me about the experts who catalog and chart the different devils today, and who are sure the demons are at work in their opponents, is that they are making a very serious religious question seem trivial and ridiculous.” (286) Spiritual darkness and demonic activity are clearly present in the world today, but the sins perpetuated by world and the flesh are also to blame for many of life’s fundamental difficulties. I do see many signs of hope in the movement. Cox pointed out that many young Pentecostal ministers “believe that the fact that their movement started among the disowned and dispossessed is not a mere historical memento, but a decisive indication of what the Spirit wants them to be doing today.” (318) God is moving in the lives of the poor around the world through the movement.

From what I understand, several forms of liberation theology and Pentecostalism exist in Homewood. I can completely understand why some people in the community have grasped on to certain aspects of the Pentecostal movement. Cox discovered that, “The movement started from the bottom. A partially blind, poor, black man with little or no book learning outside of the Bible heard the call… He was a son of former slaves who had to listen to sermons through a window and who undoubtedly traveled to Los Angeles in the segregated section of the train. Yet under Seymour’s guidance, a movement arose whose impact on Christianity, less than a century after his arrival in Los Angeles, has been compared to the Protestant Reformation.” (119) The Pentecostal movement may appeal to many residents of Homewood because it is such a profound shift in Christianity with roots growing from a person reflecting the demographic make up of much of the neighborhood as it is today. Pentacostalism could help to bring a profound sense of hope to the neighborhood, and I intend to keep learning about this form of Christianity so that I can be more effective with the young people with whom I have been called to serve in Homewood.

City Walks

As a part of the research I have been doing for my most recent BGU project, I have gone on several city walks through Homewood. The basic concept is known as exegeting a city. One biblical model for this is in Acts 17 when Paul is in Athens for the first time. He walked around the city, observing and reflecting on a new urban context. Then, he was able to "translate" the good news into Greek culture using various symbols and characterizations (such as the unknown god).

Cities are often very different at night than they are during the day, so I made sure to take city walks in Homewood at both day and night. To be completely honest, I felt very comfortable during the day and very uneasy at night. I don't think I'll ever feel comfortable walking around my neighborhood at night, but I know as a Christian I can do my best to have God equip me to be a part of the process of transformation that may one day lead to safer streets. Walking the streets helps me to understand the context of Homewood, and what good news might look like to the people who live here.

Have you taken the time to get to know your neighborhood? Do you know your neighbors? What cultural clues, symbols, and characteristics are important to your context? What signs of hope do you notice? What signs of need do you notice? What would good news look like to your neighborhood?

From Principles to Lifestyle

Since our move to Homewood, many people through conversations have asked us about our rationale for the move. I must admit that my initial responses involved "applying incarnational leadership principles" or "the theory that shared experiences yield more effective urban ministry results" and so on. I have felt that I need to justify myself for what may be perceived to be irresponsible behavior. Julie often asks me for "the right kind of language" to describe our countercultural life.

Now that we are settling in, we have noticed that lately we have stopped attempting to deliver on theoretical language based on principles and philosophies. We are now describing our move in terms of our lifestyle. We want to live closer to the people in Homewood. We want to be good neighbors. We enrolled Kyra in Faison because we believe we can contribute to the improvement of that school. We believe in the staff at Faison. When something bad happens in our neighborhood, we feel it. When something good happens in our neighborhood, we feel it. We just want to be available to people. We want to demonstrate Christ's love to the community. We want to be present.

This type of mindset has been freeing to Julie and I, because this transition has definitely had some challenges. We have been under a great deal of spiritual attack lately... enough for us to know that it is not coincidence. Thankfully, God has been coming through for us (as always). It's such an amazing feeling to take risks for God and step out onto a ledge that seems crazy to the world, only to have God show up and rescue us. God is a rescuer. He believes we have what it takes. God strengthens and equips us for this battle. And... God can definitely take care of the "language" that is needed to explain our move to Homewood.

Soggy Ice Cream and Sloppy Joes

A couple weeks ago we had a boys overnighter for LAMP mentors and mentees at the LAMP Post. I picked up four of the boys in Homewood and East Hills on the way to our first event, which happened to be the Back to School JAM at Ebeneezer Baptist Church in the Hill District. We made a pit stop at my house before leaving for the event, and while we were there I told the boys they could help themselves to freezie pops (alluded to in a previous post) in our freezer. We left in such a hurry that I did not discover the fact that they had accidentally left the freezer door open. Julie had gone to visit her parents in Ohio with the girls, and I spent the night at the LAMP Post, so the problem was not discovered until late the next day. By that time, everything in the freezer had melted. The frozen sloppy joes were ruined, among many other things. Sadly, we lost five gallons of ice cream that had leaked down the front of the fridge and all over the kitchen floor.

Julie had a bit of a "melt down" when she saw the mess, followed by giving me "the look" (most husbands know this look very well... we're instinctively trained to make up a response as soon as possible in order to redirect the negative attention onto something else). As Julie was burning a hole through me with her eyes, for some reason I blurted out, "Julie, just think of it this way. Because we reached out to these boys this weekend, there's always a chance that we may have played a small part in helping them to experience God and be with us forever in eternity. Julie, will your sloppy joes and ice cream be with us in eternity? I don't think so. Think about it."

I know... I still can't believe I said that. But in a way, it's a simple theological truth. The things of this earth will all eventually fade away (or melt away as the case may be), but God has designed all of us for eternity. We should all be living with an eternal mindset, and holding on loosely to our stuff. My response did get a chuckle out of Julie, successfully changing her anger into laughter. And yes, I did clean up the mess. But the point is... do you have an eternal perspective? Also, mentoring LAMP kids can be messy (literally). We need to be willing to put up with messiness in order to advance the kingdom.

The Trap of Busyness and Distraction

Fourteen more people signed up to become LAMP mentors during the small group connect event at North Way Wexford this past weekend. LAMP is in a period of intense recruitment at North Way, with a goal of 70 new mentor matches by Thanksgiving. This will need to be a movement of God, and I can sense that He is leading the way and touching people's lives. Many people who are signing up tell us that they have been interested in mentoring for a long time, but they have never followed through due to fear or busyness or any number of distractions.

As a leader, I must admit that I am also impacted by busyness and distractions. Lately, God has been speaking into my life in the specific area of busyness and multitasking. A lot of activity with LAMP may look like work is being accomplished, but often what the kids really need is more one to one mentoring relationships. They need my time and attention, and that of many more adults at North Way. The LAMP kids seem to have plenty to keep them occupied between school, friends, and home life. Often they lack a consistent, caring relationship that can guide them through all of the busyness and distractions.

So, the question is: How can I in good conscience ask a child to avoid busyiness and distraction n their own lives when I am unable to do that myself? Maintaining an intimate relationship with God is nearly impossible in the midst of chaos and busyiness. This morning, I spent some great time alone with the Lord. It's amazing how He meets me when I quiet myself and humble myself in front of Him. I feel much more equipped now to be able to lead the young people that God brings into my path today. Thank you Lord!

Freezy Pops and City Sounds

Living in Homewood is so great! We are enjoying living in the city because it has been so nice to be able to build authentic relationships with the young people in LAMP. Tonight one of the boys I'm mentoring stopped over after football practice, and we had just enough dinner for him. We had an awesome discussion about life over dessert (freezy pops). It's incredible how God has blessed us in this move, and school has not even started yet. People in this community depend on each other in a way that I have never experienced before.

I'm writing this in my office which happens to be the stuffiest room in the house. The window is open, and I can hear the urban chorus in the background... sirens, crickets, busses, trains, cars, and random voices. I'm surprised at how comforting these sounds are now... the familiar sounds of home. This city has a pulse. It has a life of its own, and tonight I feel small. The city is humbling. But I don't feel unsafe. I feel protected by God... by the Creator of the universe and the major cities of this world in all of their complexity. God has a plan for my life, and for the people of Homewood.

Back from vacation

I just returned from a week of vacation with my extended family at Pelee Island. I enjoyed connecting with the family, and it was also a very relaxing time away. It's amazing how different this vacation experience was from my new urban life in Homewood. I've written previously about my experiences in finding God in both rural and urban places, and the different lenses that Christians use in terms of connecting with God.

I did manage to finish reading the book "A Violent Evangelism" while I was away. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in history, and it is a must read for any Christian who has a vested interest in the immigration policy debate in America. I have become extremely interested in the life of a man named Bartoleme de las Casas. He spoke up for the rights of indigenous people in Latin America during the sixteenth century, and he left a legacy of activism that is inspiring even to this day. If you have some free time, it would be well worth it to do some research into the life of this amazing man.

BGU Journal 7/22/09

This course is not educational tourism. As DMin students, our reflection leads to action. How does the story that I am being exposed to impact my life? It is dangerous to acquire knowledge without action.

Sometimes the most powerful people in society are the most resitant to change. There is just too much embedded power, and God tends to work in places that are weak. Some models that apply a top-down approach to ministry have a difficult time giving away power. This model prescribes what the needs of the people are, and then it delivers those services. Instead, should we listen to the leaders in a community and equip them to meet the needs of the community. That may be considered a more bottom-up philosophy. This philosophy tends to be more tilted toward liberation theology.

Over the past 80 years in the United States, many American conservative Christians have distanced themselves from what they call the social gospel. Many Christians stopped caring about the world or its systems. Evangelicals missed the boat in capturing the arts, symbols, and rituals that bring meaning to what is seen or felt. Protestants believe in the oral demonstration of the gospel. It diminishes thought and communication because the guy who is preaching determines the cultural niche that he is preaching to. It is very anti-polycultural. Catholics, who bring in all the senses, tend to promote a wide variety of meanings where people can conclude meaning on their own. Evangelicals inprison the gospel in our own socieoeconomical languages so that Christians become believers in a narrow gospel.

We made it back

We're finally back in the Burgh! I'll post the remainder of my journal entries from Mexico City soon. We had an amazing time in the city, and I learned many urban ministry principles that should be applicable to Pittsburgh. I'm looking forward to sharing these experiences in person with family and friends. I now have 60 days to complete a project regarding the implementation here in this city.

BGU Journal 7/21/09

There is a lot of diversity in the Zocalo, the political, economic, and religous hub of Mexico City. Street vendors interact with businessmen in suits. Poor, middle class, and affluent people all interact with one another, including many different cultures and races. In America, our zoning and city planning have intentionally divided subgroups of people. There is usually not much diversity in American cities because we have set things up so that different groups of people do not interact. This type of city planning originated in London, where the first modern suburb was created. During that time, a group of Wesleyans did not want their women and children exposed to the messiness of urban London, so they withdrew to the outskirts of town to set up a sterile environment devoid of any unpleasantness. This process continues to this day, with many evangelical Christians in America withdrawing their families from the messiness of urban environments. I argue that this process harms society on many different levels, and sterile environments often bring about unintended negative consequences to these families.

God calls us as followers of Christ to engage and influence culture, not to withdraw from it. Why are so many Christians in Pittsburgh fleeing the city for the suburbs? Many Christians are fleeing older suburbs such as Shaler and North Hills for newer suburbs in Wexford and Cranberry because the urban problems have started to spread out from the city. In a few years the problems will reach Wexford and Cranberry, and then the suburbs will probably go out even further from the city center. Does God call us to be comfortable? Did Jesus live in a sterile environment apart from sinners?

Professor Gomez lectured again today about the rise and fall and rise again of the powerful Roman Catholic Church in Mexico City. It was a fascinating lecture about the gospel that is lost when church leaders intend to become influential and powerful. After the lecture, we visited Compassion International's offices in Mexico City. Many people know about this organization, and they work with over 20,000 children in central Mexico. We studied their ministry model, in which adults (many from the United States) sponsor a child for around $40 per month. I could tell that many children were being impacted, and the organization was very passionate and efficient about their calling. Compassion has a huge niche in the nonprofit world, but they are very much a top-down model of transformation. In other words, they bring outside resources (from other countries) to needy people. Bottom-up ministries work with poor people by equipping and empowering them to draw themselves out of poverty without much outside assistance. The bottom-up model is extremely transformational for communities. This does not mean that organizations like Compassion are not effective in what they do, it is just that often their ministries lean more towards mercy instead of justice.

Tomorrow we will be visiting a ministry model that is intentionally integral, or bottom-up. I am looking forward to seeing how this is implemented. I do not really have any problems with Compassion, but I am sometimes frustrated by people who give money to children who live in poverty half way across the world but do not notice the children living in poverty in their own city? It is easier to write a check to a child in a distant land than it is to mentor a child in Homewood. Mentoring kids in Homewood costs not only money, but time and talent. This is where much spiritual growth occurs, more so than writing a check. Also, much tranformation and life change occurs through the combination of compassion and justice.

BGU Journal 7/20/09

Doctoral study is not about sophisticated content. It is about a new level of intentionality regarding the most basic things in life. The basics include such things as food, water, housing, and fellowship. If our ministries are not clearly addressing the basics of the human condition, then we are doomed to fail. We are also doomed to fail apart from God's intervention in people's lives.

Our first lecturer this morning was Professor Christian Gomez, who spoke to us about Aztec culture. The Toltecas came before the Aztecs, and they actually worshiped a monotheistic god that had dual masculine and feminine characteristics. The people described the god as "always near." It was not a bloodthirsty religion. The goal of humanity during this period of time was to grow in moral character. Medidation on god was important and art forms developed. This all changed during the Aztec era when they emphasized a super-god system among many gods, including the offering of human sacrifeces to the sun god. At one point the Aztecs were sacrificing over 8,000 people per day, with four lines of people stretching at least one kilometer long from the temple. The people that were sacrificed were captured from neighboring tribes. Their hearts were pulled out while they were still alive. The people burned certain parts of the bodies to the gods, and they ate many of the body parts that were left. The Aztecs believed they were commissioned by the sun god to be rulers over the other tribes, so they justified their practices. This same justification was used later on by the Catholic Church for torturing and killing indigenous people if they did not accept Catholicism.

Today there are over 10 million indigenous people in Mexico who speak many different dialects. Because they yearn for independence, they often look to their past and the glory of the Aztec days instead of progressing forward or reinventing themselves. They worship many different things, which often causes difficulty in modern attempts to spread the gospel message. The mestizo culture, which is the majority in Mexico, is still strangely tied into forms of pre-Columbian worship which they have mixed in with Roman Catholicism. The Catholic Church has allowed these mixtures of religous symbols, and many people did not have access to the Bible for hundreds of years so they did not know any other way to worship. The Protestant Church has a difficult time making progress in Mexico because they ordinarily do not allow people to continue worshipping other idols tied in to ancient religious practices.

Roman Catholicism was the only religion practiced in Mexico for 400 years, starting in the 1500s when the Spanish arrived. For most of this time, indigenous people were violently tortured or killed if they did not convert to Catholicism from their old religions. A person who did not pay their tithe to the church was either stoned to death or burned alive. Catholic beliefs were imposed by fines, by having feet and hands put into stocks, having stones hanging from your feet, or by being placed into slavery to work for priests. The Bible itself was prohibited, and the Spanish intentionally made sure the indigenous population had a 100% illiteracy rate. The Catholic Church for much of this time owned over 50% of the land in Mexico, and they were rich in cash that was piled up in storehouses in the churches. Eventually the indigenous people and the mestizos rebelled. In 1821 they gained their independence from Spain, but only after forming a strange union with the Catholic Church that stated that Roman Catholicism would be the only religion practiced in Mexico. Currently, the evangelical church is gaining ground in Mexico, even though the Vatican II opened the Bible to the Catholic people of Mexico in 1961. It is still a struggle today because the Catholic Church is tied into every aspect of life here, including politics and the economy.

Another lecturer, Professor Fermin, spoke about the history of relations between the USA and Mexico from a Mexican perspective. When the Spanish conquered the indigenous people in Mexico, it created a culture of death and defeat that continues even to this day. When Columbus arrived there were 100 million people living in Latin America. After 100 years, there were only 5 million indigenous people remaining because of the arrivial of the Spanish. Over the past two hundred years ago, Mexico has felt like it has always had to push the US back due to geographic proximity. The US played a huge role in the revolution of 1910. Basically, the Catholic Church wanted to maintain power against the revolutionaries so they supported the US militaries interests. 10,000 US troops invaded Mexico illegally, but the revolutionaries eventually won anyway. This created great resentment on the part of the Mexican people toward the US. Things improved following WWI, when the US was permitted to build up infrastructure in Mexico to import their oil and mining materials. Tourism to Mexico greatly increased as well during this time. Things continued to improve after WWII, but they got progessively worse when America became a world superpower. Mexico got into debt to the US, and the relationship now is very inhumane and predatory. This has especially occurred with the arrival of NAFTA. It was intended to be a good policy, but the US has looked out for its own interests to produce profit and not supported the intentions of improvements in Mexico's economic infrastructure. There are many problems with free trade between the countries. There is a move to stem the influence of American culture here, even though that process has been made more difficult by the rise of globalization.

Protestants missionaries from the US have helped to spread the gospel in Mexico recently, but many Mexicans still feel like they are imposing American culture on the country instead of sharing the gospel. Many pastors in Mexico think they can succeed by rubber stamping American models into their churches, so things like the prosperity doctrine are huge here among evangelical churches. A competitive spirit has grasped the mind of Christians here, and the country is becoming a free market for souls and churches.

This afternoon I participated in a scavenger hunt with Julie, Derek, and Muthu. It was an interesting way to learn about new things in the city. I loved the National Palace, which had many murals depicting the historical life of Mexicans. I also loved the Cathedral, but it was hard for me knowing that such a beautiful church was built on the backs of indigenous people who were tortured and killed by the people in the church.

For the remainder of the day we rode a tourist bus around the city. Everything about this place is amazing, from the parks to the statues to the modern buildings to the traditional architecture and everything in between. This is probably my favorite city I have ever been to, including LA and NY. It is much bigger and it has much more culture. This place is the soul of Hispanic culture around the world.

The presentations this morning provided a solid background from which to study this great city. You cannot grasp the culture here without understanding the history. Pittsburgh feels extremely small compared to Mexico City. However, I did pick up on some things that I may be able to apply in my ministry context. I need to be careful of projecting my culture onto my friends in Homewood. I need to respect the work that God is already doing in Homewood through other individuals, churches, and organizations. I need to continue to seek to understand the history of oppression that is such a large part of the African American culture in America. I should not offend people and then try to explain it away by saying that it was "unintentional." Studying context is a huge part of my development as a leader.

BGU Journal 7/19/09

It is Sunday, and our group has a travel day. At 5am this morning we said goodbye to our friends at SENDAS (students and faculty). As we flew in to land at Mexico City, I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the urban sprawl. I have never seen anything like it. It makes Los Angeles and New York look small, but then again it does have 28 million people. We are holding our classes in a building called Casa de las Amigos, a place owned by Quakers who welcome international students and volunteers from around the world.

Julie and I walked around the city in the afternoon. It was so cool experiencing new sights and sounds. The city is much more modern and clean than I had anticipated. It has its own unique culture that has been greatly impacted by globalization and urbanization. I walked the streets with an urban lens, focusing first on people and then on structures.

In the evening our professors led us through a time of reflection from the previous week, while introducing us to what we can expect for the upcoming week. Several things seperate Mexico City from San Jose. It is much bigger, has a much greater depth of history, has a convergence of three main cultures, the role of the Catholic church is much different (much more secular here), and it has intense regionalism. I'll be learning much more tomorrow.

Internet difficulties

I have had a tough time getting connected to the net here in Mexico City. Hopefully I have figured it out and I can now continue posting my daily reflections.

BGU Journal 7/18/09

I am writing this while sitting on the back porch of our apartment here at SENDAS. It is 7:30pm here, and it has already been dark for over an hour. A thunderstorm has yielded to a rain storm that is falling gently on our aluminum roof. This is my last night in Costa Rica. Today we woke up early for a day of touring the areas around San Jose. It was nice to see the rural areas of Costa Rica after spending most of the week in the urban environment of San Jose. We visited a volcano at 11,000 feet above sea level, stopped by the oldest church in Costa Rica where a wedding was being held, fished for trout that we ate for lunch, and finished the day off with coffee and desserts at a restaurant overlooking a lake in paradise. Life does not get much better than this!

Rest is an important part of urban ministry. I cannot lead well if I am not physically and spiritually healthy. One of my favorite authors is John Eldredge, who writes about finding our hearts in nature. Another one of my favorite authors is Ray Bakke, who writes about finding meaning in cities. I have had a difficult time bridging these two philosophies in my life. For me, life is a mixture of intense work in urban places and intentional rest in natural areas as needed. I believe that God can be found in nature and in cities. God is present in the power of a waterfall, or in the living room of a single mother in the inner city who is desperate to keep her son out of a gang. Today I experienced what it was like to rest in the beauty of nature after experiencing the beauty of complex urban environments throughout the week. God set a great example for us by resting during creation, so we should also seek time to rest.

I am learning that most Christians in America view God through a rural or suburban lens. Cities are understood as messy and complex, while nature is viewed as beautiful and normative. I never really paid any attention to this until about three or four years ago, but when you look closely you'll notice that most Christian images in America depict images of nature. In other words, God is found in nature, not cities. Many suburban Christians in America try to escape the messiness of cities in order to create their own natural comforts in suburbia. People do not like to think of life as messy.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am not saying that the suburbs and nature are bad, or that people who live this lifestyle are wrong. I lived in these areas for most of my life, and most of my friends and family still live in areas like that. The suburbs and rural areas are important to the life of healthy societies. I am only saying that God is in the city as well. God can be found in complex urban environments. Jesus did not come to the earth to be comfortable, devoid of any type of unpleasantness. He came to the earth to suffer and die for all of us. He spent most of his life as a homeless person, and he spent a great deal of time with sinners in complex, urban settings. He valued urban places, but he also knew how to withdraw and rest in places where there was not much activity. Jesus modeled a life of engaging in intense urban ministry and withdrawing to nature in order to be ready for the next time out.

I would love to learn how to rest more effectively upon return to Pittsburgh. Usually about every six months Julie can tell that I need some time away by myself. Over the past few years I have taken refreshing trips to places like Gettysburg, Laurel Highlands, and Niagara Falls. Lately, these DMin classes have proven to be an effective break for me from urban ministry. Although I spend a great deal of time studying on these trips, at least I am able to step away from the routines of life and focus on one thing for a period of time. In addition to having a huge impact on my leadership skills, I have also been able to reset my life in order to plunge back in to my ministry context in Pittsburgh.

BGU Journal 7/17/09

It's another beautiful day in Costa Rica. Dr. Tink and Dr. White started our day off by debriefing our experiences from the past two days. Dr. Tink noted that heresy is a truth exagerrated that ignores the balance of the rest of truth. Orthodoxy is designed primarily by heresy, so perhaps heresy presents an opportunity even while presenting a great danger. He believes God can convert cults, so we should study these movements to see if we can find leverage. TV evangelists are influential because they address the issues of moral, economic, and charismatic empowerment that needy people are looking for in their lives. The heresy is that the Holy Spirit does empower, but he also cleanses. Empowerment without cleansing is legalism, and it is deceptive or even demonic. It does nothing for you because cleaning and empowerment need to be married. Also, sustainable empowerment and life change are not ordinarily instantaneous because a process of discipleship is ordinarily needed.

Dr. Tink then described an analogy of an urban jungle. Similar to natural jungles, urban jungles are very different places depending on whether it is night or day. A jungle canopy has many different layers, ranging from the powerful animals at the top to the vermin and insects at the bottom. Similarly, urban jungles are multilayered with affluent people, poor people, and many other kinds of people in between. Transformational urban leaders are able to connect with all layers of people in the urban jungle. We cannot focus on the poor and turn our backs on the affluent when seeking to transform communities. Nehemiah is an example of a leader who leveraged the complexities of the urban jungle to achieve the transformation of a city.

This week I have been experienced the collapse of discreet boundaries between Catholics and Protestants, poor and wealthy, male and female, church and parachurch, academics and praxis, history and hope, action and reflection, and private spirituality and public pain. Transformational leaders learn to embrace joy in the midst of suffering. Urban ministry is costly, but suffering is the gateway to joy. We should tie our suffering to the suffering of Christ. Most church leaders engage in solutions without first seeking to understand the people or context of the problem. America's motto is "Don't just sit there, do something!" In the case of urban ministry, our motto ought to be "Don't just do something, sit there!" There are lessons to be learned when we put ourselves in proximity to suffering that cannot be learned otherwise.

I need to influence the influencers in Pittsburgh with this message of redemptive suffering. Working with the poor is great, but businesses create jobs and politicians create policy. I need to make sure I influence the influencers when implementing a vision as well. Both Homewood and Wexford are in need of transformation, as are both LAMP mentors and mentees. Seeking first to understand before acting is a great place to start in personal and social transformation.

BGU Journal 7/16/09

This morning I went to a neighborhood in San Jose that is infiltrated with drugs and crime. I played a game of soccer with children right next to two houses that are a front for the Columbian drug cartel's operations in Costa Rica (I scored two goals in case anyone is wondering if the soccer skills came back to me). I was not permitted to speak any English while I was there with our group because people would assume I was associated with the drug trade. Also, I was not permitted to take any pictures. We were only able to enter this neighborhood through one entrance, a rickety bridge of wood planks crossing a polluted river, with the presence of a pastor who was respected in the community. Our group served meals to children who are being supported by an organization called Food for the Hungry International in Costa Rica (FHICR). They have partnered with a local church to deliver social services, including food and medical attention, to children, single mothers, and drug addicts living in this part of San Jose.

I learned a lot about the power of calling and perseverance in urban ministry while we were here. The drug cartel has expelled every other church that has tried to make inroads into this community over the past thirteen years. The church we visited has had a presence here for the past thirteen years in two old abandoned drug houses and one former brothel. The congregation was intimidated and persecuted for the first three or four years in this community, and now they have established intense credibility to the point that they are the only organization allowed to operate in this community. They are transforming this community, and they offer services that impact all levels of family life, such as career training, addiction counseling, medical attention, food, education, and much more. They intend to be an integral, or holistic, church aimed at meeting the needs of the community. The pastor told us that she did not pick this calling, but God chose her and she would be disobedient if she did not follow through with these responsibilities even when she is persecuted.

Calling has greatly impacted my life in Pittsburgh. Early on, I felt called to provide leadership for LAMP at North Way. Currently, I have been called to move my family to Homewood. I do not think I could compare my calling to that of the pastor serving in this community in San Jose, but I definitely could connect with the feeling that when God calls you to take risks there is no way that you can ignore him. Anything else would be disobedience. We don't choose our calling from God, God chooses us for his purposes. Although it is an active process that involves our ongoing obedience, calling is definitely central to us as humans finding our place in the roles that God has for us during our lifetimes.

BGU Journal 7/15/09

I just walked through the door to our room and it's 12:32am Tico time. This evening Julie and I ministered to prostitutes in the city center for several hours. Our class partnered with a local church ministry called Nexus that delivers integral services to people involved in prostitution in San Jose. This ministry is 100% committed to transformation through relationships. The time we spent with young men and women on the streets was heartbreaking. Many of them were open to talking with us, although several cut the time short to return to their business. We prayed together, shared stories about life, and the church volunteers spent time ministering through Bible scriptures with the prostitutes with whom they have built relationships. I have never experienced anything like this before. Although I am still processing everything, I do know that I was privileged to be able to participate with this church in living out my faith with people on the margins of society.

Prior to our trip this evening, we spent the bulk of the day listening to lectures in the classroom here at the seminary. We learned that the evangelical movement has three broad themes. Rehabilitation ministries fix things that are broken, creative ministries create things that do not yet exist, and confrontational ministries name and confront powers. Most evangelical churches in the world focus on rehabilitation, but creativity and confrontation may need to be emphasized in moving forward if the church is going to survive and flourish. The church is always only one generation away from becoming obsolete.

We also learned more about heresies and cults in the Latin American church. One popular cult that has gained great influence is called Growing in Grace, which is led by a man who claims to be Jesus Christ reincarnated. Another influential cult is called the Church of the Universal Reign of God, which demonizes everything and attributes all sin to Satan and demons. They perform mass exorcisms for random daily activities, such as driving a car or eating, which are supposedly possessed by demons. Both of these cults prey on poor people, but they thrive because they have a twisted prosperity doctrine which is filled with control and little accountability for its leaders. So called Christian television is also deceiving many believers in Latin America. Other forces shaping the church are secularism, feminization, and the third wave of Pentecostalism which is overusing power and prosperity while neglecting social responsibilities and brokenness.

On a more positive note, we learned about how some Latin American churches are becoming agents for social transformation by equipping the laity to engage broken systems. People are participating as Christians throughout the work week in areas such as urban planning, engineering, architecture, economics, politics, environmentalism, transportation, education, and all aspects of life outside the walls of the church. Similar to the examples of William Wilberforce and Dr. Martin Luther King, the church should become involved in formal political action, participate in social movements, engage in a strong fight for human rights, and stand up against unjust laws and oppressive systems. Still, many churches are still working over in a corner by themselves. We need to get involved in other sectors because this is a cultural mandate from God. He designed us as social beings.

I have much to apply to my context back in Pittsburgh and Homewood, but it is getting late and my writing will stop making sense at some point. Tomorrow we spend all day at a ministry that feeds the poor in San Jose. It should be another new adventure!

BGU Journal 7/14/09

This morning Father Roberto Salazar, a priest from a parish in San Jose with over 14,000 members, spoke about partnerships in Latin America between Catholics and Protestants. He believes that God is moving to help Christians live out a more authentic faith through relationships and shared experiences. He noted that Catholics and Protestants should learn to be able to serve together for the common good of society because they are all a part of the body of Christ. This is difficult, especially in a place like Latin America, because many walls have been built up on both sides.

The next lecture was from Dr. John Stam, an 81 year old missionary, professor, and author from San Jose. Dr. Tink introduced him to us as an underground revolutionary, and Dr. Stam even described himself as a conservative liberal radical Orthodox Evangelical. Regardless of the unique description, he had a lot to say about the state of the evangelical movement in the world today. He thinks that many Protestants are comfortable in today's society, and that is not a good thing. A relationship with God has traditionally been characterized by persecution, suffering, and poverty. It should not be easy to be a Christian. He thinks that many forms of prosperity doctrine in today's megachurches are leading large numbers of people to the gates of hell. Nearly every page of the Bible is filled with passages about poverty, opression, compassion, or justice. Many churches are lethargical because they are unwilling to engage new believers in the discipleship process (which is often time consuming and difficult). He noted several heresies present in the modern church. They are the money centered gospel, demon centered gospel, miracle centered gospel, apostolic gospel, prosperity gospel, rapture centered gospel, and authoritarianism (pastors trying to control people's lives without being held accountable by others). He finished by saying that pastors are not teaching people to be critical thinkers, and that is causing problems worldwide because the gospel message is often paradoxical.

This afternoon our group travelled to a parish in Cristo Rey, the toughest neighborhood in San Jose. Over 400,000 Nicaraguan immigrants have come to this area in search of a better life, but unfortunately they have not found work which has led to much illegal activity. We walked down the "worst street in San Jose for drugs and prostitution" according to our guide from the parish. This parish has established a holistic community outreach ministry which cares for orphans, homeless people, over 800 single moms, disabled people, and poor senior citizens. They have established over 40 ministries in the past seven years to care for the diverse needs of this community. Julie and I had an amazing experience connecting with the children in the orphanage. One little girl hugged and kissed Julie and held her hand for nearly the entire time we were there. She reminded us very much of Kyra. At one point she captured a beautiful butterly, and this was cool for us to see because Kyra loves butterflies as well. All in all we witnessed a powerful agent of community transformation through this small parish in the most troubled neighborhood in the city.

I thought it was interesting hearing Dr. Stam describe himself as a conservative liberal radical. I have been disoriented in my own philosophies since starting these BGU courses, and I seem to relate to many things that I have never paid much attention to while at the same time rejecting idealogies that I once held. It's good to see an 81 year old theologian still wrestling with his identity.

While the parish in Cristo Rey was a great learning experience, I walked away wondering what they were doing to address the systemic issues related to social justice in that neighborhood. Why were people remaining in poverty? I saw many similarities between Cristo Rey and Homewood. Both communities suffer from systematic oppression that keeps cycles of generational poverty in place. Both communities have significant illegal underground economies. Both communities suffer from isolation apart from access to the mainstream economic, political, and religous power structures in their regions. However, I see many signs of hope in both communities.