Contrasting Neighborhoods

Urban ministry in the East End of Pittsburgh is full of contrasts. A couple days ago, I had the opportunity to go to a home meeting for the North Way East End campus at the home of a church elder in Shadyside. Shadyside is a great neighborhood with many people who will be attending the new North Way location. There are many beautiful homes, plenty of businesses and restaurants, and lots of assets in the community. Also in Shadyside, there are people who desperately need to know the love of Jesus Christ and our church is developing plans to reach out to the neighborhood in many creative ways. I really enjoyed the home meeting that included dinner, time to visit with people on the East End launch team, and time to dream about what God has in store for us.

I left the gathering in Shadyside to drive back to Homewood where I live. As soon as I arrived in Homewood, my family ministered in the streets to a man who was clearly in distress. It was cold out, and he needed help. This time of ministry only lasted for about 30 minutes, but we were able to demonstrate the love of Christ to a person in need in the brief window that God gave us. Homewood is a neighborhood in the East End that has many needs and also many assets. The needs and assets may look much different than Shadyside, but the fact remains that both Shadyside and Homewood have wonderful people that God made to be in relationship with him.

It is our goal as a new church in the East End to join God's mission to reach every single person in the city with the transforming and profound love of Jesus. The church is not a social club where we gather once a week to hang out with other Christians. The church exists to fulfill God's mission to reach the world, regardless of the neighborhood, socioeconomic status, race, or circumstances of people. This is a tremendous mission that God has given the folks involved in North Way East End to steward. My prayer is that God will give us the ability to be able to reach people in many different neighborhoods throughout the East End for months and years to come. This is going to be quite an urban adventure!