An Update on Pastor Freedom

I spent some time with Pastor Freedom this afternoon. His recovery from the surgery to remove cancer in his leg is going very well. The physical therapy is progressing nicely, as he has been using a walker to take walks in the hallway outside his hospital room two times a day. He is still waiting to hear back from the doctors about whether or not he is cancer free or if he will need additional radiation or chemotherapy. Hopefully he will be released from the hospital tomorrow, and then he will spend a week or so in a hospital facility that specializes in rehabilitation and physical therapy. If that goes well, he'll be home for Christmas with his family. He's really looking forward to that! Free and the kids are doing well, also. This family is impacting many people with their testimony of trusting God in the midst of intense trials. Please continue to lift them up in prayer through this period of physical therapy over the next three or four months.

Baptizing Tyrone

Tonight I have the opportunity to baptize one of my good friends at the All Campus Worship Night at North Way Wexford. It's happening because North Way has an incredible "go" strategy... we're opening up North Way locations all around the city of Pittsburgh in both suburban and urban areas. I lead the East End location in the urban environment of East Liberty, and that's where I first met Tyrone. He was homeless when I first met him, and he happened to find our church. We welcomed him into our church family, and he has been on a dramatic process of transformation since we first met. He has dedicated his life to God. He is so passionate about Jesus, and he invites a constant stream of his friends to our church.

About two months ago, Tyrone nearly died. His kidneys failed while he was staying the night at a local shelter, and he had to be rushed to a local hospital. The doctors saved his life that night, and he has been on a slow process of care and recovery since then. Tyrone desperately needs a kidney transplant, so his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ have been encouraging him and helping him navigate through the process of dialysis and obtaining insurance so that he doesn't slip through the cracks of our society. He is hoping to be able to return to work soon, to be able to rent an apartment by Christmas, and he hopes to be able to help out more at the church.

I've grown to love Tyrone as a brother in Christ. He looks much different than me... he's African-American, he has tattoos all over his body and his face that are the obvious signs of a tough life. He has persevered through a difficult life of gangs, drugs, and eventually homelessness. He's looked death in the face, and he has come out on the other side with a new outlook on life where he wants to share Jesus with as many people as possible in the short time that he has on this earth. He currently reaches many people with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ that I would ordinarily have a difficult time reaching.

Tyrone has spent his life on the margins of mainstream society in America, and God is now working through him to reach other marginalized people. He is giving so many people hope. He gives me hope. My life has been changed forever because of my friendship with Tyrone. God is indeed close to the brokenhearted. God's grace is found in its most abundant forms in people like Tyrone. I can't believe I have the privilege of baptizing him tonight. God is so good!

Happy Birthday to Rafael

Happy 19th birthday to my friend, Rafael. When I first started mentoring him almost eight years ago, he was struggling in school and in many areas of his life. He honestly didn't envision himself even living to see his 18th birthday. He lost his older brother to street violence when his brother was just 17 years old, and his uncle was murdered that year as well. Raf has had to navigate through more pain in his short life than most of us will ever have to endure in our lifetimes. Still, he is a resilient and courageous young man. He is on track to graduate from high school this year, and he has dreams of going on to a career in the military. Raf is far from perfect... none of us are perfect. But, I am encouraged that God has a plan for his life and that he is going to accomplish many great things. He has hope for the future. I am so proud of him. We've been through many ups and downs in our friendship, but I am so thankful that God brought Raf into my life.

Good News About Pastor Freedom Blackwell

Many people have been praying for my friend and partner in ministry, Pastor Freedom Blackwell, on his path to recovery from a rare form of cancer. He had a major surgery all day yesterday, and I'm happy to report that the two surgeons who performed the procedure are confident that they were able to remove all of the cancer in his leg. Praise God!

Freedom is still not out of the water yet, so please continue to lift him up in prayer. He will be in the hospital for about a week, and then he is going to have at least three or four months of intense physical therapy. He may also have some follow up treatments which may include radiation or more chemotherapy, depending on where the doctors determine that the cancer originated from.

I was able to spend some good time with Freedom and his wife, Free, at the hospital this morning. They are very encouraged, and they are giving all of the glory for this recovery to God. I have been deeply impacted by the faith in Jesus that this amazing family has demonstrated over the past few months. They are truly an inspiration to many people. Their story has impacted thousands of people with the hope that can be found when we put our trust in God.

A lot of people have asked me how they can support Freedom through this ordeal. Please continue to pray for him and his recovery. Also, he LOVES the hundreds of cards and personal notes of encouragement that he has received. Please continue to write those notes of encouragement for him. If you are in the Pittsburgh area, you can drop those notes off or put them in the offering baskets at any of our North Way locations, and I will personally deliver them to him. I know he really appreciates all of the support. 

A Time to Give Thanks

This is the time of year to be thankful for how God has blessed us. It's a time of reflection where we take pause to think about what has happened in the past, and to dream about where we might be going in the future. I have a lot to be thankful for as a follower of Jesus, as a husband, as a father, and as a pastor.

I am thankful for the incredible community of Christians who belong to the church at North Way East End. We are currently the smallest North Way campus in terms of attendance, but our campus is filled with passionate followers of Jesus who are longing to live their lives as a part of God's redemptive mission. We are growing in our relationship with God, and we are growing in relationships with one another.

I am thankful for the streets of East Liberty and Homewood that God has called me to. I love urban ministry, and I am blessed to be able to serve as a pastor in such a diverse part of my city. I am blessed to lead a church that values relationships across ethnic and socioeconomic boundaries in our society. I have seen God do amazing things in Pittsburgh, and I am expecting even greater things to come. God is growing us. We are reaching our city.

I am thankful for celebrating fifteen years of marriage with Julie. I am blessed to be able to be a father to Kyra and Sierra. I am thankful for my neighbors on my street in Homewood. I am thankful for my friends and extended family members who bring so much joy to my life. God has me on quite an adventure, and I have amazing people to journey through this life with.

I have many hopes and dreams for this coming season of life. That's what dreamers do... we dream. I can't wait to see what God does in this coming year, both personally and in the church that God has called me to lead. I wake up each day with great expectations for what God is going to do. I am thankful to be able to have hope like that. 

City Transformation

An incredible group of people have been going through Encountering God in the City over the past four weeks at North Way East End. So far we've learned about a theology of the city, we've discussed the differences between compassion, justice, and advocacy, we've sought to understand the various forms of urban missions, and we've developed strategies for leading incarnationally as Jesus did in complex environments.

The discussions have been fun and challenging. God is calling so many people from North Way to be involved in transformational outreach and authentic, relational ministry in our city, region, and around the world. God is shaping our community to be active participants in God's redemptive mission to reach cities. My prayer is that God will continue to empower and equip us for radical living and taking risks for the kingdom of God.

Our final session of Encountering God in the City will be this coming Wednesday, November 20th at 6:30pm. We'll be discussing city transformation. That involves developing an understanding of God's shalom and what meaningful ministry actually looks like in cities. Transformation is a process that takes time and effort, but when it happens it is so worth it. I'll be telling some stories from Homewood and East Liberty, and we'll also learn from stories about people who are serving in cities around the world. Anyone is welcome to attend.

Raising Children to be Involved in Orphan Care

Every year I look forward to the opportunity to lead a breakout session at the North Way Orphan Care Expo. The big event is coming up this Saturday, November 9th. I usually teach on a different topic each year, and this year I'll be talking about raising children to be involved in orphan care.

We live in a culture that encourages us to provide the best things for our children, and to go to great lengths in order to be able to distance them from the brokenness that exists in this world. We seek the best schools, neighborhoods, and other opportunities for our kids. If we distance our children too much from the difficult realities of this world, though, including the national and international orphan crisis that exists, then how will our children grow up to be passionate about impacting the difficult people and places of this world with the profound, transformational love of Jesus Christ?

Just like any other part of life, our children need to be equipped by their parents in order to be prepared for adulthood. In this breakout session we'll be exploring how to empower and equip our children now, at a young age, to make a difference with their lives with regard to caring for orphans. We'll discuss how to catch our children up in God's adventure to redeem the world. We'll see what the Bible has to say about raising children to be spiritual champions, and we'll explore practical examples of how families can care for orphans together.

If you're reading this blog post, I hope you'll plan to attend the Orphan Care Expo and participate in the breakout session. Even if you don't come to my breakout session, the entire event is going to be amazing. God is doing an incredible work through this annual event, and I'm excited to see what comes out of this year's event. I hope to see you on Saturday!

Compassion, Justice, and Advocacy

Tomorrow evening at Encountering God in the City I'll be teaching on the topics of compassion, justice, and advocacy. Followers of Jesus often feel prompted to build relationships with people on the margins of society because Jesus spent so much of his time building those types of relationships. Jesus had compassion on people, so we should have compassion on people.

Compassion is good for Christians, but it is the simplest level of involvement with vulnerable people. We should not spend all of our time being compassionate because we also need to be working toward empowerment. Also, relationships should be done with people, not to or for people. We can cause more harm than good in our relationships when we go about things the wrong way.

None of this is really easy. Relationships can be messy. When we feel called to help people, we may sometimes do harm that is unintentional. We can learn and grow from our mistakes. However, I'll be teaching on these things tomorrow, from a biblical perspective, so that we can feel empowered to make a difference in the lives of others through meaningful, transformational relationships.

Encountering God in the City goes from 6:30-8:30pm on Wednesday, October 30th at the North Way Christian Community - East End campus that is located in the heart of East Liberty at 5941 1/2 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Street parking is free after 6pm in East Liberty. We'll have some snacks on hand if you're planning to come straight from work. There is no cost to the course, and it is open to anyone. I hope to see you there!

Encountering God in the City

This coming Wednesday evening I'm excited to kick off a North Way study group called Encountering God in the City. We'll be gathering at the North Way Christian Community - East End campus in the heart of East Liberty (5941 1/2 Penn Avenue). Child care will be provided for families, and the time should go from 6:30-8:30pm. You can register for the course by emailing Dana Hunter at danah@northway.org.

The purpose of this course is to learn more about God's mission to redeem our increasingly urban world. In the first week we'll be developing a theology of the city. In the second week we'll examine the differences between compassion, justice, and advocacy. In the third week we'll focus on urban missions. In the fourth week we'll study incarnational ministry. We'll wrap things up in the fifth week with a closer look at city transformation.

Someone who registered for the class recently asked if this course was based on Dr. Randy White's book called Encounter God in the City. While I highly recommend that book to people, the content of this course is not based on the material in his book. Dr. White directed the doctoral program that I went through at Bakke Graduate University, and he has served as a mentor to me in ministry. However, I'll be covering many broad topics involving urban ministry.

Encountering God in the City is open to anybody in the Pittsburgh area. It is for anyone who is interested in learning more about how to reach our city with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am especially hoping that we'll have a good turnout from all of the North Way multi-site locations throughout the greater Pittsburgh region.

Prepare: Community and Mission

What does it mean to be a part of a church? I'll be teaching on this topic tomorrow at North Way East End, and all week God has been giving me insight on what to share with our congregation. We haven't even officially been a church for two years, but there have been many difficult moments and many incredible break through moments along our journey together. There are some aspects of Christian community that are strengths for us, and some aspects that are still developing.

The common thread throughout our young journey as a church is that the Holy Spirit is bonding us together. We are a community of followers of Jesus Christ who are caring for one another and for our neighbors in Pittsburgh and around the world. We are joyful participants in God's redemptive mission. We are all flawed people, so we sometimes struggle in our relationships with one another. Still, I love our community and I'm looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us in our part of the city of Pittsburgh.

If you're reading this and you're searching for a church home in Pittsburgh, I hope you'll come and check us out some time. We worship at 10am on Sunday mornings in East Liberty at 5941 Penn Avenue. North way East End has incredible worship, solid biblical teaching, a great kids church experience, small groups, and many outreach efforts both locally and globally. God is leading us to be a church that is uniquely urban and cross-cultural. We have a heart for reaching our city.

Looking Back on a Good Week

I had one of those weeks of urban ministry that was intense and rewarding. There is no better feeling than to give my all to God's mission, and then to be able to experience the profound transformation that God brings about in the lives of people that I have grown to love and appreciate. This past week I was able to mentor young men that I've been investing in for eight years, I was able to preach a live sermon with my congregation at East End, I was able to prayer walk the streets of East Liberty, I was able to baptize people and worship for a long time with a passionate group of followers of Jesus at a worship night, and I was able to invest in many relationships in Homewood, the East End, and around the city of Pittsburgh. Every step of the way, I was reminded that I'm completely dependent on God for every single part of the ministry that I have been called to be a part of. God is in complete control, and God's love transcends every situation. There were extremely difficult moments in this past week, and there were joyful break throughs. God was there at every single step of the journey. I'm excited to see what God has in store for this week. I'm starting to really love this whole pastor thing!

Reflection and Action

Leadership involves both reflection and action. I have a lot to reflect on from what God accomplished through my trip to India. My faith was stretched to the max as I first was not able to go in August, and then as we waited on God's timing to be able to go in September. I learned more about perseverance and waiting on God. My faith was strengthened by my time spent in Trichy and Lonavola. I interacted with so many leaders who are dependent upon God to bring vision and resources. I left India feeling encouraged by everything that God showed me, and inspired to be a better leader in my context in Pittsburgh.

My reflection on India leads me to action in Pittsburgh. God has given me an incredible church family to shepherd at North Way East End. The incredible mentoring activity through LAMP continues in Homewood. God is transforming lives and drawing people closer to him in my city. I'm excited to preach live at East End this coming Sunday. In addition, we have baptisms and a worship night this coming Wednesday night. And, I am really looking forward to teaching Encountering God in the City at North Way East End from October 23rd through November 20th.

God continues to call me to be a leader through serving as a pastor and mentor. When I visit places like India, God changes me through a process of displacement. Taking risks and experiencing God in other cities and other cultures causes me to be a more effective leader in my own context. I'm more inspired than ever to lead a multi-site, muti-ethnic, church that is on mission to reach a diverse part of my city. I'm more excited than ever to participate in God's mission to redeem my neighborhood and my city with the transforming love of Jesus Christ. 

India Update 9-25-13

Today is our last day in India. We've had so many adventures here. Our adventure started off with four plane rides and starting to teach at the School of Urban Missions in Trichy having not slept in two days. We had a blast connecting with the students there, and I think that we have inspired a group of world changers. God will accomplish many things through them. Then, we flew to Lonavola to see everything that God is doing through the University of the Nations and our friends, Jose and Sarah. We saw several different ministries in many different parts of India. We were spoiled by the hospitality of the people in all of the places we visited. We'll never forget the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of one of the most intersting countries on earth. We've been invited back to visit our new friends some day. Hopefully, we'll be able to do that. For now, we're just thankful that God has brought us this far and we're looking forward to being with all of our family and friends in Pittsburgh soon. And, so, we begin our journey home with full hearts. We're ready for the next steps in our adventure through life in Pittsburgh. Much thanks to all who have prayed for us and supported us in so many ways over the past couple of weeks. We are so grateful.

9-24-13 India Update

I'll be posting some photos of today on my Facebook page soon. Today was our last full day in India, and we made the most of it. We drove three hours from where Jose and Sarah live to a village called Satara. We saw the ministry of a man named Ramesh who started an agricultural outreach three years ago. He is reaching many people now. It was so good to see his ministry model which is very contextualized to the region. There are 1,700 villages in that part of rural India, and he believes that this model will be able to reach into many of those places.

I had the chance to share at the school in Satara. I had to use a translator this time, but it still seemed to land pretty well with the students. They are so eager to learn. Afterwards we spent time with the new friends that we made, having lunch, touring the sugar cane farm, seeing scorpions, and Julie even helped to prepare a meal for a wedding that was planned for the next day in the village.

It was a long three hour ride home, but in the evening we relaxed with pizza. I have to admit it is kind of nice to have some American food (Dominos) every once in a while. The kids had a dance party in the house for us tonight. It's been so nice to not only get to know the ministry and outreach efforts that are going on here in India, but also to be able to get to know the people that we are supporting. We feel like we are a part of the family here. We are also greatly encouraged by the faith that everyone lives on here from day to day. It is very inspiring.

We leave to head home to Pittsburgh tomorrow evening, and we should be arriving in Pittsburgh on Thursday evening. At this point in our adventure, we're definitely looking forward to being home. We miss all of our friends and family, and expecially our girls. We miss everyone at North Way, and we can't wait to share about what God has done on this trip to India. We'll see everyone soon!

India Update 9-23-13

After a day of rest yesterday, we looked forward to getting out and about today. We had the opportunity to school that Jose and Sarah lead which trains and equips thousands of leaders each year. I had the chance to teach this morning at DTS, and then we worshipped together with the students. It was a powerful time of worship.

We met many different people today throughout different parts of the YWAM base. There were so many staff and students around, and we got to hear some amazing stories of what God is doing around the world. Jose is the director of the entire school and base area, so he has many responsibilities. It was good for me to experience their mission first hand so that our church can pray specifically for everything that goes on here. They are really making a tremendous difference with their lives and the ministry. I am so thankful that we are connected with them at North Way East End.

Julie and I learned that we are the first staff members from North Way to have the chance to visit the ministries here. What a privilege! We will definitely be doing our best to be good advocates and supporters of the mission here when we return back to the U.S. We were inspired by the stories of faith from people who are putting their lives on the line and trusting God to come through for them in adventurous missional efforts in cities and remote villages.

We are also enjoying getting to know Jose and Sarah's family. They have a big family and it has been such a joy to be able to be invited into their lives for a few days. We had lunch with Jose and Sarah at a restaurant which is located in a place that has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. The view was incredible.

I've been writing these blog posts from my ipad this week (my laptop hasn't adjusted well to the travel), but I haven't yet figured out how to post photos on this blog from my ipad. I will be posting photos of our adventures on Facebook, though. There is so much to see and do here.

Please continue to pray for us as we enter into our last couple of days. Tomorrow we will visit several ministries that have been started through YWAM, and we're also planning to check out the city of Pune before we head to the airport of Wednesday. Pray that our remaining time here will be fruitful, and please also pray for the ministry that Jose and Sarah have going on here in this part of India. God is doing amazing things through them, but they have many leadership responsibilities for which we can provide prayer support.

India Update 9-22-13

Yesterday was a travel day, so I didn't have the chance to do any blog updates. On Saturday morning we visited a piece of land that local leaders have purchased in order to set up a ministry center. We went there to pray and also to see their outreach to local widows. We gave out rice to widows, many who walked miles in the heat to get there. It was really an incredible moment to see Julie praying with the women and encouraging them with a message of hope from the Bible.

After one final meal with Muthu's family, they dropped us off at the airport in Trichy. We flew from Trichy to Chennai, and then from Chennai to the other side of India at Mumbai. It's a city of 24 million people, so it was quite a sight to take in. It was about a three hour drive from the Mumbai airport to visit the home of our North Way East End global partners, Jose and Sarah Joseph. We'll be staying with them for a few days to learn more about their ministry and how our congregation can be effective supporters to them from Pittsburgh.

Their home is very nice, and we're having a great time hearing stories from all of the work that God is doing through their ministry. The weather is much cooler here since we're at a much higher elevation. There is a cool breeze that has been coming through the house all day. It's very refreshing considering the heat that we experienced in Trichy. Trichy was an amazing place, though. We will miss our new friends very much, and hopefully we'll be able to back again some time.

Well, not much to report today. We're just trying to get caught up on some rest and relaxation before we check out some of the ministries here in this part of India this week. I'm looking forward to being able to share at the school here tomorrow. The highlight of today was a hike we took with Jose and Sarah to what must be one of the most beautiful places in India. It was one of the highlights of our trip so far after an intense week of teaching last week. I'll try to get some more photos up in the next couple of days. Thank you for the continued prayers and support!

9-20-13 India Update

This was another intense day of teaching in Trichy, India. It was truly a joy to see the students grasping the information and becoming excited about implementing the incarnational ministry models in their own cities and contexts. The main topic of the day was transformation... the kind of positive change that is lasting even though it takes longer to work toward. We talked about how to enter into other people's pain, and how that can be done by developing a theology from below. There are many examples in the Bible of God leading a process of transformation through pain.

Cities are complex, and there are many dynamics of transformation. I gave some practical examples from my experiences in Pittsburgh. Theory and practice go well together when it comes to learning.

The process of transformation in cities leads to the type of city that is described in Isaiah 65. How can we as transformational change agents bring about this shalom in our own cities?

For the final small group project, I described a healthy city in which all of the people and places benefit from God's peace. Then, I described how we live in a present evil age and I slowly described the break downs in the people and places of the city. The group was tasked with how they would serve as incarnational urban ministry leaders to bring about transformation in the sample city. Complex problems require complex solutions, and Christians should be out in front of culture leading the charge. If the world is migrating to cities, then that's right where Christians should be found giving ourselves away to others.

Our new friends then took a final, comprehensive exam covering the content from this week. Over the course of just five days, we learned about the foundations, theology, history, modern context, and practical implementation of incarnational urban ministry. The students did very well! Here are the results from some students.

It has been an amazing week! In the afternoon we went to a local Hindu temple where we could see out over the entire city. We loved the view, and we spent some time there praying for God to transform the city.

The School of Urban Missions really spoiled us this week. They were so generous. They gave us gifts and personally thanked us for coming this week. Julie is loving the gift that she got... a new sari.

We are loving the cross-cultural experience. We were privileged to be able to share so much about our city this week, and it was wonderful to see the spark that was lit for the leaders to embrace their own cities throughout India and Sri Lanka. We're hoping that tomorrow will be another great day.

9-19-13 India Update

Each day keeps getting better and better here in India. We're finally caught up on sleep, and the relationships are really coming together with our new friends here. So much happened today. We discussed some very practical incarnational ministry models with the students. They did a great job of mapping out the signs of hope and signs of need in their communities.

No fancy powerpoint presentations are needed. Everyone is really grasping on to the information. We'll see how they do on their test tomorrow. Julie is feeling much better today. In fact, several of the ladies painted her nails during one of the breaks.

During the next session we talked about the layers of the urban jungle, and how the city is a much different place during the day and during the night. Effective urban ministries are able to connect with people at all layers of the urban jungle both at night and during the day. The students designed a decentralized ministry wheel aimed at reaching cities through incarnational leadership.

Always the neighborhood mom, Julie found a way to keep Muthu's kids occupied during the break.

In the afternoon, everyone dug into the Word of God to learn more about how Nehemiah is a great example of incarnational urban ministry. Check out how many different forms of incarnational leadership the group learned simply from the story of Nehemiah.

I've enjoyed teaching in bare feet all week. It's taken some getting used to, but I really like it now. I may have to start communicating from the stage at North Way East End in bare feet from now on... not sure if that would fly in Pittsburgh, though. We have also been enjoying drinking water straight from coconuts.

This evening I was invited to perform my first international baptism at a local church. I had the great privilege of baptizing my new friend, Samuel. Check out the baptism pool. Awesome!

I think we need to carve out a baptism pool just like that at the North Way East End ministry center. Seriously, it was such a special evening at that local church. We really enjoyed the time we got to spend with the local pastors.

We watched a beautiful sunset, and then we ate dinner at our friend Muthu's house once again.

All in all, we are having a transformational experience here in India. We have been so blessed by the leaders who have come from all over India and Sri Lanka. They are hungry to learn, and we are building many new friendships. It's hard to believe that nearly a week has gone by. All I can say is thank you so much to the people who have supported us all along in this journey to India. This has been an amazing trip.

India Update 9-18-13

Yesterday went very well, and we ended the evening with dinner at our friend Muthu's house. We enjoyed the meal with his family very much. It was so good to hear about all of the amazing work that is going on through this family in Trichy, and we were greatly encouraged in our ministry in Pittsburgh as well. Julie brought some gifts for the kids. They were excited!

We are still getting used to sleeping here in the new environment. Our room is very comfortable here at the school, and we have a completely different urban chorus here in Trichy than we do in Pittsburgh. There are roosters, dogs barking, and lots of other interesting noises. We're slowly getting adjusted to the time change, though.

Our group has been learning so much! I am very impressed with this group of students. Many of them sacrificed so much to be able to come to this class. I ate lunch today with a young man who took a three day train ride from the northeast part of India to be here. The group is eager to learn, and they are really doing well. This morning we talked about learning the history of our cities. I shared about some of the history of Pittsburgh and Homewood. It turned out like this:

Then, I had each of the students map out the history of their own cities. It's impossible to develop incarnational ministry strategies for cities if we don't first seek to understand the uniqueness of each context. Here are some of the students at work:

In the second session of the day we plowed into 2,000 years of global Christian history of incarnational ministry. Despite language barriers and the complexity of some of the content, this incredible group really grasped the material. After the lecture, the students were asked to select two Christians from the past 2,000 years of history who have been influential in terms of incarnational ministry. They reported their results to the group.

During the evening session we discussed recent historical events that have led to rapid urbanization and a shift of the center of Christianity from the global north to the global south. We examined this history in order to develop incarnational ministry responses in India. The students came up with many strategies to reach India. This is a group of world changers!

Tonight we visited a new construction site that is being built for staff and the local outreach efforts here in Trichy. We were excited to tour the space and to pray for the holy ground that God will use to transform many lives in the years to come.

Finally, tonight I had the chance to take a tour of different parts of the city of Trichy. I met many new people, and I was so impressed at the ministry that is going on here. It really is a transformational work as a part of advancing the kingdom of God. Please pray for Julie as she has been sick most of the day and she was unable to go out with us tonight for the tour of the city. Other that that, please continue to pray for us that the teaching would be helpful in equipping these amazing leaders that we are partnering with. 

9-17-13 Update

We have had another incredible day at the School of Urban Missions in Trichy. The relationships are beginning to develop with the people here. We're enjoying some great cross-cultural interactions and we're also starting to figure out the teaching methods that are effective in this context. God has been so good to us so far.

Yesterday we learned about the foundations of incarnational ministry. Today we built on that foundation through learning about the theology of incarnational ministry. We learned about what God has to say about how we can live out God's ways in our modern context. We are orienting ourselves to live in God's Grand Narrative, based on the five acts of Creation, Separation, Israel, Jesus, and the Church. We are all living in the era of the Church. We talked a lot today about biblical characters who lived out incarnational ministry, including Nehemiah, Moses, Esther, David, Joseph, Jesus, Paul, and Peter.

In the afternoon and evening sessions, we learned about the four levels of incarnational ministry among the poor: The Model of Christ, the Method of Incarnational Ministry, the Message of Incarnational Ministry, and Incarnational Ministry as Spiritual Discipline. We looked throughout the Bible for examples of each of these dimensions of ministry. We ended our time together this evening by learning about the three gateways to transformation that are often experienced in incarnational ministry: Prayer, Praise, and Pain. Pain is the biggest gateway to transformation. When we enter into the pain of others, we gain a different perspective on God and studying the Scriptures. That theology drives the process of transformation in incarnational ministry.

Here are some pictures of events over the past couple of days:

Julie got to go shopping last night to add to her traditional Indian wardrobe...

We present information, and then we break out into small groups to learn more about what God has to say about these topics and how we can apply things we've learned to our lives.

Julie is an incredible partner in ministry and she's also a gifted teacher. I'm so glad she's here with me.

They're feeding us very well... spoiling us really. We've had different people join us for meals which has given us the opportunity to get to know each other. We now have new friends from throughout different parts of India and Sri Lanka.

Thank you for continuing to pray for us. We are trusting that this visit is making an impact for the kingdom of God. We are learning a lot as we go, and we are excited about the remainder of our visit.

9-16-13 Update Continued

Looks like jet lag has me awake, so I might as well give an update on our first full day here. The journey was long. We flew from Pittsburgh to Paris, Paris to Mumbai, Mumbai to Chennai, Chennai to Trichy. Our friend, Muthu, picked us up from the airport. The drive through Trichy was full of sights and sounds that we have never experienced before. It seems to be a tropical environment, warm and humid, and there are people everywhere walking, riding bikes and motorcycles, and dodging each other as they drive. This place doesn't remind us of any other place we've been... it's unique. We arrived at the School of Urban Mission in time to unpack our belongings and grab breakfast. Then, went right into our time with our new friends.

There are about thirty people who will be spending time in our cohort this week. Today we discussed foundations of urban ministry, including defining incarnational ministry, ministry with people instead of ministry to or for others, radical presence, calling from God, risk taking, relationship building, community development, and downward mobility. We broke out into groups to discuss practical applications to our unique ministry contexts. Julie did an incredible job facilitating those groups, bringing energy where I was lacking. Some entertaining stories about Homewood and the East End were shared throughout the course of the day. It is such a privilege to be able to share with the world about the great work that God is doing in the city of Pittsburgh.

Our new friends are from many different parts of India and Sri Lanka. We've been working on names and getting to know stories. Julie got to go shopping, and she is the proud owner of four new outfits that are culturally appropriate for this region of India. She now blends right in with the other girls who are here in their traditional Indian outfits. We celebrated a birthday of one of the people who are here this evening. Even though we were tired, we will remember a lot from this day... our first time in India. Today was a good day! I'm thankful that God gave me the energy to make it through. Now, it's off to sleep we go in the guest room of the S.O.U.M.

India Update 9-16-13

We officially made it to India! It was an incredibly long journey, but it was so worth it. We arrived at the Trichy airport at around 7am this morning, and we've spent most of the day with our friends at the School of Urban Mission. We have some time off in between classes, so I thought I'd post a quick update. I can barely keep my eyes open... I haven't really slept in the past 48 hours. I will share many more details about this incredible country and the people that we're having the privilege of interacting with once I get a good night of sleep under my belt. Much thanks to everyone who has been praying for us.

Bryan

We're Ready

We have both finally received our Indian visas! The flights are booked... Delta was so great to work with and they were very understanding of our situation. We leave Pittsburgh tomorrow evening at 6:50pm flying through Paris. We arrive in Mumbai late on Sunday night where we'll jump on a domestic flight from Mumbai to Trichy. We'll arrive in Trichy at 6:50am on Monday morning, and then I'll hopefully have enough energy left to invest at the School of Urban Mission.

After our time in Trichy, we'll be spending some time with Jose and Sarah Joseph near Mumbai. We're scheduled to arrive back in Pittsburgh on Thursday, September 26th. We're excited about the adventure that God has us on. Even thought this has all been very stressful, we're expecting that God is going to do amazing things.

I Have My Visa... Still Waiting on Julie's

I received my Indian visa in the mail today! We are now praying that we will receive Julie's visa in the mail tomorrow morning. Then, would head to the Pittsburgh airport tomorrow morning to try to track down two tickets to India. Thanks for your continued prayers! It's working!

The Latest on Our Trip to India

Thanks so much to everyone who has been praying for our trip to India. Here's the latest:

We were hoping to depart for India tomorrow. Our visas had been significantly delayed, so we were not sure if we would be able to do this trip in September. We did all we knew to do... ask people to pray for God to intervene! We were able to track down some information on the website of the company that processes visas for India. Their website says that my visa was processed and mailed out yesterday (Monday), and Julie's visa was processed and mailed out today! That means that, if that information is correct, we should receive our visas within 3 to 5 days of when they were mailed. If all goes very well, we should have our visas in hand by Thursday or Friday or this week. Once we both receive the visas, we then need to drive to Pittsburgh's airport to try to book flights with Delta.

A lot has to fall in place for us to still be able to go on this trip to India. Please pray for us! Pray specifically that our visas would move through the mail system from New York to Pittsburgh quickly, and for success in booking flights to India once we receive the visas. We are confident in God's timing, and so we are expecting that God is going to receive all of the glory for this whole situation. Our attitude is that we are completely dependent on God to come through in his perfect timing.

Thanks for the prayers and support!

Bryan

India Update

Julie and I had planned to visit India in August, but we had to delay our trip until the middle of September so that we would have time to get visas. We applied for our visas, and we should have received them last week if the 7 to 9 business days required for processing would have held true. Julie tried to call to check on our status, and the organization couldn't find our applications in the system. They said they would call us back within 48 hours with an update on our application status. Please join with us in praying for our visas to come through soon. We would like to fly out next Wednesday. Thanks!

Transformational Mentoring in Homewood

Last night I was driving through Homewood with several LAMP mentees when I saw a group of former LAMP mentees who had graduated from high school. The mentees that I had in the car with me start their senior year in high school this year. It was a nice summer evening, so we all stopped and talked with one another for a while. I couldn't help but to be thankful to God for what was taking place in that moment. When I first started spending time with all of these young men in Homewood they were just kids in elementary school who had been referred to me to have a mentor because they were having problems in school. Now, these guys are succeeding in their educations, graduating high school and even taking college classes and working.

The context of the moment last night also struck me. We stopped and had that great conversation at an intersection in Homewood that is infamous for illegal activities (drugs, prostitution, etc.). These guys weren't out participating in those things. We were talking about their bright futures, not their struggles with coping in the inner city. These guys have built up many assets over the years, and they are resilient. They are Homewood's finest, setting out to make a positive difference in the world with their lives. That doesn't mean that they won't struggle as adults, but they at least have a fighting chance to thrive.

Transformation in people or in places doesn't happen by focusing on what's wrong. It happens by building up what is right. The process of transformation takes time, but it is so rewarding to experience. I have high hopes for each of the young people that I've been privileged to invest in as a mentor over the years, and that includes some who are currently locked up or struggling with the street life. I think that they have the assets to be able to thrive as well, it just may take some more time. I'm not giving up on anybody, no matter what the outcomes of our time spent together may have produced. And I am thankful for moments like last night where I got to experience joy in the midst of a complex urban environment. I celebrate the signs of hope that I see in Homewood.

A Safe House in Homewood

Jesus modeled the type of incarnational living where we give ourselves away to others. We find out where marginalized or vulnerable people are in our world, we go to them, we spend time with them, and God takes everyone on a process of transformation as we build relationships with one another. The concept seems simple enough, right?

The problem is that mainstream society, especially in America, does not hold to those types of values. The American Dream actually causes us to distance ourselves from the most marginalized and vulnerable people in our society. Upward mobility, at its very core, involves making our lives more comfortable so that we don't have to deal with as much messiness or discomfort.

To be a follower of Jesus, we should be downwardly mobile. We should be spending time with people in the places where God asks us to go, the very places where he promises us that we will find life if we will only give up control of our lives. We find the Holy Spirit at work in surprising places in our world, the Almighty God giving scandalous amounts of grace away to those who need it most... both the comfortable and those of need find God's grace in the margins.

My friends in Homewood, Pastor Freedom Blackwell and his wife, Freed, live out incarnational ministry like Jesus on a daily basis. This week they led a housing blitz in Homewood where an abandoned home was converted into a safe house for children in the middle of the neighborhood. It will be a place of refuge for kids to get off the streets for a little while. It was rebuilt by residents of Homewood for residents of Homewood.

I am excited to see what God does through the safe house in Homewood. Many of the children who have spent countless hours playing at my house or eating dinner at my dinner table will now have another place to go. The young people who are some of the brightest assets in the community now have a place to go that is an asset in the community.

I know that we will still welcome people into our home in Homewood, Pastor Freedom and Free will, and there are several other people living out incarnational ministry in Homewood who will continue to do so. Still, it is great to have another place for kids to go when we are unable to be there for the kids. I am praying that God raises up many more people in Homewood to live like Jesus in many more houses that are restored by the residents of Homewood in partnership with volunteers located throughout the city of Pittsburgh. God is truly doing an amazing redemptive work in Homewood, and I am privileged to experience that work up close.

A Time of Reflection

Since I'm not in India this week, I've been making some progress on a few writing projects. I've had so many incredible experiences leading a mentoring program over the past year and I'm hoping to be able to share the stories with the world. As I go back through my old journals and blog posts, I am reminded of how good God has been to me throughout my journey. I've seen lives changed, and God has changed my life in so many good ways. There have also been many difficult moments and challenges along the way. God stayed faithful through it all.

In order to keep going in a difficult world, it is important for followers of Jesus to pause and take the time to reflect. It gives us the opportunity to be encouraged by what God has done for us through all of the good and bad times. This life is all about honoring and glorifying God, but it the process of doing that God raises us up according to his purposes. I am encouraged today knowing that God is in control of all things... through the celebrations and the trials. I love being a part of God's epic adventure.

India Delay

Our trip to India has been delayed for about a month or so because we need to take care of some travel documents before we are allowed to go. We're disappointed for now, but we know that God has a plan and we're doing our best to be obedient. This whole situation has been a very humbling learning experience. Please continue to pray for us as we follow God's lead.

Leaving for India

We're departing for India in a couple hours. I can't wait to see what God is doing there. Prayers are much appreciated! Hopefully I'll be able to post updates on this blog when I have opportunities to access the internet.

Celebrating Diversity at North Way East End

Churches in America tend to not be very diverse. That happens for a wide variety of reasons, but as I've written about many times before, I'm following the leading of the Holy Spirit to lead a diverse church in the midst of an urban environment. We've had our fair share of ups and downs as a church at North Way East End in terms of reflecting the diversity in our community. I believe that these types of things take time and intentionality through following God's lead.

While I have been open about the struggles of reconciliation and cross-cultural ministry, I need to be sure to celebrate when I see signs of hope in our church community. Over thirty years ago, North Way Christian Community was founded in an upper middle class, mostly white suburban neighborhood north of Pittsburgh. Today, there are four North Way locations including two in the city and two in the suburbs. This past Sunday morning, I had to pause and thank God for what I was experiencing. An African-American pastor from Homewood preached a message that was heard by thousands of people across our region, both live and at our video venues. Our worship at North Way East End was led by a worship team that consisted of white, black, and Asian-American members. The highlight of the worship time together occurred when Lisa, an African-American worship intern, led the congregation in a Spanish language version of the song With Everything called Con Todo. We had our global mission partners from twelve different countries throughout Latin America in attendance at the service, and we had the chance to pray for them and learn more about their ministries. And, of course, we shared in a huge fiesta/block party after church. All in all, it was an incredible day.

I caught a glimpse of the kingdom of God this past Sunday at North Way East End. People from different ethnic backgrounds, languages, and countries gathered together in Christian community to worship the Lord together. Urban and suburban people came together to honor God. Rich and poor people continued to get to know one another through the prompting of the Holy Spirit. We know that Jesus Christ died for us all, not just for people that look like one another. I honestly cannot wait to see what God continues to do through North Way East End in the future, but for now I'll take this moment to celebrate. God is reconciling people to himself and to one another at our church. It's a beautiful thing to be a part of.

Con Todo Dios at North Way East End

The Next Generation of Mentors is Here

This morning I had the opportunity to train a new group of LAMP mentors. It was a great group of potential mentors all around, and included in the group was a young man that I had the privilege of mentoring through LAMP when he was in middle school. Now, that young man is 20 years old and he has decided to become a school-based mentor at the same school where he went to elementary school in Homewood. He still lives in Homewood, and he wants to invest in the people in his neighborhood.

My goal in leading LAMP has always been to work myself out of a job. I would love to see the next generation of LAMP mentors consist largely of this group of young people in Homewood who are currently being mentored by people who generally live outside the community. Several hundred children have benefited from mentoring relationships through LAMP, and it would be incredible if those several hundred children who are becoming several hundred young adults would be able to pay it forward by mentoring the next generation of children in Homewood.

Faith-based mentoring is a transformational force for good in the lives of both mentors and mentees. When mentees experience transformation, they develop a vision for their future and they envision themselves making a positive difference in their own community where they have grown up. This is why it is so important to have a long term, relational approach to urban renewal. These things take time to develop, but when it happens... it's an incredible process to behold. I thank God for the privilege of being able to watch the next generation of leaders in Homewood rise up to participate in God's mission to redeem their community.

I Want to Live and Lead Like This

These words from Robert Lupton have been hitting me hard this week:

A passion for excellence. Diligence. Drive. Efficiency. The competitive edge. These are the values of achievers, the essence of upward mobility and the stuff of which success is made.

Enter Jesus, the Christ, Mighty God. The Everlasting Father. Emptied. Weak. Dependent. Here to show us the way to greatness, heavenly greatness, by becoming least. King turned servant. Downardly mobile. What sort of ethic is this?

There are those who will find it exceedingly difficult to understand, the Teacher said. Like the wealthy, successful, educated ones. But there will be a few renegades and other out-of-step people who will be given eyes to perceive the kingdom. They will listen to the homeless leader who owned one change of clothes, didn’t budget to pay his taxes, and was an affront to self-respecting, responsible believers.

“Take no thought for tomorrow… don’t worry about what you will eat or wear… don’t lay up treasures here… give your coat… share your bread… lend without expecting a return.” Wonderful rhetoric but highly impractical. Suicidal if taken literally – and so the reasonable folks did not take it that way.

Indeed, his teachings are suicidal for the successful. The downward mobility of the kingdom strikes at the very heart of our earthly strivings. It feels like death to let go of our diligent preparations for the next step and the investments that insure our tomorrows. Who in their right mind would gamble away a reasonably predictable and secure future on a high-risk, intangible faith venture like the kingdom of God? A balanced portfolio makes more sense. A good mix of earthly investments with enough heavenly stock to carry us if the bottom falls out of the economy. The best of both worlds, we might say.

Jesus the Christ. Mighty God. Destitute. He says we can’t have it both ways, that our security is either in God or mammon. He tells us that the servant is not greater than his master, that greatness – his and ours – is found only in servanthood, in choosing the lesser positions while yielding the better places to others. It is only in laying down our privilege, our control, our comfort for the sake of others, he says, that we can know life as he created it to be.

Heavenly hosts burst forth in hallelujahs (not tears) at the sight of their naked, helpless Creator in the straw. Heaven’s best lavished on the least of the earth. Glory to God, they exclaimed. The first fruits of a new world order have come, and he has revealed the values of his kingdom: vulnerability, obedience with abandon, lavish giving, faith that defies reason, volitional downward mobility.

Foolishness. God has chosen the weak to lead the strong and the foolish to confound the wise. His end? That all may know his utter dependability to care for those who will risk trusting him.

- Robert Lupton 

Making A Run For It

I do it every time. When I do a mentoring activity with a group of kids, we will leave where ever we are (restaurant, mall, movie theater, etc.) and I will break out into a full sprint across the parking lot to race them to my car. It happens, literally, every single time. They've come to expect it now, so I lose most of the time. I'm old. I'm slow. It's not a pretty sight watching a grown, goofy-looking man run awkwardly across a parking lot with a group of kids from Homewood.

The point isn't that I win the race, though. The point is that it's "our thing" that we do. I'm willing to make a fool out of myself in order to connect with the young people that I'm mentoring. If I would ever happen to forget to run to the car, I'm sure my mentees would do it anyway. It's just a part of what we do. I've been cursed at by people for being irresponsible. I've had all kinds of funny looks from people. I don't care. It's fun. It's what we do.

There are serious moments in mentoring, but there are also so many funny moments. My mentees keep me young, even when I feel old. One of the most important parts of effective mentoring is discerning how to connect with kids in all kinds of different ways. Kids know if you're being authentic or not, so it's important not to try too hard. But, kids appreciate it when an adult is willing to make a fool of themselves in order to bring some life into a friendship. I hope I never grow out of my willingness to make a run for it.

Excited for India

It's official. We're going to India from August 8-19. The flights have been purchased, and Julie and I are in full planning mode for the adventure that God has in store for us in India. This will be part vision trip where we will learn more about what God is doing through our North Way East End global partners, Jose Joseph and Sarah Banks Joseph, and part teaching trip where I'll be serving as a professor at the School of Urban Mission in Trichy with my friend, Muthu.

I am excited about this trip because God has given me a passion for cities, and a passion for God's global mission. I love the work that God has called me to in Pittsburgh, but I also love to travel and participate in the work that the Holy Spirit is doing in other countries. As the Lord presents opportunities to be a part of his global mission, I am hoping to continue to be stretched and grown in my faith.

We are seeking both prayer and financial support for this trip to India. If you are interested in supporting us financially, just email me at bryanm@northway.org and I can give you the details on the logistics. If you would like to pray for us, at this point in time please pray for us as we prepare the week-long curriculum for teaching at the SOUM in Trichy, pray for God to be in the details of our trip planning, and pray in advance that God will do a mighty work in our lives and in the lives of the people we will be visiting in India.

Back from Vacation

I had an incredible vacation with Julie and the girls last week. We adventured together. We spent some amazing quality time with friends and family along our journey to Florida and back. We were all grateful for the rest and relaxation after another intense year of urban ministry, school, and all of the other parts of our lives in Pittsburgh.

Rest is such an important part of leadership and ministry. I never feel bad about getting time away to rest from the grind of urban ministry. The time away allows me to reflect on everything that God is doing in my family and in the ministry that God has called us to in Pittsburgh. Serving in a leadership role in building God's church comes with many responsibilities, but it is also fulfilling to see God work in amazing ways. Having spent a week away from everything, I was thankful to jump back in when I got home.

Things seemed to pick up right where they left off. We have been receiving visitors at our door. We had a great worship service in the East End. There has already been ministry time, mentoring time, and good family time together. I am excited to see what God is going to do through the rest of this summer!

Upward Mobility and American Christianity

American Christians live in a culture that values upward mobility and advancement throughout the course of a lifetime toward the American Dream. The values of upward mobility, as far as I can tell, do not seem to align with the values of downward mobility that were modeled by Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago. The authors of the New Testament went to great lengths to describe how followers of Jesus might live in a world that held strongly to values that ran counter to the values that Jesus modeled. I am sure that early Christians struggled to hash out their faith in the midst of a Roman Empire that celebrated many of the same ideals that our modern American culture holds up as important. In other words, modern Christians living in America must be willing to learn how to live out their faith in Jesus in ways that look different than the values of the upwardly mobile American Dream narrative that provides the framework for our existence.

This concept may be difficult for Christians living in America, and downward mobility is not necessarily something that we can accomplish on our own will. We need to be empowered by the Holy Spirit in order to live passionately for Jesus in a culture that celebrates evil and idolatry in many different forms. So many things can become idols to us if we don't pay attention... money, sex, power, media, sports teams, smart phones, etc. Americans can make idols out of bigger homes, nicer cars, bigger retirement plans, and so forth. In our obsession with becoming rich, we can sell out the pursuit of an authentic relationship with Jesus. We remove the parts of Christianity that make us feel uncomfortable, anything having to do with suffering or the downward mobility of the cross, and we embrace the heresy of prosperity doctrine or trying to manipulate God to get the material things that we want in this life.

The solution is to recognize the temptations within the culture around us, and to ask God to empower us to discern which things in our society might ultimately harm us or draw us closer to Jesus. It is hard to have a close connection with God when there are so many idols in the way. We need to reject a comfortable Christianity, and embrace the actual gospel of Jesus Christ as Jesus modeled it for us. It is also crucial for followers of Jesus in America to pray, read our Bibles, and surround ourselves in Christian community with people who will hold us accountable. We need to make tough choices that may alienate us from our friends and family members. Still, I think that we should be concerned as Christians if our lifestyles mirror the upwardly mobile values of the culture surrounding us. We must thrive in the culture, but not be of the culture. This is a profound mystery that can only be revealed to us by God. And, as God promises, we will find joy in the midst of challenging circumstances.

Is Your Church As Diverse As You Would Like It To Be?

I was asked recently how things are going with leading a cross-cultural church. My answer was that the church that I lead in a diverse, urban environment in Pittsburgh has made tremendous progress toward becoming a church community that is reflective of the communities around us. We also have a long way to go in order to become a more diverse group of followers of Jesus Christ.

Our leadership at North Way East End is committed to developing and leading a diverse church. On any given Sunday morning, you will find people from all different walks of life. We have business leaders, homeless men and women, entrepreneurs, single moms, doctors, lawyers, contractors, university students, young families and young professionals, empty nesters, high school drop outs, PhDs, small business owners, people getting by on public aid, and many other types of people. We have members from all over the world, such as Haiti, England, Switzerland, Africa, Korea, and China. We are becoming more diverse racially, as our African-America, Asian-American, and Caucasian members continue to attend our church in search of a truly cross-cultural community that is committed to living out the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In spite of our progress, we still have much room to grow. We have intentionally established diverse leadership at the church, and we explore many different expressions of worshiping God together. Still, relationships are what are most important when it comes to church diversity. Real, authentic relationships that transcend our differences are the key to long term success when it comes to reflecting the beloved, diverse community that we read about in the Scriptures. These types of authentic relationships take time and trust in order to be build effectively.

Planning and implementation only go so far when it comes to cross-cultural ministry. The biggest foundation that we must continue to build at North Way East End is prayer. God leads all of us into diverse community through the reconciling power of the Holy Spirit which unites us to one another. I am thankful for the increasingly diverse urban church community at North Way East End, and I am encouraged that God is going to continue to do a mighty, reconciling work in our midst.

A Visitor at My Door

The doorbell rings late on a Sunday evening. It's a 17 year old young man from my the next street over. He's one of reasons we moved into this urban neighborhood. He's a person whose story has intersected with my story. Our journeys through life are connected because God caused our stories to collide.

He was a fourth grader who was falling through the cracks at his school when we first met seven years ago. He was in trouble all of the time, he missed a lot of school, and he was failing miserably academically. At that time, I was just a guy who had moved back to Pittsburgh to raise my family closer to my extended family. I was unemployed at that time, regretting ever leaving the good life I had in California. I had been searching for a job in education for over a year to no avail. I had showed up at this elementary school to volunteer to help my church get a mentoring program up and going. Little did I know that kids like this, in this little neighborhood, through a mentoring program that looked like a long shot, would actually change the path of my life forever.

On this particular evening, my young friend has no sense of urgency as to why he decided to stop by my family's house for a visit. There have been plenty of those "urgent" visits in the past, but on this evening I'm guessing that he has just stopped by because he wanted to visit with us. He always has an open invitation to stop by to visit us, or to eat dinner with us, or just to have a safe place to escape from these streets for a little while.

He is huge now, seven years after I initially met him at his elementary school. He has tattoos all over his body. His pants sag below his waist. He attends an alternative school for "bad kids." He has been locked up in the youth detention center four times. He has a probation officer because he has committed crimes in order to survive. He's probably the kind of kid that people go out of their way to avoid who lives on a street in a neighborhood that people go out of there way to avoid.

I don't see him that way, though. I don't see him as bad or dangerous or stupid or any of those things. To me, he is valuable. He is a chosen one. A follower of Jesus Christ, created in the image of God. He has a soft heart, even though he acts tough. He is an orphan. His dad abandoned him when he was four years old. He remembers his dad's last words to him on the way out the door were, "What are you crying about you little bitch." Then his dad went to jail and he didn't see him for a long time. His mom told her young son, "I'm your mom and your dad, now." This little guy would get his mom a card on Mother's Day and Father's Day because he honestly thought of her that way.

Then, on a seemingly ordinary day a couple years ago, his mother died unexpectedly in her son's arms. Confusion. Tears. Anger. Pain. In an instant, he became an orphan. He became one of the ones that Jesus values the most. I grieved with him. His mom was an amazing woman. She was the neighborhood mom on Hamilton Avenue. And, just like that, she was gone. He has bounced around between family members and friends since then. He's bounced around between schools. He's bounced around between being locked up and being free. He still follows Jesus passionately. I know. I was there when he gave his life to Christ. I gave him his first Bible. I discipled him. I walked with him through all of the ups and downs. I'm committed to walking through life with him.

My daughters think of him as their brother. He is overprotective of them like he actually is their older brother. My wife thinks of him as her son. He is not our son, obviously, but my wife thinks of him that way. He is an orphan. How can she not avoid having her maternal instinct kick in? He may not look like the orphans that we all see on TV from far off countries, but he is an orphan right here in our midst, right here in our country, in our city, in our neighborhood. He is becoming a part of our family. He is becoming a part of our story.

My friend's visit last night did have a purpose. It was a God-ordained purpose. He talked. I listened. I talked. He listened. He drank a soda. I sipped on some ice water. He ate ice cream with vanilla wafers (his favorite). We sat at my kitchen table. We talked about all kinds of things... school, girls, tattoos, guns, music, his brothers, getting robbed, fighting back, probation, culinary classes, pets, and all kinds of other things. We talked about God. God was interwoven throughout the conversation. God was with us the whole time, actually. Jesus has been there throughout the seven years that we've known each other. God has worked through people like my young friend to give me a passionate calling and a profound sense of purpose in life. God is doing a great work in the life of my friend. I can see it, even if nobody else can. I love watching God work in his life. I praise God for unexpected visitors at my door.