When I moved to Homewood four years ago, I wasn't sure what to expect. I trusted God completely even though he had called my family to live in an urban environment for the first time to build cross-cultural relationships. Sure, I had read a lot of books on incarnational urban ministry and I had talked with some other people who had made similar types of moves. Still, I really had no idea what to expect. I just knew that God would equip me on a daily basis to embrace the new adventure.
Looking back on the past four years, I am so thankful that God opened the door for us to live in Homewood. Not much has changed about the crime or violence that shows up on the evening news so often, but there is still progress being made in those areas. I don't experience much of the pain of brokenness in my community, though. I experience the joy of being in meaningful relationships with my neighbors and friends in Homewood. When I lived in the suburbs, I very rarely had people stop by my house just to visit. Now, I have friends stop by to visit all of the time. It's just regular. I expect that every day God is going to bring some unexpected person across my path. My family's life has intersected with the lives of our neighbors and friends in Homewood, and it's a wonderful way to do life. We often have guests who share meals with us, hang out with us, and who do life with us.
It's simple, really. We just live life, and we share our lives with others. God leads us on a process of transformation through relationships just as he leads our friends on a process of transformation. God has worked through me to plant seeds in the lives of others, and I have had the tremendous joy of seeing those seeds grow over time. I get a closer look at what God is up to when I choose to live in the same neighborhood where I minister and lead. That is why I am such a big advocate for incarnational leadership. I think that any person who feels called by God to lead ministries with people in the inner city ought to also choose to live with the people they are serving. It's hard to experience the richness and joy of seeing lives transformed from a safe distance. Full immersion in the lives of others in the city certainly leads to increased effectiveness with people who benefit from ministry efforts, but these meaningful relationships and life experiences end up leading to greater transformation in the lives of the leaders.
No comments:
Post a Comment