Christians Leading the Way

I have the privilege of leading a multi-ethnic church in an urban context in Pittsburgh. We are a passionate community of followers of Jesus Christ, and we are committed to building healthy relationships with one another across cultural boundaries. I would like to share some of the language that I've been utilizing publicly during worship services and also privately in individual conversations with church members and community members. I am sharing it with the understanding that it may be helpful for some people who are searching for how to respond to the tension that is currently prevalent in the United States as a result of circumstances in Ferguson and New York. Here's the approach that I've been taking:

It is important for us as a church to acknowledge that there is currently a lot of tension in our country with regard to the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Followers of Jesus Christ must lead the way when it comes to reconciling human beings to one another because we have been reconciled to God. We cannot choose to be silent and disengaged on this subject. We must engage. We can get involved by praying, listening, and engaging in civil dialogue. All of those things are good, but they are not enough in and of themselves. Christians must also act. We can act in a wide variety of different and creative ways. We must each ask the Holy Spirit for discernment with how to act, but we must act. For some, action may include intentionally building relationships with people that are different from us racially and socioeconomically. Invite people to coffee, lunch, or dinner. Ask good questions and listen with an attitude of humility as Christ modeled. Uncivil discourse leads to an attitude of pride which deteriorates into an “us” versus “them” mentality. Civil discourse led by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit unites people together into a “we” mentality where we experience mutual transformation. Some may feel called to act by such things as protesting or writing or mentoring or discipling or worshiping together or advocating, but all actions should stem from healthy, cross-cultural relationships. Christians should be modeling these types of healthy relationships and authentic interactions.

Poverty, Diversity, and Social Justice

In January I'll be co-teaching a course at Bakke Graduate University called Poverty, Diversity, and Social Justice. I'm looking forward to facilitating the class and learning from passionate followers of Jesus Christ who are serving in urban contexts around the world. The students who take classes at BGU are usually involved in many different types of urban ministry and a wide range of circumstances.

Poverty. Diversity. Social justice. These are big issues in our modern world, and it is my opinion that followers of Jesus Christ should be leading the way in both learning and practice with these topics. A process of reflection and action leads to meaningful ministry. God is always on a redemptive mission to redeem every person and place in this world, and followers of Jesus Christ should be leading the way.

Bakke Graduate University offers students five life changing degree options: Doctor of Transformational Leadership, Doctor of Ministry, Master of Business Administration, Master of Social and Civic Entrepreneurship, and Master of Global Urban Leadership. Check out their website at www.bgu.edu for more details about their unique graduate level education opportunities and also for specific details about the Poverty, Diversity, and Social Justice class that I'll be teaching in January. 

The Gospel of Reconciliation

Recently, some people have been asking me for my thoughts on the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. I think it's natural for people to want to talk with me because I have intentionally chosen to live in an African-American neighborhood and I serve as a pastor at an intentionally multi-ethnic church. I do have a lot to say about what is going on in our country, but I also have a lot of listening to do. Right now I'm listening a lot. I'm also praying and reflecting. I won't stop there, though. Out of listening, prayer, reflection, and dialogue comes action. It is important for followers of Jesus Christ to listen, pray, reflect, talk, and act because Christians should be leading the way in reconciling human beings to one another. If we are truly reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, then our purpose as God's church is to be a part of God's redemptive mission.

God's redemptive mission, reconciling human beings to God and to one another, was important to Jesus. In the book of John in the Bible, Jesus prays for the disciples that he will be sending out to accomplish his purposes once he is gone. Jesus also prays for all human beings to be reconciled to God and to one another. In referencing his disciples and all humanity, Jesus prayed, "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me." (John 17:20-24 ESV)

God's desire is for all of us to "become perfectly one." God is always on a mission to reconcile us to God and to one another. We were made to be in community with one another. There is no "us" versus "them" in the Kingdom of God. There is only "we" doing life together with one another empowered by the Holy Spirit to transcend all of the barriers that would keep us apart. If anyone has a message of hope in a country that has deep ethnic, political, economic, and social divisions, it is followers of Jesus Christ. We should be leading the way in listening, praying, reflecting, discussing, healing, and acting toward a more unified world. Let's have the hard conversations. Let's take bold actions that lead to a more just world. Let's demonstrate the profound love of Christ in a world that desperately needs to discern how to love each other in the midst of trying times. The love of God is strong enough to transcend individual and system sin and brokenness in our culture. 

Preferred Seating at the Lord's Table

The news has been filled this past week with controversies related to issues like immigration and racial tension in America. Political pundits passionately endorsed or railed against President Obama's new policy impacting undocumented residents in the United States. The whole country seems to be holding its collective breath in anticipation of the grand jury decision on the circumstances related to the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson.

Why is there so much debate and tension on these issues in our modern society? It seems that with all of the modern technology and information that we have, we should be able to get along better with one another. The problem is, though, that we still live in a present evil age. Jesus ushered in the kingdom of God, but our human existence is still infiltrated with sin and brokenness. As society advances, we can still hold hatred in our hearts. We still develop moral codes based on our own interpretations of how human beings should interact with one another. Often those moral codes end up separating people into "us" and "them." We tend to view people as "outsiders" and "insiders."

Life doesn't have to be lived that way, though. The kingdom of God is at hand. It is here. We have hope thanks to Jesus Christ. That is the transformational message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can be reconciled to God, and we can be reconciled to one another. There does not need to be an "us" and a "them." There is just "we" thanks to the scandalous amounts of grace that God is readily willing to give us. We can enjoy redeemed, joyful relationships with one another. There is no rich or poor, slave or free, black or white, liberal or conservative, or anything else in the kingdom of God.

Street Psalms authors Kris Rocke and Scott Dewey point out that, "When Jesus gives preferred seating to the hungry at the Jesus meal he isn't relegating the well fed to the cheap seats. He invites them to exactly the same seats - which as it happens, the rich find most difficult to accept. There is only one kind of seating at the Lord's table - preferred seating. Judas sits next to John. Friends sit next to enemies. We simply can't make sense of this when using the moral operating system of this world. It doesn't compute, which is why Jesus insists that we are being given a whole new operating system by the one who authors and perfects it." - Meals From Below

That's it. God is for all of us, regardless of the social norms that we might depend on to separate ourselves from one another. We all have preferred seating at the Lord's table because of what Jesus Christ did for us. As a pastor, this gives me hope. We all have hope, even when there is tension in our society. Christians should be leading the way in our society when it comes to issues like immigration or racial tension. We have the hope of Christ in us. I lead a multi-ethnic church and I live in a a primarily African-American neighborhood because I believe so strongly in the transformational power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I write and speak about controversial topics because I believe that human beings can do better than our own flawed societal constructs. God's love wins out every time. 

A Party on the Margins

In Luke 14:12-24, Jesus tells a parable about a great banquet. Speaking to a group of powerful religious leaders, Jesus explains to them that they should not invite their powerful and rich friends to their party. Instead, "when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just." 

The concept of extending generosity and friendship to people on the margins of a city was a revolutionary concept to the original audience that Jesus was speaking with, and the concept remains revolutionary to modern Americans. The American Dream narrative that we live in encourages us to become as wealthy and influential as we can in the short lives that we lead. In our ambition to get to the top, we often have to step on people to get there. We distance ourselves from people living on the margins of society in order to advance ourselves. People did it back in Jesus' day, and people still do it today. It happens because we live in a present evil age, an age that is defined by sin and corruption even though Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God. We could choose life by living in God's Story, but instead we choose death by finding our identity in the sinful desires of our own flesh, idolatry in the world, and temptations from our enemy.

The Kingdom of God looks like a big party with people living on the margins of our cities, small towns, and rural areas. If modern, influential American Christians really took Jesus' challenge seriously, we would abandon the emptiness of the upwardly mobile lifestyle and join the party with the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. It's there that we will receive our blessings from the Lord, and those blessings will surely be eternal blessings that will remain forever. We find joy in life by giving away power and resources to the people who need it the most. 

Personally, I feel closest to God when I'm spending time with homeless friends in East Liberty or vulnerable youth in Homewood. These are people with whom the Holy Spirit has given me a passion to build relationships. I still have a lot of hardness in my heart, and I miss out on opportunities all the time, but I am making progress and God is transforming my heart to care for people in need. What about you? Who are the people on the margins where you live? Is God calling you to throw a party?

A Generational Legacy

I'm working on writing a sermon this afternoon. I dove into the Bible, which prompted me to want to dive into my biblical commentaries. I pulled out an old gem of a commentary that was printed in 1929 which had somehow made its way to the bookshelf in my office. Curious about how I had come across this particular commentary, I opened to the beginning of the book to find the following inscription:

If you can't read the words very well, the handwritten inscription in the commentary says, "Kirk McCabe, December 25, 1961 from Papa & G'ma." My great grandparents gave the book to my dad as a Christmas present when he was 16 years old. My dad held onto it for years, and he gave it to me earlier this year when he was giving away some of his theological books to his kids. I didn't know at the time that this particular book had been given to him by his grandparents... I had originally wanted it because I love old books. Yes, I'm nerdy like that.

I got to reflecting on what this revelation meant. My great grandparents were followers of Jesus Christ, and they instilled their faith in their own children, and, as this gift represents, they wanted their grandchildren to follow Jesus. My mom and dad in turn desired for me and my sisters to follow Christ. We are all serving the Lord, and I am so excited that my daughters are both followers of Jesus Christ. In fact, my daughters gave me the Bible that is open behind the commentary in the picture (that's Kyra and Sierra in the photo on my desk).

It struck me that this is a great example of building a powerful legacy. Faith in Jesus Christ is the most important legacy that one generation can leave for the next generation. It's important to pray for our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. We can be creative with the gifts that we give, in terms of giving things that lead children closer to Jesus Christ. We can model stewardship and generosity. We can live by biblical principles. God's transformational power and love can transcend time and generations. Our short lives on this earth matter. My family is living proof of that. I'm so thankful that my great-grandparents chose to leave a Christian legacy to the generations that followed after them. 

Urban Ministry and My Mother In Law

My mother-in-law, Sandy, visited us here in Pittsburgh for the past week. I really like Sandy, so it's never a problem when she's in town. She just kind of immerses herself in whatever our family is doing. It makes me laugh, though, to think about what she immerses herself in when she jumps in with our family. We have a very strange lifestyle. Living out incarnational leadership in a complex, urban environment like Homewood can lead to a bizarre life. We love it, but it's very unpredictable. God could literally bring any person or any circumstance across my family's path at pretty much any given time.

I asked Sandy what she thought of her visit, and she described how "interesting" it is to spend time with us here in Pittsburgh. She really is quite a trooper, and she's learned to be open to anything. As I look back on the week, I reflect on the stream of humanity that made it's way into the McCabe house in Homewood for after school snacks, to jump on our trampoline, to share meals with us, or for impromptu counseling sessions on our front porch or in the back yard. One neighbor kid hit another neighbor kid in the face with a rock. There was blood and there was conflict, and the whole dramatic scenario of neighbors and relatives in conflict with one another somehow made its way to our home. We visited our neighbor's home to catch up with him and to play with his little pit bull puppies. Kyra read books to Kindergarten students at the elementary school next to us. I spent time in the school catching up with LAMP mentors and mentees. We took walks in the neighborhood. We are fully present in a place that most people try to avoid at all costs. It's where God has called our family to plant ourselves.

Our little piece of property has somehow turned into a community center. We love it. It's challenging, but we love it. Somehow we are able to live out the gospel of Jesus Christ in the midst of the chaos. But, we don't just live in Homewood and hang out with our neighbors. God gave me the opportunity to preach a sermon about the mission of Jesus in the heart of East Liberty at North Way East End. We were a part of launching student ministry for middle school and high school students throughout the East End. Julie had multiple Bible studies with women throughout the city. I got to connect with lots of different kinds of people through my work as a pastor, ranging from homeless people to business leaders and faith leaders and many different types of people. One of the best parts of being a pastor in an urban environment is that I am able to build relationships with such a diverse range of people. It's fun. Challenging, but fun.

Sandy is gaining an appreciation for the calling that the Lord has given our family, and the more she visits the more she participates in that calling. That's kind of the point of following Jesus, though, and she definitely understands that. When we follow Jesus, we must be open to radically and passionately participate in whatever Jesus might ask us to do to advance his kingdom at any given moment. We must embrace risk and unpredictability in order to fully experience the joy that Jesus has for us when we sell out to God's purposes in God's mission. It's hard sometimes, but this type of living presents amazing opportunities to experience profound purpose and meaning in life. It's messy. It doesn't make any rational sense. And it's right where God wants my family to be right now. I wouldn't want it any other way. 

The Excitement of New Mentoring Matches

I stopped by Faison School in Homewood today at lunch time, and I happened to arrive on a day when two new school-based mentees were being matched with mentors from North Way Christian Community. The L.A.M.P. program has been going strong in Homewood, now in its ninth year. Several hundred children have been matched with mentors from L.A.M.P. partner churches over the past nine years. However, I have to say that it never gets old watching new matches get going. Adults and kids kind of enter into the relationships with excitement and often apprehension, but after months and years together the fledgling mentoring matches often turn into life long friendships. The mentoring relationships are transformational.

So, hats off to the new mentors who are spending several hours of every week with some of Pittsburgh's shining starts, the children who are living and attending schools in Homewood. Mentoring is an adventure. It truly is a journey. But, the outcomes are incredible. I can't wait to see what happens with the mentoring matches that were made today. Individual lives will be better, the public school system will be better, the neighborhood will be better, families will be better, and the city of Pittsburgh will be better... all because of the impact that L.A.M.P. mentors are able to make. 

Prayer for Homewood

This morning I gathered to pray for the city of Pittsburgh, and for the Homewood neighborhood in particular, with a group of Christian leaders from many different parts of the city. The group included people who live in Homewood and are active at empowering residents at the grass roots level, and powerful leaders who are working at the systemic levels of economics, politics, and church denominations to steward their influence on behalf of vulnerable people in our city.

We gathered together to pray because we know that God is always on a mission to redeem every person and every place in our city, and he chooses to work through his church to accomplish his purposes. That is our calling as followers of Jesus Christ in this particular city at this particular time. We prayed for the common good of our city, for increasing levels of shalom, and for God to continue to move in mighty ways in our midst.

There is something empowering about prayer. No matter how much evil exists in this world, prayer reminds us that God's Kingdom is here now and that we can experience the love of God in profound ways. Prayer strengthens our faith which gives us hope in the midst of struggles. God is doing an amazing work in Homewood and in the city of Pittsburgh. Christians are leading the way in a process of transformation that is underway. It's an exciting movement to be a part of. 

Good News

Jesus is a really big deal. Jesus is amazing. Jesus is what it's all about. I shared that Good News with a lot of people over this past week. I shared that news because I have become reconciled with God through Jesus Christ, and I'm now passionate about seeing other people become reconciled with God through Jesus Christ.

I don't share the Good News in harsh ways, though. I do my best to share the Good News through authentic relationships with people that God brings across my path. And, God brings a lot of different people across my path. This week God has allowed me to have amazing conversations with a couple young men who are successful financial planners living in affluent urban neighborhoods, a pharmacist, a homeless man who is clearly currently off of his medications, a high school student at a local alternative school, a kid from our neighborhood, and many other different people.

I am thankful for each of the opportunities to point people toward Jesus. Sometimes I use words to do that, and sometimes I use actions. The point is to share about and demonstrate the love of Christ according the the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The process requires discernment, but pointing people to the profound love of Jesus Christ is one of my main purposes, not only as a pastor, but as a human being. The gospel of Jesus Christ is Good News. 

A Walk Through East Liberty

I recently hired a couple new staff members at North Way East End, and this week I had the chance to take a walk around the neighborhood of East Liberty with them. As we walked, we talked about the history of the neighborhood, the present realities, and the future vision for the area. We reflected on those things, and we also dreamed about how our church might participate in God's redemptive mission in our little part of the city.

As we walked, we passed many signs of need in our urban environment. However, we also noticed many signs of hope. We saw boarded up vacant buildings, and we saw buildings thriving with healthy businesses and residents. We crossed paths with some of my homeless friends that I've been able to build relationships with over the past few years, and we interacted with church members who work in powerful places in our part of the city. The city is filled with many different types of people and places, and it is our responsibility as followers of Jesus to discern where the Holy Spirit is at work and join that work.

God was at work in East Liberty long before North Way East End arrived on the scene, God is currently doing an amazing work in the neighborhood that we get to join, and God will be at work in East Liberty long after I've taken my last breath on this planet. If we have eyes for the signs of the Kingdom of Heaven, then we see the amazing things that God is up to. And, we discover the purposes that God has for us in this unique place at this particular time in human history. So, it wasn't just a neighborhood walk that we were up to yesterday. We were orienting ourselves in God's epic adventure. We were finding our place in God's Story. And there's quite a story going on in East Liberty right now.

Joining God's Mission

I went on a walk through Homewood last night, as I so often do with Julie on warm summer evenings. We walked right past a group of people who were unloading their belongings from a Uhaul truck into a brand new house. A pastor friend of ours, the same friend who built our home six years ago, was also the builder of the home that they were moving into. We stopped and talked to the new couple in our neighborhood. They're a young married couple who have an infant daughter, and they're really excited to be owning a home in Homewood. We talked briefly about the good things that are going on in our neighborhood. We all have a sense of anticipation and hope, despite the fact that there have been several homicides in our area over the past month. We are active participants in God's redemptive mission, and we will not choose to define our streets or the people in them by what's wrong. We're focusing on what's right with our neighborhood, and we're building on that. 

When you look for signs of hope in struggling urban neighborhoods, you begin to see the work of the Holy Spirit in remarkable places. Just this evening I passed a house where a daughter was sitting on his front porch with his daughter helping her with homework. Yes, there are absentee fathers in Homewood, but there are also many actively engaged fathers who do a good job with parenting. Some kids stopped by my house for an after school snack, and they're excited about what's going on at their school and in their community. Yes, there are kids who cause harm in my neighborhood, but most of the kids love their neighborhood and they contribute to the fabric of the community. Families are moving in. Residents who have been here for a long time are enjoying contributing to things getting turned around here, and they're welcoming new neighbors. We look out for one another. We're not forcing anyone out. We're working together as we participate in God's Story as it is manifested in our own streets and homes.

God was at work in my urban neighborhood long before I arrived here, and God will always be at work going forward. Transformation is a process that takes time, and it also requires presence and patience. Simple solutions and slick programs don't work in a neighborhood facing complex problems. Neighbors working together, building meaningful relationships, and rallying around our community are what's important. God is at work in all of those things. I am thankful to be a participant in God's grand narrative. 

Encouragement

A church member has been sending me encouraging text messages and Bible verses over the past couple of weeks. That has encouraged me to strengthen him as he is navigating through a new and challenging season of life. The body of Christ works so well when we build each other up. God's mission is too important for followers of Jesus to be tearing one another apart. Regardless of issues that divide us in our culture, it is important for us to be unified. I have been experiencing that with the friendship of another brother in Christ over the past couple of weeks. I'm very thankful that God has brought so many amazing people into my journey of life.  

A Cold Bottle of Water

Young people in Pittsburgh regularly camp out over night or arrive early in the morning in order to be first in line for new shoes that are released in shoe stores in East Liberty. This happened this morning. As I was on my way to church at North Way East End, there were a group of people waiting in line for shoes. I've been encouraging our church to think of creative ways to reach out to people when these events happen. We've discerned that the best thing to do is to just stop and talk with people. We get to know their stories and ask some questions about the shoes that they are waiting in line for. The church had some left over bottles of cold water from an event that we had earlier in the week, so this morning we visited our friends with the gift of water. We invited some of them to church. They may or may not attend, but it's important for us to take the time to build the relationships. God can use little steps of faith to accomplish his amazing purposes.

A Time for Prayer

Julie and I took a walk tonight, and we stopped at the place where the shooting occurred last night so that we could pray. As I blogged about in my previous post, it is good for followers of Christ to reflect on the pain of violence but it is also good for followers of Christ to take action. Action for Christians occurs in many different ways. For us, tonight, it was a prayer walk. We are praying for transformation and healing in the streets of our little part of the city. We pray that our neighborhood will be a place where kids can safely play and ride their bikes. We pray that our streets would be a place where people can work, raise families, and grow old with one another. We are seeking God's shalom in our city.

I Heard Someone Get Killed Last Night

Last night at around 9pm my wife heard a significant amount of gun shots close to our house. When she turned on the news later in the evening she learned that a man had been shot and killed very close to our home. I was visiting my parents north of Pittsburgh when all of this happened last night, so I wasn't aware that anything had gone on. I arrived home after everyone was asleep for the night. This morning when I woke up Julie and I started our day as we normally do by discussing events from the previous day and talking about our plans for the current day. Julie kind of started our morning conversation with, "I heard someone get killed last night." My heart sank. I'm not desensitized, even though it's been a violent summer in Homewood. It hurts.

I'm sad for a neighbor who lost his life. I'm sad for his family. I'm sad that one person would choose to take another person's life. I'm sad for my neighborhood. I'm sad for my city. I'm sad for a culture of violence. I'm sad that I have to have conversations with my wife and children about how to process through the pain of violence. Just about a month ago another man was killed right in that same spot. It was heartbreaking for us then, as well. One of the children in our neighborhood was traumatized when that shooting happened because he was there and he saw the body. I tried to encourage him to talk about it. A unique role that I have as a pastor in my neighborhood involves helping people to heal from the pain of violence. Sometimes that even involves helping my own family to process through things.

So, how do we respond? I must turn to God in times like this. I believe that God wants my heart to break. I believe that God wants me to turn to him in desperation, through prayer, reading the Bible, writing and reflecting, and, in general, hearing from the Lord. However, pain and drawing close to Jesus in times of need must always lead me back into action. I want to passionately live out Jesus' ways in my neighborhood at all times and in all places. God has called me to enter into people's pain, and it often breaks my heart, but I don't stay in those places of despair. I become empowered by the Holy Spirit to act. I want to love my neighbors well. I'm inspired to mentor even more young people through LAMP. I am empowered to serve others as I listen to their pain and help to point people to Christ. I am equipped to provide strength for my family, even though God has given our family a challenging calling.

I will not become numb to the violence in my city. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I will stand up and do something about it. I will not do it on my own. God is on a mission to redeem the people in my city at all times, and I am just a small participant in that mission. But, it is a profound mission. It is a meaningful mission. It is an important mission. The gospel of Jesus Christ is Good News. There is hope. Even in the midst of the most dire circumstances, there is hope. We may live in a present evil age, but the Kingdom of God is here. My prayer for my family, my neighbors, my city, and the world, are for God's divine peace to reign in powerful places and powerless places.

The City as a Gift of Common Grace

I've done a lot of walking through urban neighborhoods in Pittsburgh this summer. I've spent time in places like Point Breeze, Homewood, Squirrel Hill, East Liberty, Shadyside, Garfield, Wilkinsburg, and Regent Square. I'm learning to appreciate all of the neighborhoods throughout the East End where I serve as a pastor. These neighborhoods contain many different types of people, architecture, restaurants, coffee shops, businesses, manufacturing warehouses, nonprofit organizations, churches, and lots of different sights and sounds. Each neighborhood has a unique feel and culture.

Cities are a gift from God, not some type of evil human invention that human beings need to escape from. Cities, and the different neighborhoods within them, can be seen as gifts of common grace. A defining narrative since the end of World War II in America has been the idea of the American dream, or the good life, being found outside of cities in suburban or rural environments. There are, of course, gifts of common grace that can be found in suburban and rural places, like good schools and plenty of wide open spaces that are not typically found in urban environments. There are many incredible people who choose to live, work, and play outside the city. However, the goal of families escaping the messiness of the big city may not be all that it is cracked up to be. Individual and corporate sin is just as prevalent outside the city as it is inside the city limits. There is no way for human beings to escape that reality, even though we try.

In Home from Nowhere James Howard Kunstler points out that "The idea of a modest dwelling all our own, isolated from the problems of other people, has been our reigning metaphor of the good life for a long time. It must now be seen for what it really is: an antisocial view of existence. I don't believe that we can afford to keep pretending that life is a never-ending episode of Little House on the Prairie. We are going to have to develop a different notion of the good life and create a physical form that accommodates it."

That is actually what I see when I walk through the urban neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. People are moving back into the city to experience the good life. People who remained in the city all along are welcoming new residents back into the neighborhoods that they love. New buildings are popping up everywhere. Old buildings are being renovated. Block clubs are forming. Community development organizations are networking the city and accessing power. Churches are not only thriving, but working with one another. Religious institutions, businesses, and political entities are working together toward the common good. The signs of a healthy city are everywhere, even when there are also many signs of brokenness. The process of transformation continues on and on when humanity is willing to invest in their cities instead of trying to escape from them. I'm thankful to have a small role in that process in my little part of Pittsburgh where I live and where I serve as a pastor.

God's Got This

I had the opportunity to go out of town on vacation this past weekend with my family. We had a good friend from church house sit for us while we were away. It was interesting trying to explain to him about what to expect while we were away. Sure, we showed him the usual things about how to take care of our dog and also some of the quirks of the house. However, we also had to explain to him about our ministry in Homewood. He needed to expect the unexpected. Our neighborhood is a wonderful place, but it is also filled with its share of challenges. We did our best to prepare him for the week ahead.

Our friend did a great job of house sitting for us. When we returned home, he shared about some of the highlights and lowlights. Right before we left for vacation, I had placed an important letter in our mailbox that needed to be mailed out the next day. After we left one of the kids in our neighborhood had snuck onto our porch, taken the letter out of our mailbox and ripped it up. Our friend heard a commotion on our porch, and he ran outside to try to see what was going on but by that time our little mailman was gone. The Homewood experience with our house sitting friend had started out with a negative event. It's really not a big deal. At different times over the past five years that we've lived in Homewood, we've had drug addicts steal our front porch furniture while we were on vacation so that they could get money from the scrap metal to get high. We now have plastic front porch furniture. There have been other little things over the years, but we've just adapted and moved on. I'll learn not to leave important mail in my mailbox next time I leave on vacation.

After the rocky start, our friend shared that, as expected, a bunch of kids and neighbors stopped by to visit him. This is the best part about living in our neighborhood. On hot summer days, little kids stop by to ask for a freezie pop to cool them off. Teenagers stop by to jump on our trampoline or to talk about the latest drama that is going on in their lives. Adult friends and neighbors stop by to chat. We all look out for one another. We are caught up in one another's stories. Our friend who stayed at the house last week got to experience these things. A little girl who must have been four or five years old rang our doorbell, and in her cutest voice she asked, "Can I have four freezie pops? One for my grandma, one for my mom, one for my sister... and, um, oh yeah... one for me!" We had told our friend about our strict one freezie pop per person per day rule at the McCabe house (hey, you gotta have boundaries, right?), but the little girl was so cute that he just had to give her four freezie pops to go.

Our friend got a taste of the ups and downs of our urban neighborhood. He took walks and got to know people. He got caught up in people's stories, and they got caught up in his. Julie and I went for a walk in the neighborhood yesterday just so we could reorient ourselves after the week of vacation. Children played in the streets and found joy in lighting fireworks for the 4th of July. Our neighbors grilled out and had parties, just like many other people in America on Independence Day. We were also reminded of the pain in our community, though, as a thirty year old man was murdered right down the street from us at 3pm in afternoon on a beautiful Pittsburgh day. Our hearts break for the violence in our part of Homewood.

Our urban neighborhood has many signs of hope and many signs of need. My neighbors do amazing things to love each other well in our little piece of the world. I also have neighbors who steal and kill, causing harm to one another. Sometimes it's all too much to take. Joy and pain. Beauty and affliction. We live in the now, but not yet. The Kingdom of God is here, but we still live in a present evil age. What are we to do with all of this? I certainly don't have it all figured out, but I have hope that God does. Jesus said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)

This life will have struggles. Those struggles should be handed over to Jesus. In this life we will experience powerful forms of joy, purpose, and meaning as we interact with one another. We must also view those experiences through the lens of Jesus' love for us. God is with us through all of it. I am thankful for that this week as I reengage in the realities of urban ministry. God's got this. 

Looking Forward to the Summer

I haven't blogged in a while. It's been a pretty crazy season of life, but hopefully I'll be able to get back in the writing mode soon. Involvement in urban ministry is intense, and writing helps me to reflect on what God is doing.

There is a lot going on in my life. The young men that I've been mentoring through the LAMP program for the past eight years will be graduating from high school in the next week. At that point, our official mentoring matches will close. I'm sad about these formal mentoring matches closing, but I am excited that God has given me the endurance to be able to make it through eight years of mentoring. I'm also excited about how Tyran, Catrell, and Rafael are transitioning into adulthood well.

I also have a lot to be excited about at North Way East End. The summer gives me more opportunities to be able to connect with people. This has been a challenging year at the church, and yet God is in control and many people are being impacted through our participation in God's mission.

I'm also blessed by Julie, Kyra, and Sierra. We're looking forward to an amazing summer together. My daughters are at a fun age, 9 and 11, and this is a great season to be a dad. We're especially looking forward to trips to Dale Hollow Lake and Colonial Williamsburg this summer.

 I continue to wake up every day and do my best to put my trust and faith in the Lord. God has been good to me, even if this is a challenging season of ministry. Through all of the ups and downs, God is faithful. 

God's Transforming Power in Pittsburgh

In every urban neighborhood there are signs of need and signs of hope. It is important for followers of Jesus Christ to participate in God's redemptive mission by focusing on the signs of hope and building up assets in communities. By choosing to focus on what's right in people and in our neighborhoods, we are a part of a process of transformation.

The following photo, which appeared on the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review website, was taken at the Prayer for Peace March in Homewood that I participated in a couple weeks ago:

The photo was connected to an article on the website that described in detail an act of violence that had occurred the morning of the prayer walk in Homewood less than a mile away from where we had gathered to start the march. Instead of just writing an article about a positive event that happened in our city... people praying for our city... the writer of the article chose to focus on a murder that had happened in a church parking lot that morning and the irony of a prayer march for peace happening on the same morning. Reporters simply report the news, so I'm not upset that they chose to tie the events together. A murder happened. It was tragic. It was violent. A prayer march happened. It was powerful. It was encouraging.

My heart breaks when violence happens in the city of Pittsburgh, whether it happens where I live in Homewood or where I lead a church congregation in East Liberty. By choosing to focus on signs of hope in my city, I'm not choosing to pretend like bad things don't happen. We live in a present evil age. However, Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God into this present evil age. Christians have profound hope that no matter how bad things are, God is always on a mission to redeem every person and every place. The church has an integral role in participating in that redemptive mission. God works through us to bring about shalom with marginalized people in vulnerable neighborhoods.

What does that look like, practically speaking? In the photo taken at the prayer march in Homewood, I can point out four different examples. The photographer captured one moment in time, but the people in the photo represent participants in God's redemptive mission in our city. I am pictured in the center of the photograph with a child on my shoulders. Eight years ago, God broke my heart for what breaks his heart in my city. God has allowed me to participate in his redemptive mission by launching a mentoring program in Homewood that has impacted the lives of several hundred children and just as many adults who have served as mentors. God has allowed me to plant a new church that is filled with people who are passionate about positively impacting our city. I've seen hundreds of people serve countless hours in our city, many people have been drawn closer to the Lord and in authentic Christian community since the church opened. We are reaching people across socioeconomic, racial, and neighborhood barriers. It's been amazing! And, my family is now a part of the fabric of the Homewood community. We live in Homewood, and I've seen God do amazing things through my wife and daughters.

The child on my shoulders was adopted from Ethiopia by the Himmler family. They are very good friends of ours... like family to us, really. The Himmlers were a big part of launching North Way East End. They moved from the suburbs to East Liberty right about the time we planted the church. They've attended the Encountering God in the City classes that I've taught at the church. My friend, Chad, has prayer walked through just about every neighborhood in the East End of Pittsburgh with me. Chad and Kristen both serve as mentors to children living in Homewood. They are leaders in the orphan care movement at our church. I happened to scoop up their son during the prayer march because he was tired of walking, and the photographer captured the moment. The Himmlers are amazing participants in God's redemptive mission. God is doing amazing things through their family. They are assets in our city. They know what is wrong in our city. They see the needs. But, they're not focused on what's wrong in our city. They're focused on what's right. They're focused on what God is doing.

The young man to the left of me in the photo is a young man who is a part of our church's mentoring program in Homewood. He was talking to me in the picture, explaining how the relationship was going with his mentor. He was telling me that his mentor was making a big difference in his life. He also told me about his hopes and dreams. He has big goals in his life. He has a plan for his future thanks to adults who are speaking positive things into his life. Our church isn't trying to rescue him or fix something that's wrong with him. We are building up assets in him. We see great things in him. His story is similar to the hundreds of other children that have been mentored over the past eight years. Some mentees have gone on to graduate from high school and go on to college or right into their vocations. Other mentees have struggled while navigating through difficult circumstances and choices in life. Either way, our mentors and mentees have been transformed by participating in the mentoring relationships. Each of the mentoring matches are assets in our city.

The man to my right in the photo who is walking behind me is my friend, Oliver Dent. Oliver has a passion for Christian community development. He participates in God's redemptive mission through organizing prayer  walks and by mobilizing Christians and churches to transform neighborhoods through real estate development. Christians who steward real estate as part of God's redemptive mission are powerful participants in God's shalom community. Oliver is realistic about the struggles in our city, but he is choosing to focus on being a part of the solution by stewarding his unique gifts for God's glory. He empowers the powerless and networks with the powerful. He is a great gift to our city. I don't know if his story has ever been told in the newspaper, but it couldn't be captured in one random photo at a prayer for peace march. Violent acts make the headlines in our newspapers, while people like Oliver are quietly working behind the scenes away from the spotlight by building up the good things in our city.

I know it's just one picture. It's one snapshot in time. But, this is a powerful picture. It's a picture that captures just a tiny fragment of God's transformational power. Still, God is in control in our city and God is working through many people to accomplish his purposes. My heart still breaks for the many signs of need in my city, but I choose to focus on how I can continue to participate in building up the people in the places where God has called me to be. I am thankful for the many people who are with me in the journey. We have much pain to reflect on, but we also have much to celebrate. There were many other people present at the prayer for peach march... politicians, activists, many Homewood community members, friends from churches and neighboring communities, pastors, bikers, suburban people, urban people, and people from across to socioeconomic and racial spectrum. The consistent, unifying theme for all of us was prayer. Prayer is powerful. Prayer builds people up. Prayer focuses on assets. Prayer advances the Kingdom of God in our city. 

Prayer

Prayer is powerful. Prayer makes a difference. I'm learning that more and more as I journey with Jesus through this life. Ideas and movements come and go. Leadership styles go in and out. Programs make an impact and then culture changes and the same programs can become stagnant. What doesn't change is God. We can always connect with God through prayer.

God's redemptive mission doesn't change. He is always ready to intervene on our behalf. God desires a relationship with us, though, which means that just like any other relationship we need to cultivate it through time together. I pray in many different ways... sometimes I prayer walk, sometimes I pray in the quiet of my house or office, and sometimes I pray when I'm driving around or listening to music. Sometimes I pray with my wife and children. Sometimes I pray with elders at the church or with friends when we meet for coffee.

The point is to pray. There is no perfect formula. We simply start with an attitude of wanting to grow in our relationship with God and then we tread into new waters with the Lord. We find that God has been tracking with us the whole time. God is right there with us in our journey. God is for us. God is close to us. Prayer helps us to be able to intimately connect with our Creator and greatest ally. 

Looking Back on Last Week

I had a chance to step back and reflect this week following the intensity of the season of ministry leading up to Good Friday and Easter. I enjoy serving a church that values leading people closer to Jesus and passionately participating in God's redemptive mission. Our church is filled with creative people and amazing leaders. It's important for us to reach out to our friends and neighbors in order to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The week after Easter Sunday for me is filled with rest. I'm catching my breath. I'm still working, but I'm taking time to pause and reflect on what God has done. God does different things every year at North Way East End. No one Easter worship service is ever the same, just as no one worship service is the same over the course of a year. The Holy Spirit is wild and free, moving at will in many different creative ways. I love slowing down, even if for a few days, because I have the opportunity to hear from God and to have my heart refreshed by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus actually had a pattern of engaging and disengaging during intense seasons of ministry. Jesus was passionate and he also rested. He spent time with people and he spent time alone in prayer. There is no one perfect way to accomplish ministry objectives or to be an effective church. There are many different creative ways to point people to Jesus. It's important for me to sense God's timing as a leader. I'm focusing on all of these things this week.

Good Friday and Easter

It's been a powerful Good Friday so far in the East End of Pittsburgh. I had the privilege of walking once again in the 5th Annual Prayer 4 Peace March in Homewood. We had another great crowd turn out this year to pray for our city!

This has been a meaningful event on Good Friday for each of the past five years. Transformation is a process that takes time. So many urban outreach efforts fizzle out in cycle of one and done programs led by people who give up when things get too difficult or inconvenient. Yes, transformational urban outreach is difficult, but one of the best things that leaders and people who support local outreach can do is continue to show up and be present over the long haul. A lot has happened in Homewood since I first started joining the work that is going on here, but I am so glad that God has given me the strength to stick with it even when it gets hard. I'm thankful that the church where I serve as a pastor, North Way Christian Community, continues to be present in Homewood year after year. It's important to be focused and to partner with the work of the Holy Spirit that is going on through so many amazing leaders in this part of our city.

I'm looking forward to the Good Friday worship service at North Way East End this evening at 7pm. It's important to be active in our city in terms of prayer and integral mission, but it is also important for the church to gather to worship God, preach the word, and to encourage one another on in the journey of following Jesus. The focus of the service tonight is all about honoring Jesus Christ. Pastor Freedom Blackwell will be teaching the message. Then, we'll gather back together at North Way East End on Sunday morning at 9am and 11am for Easter worship services. I can't wait to teach live on Easter Sunday! It's shaping up to be an amazing last couple of days of Holy Week here in Pittsburgh. I'm praying for all of the other churches and pastors in our city this weekend! I'm expecting God to do big things in our city. 

Calling and the City

I've been thinking through calling, lately. Urban ministry has many challenges. There are a lot of ups and downs. The city is filled with many different types of people from many different socioeconomic, ethnic, religious, and educational backgrounds. As a pastor in an intense urban environment, I find myself wearing many different hats throughout any given day of the week. I love it, and at the same time it is so unpredictable and it requires a complete dependence on the Holy Spirit. It's tiring sometimes. 

It can be very tempting for a pastor to try to be all things to all people. I can easily develop a savior complex if I'm not careful. That's delusional thinking. Not only is it impossible for me to keep up with everything on my own, but I burn out very quickly thinking that so much influence depends on me and my behavior. Jesus is the only Savior, and God gives the Holy Spirit to empower his church to participate in his redemptive mission. My only role is simple... to point people toward Jesus Christ at all times. That happens in different ways, but it's really not that complicated. 

I am learning that God calls me to certain places at certain times for his certain purposes. For a while in my life I was called to people in California as a teacher, coach, and as an elder at a local church. It was difficult to leave that calling, but God was calling me to people in Pittsburgh in neighborhoods like Homewood and East Liberty. For now, God is asking me to serve as an urban pastor and mentor. That may change some day, and God may call me some place else. In the mean time, I need to keep my focus on the calling that God has given me today, right here, right now, in this place. 

It may seem difficult, but all callings from God are supposed to feel that way. It's not about me. It's about what God wants to accomplish through me. That's that focus I'm carrying with me today. I am thankful for this calling, and I'm committed to helping other people around me to discover the unique calling that God has for them. 

The Power of Rest and Reflection

I'm taking some time this week to rest and reflect. Urban ministry can be very intense, requiring a great deal of engagement and struggle. Leadership comes with many challenges. I really enjoy serving as a pastor, but it can be taxing sometimes. That's why it is so crucial for me to be able to take time to rest. It's often hard for me to carve out space to rest in the city, so I like to get out of town usually for a few days.

When I take time to rest, I do some of the things that I love to do. I read, write, pray, and think about how my story is intersecting with God's Story. Time of reflection helps me to adjust course if needed. I try to listen for God's voice and God's instructions in my life. I'm worthless as a pastor and leader if I don't have an intimate relationship with Jesus, and that type of relationship takes time and investment just like any other meaningful relationship.

Jesus modeled a leadership style where he intensely engaged, and then he withdrew from the crowds to recuperate. The Bible is filled with many great examples of leaders who incorporated rest, prayer, and reflection into their routines. Life has so many challenges and difficulties. It's important to understand how to sustain ourselves in the Lord for the journey. 

Encountering God in the City Highlights

Last night I wrapped up teaching another round of Encountering God in the City at the North Way East End ministry center in East Liberty. Last fall at E.G.I.T.C. we built a foundation of why it is so important for followers of Jesus to engage cities in our modern world. This time around we selected a different topic each week, I introduced some concepts on those topics, and then we had some great dialogue. The various topics were:

• History of Urban Ministry
• Calling and Theology of Work
• High Risk Youth and Orphan Care
• Asset-based Christian Community Development
• Reconciliation and Multi-ethnic Church

We learned about the rich history of 2,000 years of Christians mobilizing around the world with various urban ministry models that were uniquely contextualized to different eras and cultures. We learned that each of us has a unique calling to participate in God's redemptive mission, and that we can find joy at work by being stewards of our time and talent while advancing the kingdom of God. We learned about God's heart for children and young people living on the margins of our cities in the U.S. and around the world, and appropriate responses from Christians. We learned how to focus on the assets in urban communities instead of the needs, and how followers of Christ can impact the process of transformation in cities through engagement in real estate development. Finally, we had a meaningful discussion about how Christians should be leading the way in our culture when it comes to reconciliation instead of dragging our feet and lagging behind. 

Last night's class was one of the most open conversations about race and class that I've ever been a part of thanks to the transparency and heart of the group. That has been a theme throughout each of the E.G.I.T.C. sessions... everyone's openness and willingness to learn from one another. The goal isn't just to learn with our heads, though. The goal is to be transformed and mobilized to make a difference in our city. Will Pittsburgh be a better place because of E.G.I.T.C.? Only time will tell. I have high hopes for these passionate followers of Jesus Christ, though. They're a group of world changers. I'm blessed to be around such amazing people in a world class city like Pittsburgh. 

High Risk Youth and Orphan Care

Modern children are growing up in a world that is complex. It is a world defined by urban and global realities. Sin and evil occur in individuals, in families, in communities, in cities, and globally. Brokenness has entered into religious, economic, and political systems. Thankfully, we have hope as human beings because God has conquered evil and brokenness through his Son, Jesus Christ. We live in the now, but not yet. The kingdom of God is here, so we have hope. But, we still live in a present evil age. God is working through modern Christians and his Church to accomplish his redemptive mission.

It is in this context that followers of Jesus engage the brokenness of this world. God gives us hope, and we share that hope with others. When it comes to making a difference in the lives of the vulnerable children in this world, including orphans, social orphans, street kids, and high risk youth, it is important for Christians to be deeply engaged in complex responses to complex problems. We must have Christ work through us to accomplish his redemptive mission to kids on the margins of society. It's a biblical mandate that we all must take seriously.

Yes, it is important to develop programs that impact high risk youth. However, it is even more important to develop authentic relationships with kids. Simple programs are not enough. Churches, schools, government organizations, nonprofits, agencies, businesses, and individuals must work together in the process of transformation with our most vulnerable children. The work often requires tremendous sacrifice, but sacrificial love and service are true marks of those who are authentically following Jesus. We make the world a better place when we passionately serve others and when we work together as we serve.

I'm excited to share about these things at tonight's Encountering God in the City class at North Way East End. The topic of the evening is "High Risk Youth and Orphan Care." My hope is that God will continue to break our hearts for the evil in our world, and especially how that evil impacts troubled youth and vulnerable kids. My goal as a pastor is to mobilize as many Christians as possible to make a difference in this world by participating in God's redemptive mission. I still believe that God can do miracles and that God's heart is close to the orphan and the struggling children in our midst.

Common Grace in the City

Last week I had the opportunity to have lunch with one of my best friends from growing up. We both grew up in the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh, and now we both live as adults in the East End of urban Pittsburgh. I serve as a pastor, and he works as a social worker with a vulnerable population of people in the Pittsburgh region.

We have a lot in common... a lot more than we thought we had in common, actually. Besides living in relatively close proximity, we both have a passion for serving people living on the margins of our city. God has called me to do that as a pastor, and God has called my friend to do that while serving as a social worker at a large organization in our region. We are both working toward transformation in our city. We are both working toward increasing levels of shalom.

It's important for urban pastors to identify individuals and institutions in cities who are actively involved in the process of transformation. This is common grace. We need to network with stakeholders, build partnerships, develop friendships, and interact knowledgeably with others who are working toward the same goals. As a pastor I am more free to share about the gospel of Jesus Christ with words and works, but that doesn't mean that my vocation is any more significant in God's eyes than my friend who is serving people through his vocation. We are both advancing the kingdom of God through the unique callings that God has given us.

Prayer in the City

Every Saturday morning my alarm goes off bright and early. I usually have the same thought run through my head first thing... go back to sleep. But, then, I give those thoughts over to God and I roll out of bed. I get excited because I'm starting to look forward to prayer walking in my city on Saturday mornings. I have seen God move in tremendous ways recently as our church has been praying so much. I'm not about to stop now or get discouraged.

I encounter different things during each Saturday morning prayer time, and that's how God seems to work. God desires for Christians to pray for the powerful and the powerless aspects of this world. We pray for politicians, businesses, homeless people, drug addicts and drug dealers, health care workers and systems, families, schools, churches, people out shopping... pretty much any person and any place gets covered in prayer. Cities are complex places, and complex prayer strategies are helpful.

I have know idea what God is up to with all of this prayer that he is prompting us to do. I know that God listens to prayer. We interact with the God of the universe through prayer. We experience the power of the Holy Spirit when we pray. We are obedient in our relationship with Jesus when we pray. Good things happen when we pray. I could focus on all of the negative things that happen in my city, but prayer helps me to focus on God's love for my city. God is always on a redemptive mission. It's a privilege just to be a part of that in the place that God has called me to lead. 

Reflecting on Two Years at North Way East End 1-27-14

This is a big week for North Way East End... we're celebrating our two year anniversary! I'll be sharing a lot of stories and photos this week to reflect on how far God has brought us as a church in such a short amount of time. I've been privileged to see lives transformed by the profound love of Jesus Christ. I've experienced the ups and downs of Christians doing life with one another. It's been quite an adventure.

On our church launch day in January of 2012, everyone was hopeful. We had a big turn out from people from North Way locations checking out what this campus in East Liberty was all about. The launch team had worked hard to get everything up and going. While we had our first church service, giving all the glory to God, somebody was outside breaking into about a dozen cars and a local convenience store. Here's a picture of one of the cars that was broken into, which included my sister's car and also Pastor Freedom's:

We haven't had any break ins since that day. It turned out to be just a one time thing. Still, we weren't discouraged. We knew that we needed to persevere. There were other challenges to press through, as well. Our ministry center space wasn't quite ready so we held kids church in the lobby of the theater. Our technology wasn't quite ready so we had to get creative to pull the first worship service off. It looked like this:

It was amazing to see God come through on that first day, and on every day since then. Starting a new church has been a huge challenge. But, it's been worth it to be an integral part of God's redemptive mission in our city. I'm looking forward to what God is going to do in 2014!

A Full Week of Ministry in the City

As I look back over this past week, I am thankful for the opportunities that God gives me to build relationships with so many different types of people at North Way East End. Serving as an urban pastor allows me to get to know people in a way that transcends socioeconomic, racial, and cultural barriers. This week I met with a businessman who attends the church to encourage him as he helps influential people in our city to steward the resources that God has given them. He is a financial planner, and he is serving God right where he is supposed to be serving God. My goal as a pastor is to continue to point him toward Jesus. I am proud of the way that my friend is honoring the Lord with his vocation.

I spent almost the entire part of another day this week navigating the Allegheny County court system with a young friend of mine from East Hills who managed to get himself into some legal troubles. We've spent at least four or five days over the past three months showing up at court appearances and being bounced around from pretrial event to pretrial event and from magistrate's offices to court rooms. We both know that God is in complete control of the whole situation, and we are trusting God with the outcomes while trying to learn everything that we can from the circumstances. I have been given the gift of time with this young man... lots of time sitting and waiting. We've had some great conversations about life and God and just about everything else. I am thankful for the gift of time.

I prayer walked our city with a pastor friend from Guatemala who leads a ministry that is making a huge difference in many different parts of our world. I served in executive leadership team meetings to help to make decisions that will guide the direction of a church that reaches thousands of people on a weekly basis. I got to serve with the amazing staff at North Way East End... some of my favorite people on this planet who are impacting many people with the Good News of Jesus Christ. I was able to read the Bible, read other books, write, and pray a lot. I led people closer to Jesus during Sunday morning worship at a performing arts theater in the heart of a diverse, urban neighborhood. I spent time with people that I bumped into in the heart of that neighborhood during the week. I spent time in an elementary school in Homewood with board members from our LAMP partner organization. We dreamed about ways that we could continue to impact some of the most vulnerable children in our city through mentoring.

There were so many other experiences this week that I won't take the time to write about in this blog post. However, the important thing for me to remember is that all of this is about people growing closer to God. I am learning to love my city and to love the people that God has called me to lead. I pray that God will continue to stretch me and grow me to build meaningful relationships with many different kinds of people in my city. The city isn't a problem to be solved. The city is a gift of common grace, and its inhabitants are sons and daughters of the Most High God. Leading in this environment is truly a privilege. 

Diverse Neighborhoods In Pittsburgh

One of my favorite things about living in a city like Pittsburgh is that it has so many different neighborhoods. There's a lot of diversity in the people and places that occupy the different neighborhoods. From one street to the next it seems like there is something or someone new and interesting around every corner. This is true whether I am walking around in Homewood where I live, in East Liberty where I lead a church, or in any number of the surrounding neighborhoods like Squirrel Hill or Point Breeze.

Many people look as cities as problems to be solved, choosing to focus on what's wrong with neighborhoods instead of what's right. It's tempting to want to flee things like crime and systemic brokenness. However, followers of Jesus should learn to see cities as gifts of common grace. I don't pretend like there's nothing wrong with my city, and I am actively working to take on big issues like violence and racism. Still, I love to look at the assets in the neighborhoods that surround my urban existence.

God is teaching me to love my city. I'm learning to love the people and the places that make up my diverse urban environment. I'm doing my best to lead the people at the church I happen to lead to love one another well and to love their city. I love participating in God's redemptive mission in Pittsburgh. 

Building Relationships in the City

There was a significant snow storm in Pittsburgh last night, so I was surprised when our doorbell rang right in the middle of an intense period of the storm. Turns out it was a young man that we've grown close to over the years. He lives in Homewood, and he was walking back to his house after walking to a store to get some basic groceries. He and his brothers have become like family to us since their mom died a few years ago. They are all welcome to stop by to see us at any time, so that's what Will did last night. He just stopped in to visit, to catch up on life, to tell some stories about he and his brothers, and to ask us how we're doing. There is nothing forced about our relationship. It's just doing life together. And that is the subtle progress of incarnational urban ministry.

The slow process of transformation in our part of the city happens through relationships that are built over time... one life on one life... one family with another family... our paths intersect and Jesus accomplishes amazing things. Relationships win out over programs any day. Relationships will last for eternity... relationships with God, and, as a result, relationships with one another. There are no quick fixes when it comes to the complexities of the urban environment. Dramatic improvements are few and far between. I'm thankful for the little signs of hope that I get to experience on a seemingly daily basis, and I'm thankful for the people that God has brought into my life.

The Power of Strong Friendships

Julie and I had the opportunity to get away from Pittsburgh for a few days this week. We love the ministry that we are a part of in Pittsburgh, but sometimes it's good to get away for a little while to clear our heads. For this particular reprieve, we visited our good friends, Tim and Flora Parsley, who happen to live in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They were amazing hosts. The time was filled with great conversations and fun together with our families. We first became friends with them in our early twenties, and so it was exciting to see that friendship pick up in our late thirties even though we are separated by many miles. Our hearts were full when we left Fort Wayne to make the long drive back to Pittsburgh.

Many things in this life come and go. There are a lot of ups and downs. Relationships remain. This is especially true in urban ministry. Ministry in the midst of a city can be filled with tremendous break throughs and stinging set backs. Life seems to be magnified in the city. God's redemptive mission remains unchanged, and God's redemptive mission is relational. In other words, we need a strong relationship with God to persevere. And, we need strong relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are willing to lock arms with us. It hurts when people break fellowship with me, and it is amazing when people show unconditional love by hanging in there with me. I have been blessed with many incredible friendships on this journey through life. I'm looking forward to what this coming year has to offer because of the amazing people who are running the race with me.