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.