Street Signs

Street Signs: A New Direction in Urban Ministry
Ray Bakke and Jon Sharpe
New Hope Publishers (2006)

Ray Bakke has said that people seem to be more interested in how he learns than in what he has actually learned over a lifetime of urban ministry involvement. In this book, the authors present many of the tangible strategies they have utilized in city consultations all over the world so that modern Christian leaders might be more equipped to lead in a global environment that is rapidly urbanizing and globalizing.
The authors break this book up into two sections. In the first section, Ray Bakke gives an overview of his journey in urban ministry over the past fifty years. He also provides some basic urban ministry concepts that will surely guide contemporary Christian leaders in areas such as the processes of urbanization, embracing the city as a parish, the importance of searching for signs of hope in modern cities, and a basic overview of the urban consultation process in community development. Jon Sharpe briefly describes his journey of involvement in urban ministry, followed by an overview of the leadership style of Barnabas and the process of completing effective consultations that is applicable to urban environments all over the world.
Ray Bakke argues that “fundamentally, for Christians, especially for church and mission leaders, we need a new way of thinking about missions, a new worldview or paradigm, if you please.” (83) He goes on to state that “missions is no longer across the ocean and geographically distant: it is across the street and is culturally distant, in our cities and in cities on all six continents.” (83) Christian leaders need to adjust their worldview to “incorporate thinking globally while living globally.” (83)
Jon Sharpe describes a powerful process of city consultations, in which “the best consultations come as a result of a long-term networking effort by trusted facilitators and the input of an outsider. The outsider brings a listening ear, a desire to learn from the city, and his or her power to convene the leadership of a city – social, political, and religious.” (216) In essence, Christian leaders in cities all over the world need to understand who needs to be at the table, what will be consulted upon, and how will the strategies be implemented. The whole process is very clearly articulated.
I was very encouraged by this book. One of the things I have learned about urban ministry in Pittsburgh is that many leaders are willing to partner for the betterment of the city. Organizations from all over the city, including the Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation, the Pittsburgh Board of Education, nonprofit organizations, and churches have displayed a willingness to work together for positive outcomes on the overall development of the city.
With so many people willing to partner, including organizations that are non-Christian, there are many opportunities for city consultations. I have been intimidated by this process at times, in which I often find myself in the position of building relationships in order to partner more effectively for the common good of the city. Inevitably, this process which I often shy away from is actually the process which might end up having the most impact in terms of community development and empowerment of the folks who are benefiting from services and support.