Assets in Pittsburgh

Over the past couple of weeks I've had the opportunity share with several different people about the many assets that are in East Liberty, Homewood, and other parts of the East End of the city of Pittsburgh. These assets include signs of hope in both people and places throughout my local urban environment.

I've shared about these assets with graduate students from different parts of the globe through the courses that I'm teaching at Bakke Graduate University. I've taken local leaders on walks through my neighborhood to see the assets first hand. I've shared positive stories of the process of urban transformation on social media. I've talked about all of the signs of spiritual transformation that I've been experiencing as a pastor in church staff meetings. Basically, whenever I get a chance I love to serve as an advocate for asset-based community development in the part of the city where God has called me to serve as a leader.

The Holy Spirit was at work in my city long before I arrived on the scene, and God's redemptive mission will carry on long after I am gone. I am simply participating in the good work that is going on in this particular place at this particular time. The kingdom of God is advancing in the East End of Pittsburgh in many creative ways. The city is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. The city has many assets. I am excited about what God is going to do next. 

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?

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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.