Saving the world, but not our neighorhood?
I live in a quiet middle-class neighborhood. There are lots of kids. Most people mind their business. I have connected with a few of the neighbors. Dave and Kathy are evangelical Christians. Jenn is a single mom. Her son, Sal, is so cute. Dave and Beth and their crew live across the street. Tom is Jenn's dad and lives behind us. We live in the community with the number one rated school district in our state.
I have exchanged pleasantries with all those in my neighborhood at least two to three houses down on either side of my home. They seem like really nice people. In fact, they are. We rarely see each other this time of year. It is freezing here. Janet and I find ourselves on the road often and we work long hours in the downtown some 25 miles away. Our contact is often less than we like with those in our neighborhood.
We work in downtown Cleveland. It is one of the poorest and most violent cities in our nation. Those things go hand-in-hand, most times. We have found homeless addicts sleeping on our office stairs. They have often refused my help. We have had cars broken into in our parking lot. People have been assaulted on our block in the apartment complex in our back yard. It can be a place of fear if you let it become so.
I have often wondered why we would live in cushy suburbs when the city needs transformation so badly. The poverty is numbing in Cleveland. There are 16,000 abandoned homes in the city. There is a shooting almost every night. The schools although improving, are still in disarray.
When I have thought aloud about why we live where we do, it is often shared that we have to think of the children in people's families. What kind of schools would they go to? It is unsafe for them to live in the city. There are so many bad neighborhoods. Often that last phrase is used by us fairer skinned people when referring to minority neighborhoods. I have been a crusader for the city. I think, for the most part, we live too well.
When someone has suggested that we move our office out of downtown to the suburbs to save the cost of commuting, I have insisted we need to be in the city.
I have also committed to supporting overseas mission and developing countries with my own resources. We need to transform the world. I am a busy crusader for transforming the world.
Janet and I were away last weekend. Tim, who is staying with us while attending college, said there was "some" police activity around while we were gone. As we heard more in the media, we discovered that "the police activity" was in response to some domestic violence at a home located diagonally across the street from us. That is sad. We had heard that this was the case. We had some "hi and how ya doin'" conversation with the people who live in that house. I understood the dad was a pharmacist. We had no idea that he was making crystal meth in his basement.
I have been out crusading to save the world, but had missed a connection and opportunity to transform my own neighborhood, because of my busy schedule and my own crusade.
The issue of our cities is still incredibly important. I want to see systematic discrimination against the poor and minorities eliminated. I want us to create a sense of safety and peace for our children. I want us to create educational opportunities. Our cities are so important because they are the hubs for the world. In my opinion, our movement needs a stronger presence in our cities.
Personally, I need to be more cognizant of my own neighborhood. I am going to try to reach out to the family across the street. I want to help them in their hurt and shame. I want to do that for others in our neighborhood, I barely know, but now need to invest in. I don't want another notch in my evangelism belt. That is such a disingenuous way to live. I need to help make community and transformation happen right where I live. I don't want to be guilty of saving the world, but not our neighborhood.
If you are like me, you see the need for a big vision. We need to think globally, because the world is shrinking. We need to get outside our world. We can be so self-absorbed. Our pet projects can take our vision off the immediate world around us.
So can we often be so vision-driven that we can be mission-challenged in our neighborhood? Who is called to be Jesus to suburbia? By the way, did you know that crime rates are growing in the suburbs at an alarming rate? Do you really know the people where you live? Do we live too well in our middle-class neighborhoods?
I wonder what would Jesus do in this case.
What do you think?
I have exchanged pleasantries with all those in my neighborhood at least two to three houses down on either side of my home. They seem like really nice people. In fact, they are. We rarely see each other this time of year. It is freezing here. Janet and I find ourselves on the road often and we work long hours in the downtown some 25 miles away. Our contact is often less than we like with those in our neighborhood.
We work in downtown Cleveland. It is one of the poorest and most violent cities in our nation. Those things go hand-in-hand, most times. We have found homeless addicts sleeping on our office stairs. They have often refused my help. We have had cars broken into in our parking lot. People have been assaulted on our block in the apartment complex in our back yard. It can be a place of fear if you let it become so.
I have often wondered why we would live in cushy suburbs when the city needs transformation so badly. The poverty is numbing in Cleveland. There are 16,000 abandoned homes in the city. There is a shooting almost every night. The schools although improving, are still in disarray.
When I have thought aloud about why we live where we do, it is often shared that we have to think of the children in people's families. What kind of schools would they go to? It is unsafe for them to live in the city. There are so many bad neighborhoods. Often that last phrase is used by us fairer skinned people when referring to minority neighborhoods. I have been a crusader for the city. I think, for the most part, we live too well.
When someone has suggested that we move our office out of downtown to the suburbs to save the cost of commuting, I have insisted we need to be in the city.
I have also committed to supporting overseas mission and developing countries with my own resources. We need to transform the world. I am a busy crusader for transforming the world.
Janet and I were away last weekend. Tim, who is staying with us while attending college, said there was "some" police activity around while we were gone. As we heard more in the media, we discovered that "the police activity" was in response to some domestic violence at a home located diagonally across the street from us. That is sad. We had heard that this was the case. We had some "hi and how ya doin'" conversation with the people who live in that house. I understood the dad was a pharmacist. We had no idea that he was making crystal meth in his basement.
I have been out crusading to save the world, but had missed a connection and opportunity to transform my own neighborhood, because of my busy schedule and my own crusade.
The issue of our cities is still incredibly important. I want to see systematic discrimination against the poor and minorities eliminated. I want us to create a sense of safety and peace for our children. I want us to create educational opportunities. Our cities are so important because they are the hubs for the world. In my opinion, our movement needs a stronger presence in our cities.
Personally, I need to be more cognizant of my own neighborhood. I am going to try to reach out to the family across the street. I want to help them in their hurt and shame. I want to do that for others in our neighborhood, I barely know, but now need to invest in. I don't want another notch in my evangelism belt. That is such a disingenuous way to live. I need to help make community and transformation happen right where I live. I don't want to be guilty of saving the world, but not our neighborhood.
If you are like me, you see the need for a big vision. We need to think globally, because the world is shrinking. We need to get outside our world. We can be so self-absorbed. Our pet projects can take our vision off the immediate world around us.
So can we often be so vision-driven that we can be mission-challenged in our neighborhood? Who is called to be Jesus to suburbia? By the way, did you know that crime rates are growing in the suburbs at an alarming rate? Do you really know the people where you live? Do we live too well in our middle-class neighborhoods?
I wonder what would Jesus do in this case.
What do you think?
posted by Larry at 7:16 PM
19 Comments:
I am sorry to hear about the brokenness you describe in your neighborhood. There is no zip code that contains it all or is guarenteed to be free from it.
I encourage you and your neighborhood connections - they make all the difference - even when you feel that you haven't been able to nurture them the same way you would want to. Step back and look clearly at the connections you have there, and then give yourself a break. You are accomplishing deep, divine work there. When you pray for your neighborhood, you aren't just relying upon house addresses or landmarks; you have names, understandings, family members. You didn't gather that information accidentally - you sought it out and determined to remember.
Our neighborhood has felt slightly isolated because of the frigid cold, too. I brought a pot of coffee out to the bus stop 2 days ago and I swear it was the first time we parents had all seen each other at one time since the new year.
Your inclination to reach specifically to your neighborhood is God-sponsored, God-nurtured, God-directed. Reach out with the arms of Jesus with your patience and concern.
When I was driving to the Cleveland Clinic in late November a truck cut me off and sent me down an exit a few before the one I knew. One left turn to try to correct it all and I found myself on the darkest part of East Cleveland I have ever seen. (And I feel pretty confident about what I know about Cleveland...its obvious I only know downtown and west) And every turn just took me to deeper poverty, more danger. I couldn't even get directions from the policemen available because they had their pistols drawn and they were...engaged in their job. We do not need to look to developing countries to find extreme poverty - our neighborhoods are calling out plainly to us.
Enhance where you live and keep reaching out in the name of Jesus...keep reaching out!
I think there’s no question what Jesus would do; He’d live in the city. He’d call people to serve on his staff whom we probably wouldn’t approve of. We might even be “the rich young ruler”. That kind of sucks to think about.
That said, I do believe we have a responsibility to our children as well as the children around us. There’s a balance in that, of course. I hope, above all for Olyvia, that she grows up with a strong sense for the need to spend her life fighting injustice. I hope to instill that sense in her by keeping our family a part of that fight. But, while it will no doubt intrude on her life and childhood from time to time, I hope that it never takes the place of it. I don’t personally believe that, because God has called me to work with the people that I do, that my children have to be sacrificed to do it. In fact, I’d even admit that I had some different convictions as a single person than I do as a married person, and different as a married person without children than I do now that I have a child of my own. I think I have a responsibility to my family as well as the families around me.
To be clear, and to restate a point I believe in very firmly, part of my responsibility is to instill a conviction in my family that, as Christians, we’re to be about the fight against injustice. If Olyvia grows up to be a CPA and never, at the very least, uses that gift to help the poor, my heart will be crushed. But likewise, if she grows up resenting God, the church, and the poor because they stole her daddy from her, life won’t be any better. I see more pastor’s kids who end up the second way than the first.
At this point in my life, I believe in changing the world through my daughter just as much as I do trying to change it through my own life.
Tim,
I tend to agree with your observation about the city. Then who is Jesus to suburbia??? I am not sure for all the mega-churches we have in our neck of the woods that a real picture of Jesus is being shown. Could it be that all are called to the city for a season? I feel that calling pretty acutely now. I would hate for us as Christians to be like the Jewish sect of Jesus day, the Esenes (sorry for the spelling) who felt the best way to win was to withdraw and set up their own world. I have seen way too much of that with our movement.
Larry,
i believe that Jesus calls us to be focused on where we are at the time and with the energy we have at the time. He couldn't take care of all that was going on in Nazareth while he was in Jerusalem. Jesus, I think understood his limits more than we do. He did not let condemnation steal his joy as we often do. Listening to what he wants us to focus on each day, I think will prevent regret. We do what he tells us to do, pure and simple. Some days we'll feel a leading to our neighborhood, most days we'll feel a leading to the place of our calling. If we try to be focused on it all, we will focus not enough on what he wants us to do.
I'm glad you love the City. The City needs people to love it. I think there are plenty of people who are called to the Suburbs. The risk for them is that the burbs can lull you to sleep, while in the City we always have to be awake. We are constantly foreigners there, no matter how familiar we are with the issues and needs. This keeps us on our toes. I'd rather be awake and I feel that I have to wake up every Monday morning as I return to the place of my calling.
Larry,
Your post could have been written by me. My wife and I also have a heart and ever-growing desire to move into the city to help in the reclamation. However, it is not going to happen while in this appointment. We have been turned down and given many of the same reasons you've listed.
However, soon after our last request and denial, God opened our eyes to how he sees our neighbors in the suburbs. There is a half-way house immediately next door. Just this month, one of the residents there decided to make the local corps we attend when in town HIS church (he would go with us to visit whenever we were in town and now he goes on his own).
There are many more stories of how God has shown us how strategically placed we are...even though our heart beats for the city, people are being reclaimed in suburbia...no coincidence!
I’d also add that there’s a real sense of romance when it comes to ministry in the “inner city”. People like to say that they are or have at least been a part of it. They see movies about teachers moving in, teaching kids the violin, and getting books written about them. Who doesn’t want to end up on Oprah for the difference we made? Nobody makes movies about teachers in the suburbs. So, as badly as the inner city needs good teachers (especially), we would be remised to suggest that the suburbs have it together. There may be more drugs in the city, but I’d be willing to bet that there’s more spousal abuse in the suburbs and just as many spiritually desperate people.
(That said, this shouldn’t be used as a cop out. I tend to agree with Larry that God may call us to different seasons of ministry and I’d sure like to see more young people spending their single years in the city trying to make a difference.)
Oh, my. As an officer assigned to a particular community, where would I live if I had a choice? How much would I spend on housing if the choice were mine? These days, I really long for more choice in my life, and this particularly includes where I live - but that's not to be. (I get to pick where we'll live in retirement, though).
Urban, suburban, rural - the issue tends to be our lifestyle more than location, I'm afraid. When at DHQ, we got in the car, went to work, came home, and went in the house. We had a long commute, and not once did I go to the Westside market, walk along Lake Erie, or visit Little Italy - things that I did when we were at Hough and living in Shaker Heights.
When I reflect on the neighborhoods we've lived in and ministered in, each was different. In Philadelphia, we lived behind the corps and loved it. In Shaker Heights, we knew people primarily in connection with our kids, as they were at the age when they played outside with neighborhood kids. Now, we consider our neighbors to be those in our community, not those who live on our lane (although we do love Jim and Margaret Anne - but I'm not too fond of the horses across the lane, nor the goats down the road).
The larger question for me is: who do I truly know? If my life is so isolated that I only have acquaintances, then it really doesn't matter where I live.
one day, the inner city and the suburb will be one in the same.
Tim, this is not the first time you have referred to front line ministry as romantic. ie: earlier comments months ago regarding the war college...I think you are right in that some think of it that way, and to some it will always be nothing more than a brochure of a place to think about going. But everyone whose been there knows that if God throws you somewhere like that for real, it quickly loses its romance.
Be careful what you wish for. It usually comes. I wonder if where we think we should be serving is where we indeed are headed.
jeff,
do you think that part of losing the romance means that people get "jaded?" do you think that people just burn out and lose the romance?
not sure i completely understand you comment
i mean there is nothing romantic about dealing with the realities of poverty and drug abuse. It's heartbreaking and exhausting. I guess our romance needs to be with Christ to be able to do the work.
but please don't take my word for it. my current frontline with God is in the sierra mountains...
Talk to the War Collge kids about the realities of downtown east side vancouver. Read the war college blog or their war room blog. When I was there for with jeremy for only 2 days, i held onto my little Bible like it was a gun everytime I stepped out into the street or into his 'hotel' where he lived for the year. I've never felt the immediate presence of God like I did on those streets and in their gatherings in the war room.
Larry,
"To understand the people we work with we must begin to understand our neighbor."
I'm not certain the above is entirely possible or effective if we as (DHQ, NHQ, IHQ) officers currently live in all white, upper-middle-class neighborhoods and drive the latest approved listed sedans/vehicles
dre,
good to hear from you. you make a pretty salient point. how would you change things then? how would you balance the need for safety and getting your hands dirty in ministry?
Larry,
First, you are one of 5 people who call me "dre" and get away with it (laughing out loud).
Second, I had to look up the word sailent because I had no clue as to its meaning (again, laughing out loud). As person who has become quite interested in the meaning of words as a result of the movie W;t...salient escaped me). Yes, W;t - google it - it's a great movie.
Third, regarding your two questions, "how would I change things then and how would I balance the need for saftey and getting your hands dirty in ministry?
I hope this will suffice?
Admittedly, I had a similar conversation just this past weekend with officer friends.
Humor me here... Imagine If I were General for a day. No not general, but rather someone who has the General's ear. I'd spend a good amount of my 24hrs in conversation with the general entertaining the thought with selling off a certain amount of Army property in the USA or any territory for argument sake. The current market being what it is, I'd be risking much. But the idea would be to sell off some of the Army property and being construction/building apartment-like condos/lofts apartments in the city or downtown areas where some of our DHQ's are currently located. Think about it, Larry.
Remember back in the day when THQ was located in Manhattan on 14th street and the officers who were appointed/stationed there commuted back and forth to the burbs, a.k.a "the island?" To me, that commute was/is mental! I guess 'taking the tain in' eased some consciouses? That's how I'd begin to change things. Live among the very people i'm called to serve.
How would I balance the need for saftey and getting my hands dirty?
I guess I'd inquire with the offices of leadership (training principle, secrtary for personnel, the chief secretary, and tc) to acertain the method, model, and reasoning they have followed in the past and present in determining and placinging officers (single, married, married with children) to corps where the living quarters is also located 'on the building?'
Having been an officer from 95-2003, I have had 8 appointments in 8 years...two of which where I lived 'on the building' - Harlem Temple and Mahhattan Citadel. Both were then and are still great places to get your hands dirty in ministry/serve.
So how did leadership balance my safety? The jury is out on that one - but rest assured while living in the city or the suburbs I definately got my hands dirty in ministry.
I'm encourgaed to hear that no one was harmed or hurt physically (at least) in your hood with the meth-lab operating and all!
After reading your current blog the song "They Need Christ" came to mind. There are people hurting in the world out there...even in our neighborhoods outside the city in suberbia.
What do you think?
I alplogize for any grammatical errors.
I'm wondering if consideration of the 'safety' of the personnel was a part of the original model of Salvationism. God protects. You'll find that out when he puts you in a dangerous place for his names sake. In fact, you'll be more certain of it than you can ever imagine.
Keep going andre, the ideas are fresh.
Larry . . . Challenging post . . .
I agree with Tim . . . Jesus would probably be in the city. I believe that he would be in the city because he wouldn’t be able to afford to live in the suburbs. He would give away everything he had. His generosity would probably drive him to living in our shelters.
Unlike many leaders in the “prosperity” movement, Jesus practiced what he preached and instructs us to do the same.
Remember His words in Luke 12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out . . .”
Over and over Jesus tells us to give ourselves away . . . And Jesus did just that. His early disciples who wanted to be “like their teacher” also gave their lives to the mission of discipleship.
Tim,
I agree with changing the world through our children. Thus the command to “Be fruitful and multiply” and “These commandments that I give you today . . .Impress them on your children.” (Deut 6)
Larry,
I prayed (and will pray) for your neighbor and your ministry to that family.
Blessings,
Bret
Jeff,
Aside from the comfort and safety of my apartment in Brooklyn, I'm keenly aware of the uncertain and impending dangers that surround me despite the fact I live in a 'good neighborhood'.
ANdre (i resisted calling you dre),
it was not so long ago that most of brooklyn was considered undesirable living. it is amazing what happens when people INVEST in their neighborhood, financially, culturally, educationally and most importantly spiritually.
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