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"God in the Neighborhood" #6, observing the neighborhood

 
We continue to be surprised by God through the stories of engagement in our neighborhoods. Maybe we shouldn't be--after all, we told him we'd be looking for him. Our "God in the Neighborhood" class has been helping us see and hear what he is doing.

Sharing

Paul went into his neighborhood this week ready to ask good questions and listen to those he encountered. He noticed his neighbor working on a motorcycle so Paul simply asked about it. The neighbor began to tell stories of life which eventually led to sharing about his involvement in the National Guard. Stunned by Paul's interest in his life, the man made a telling comment: "Thanks, no one just listens to me."

Aaron was running before he came to church on Sunday, though he couldn't have imagined the situation God brought him to be a part of. Since he was feeling a bit ill he decided to take a shorter route than usual and also changed his routine by not wearing his iPod ear buds. He just wanted to enjoy the sunshine and listen to the sounds of the city on this particular run. What he heard shocked him.

 

F-bombs were flying. The young woman looked in trouble and Aaron had to quickly decide whether to intervene.

 

Not far from his home he noticed a car parked in the middle of a residential street. Though he thought it was a bit odd, he jogged on. Soon, however, he heard shouts of anger as a man and woman in a heated argument jumped out of the car. F-bombs were flying. The young woman looked in trouble and Aaron had to quickly decide whether to intervene. "Alright, God," thought Aaron, "Let's go over there and see what's going on."

Aaron spent the next twenty minutes calming the couple down and using his best conflict mediation skills, which felt woefully inadequate. The man soon walked off down the street and Aaron became the hands and feet of Jesus as he reassured the young woman, helped her find her car keys (which the man had thrown) and tried to temporarily fix the damage the man had done to the car door. In a final gesture of compassion Aaron offered his cell phone number to the distraught woman and prayed with her.

Aaron's story demonstrates what we've been learning together in this class--when we ask God to reveal himself in our neighborhoods we will most likely see things we never would have seen otherwise. So much of life is being lived all around us and until we become intentional about seeing and listening, we will miss the complex stories that happen every day. I'm reminded of Jesus' words in the Gospels, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

As I write this I'm listening to Arcade Fire's album called Funeral.  A significant set of songs on the album are simply titled "Neighborhood." The songs seem to represent various characters who describe and encounter life on the block. Sometimes bleak and cold, often filled with lament and pain, this young, raucous and abrasive group speaks to the realities of home life that many of us forget or don't know about. Arcade Fire's music is full of passion and empathy; they lay down poignant and emotional brush strokes on the canvas. The only way they can capture such a sonic portrait of real life is to watch and listen with the eyes and ears of a prophet. Though not Christian (to my knowledge) they demonstrate for me a way to be aware of and alert to life in my neighborhood.

When daddy comes home, you always start a fight
So the neighbors can dance in the police disco lights

The police disco lights
Now the neighbors can dance!
The police disco lights
Now the neighbors can dance!

-Arcade Fire, “Neighborhood #2”

Resource: Observation in the Neighborhood

Praying to see what God is doing in our neighborhoods means that we need to develop skills for seeing what is actually going on. This week the class members are going to walk around and observe what they can. Here is a list of things to consider.

Space: the physical place of places. How are buildings, homes, features arranged?

Objects: the physical things that are present. What items do you see? Trash bins, sidewalks, trees, fences?

Actors: the people involved. Who is out and about? What ethnicities, ages, types?

Actions:
Acts: single actions that people do. What are individuals doing?
Activities: a set of related acts people do. What do people get together to do?
Events: a set of related activities that people carry out. What do people do that is part of a larger project?

Sounds: action on the block that can be heard. What are the sounds? Dogs, trash pick up, motorcycles?

Smells: the types of smells. What aromas come from cooking, gardening, waste?

Time: the sequencing that takes place over time. What cycles are evident? Gardeners, trash pickup, comings and goings?

Feelings: the emotions felt and expressed. How do different people feel about their neighborhood?

Goals: the things people are trying to accomplish. Is there a common cause?

For another great guide to walking and observing in the neighborhood see “An Exegetical Walk” by Simon Carey Holt (from the book God Next Door: Spirituality & Mission in the Neighbourhood).

Participating and observing the structures, people and activities in a neighborhood will lead us to a much better understanding of what God is doing and how we can join.

(Update: a great article here about the spirituality of Arcade Fire's music, especially their last album The Suburbs.)

"God in the Neighborhood" #5, asking good questions

Sharing

Sunday’s “God in the Neighborhood” gathering encouraged and inspired me once again. We now routinely share about what we’re learning and seeing in the places where we live. Though this time of sharing is common it is, nonetheless, still exciting and Spirit-filled. (Click here for an introduction to this Sunday school series I’m leading.)

Paul learned this week in his neighborhood that God was already there. He discovered that a number of people who attend another church host a weekly Bible study for those who live on the block. He was excited to see another group of Christians already at work where he lives.

After being challenged to think about demographics last week, Melody did a little internet research. She accessed the website of the local elementary school and learned that the school's overall academic performance was in the bottom 10% of California. She also noticed that the school's enrollment was predominantly Hispanic. This raised all kinds of concerns and questions for Melody about ethnicity, poverty, education and more. She leads a tutoring club in NFC's neighborhood and is wondering what God is doing or might want to do where she lives.

Marcy began investigating the difference between two elementary schools her children have the opportunity to attend. She learned that the school with better scores and performance had a higher population of white students (as compared to the other school with less white students), even though the school touts multiculturalism as one of its benefits. She was left wondering why poverty and ethnicity are so closely associated with poor school performance, and why the educational system perpetuates this cycle.

Jamie has been working for a year on getting sugared drinks like chocolate and strawberry milk removed from the meals of the neighborhood elementary school. She is concerned about the negative physical and mental consequences these drinks bring. She has learned that almost a quarter of the school's students eat three meals a day on campus. Many of the food options are unhealthy and detrimental to a positive school experience. She continues to work toward healthier options, has earned the respect and support of her school, but has been met with resistance from a system that is very difficult to change.

Paul, Melody, Marcy and Jamie have all researched and investigated their neighborhoods in an attempt to know their neighborhoods better. They are on the lookout for what God is doing and discovering how they might join him.

Dwelling in the Word

Another routine we have is to read and listen to a passage of Scripture, specifically Luke 10:1-12. Today we spent some time thinking about Jesus’ instruction to accept hospitality. Jesus tells his disciples to enter homes and “stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you.” A second time he emphasizes, “Eat what is offered to you.”

Americans are often the bearers of hospitality, help and benevolence, but we have a much harder time accepting the kind and gracious acts of others. We are good benefactors, but not very good beneficiaries. Why is it so hard to receive hospitality? Maybe we don’t like the feeling of being dependant on someone else. Maybe we can’t handle not being in charge and in control. When I invite someone into my home, the visitor is on my turf and thus I hold the power and influence over what is done and said. When I enter another person’s home I am the recipient of whatever my host imparts. Americans do not like the vulnerability that comes when they are on the receiving end of hospitality.

Competent missionaries know that they must accept the customs and practices of the native culture if they are to have an effective presence. Speaking the language, eating the food and wearing the clothes of the people is essential. These acts signal that the missionary has something to learn from those he or she has come to live with and serve to establish relationships of trust and respect. We need to see our neighborhoods the same way a missionary sees the mission field—a culture to be explored and engaged while giving up control and our preconceived notions of what it means to “bring the Gospel.” We must learn to be recipients in our own neighborhoods. In the end, maybe the most hospitable thing—the most Christ-like way to behave—is to receive what is being offered.

Resource: Asking Good Questions

The resource I presented this week focused on asking good questions. Many of us think that our job as Christians is to give advice, offer help and tell people how to be saved, when simply listening might be a better way to gain respect in the neighborhood. In fact, asking questions—and being ready to receive the words of those we live with—could be viewed as a form of hospitality.

Proverbs offers a wealth of advice on the skill of listening. Drawing on the image of a well, Proverbs 20:5 reminds, “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” When I see a person standing in front of me and open to dialogue I see a deep well. My job as a listener is to ask the kinds of questions that will draw out the depths of the person’s soul, just as a bucket thrown into a well draws out life-giving water. Each person I come in contact with is filled with stories of hope, despair, joy, and pain. The right questions can draw out the narrative of my neighbor.

Proverbs 18:13 advises that “To answer before listening—that is folly and shame.” Often times in a conversation we are not really listening. Particularly when a conflict is emerging or when we feel the need to defend ourselves, rather than hearing what the other person is saying we are quietly formulating what we are going to say next. The worst thing a person can be called in Proverbs is a fool; a sure way to attain this status is to talk more than listen, give hasty advice and be more concerned with telling others what to do than hearing what they are saying.

Asking questions builds trust. An old phrase I’ve often used with ministry teams is a bit trite, but sums up the importance of attending to the needs of others: People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Of a similar nature, the instruction of Young Life’s pioneer Jim Rayburn to his staff and volunteers was, “You have to earn the right to be heard.” We earn the right to speak into a person’s life by listening with genuine warmth and authentic concern.

Asking good questions is not always easy. It’s important not to ask leading questions. These are the kinds of questions that imply an answer. For example, when I speak to youth groups about alcohol use I could easily ask, “You know drinking is a bad idea, right?” or, “You’re not going to drink anymore, correct?” There’s only one way to answer those questions and a teen would be stupid to respond counter to what I want them to. Unfortunately these types of leading questions are also used in evangelistic efforts. “You want to pray the prayer and receive Jesus into your heart, don’t you?” Saying something like this to a child or young teen is manipulative and borders on emotional abuse of power.

Good questions should be “open” rather than “closed.” Closed-ended questions require single word answers such as “yes” or “no.” Examples of closed questions one might ask a neighbor include “Do you like living in this neighborhood?” “Do you enjoy your job?” or “Are you married?” Rather than ask a closed-ended question like “How many kids do you have?” it would be better to use an open-ended question such as “What do you and your children like to do together?” This kind of question will help draw the deep water out of a soul. The questions above could all be restated as open questions: “What do you like or dislike most about this neighborhood?” “How does your job make you feel?” “How did you meet your wife?”

If we relate this discussion again to evangelism, we find that a really bad question to ask would be “If you were to die tonight do you know where you would go?” or “Do you know Jesus as your personal savior?” These are both closed questions. A much better question would be “What do you think happens when a person dies?” or still better, “If you could ask God one question, what would it be?” These questions have a much greater potential to spark authentic and caring conversation.

For a good summary of open vs. closed questions follow this link.

Our assignment for the coming week is to go into our neighborhoods, not trying to fix something or solve a problem, but to simply ask good questions and listen for responses. Caution: this can’t be done quickly. This takes time and effort. It requires walking off of our property and onto someone else’s. It means we must enter the world with eyes wide open ready to find God and join him when we do.

"God in the Neighborhood" #4, reading the neighborhood

Continuing on in our Sunday school series “God in the Neighborhood,” we had another great class together. We are learning to see what God is doing in the neighborhood and asking ourselves how we might respond. In previous sessions I introduced the topic, discussed technical and adaptive challenges in the neighborhood and taught how to prayer walk on the block.

Sharing

We started this session by sharing about our prayer walking experiences this last week. A prayer walk engages us in the places where we live in two ways. First, obviously, we walk (or jog or ride or drive) with the intent of lifting up our neighbors. We pray for the salvation of those who live around us, but we do more than that. We pray for health, safety, family relations, marriages, jobs and anything else God brings to our hearts and minds. 

Margie went prayer "jogging" on Sunday morning. As she was consciously thinking about and praying for the homes on her block, a woman on a bicycle came alongside and began a conversation. The woman told a story of losing an envelope with $2000 in it. The money was supposed to be used for a car and now that dream was shattered. The woman shared openly and honestly about her significant loss. So right there, jogging down the street with a stranger bicycling at her side, Margie let the woman know that she would pray for her.

Praying for our neighbors is certainly the primary outcome of a prayer walk, but there are also other benefits. A second advantage of this exercise is that we learn to see the neighborhood in new and challenging ways. We look at the homes on our block with different eyes, asking God to help us see, hear and learn things that were previously unknown. We intentionally ask, "God what are you up to in my neighborhood?" And we are blessed and changed by what we discover.

Terron was taking the garbage out where he lives, a simple, ordinary task of apartment living. When he arrived at the community bin he encountered a man rummaging through the trash looking for aluminum cans. Prompted by the Spirit, Terron asked the man if he knew who Jesus was? The man excitedly responded that he did. He then told Terron about his faith in Christ, his ill fortune in the downturned economy and his struggle to make a living. But his faith was strong (probably stronger than those of us with good paying jobs!). Terron discovered a person loved by God and in deep relationship with his Creator. Terron's view of poverty, homelessness and people who dig through the trash was transformed. In offering to pray for this man, Terron was the one who discovered a blessing.

Dwelling in the Word

After some discussion about the neighborhood we shifted our thoughts to a passage of Scripture. Every week we practice a modified form of lectio divina. We open Luke 10:1-12 and read it out loud two times, meditate on the text and then share a simple word or phrase that stands out to us.

Today we spent a fair amount of time asking why the seventy disciples were sent out as “lambs among wolves” with instructions to “not greet anyone on the road.” Why is this ominous language used? Why would the disciples be told to lighten their load and not take “a purse or a bag or sandals?” We often spiritualize this entire passage and attribute nice platitudes to it such as, “Jesus’ method of ministry was to go in pairs and so should we,” or, “Jesus tells us that there is an urgency to the gospel so we must ‘go’ before he returns,” or, “Jesus shows us that we will be persecuted for our faith.” These are nice sentiments, but is that what the text really says?

If we place this passage back into its original context, if we stand “behind the text,” we may find some clues. A key to understanding Jesus’ strange instructions is found in remembering who controlled the land of Israel. Jews did not have self-rule; they were under the heavy hand of the Roman government. The Herods ruled long and hard over the land. Herod the Great was known for his colossal building projects, including the reconstituted Temple in Jerusalem. Son and successor, Herod Antipas, ruled Galilee and Perea and had a similar penchant for building, most notably his capital city of Tiberias on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. He was also responsible for the murder of John the Baptist. Herod Agrippa, Herod the Great's grandson, is the Herod we read about in Acts and was also known as “King of the Jews.”

When Jesus sent the disciples out to prepare towns for his coming visit, he was sending them to scout out friendly allies. The massive building projects of the Romans daily reminded every Jew of the supremacy of Rome. The disciples were, indeed, lambs among wolves as they roamed through occupied territory. And what was their message? They proclaimed not the kingdom of the Herods, but a new kingdom demanding a new allegiance. “The kingdom of God is near!” This was very dangerous work. Some villages would open their arms in joyful acceptance of this new message, but others would reject it for fear of the reigning powers and principalities. The disciples’ message was traitorous. Any town accepting this message was declaring a new king and rejecting the government of the status quo. The potential response from Rome could be devastating. No wonder Jesus told his disciples to move stealthily across the countryside as they went in search of friendly communities.

What does this mean for us? How might knowing the disciples' context shape our involvement in our neighborhoods? Moving through a culture of commercialism, materialism and individualism is tricky business for the believer. There are times when we are called to speak in a way that is counter to the status quo. The reigning cultural, social and political paradigms do not always fit comfortably with the values of the kingdom. Yet amidst the conflicting and sometimes hostile territory we traverse, our message is clear: "The Kingdom of God is near!"

Resource: Reading the Neighborhood

We concluded our time together with the presentation of another resource. This week I showed how some simple internet research can help a person better understand the community in which he or she lives. Two websites are particularly helpful for "reading the neighborhood." First, the US Census Bureau offers an abundance of data that can be viewed for every census tract in the United States. Second, the local school district's website will give a wealth of information about students and their families.

Using theses two sources one can gather helpful information for understanding the surrounding community, which in turn leads to a fuller picture of life. What ethnicities are represented in your neighborhood? How many residences are owned and how many are rented. What is the percentage of single parent homes? What is the average income? How many languages are spoken? Awareness and understanding are the first steps in learning what God is doing in the neighborhood. Click here to download a document with instructions for accessing and using these two sites.

 

"God in the Neighborhood" #3, prayer walking the neighborhood

 
Our “God in the Neighborhood” Sunday school class met for the third time this week. Our task has been to learn how to see God at work in our neighborhoods and then join in. For further info on the purpose of the class see my first post here.

As usual, we began by sharing about our neighborhoods. This week we were to observe the technical and adaptive challenges of our neighborhoods. Several participants in the class were able to see issues on the block that called for new learning and engagement. We are seeing how simple interactions with neighbors can lead to amazing opportunities for mission and ministry in the neighborhood.

Randy was returning a furniture dolly he had borrowed from a man who lives a few houses down, but when he got to the owner's home no one was there. A second neighbor was watching form his front yard and told Randy to just put it on the side of the house. Randy left the dolly in the owner's backyard but then also took time to start a conversation with the neighbor in his front yard. The man almost instantly broke down in tears and began to share about his lapsed Christianity and the need for God in his life. What precipitated this meaningful conversation? The man was just leaving to visit a dear friend in the hospital who only had 24 hours to live and was faced with the reality of death. Randy took hold of the opportunity, made time for a relationship and is now planning a bible study with both of these men--all because he took the time to walk down his block.

TJ and Kristina have met the married couple living next door. Kristina discovered that she and the other woman have amazingly similar stories of life, motherhood, broken relationships and marriage. And now they are both at nearly the same stage of pregnancy! A coincidence? Certainly not. TJ and Kristina were looking for what God had been doing on their block and they found it in the people next door.

Dwight had a very different experience. He has made multiple offers to help a neighbor in need but was refused on every occasion. Dwight told about the disappointment that came from reaching out and being rejected. When we serve our neighbors, we are not guaranteed we will be received. God never promises success, but he does call us to be faithful to his mission.

After a wonderful time of sharing and the dwelling in Luke 10:1-12, we moved to consider a new resource for ministering in our neighborhoods: Prayer Walks. Walking and praying through the neighborhood is a powerful way to engage our neighbors, often without them even knowing it.

In the New Testament Paul ended several of his letters with pleas to pray ceaselessly and in every situation (Ephesians 6:16, Colossians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17). He admonished the Colossians to pray and intercede for each other with a further instruction: “Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6 NLT). A prayer walk in the neighborhood is a chance to make the most of every opportunity in the midst of non-Christians.

Prayer walking happens when we intentionally move out into the neighborhood and speak words to God on behalf of those who live there. Keep moving, or, stop in front of specific homes if you choose. Since childhood we are taught to keep our eyes closed and hands folded when praying. But please don’t do this when prayer walking (or prayer driving!). Go with eyes wide open to see all that God has for you to see. Pray quietly or pray out loud, but don’t do a prayer walk with the intention of being noticed; stay inconspicuous and observe everything. If you get the chance, stop and talk to someone and if the further opportunity arises, ask them if they have something you could pray for.

There are many things to pray about on a walk like this. Certainly, pray for the salvation of those who live near you. But don’t forget to pray for things that commonly seem unspiritual like health, safety, family relationships, marriages, children, parents, strained relationships, job security, etc. Go on a walk with the desire to pray for all facets of life on the block—physical AND spiritual.

The biggest hindrance to prayer walking is not that we don’t have the desire to do it, but that we don’t have the time to do it. I had to be honest with myself in the last few years and ask why I was so involved at church but didn’t have time to stand in the driveway and talk to my neighbors. I was guilty of hypocrisy at the highest level.

I found a good metaphor for the way I was living as I helped my son blow up balloons for his science project (we tested whether balloons would explode easier in cold temperatures or warm ones). A balloon has a bursting point and so does each one of us. Too many of us are living life at the breaking point, with the balloon blown up as much as possible, so that any additional pressure in life causes us to explode. The remedy is to deflate the balloon and create some margin in our lives. I recently deflated my “balloon” by saying “no” to several ministry opportunities (yes, that is okay to do!). Now I have time to walk down the block and greet neighbors and actually have conversations with them. Keeping the balloon deflated a bit allows us to have room for all kinds of encounters that the Spirit might bring our way.

We closed our session this week by praying the Prayer of St. Francis (13th century). It’s a marvelous way to think about incarnational ministry in the neighborhood. Another meaningful prayer is the Breastplate of St. Patrick (5th century). Both of these are wonderful prayers to have on the lips when walking down the block.

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (13th century)
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

Breastplate of St. Patrick (5th century, excerpt)
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of the Christ.
May your salvation, Lord, be ever with us.

"God in the Neighborhood" #2, technical and adaptive challenges

Sunday marked our second week in the Sunday school class, "God in the Neighborhood." Our purpose in this class is to learn to see what God is up to on the block where we live. Our church has been working at the missional conversation for a number of years and it's now time to transfer what we have learned in our church's neighborhood to the ones in which we live. (See the first post here.)

Each session we open by sharing about the things we are seeing in our neighborhoods.  Aaron told how his reclusive neighbor had been in the hospital for a pacemaker implant. The neighbor's body rejected the pacemaker and doctors had to do CPR for fifteen minutes before he was revived. Aaron's family visited the man when he came home and learned that the only other family or friends he had caring for or visiting him was a girlfriend. The lesson for our group: we might never recognize how many people living near us have similar stories of loneliness and isolation unless we reach out and get to know them.

As we were talking about our Christian witness in the neighborhood Latoya mentioned how many people on her block have Christian license plates and symbols on their cars, yet they aren’t friendly, don’t drive Christ-like and never stop to meet her. On the contrary, she spoke fondly of Elmer, a retired seminary professor who does little to outwardly display his Christianity but invites neighbors and children over for a weekly Bible class. He patiently and tenderly opens God’s Word and meets people where they are at. Here is a man who is known, respected and listened to by his neighbors.

In every class session I teach one resource through which people can learn to know their neighborhoods better. This week we talked about the difference between technical and adaptive challenges. Ronald Heifitz (lecturer at Harvard University and son of famed violinist Jascha Heifitz) suggests there are two types of problems that leaders will have to address: technical and adaptive.

Technical challenges are those dilemmas that are met with known, tested and predictable answers. These are situations that have been encountered numerous times and require common responses. Technical challenges usually require quick fixes, problem solving, consultation with experts, application of models, etc. Examples of this include taking a car to a mechanic when it starts making a strange sound, an accountant doing your taxes, institutions developing five year strategic plans, and churches that go to trendy seminars to learn how to grow.

Adaptive challenges refer to those situations that present new dilemmas; this is territory that has not been traveled before. Adaptive challenges require not the predefined answers of unengaged experts, but the hard work of discernment by those who are impacted by the problem (i.e. a church congregation or people who actually live on the block). Adaptive change assumes that change comes primarily through internal means including understanding the history and culture of a system, assessing the context, and using the creative imagination of participants alongside leadership.

Our church faced an adaptive challenge when kids started showing up several hours early for our Wednesday night youth programs. This presented a problem we hadn’t encountered before. In assessing the situation we found that kids were lonely and bored, ill-attended to by parents (often single parents) and lived in the church’s neighborhood but would rather be at church than at home. Out of this need was birthed something new—a weekly tutoring club and meal that precedes the children’s program and is hosted by church members.

 

There’s also an important warning that comes from this discussion: adaptive challenges cannot be met with technical solutions. One of the great mistakes of the contemporary church is trying to solve the emerging issues of a post-Christian context with the same old systems and programs (but trying to do them bigger, harder and better). Adding drums and a video projector to a worship service doesn’t guarantee increased attendance. Requiring evangelism training of leaders won’t necessarily lead to new conversions.

Next week members of the class will return ready to discuss both the technical and adaptive challenges they see in their own neighborhoods. What do you see in your neighborhood?

"God in the Neighborhood" #1, an overview

 

Through the next ten weeks I’ll be teaching a Sunday school class at my church (North Fresno Church) called “God in the Neighborhood.” I’ll try to provide summaries from week-to-week so that those who attend will be able to find the resources we discuss. Other readers are welcome as well. The following is a wrap-up of today’s session.

NFC has been on a journey for a couple of decades. We have been learning to know the neighborhood around our church campus and asking how we might interact with and serve that neighborhood. This has all come very intuitively for our medium-sized group of Mennonite Brethren (a branch of the Reformation known as Anabaptism), but in the last few years we have begun to think more intentionally and have identified ourselves on a missional journey. As a result we have mobilized and equipped the congregation to serve the community. Some of the projects we have engaged in include tutoring and helping at the local elementary school; providing support, Bible study, counseling and other services at a nearby apartment complex; offering sports clubs in our gym; hosting community nights and meals; and much more. This has provided great joy and given our church family mission and purpose. Members of our congregation are engaged in ministry and growing in their commitment to God and each other. And we have seen many people begin a relationship with Christ and be baptized.

But a question has emerged: How can we help transfer these kinds of practices to the neighborhoods of NFC’s congregants? We have begun to ask, “What does it mean to be missional, not just where we worship, but where we live?” These are the questions I deal with in the doctoral dissertation I just completed, and these are the questions that led to the formation of a group of people that covenanted together to experiment missionally in their own neighborhoods last year. The lessons learned from that group are now being brought to this Sunday school class. The participants of that covenant group will help me teach the sessions.

Each time this class meets over the next ten weeks we will do three things. First, we will share about and pray for our neighborhoods. The goal of this class is to help each attender ask, “What is God up to in my neighborhood and how can I join him?” As people begin to see their neighborhoods with new eyes they will be invited to share what they see. Second, we will engage in a group form of lectio divina. A Latin term, this is a sacred or “divine” reading of Scripture that involves reading and praying through the passage (for a description of lectio see an earlier article I wrote here). We will be focusing repeatedly on Luke 10:1-12. Finally, I will present a resource each week that will help members of the class return to their neighborhoods with new skills. I won’t tell people what they should do in their neighborhoods, rather I’ll give them some skills for deciding what God is calling them to do.

We are expecting a great time as we share and pray with each other. I know that we will all be better friends once we’ve walked this road together. Our goal is not to limit ministry to random cold-contact witnessing with a tract, four questions and a packaged prayer. Seeing God in the neighborhood is so much bigger than that. I can’t anticipate what God will call each member to do where he or she lives, but I can promise an adventure with God, a deeper understanding of ministry and place to process what’s being learned with other brothers and sisters.

Along the way, please leave comments, please try new experiments and please, please ask, “What is God up to in my neighborhood and how can I join him?”

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

Remember that little Golden Rule you were taught as a child? "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Jesus says we should treat others with compassion and grace because God has done the same for us. As a good parent he lavishes good things on us when we ask. But there is a problem here. I'm not sure I always believe this is the way God works. On many occasions I have asked God for something and he has remained silent, or even worse, he has given me something I didn't ask for or didn't want.

Where is God when we hurt? Why does he remain distant and silent at times? Is it okay to doubt God or be angry with him? These are tough questions and I don't pretend to know the answers (be cautious of those who say they do!), but on Sunday, November 14, I preached on Matthew 7:7-12, and I tried to acknowledge that it's alright to ask such questions.

Jesus says we should ask, seek and knock. Proverbs instructs us to call, cry, look and search to find God. David doubts and complains: "How long, Lord, how long?" U2 reminds us to run, crawl and "scale these city walls" and asks if we'll ever find what we're looking for. If you are interested in these themes you can read my sermon here.

Here are a few excerpts:

• Why should we live out the Golden Rule and treat others with goodness and compassion? Because we are to show the same grace and mercy that our Father God has shown to his children. Go ahead and treat others the way you want to be treated, but ultimately, treat them the way God has treated you.
• Our job as God‘s children, both individually and corporately, is to use every means possible to find God. And when we do, we are promised by our Father that we will not be ignored. In essence, this is the struggle—and the joy—of each believer‘s life: to ask and to receive, to search and to find, to knock and to have another door opened.
• David was not afraid to ask the hard questions of God. He was not afraid to simply be human before the divine. David kicks at God and accuses God. "Where are you, God? Why have you deserted me? Where did you go to? How long will you ignore me? How long will you cause my suffering? How long, Lord, how long?" David gives us permission, by his example, to yell, scream, and even cuss at God.
• As David demonstrates, the temple, the sanctuary, the church community is the absolute best place to go to ask questions of God. There is no better environment than being with brothers and sisters to do the heartfelt, gut-wrenching, soul-searching work of asking, seeking and knocking.
• Go ahead and shout at God. He can take it. Go ahead and question God. He is big enough. But, please, never, ever stop talking to him. He would rather have you yelling and doubting, like David, than not talking at all.
• Some critique U2 and say, "See, we knew they weren‘t Christians; they just said so. They haven‘t found God yet." But I say that‘s exactly the kind of Christian God calls us to be—always searching, always looking, always running.

Here is the U2 clip I showed in my sermon.

Here is the sermon.

Here is the MP3 (see "Second Service, November 14), but unlike Bono, I don't "like the sound of my own voice."

Terry Jones is not the one we should be focusing on

 Terry Jones got a lot of publicity for himself and his church last week. That's too bad. They're just a group of oddball extremists who once again tarnished the image of churches in America by threatening to burn a copy of the Koran, the Muslim holy book. Groups like this are not representative of the Christian faith yet they are singled out and highlighted constantly.

I'd like to suggest that most committed Christians in America belong to churches that quietly and faithfully engage in the work of the kingdom of God. The average-sized congregation in the US is 100-200 people. These congregations will never garner the news coverage or attention that megachurches and heretics will receive, but many are working and ministering in their communities in remarkable ways.

In the following article I ask, "Are Christians hate-filled hypocrites?" Thanks to my friend Dr. Brad Wright for writing a fine book and providing more than a bit of inspiration here.

Teaser:

Terry Jones, a pistol-packing pastor more cult leader than clergy, has once again cast a dark shadow on American Christianity and gained the attention of the world. Jones convinced his small congregation, the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., to collect and burn copies of the Koran on the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Fortunately, amid condemnations from President Obama, Gen. David Petraeus, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck—when have we ever heard these ideological adversaries agree on anything?—and a host of Christian leaders, the book-burning was cancelled.

Had the rally gone on the consequences could have been dire...

Here is the full article.

A Wild Pentecost

On May 31 North Fresno Church celebrated Pentecost Sunday. As worship leader for our contemporary service I took a risk with our little conservative congregation and it seems to have worked.

As everyone came into the sanctuary they were handed a red, orange or yellow balloon (colors of fire). During the first two songs each attender blew up his/her balloon and then took a wide-tipped marker and wrote on a balloon completing the following sentence: "Come Holy Spirit and...." On the chorus of the third song ("Come and Fill Me Up") we launched our balloons as prayers to the heavens. God's breath to our breath and back again!

What ensued was a wild, chaotic, unpredictable balloon fest -- a real celebration of the Spirit. Perfect!

After a crazy free-for-all of 200+ bouncy balloons, everybody grabbed one and then shared what was written on it as a way of meeting and greeting one another. The only problem we had was that we used "washable" markers and they tended to smudge a bit. As a result, everyone's hands were inked with different colors. That was an easy explanation. "You've been marked with the colors of the Spirit," I said.

Check out this video if you're interested in the vantage point of someone in the congregation. It might take a few minutes to load.

The first Sunday of Advent

This weekend our congregation is focusing on the first Sunday of Advent. While celebrating with many contemporary elements, we also include some traditional pieces of Advent liturgy. Order of service: three songs ("Freedom Song," "Meet with Me," "Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus") and lighting of the Advent candle; more music ("We Will Exalt You, Oh Lord," "Emmanuel," "Shine On Us") interspersed with Psalm 80; a responsive prayer (see below); reading of Mark 13:24-37; a video: "Stay Awake" (see below);  sermon; response: "Forever Faithful."

Would you like a thoughtful little worship experience? Do the following: Read the responsive prayer below, read Mark 13:24-37, then watch the video below.

Peace as you watch for Christ this Advent season.

1) Responsive Prayer

Tim: As we keep awake for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us offer prayers to God who stirs up strength and comes to help us.

Christa: For the peace of the world, and for our unity in Christ.

Cong: Come, O Lord, and save us.

Tim: For our pastors, our leaders, and for all the people of this congregation, each holy in the site of God.

Cong: Come, O Lord, and save us.

Christa: For the church throughout the world and the faithful in every place.

Cong: Come, O Lord, and save us.

Tim: For the leaders of the nations and all in authority.

Cong: Come, O Lord, and save us.

Christa: For justice, peace, and freedom among peoples of the earth.

Cong: Come, O Lord, and save us.

Tim: For travelers, for the sick and the suffering, for the hungry and the oppressed, and for those in prison.

Cong: Come, O Lord, and save us.

Christa: Joining our voices with all the saints and angels of God, let us offer ourselves and one another to the living God as we await the coming of Christ.

Cong: O King of all the nations, only joy of every heart, the cornerstone and foundation on which we are one, come and save the creature you fashioned from clay, as we wait, as we look, and as we search for you this Christmas. Glory to you for ever. Amen.

Based on an Advent prayer at http://members.cox.net/oplater/IntercessionB-Advent1.pdf

2) Read Mark 13:24-37

3) Watch "Stay Awake"