Heritage Baptist Church: Owensboro, KY

Jun 17, 2010

Putting The Urban Back In Suburban

Jonathan Christman | 4 Comments | Login to comment

The more ministry we do in urban areas of Owensboro the more clear it becomes how much we have to learn about it. Recently, one of our couples made a radical decision to move from the suburbs in order to incarnate the Gospel in a thoroughly urban neighborhood. I love the heart behind this move. It's encouraging to me. I have been doing more thinking about what we call “urban ministry.” This week, I was challenged again, but this time by a rather unexpected source. It was something I watched.

Some of you may remember the movie “Antwone Fisher” starring Denzel Washington. It debuted, December 2002.  If you’ve never seen it, you should. If you have, you’ll know what I mean when I say it’s deeply moving. But what makes it so good is that it’s based on a true story.

Watch the trailer below.

I was moved in an unexpected way by this movie. The Lord reminded me of the value and joy of participating in faithful, gospel-centered urban ministry. Confession: I do not understand the urban mind or life as I ought. You see, for most of us being urban-minded will only come at the expense of a self-conscious choice to dwell in the city. The reason why is because most of us grew up in the suburbs and that’s all we know. We can’t understand urban life. We don’t understand what it means to live in the Inner City. And we won’t unless we make a concerted and sustained effort. I’ve spent at least 3 years in the inner cities of both Washington DC and Minneapolis. But even at that, I have to confess that I am still far too unfamiliar with urban life. Too unfamiliar, that is, if I hope to be more useful in ministry among urban peoples; or dare I go so far as to say, too unfamiliar, if I care about the plight and condition of so many urban dwellers. The fact is, even if we have no desire to do ministry in urban areas, it would be helpful for us to expand our horizons and see how so many of our neighbors live on a day-to-day basis. In case you don’t know – it’s radically different.  

Have you ever made a conscious effort to become urban-minded? Many churches speak of being urban-minded, but few are successfully engaged in urban ministry. The old adage is in this case correct: “It takes one to know one”. If you’ve never lived an urban life, you’ll struggle to minister to urban people. My prayer for all of us is that God will raise up more urban-minded, urban-experienced individuals to lead us into new vistas of urban ministry.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not discouraged. After watching “Antwone Fisher” I feel more encouraged in the task. Depending on the social demographics of a particular church, I think it would be fair to say that in the case of alot of churches, the idea of being a largely white, upper-middle class, suburban church, only and always, should be unsettling. Churches that are planted in diverse, multi-social, multi-economic, and multi-cultural settings are all the more responsible. However, churches that have to cross town to engage another culture or group of people may not necessarily be excused. God may use that church despite having to bridge many cultural, economic and even linguistic divides. Indeed, he may call some of our churches to do just that. Churches that press into the inner city (no matter how small that inner city is), and gospel-labor with humility among its underprivileged people through time, resources, and energy, can expect to see God at work. It's hard, but great things await us if we will take some conscious risks.

So much more could be said, but let me conclude this way. Consider the following statements, written by a friend of mine, and ask yourself if these initiatives are in sync with your heart.

As a church,

1. We will strive to forge a mutually enriching urban-suburban partnership, in which a significant range of racially, educationally, and economically diverse people feel at home, as they grow in their passion for the supremacy of God.

2. Concerning interracial reconciliation: Against the rising spirit of indifference, alienation and hostility in our land, we will embrace the supremacy of God's love to take new steps personally and corporately toward racial reconciliation, expressed visibly in our community and in our church.

3. Concerning good news to the poor: We will develop new strategies for proclaiming the all-satisfying supremacy of God's love and justice to the poor through a) personal involvement; b) a more welcoming atmosphere; c) local missionary strategies of urban disciple making; and d) equipping missionaries for unreached urban peoples.

Feel free to comment. I would love to hear more reflections on this matter. It raises some important questions. Biblically speaking, what values should characterize an urban/suburban relationship? Practically, what would a suburban/urban partnership look like both short-term and long-term?

Category: Meditation

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