From my previous post, I shared a small portion about our discussions from our core group. From our reading, we have also dialogued about the topics of evangelism and poverty. This is especially relevant for us due to the cultural context and landscape within our neighborhood (i.e. lots of unsaved individuals and lots of low-income and marginalized residents). Further, this topic has been an important item for us to think about and to develop an approach for as a church plant since we are so passionate about our city and those who live here. Below are some notes from our readings and our discussions on these topics:
Biblical solutions to urban needs-that is what Christian ministry in the urban context is all about. Every Christian should think hard about the Bible’s teaching concerning the nature and causes of poverty, the stewardship of resources, our duty toward the poor, and the kind of assistance that meets the needs of the poor spiritually as well as physically.
Some causes of poverty:
· Lack of employment opportunities
· Scarcity of decent and affordable housing
· Abandoned or unrestrained children
· Surge of elderly population
· Breakdown of family support structures
· Neglect from and/or inadequacy of governmental agencies and public services
· Lack of responsibility by urban/suburban churches
Some categories of the poor:
· Physically/mentally incapable of working
· Low education, skill levels, or racial factors
· Lazy, welfare recipients
· Single women with children
· Elderly surviving on Social Security or small pensions
· Individuals struggling with various addictions
**It seems that the causes and categories of poverty are almost interchangeable.
The Christian attitude: If every person is created in the image of God and a person like myself is poor, oppressed, and helpless, and if I have resources that might lift such an individual out of distress, I need to look no further. I have responsibilities toward that person in terms of his or her temporal and eternal welfare. Therefore, the most important element in Christian ministry among the poor is not our concern for the poor as such, but our love for God and those made in his image.
All are under the bondage of the devil--rich and poor. Therefore, two principles must guide us as we engage in urban evangelism and ministry to the poor: proclaim the gospel to all and perform acts of mercy to minimize/eliminate poverty. Both are needed.
Holistic Strategy & Perspective: Urban Community Development
Spiritual Needs
Conversion to Christ & Discipleship
Church Planting & Development
Physical Needs
Community Ministries meeting human needs
Cosmic Concern for all that God made
Christian responses to the poor:
1. Seeing, learning, and loving
2. Presence among the poor and sharing their needs
3. Urban Diaconal Task Forces-a group that focuses on meeting the physical and spiritual needs
4. Educational training for ministry among the poor—specialized training for urban leaders and leadership development from within those we are ministering to
Values to Uphold:
1. Ministry must be identifiably Christian
2. Blending of God’s Word with deeds of compassion
3. Efficient and effective use of material blessings
4. Long term goal of planting and development of churches throughout the city
Summary of both chapters: All are created in the image of God and alike are under the power of sin. Yet, God desires to bring people to Himself through Jesus Christ via the church. This is effectively accomplished holistically: addressing the physical and spiritual needs of individuals, focusing on the individual and the community, and possessing short-term and long-term time frames. The Gospel as implemented by the church can liberate individuals and communities from both physical and spiritual oppression.
Questions for reflection:
How does the fact that all are created in the image of God affect you, your perspective on others around you, and your surroundings?
How does the fact that all are created in the image of God and that all are enslaved to sin enhance or expand your desire to engage in evangelism and/or ministry to the poor?
Why is the subject of poverty and ministry to the poor so controversial among Christians and within the church?
Develop four different activities or events that possess a holistic strategy and perspective in reaching those who live in the urban context. These activities must address either a spiritual or physical need and must address an individual need or a community-wide need.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Our Learning Curve
Some have asked about what we have been doing in our core group and I wanted to make sure that everyone was updated on our activities and discussions. We have been reading through Roger Greenway's book, Cities: Missions' New Frontier, in order for our entire core group to get on the same page in our understanding of the importance of the city, the dynamics involved in urban ministry, what the Bible says about urban ministry and urban churches, and what are the various approaches we might take in order to renew the city of Denver spiritually, socially, and culturally. From our reading and discussions, we have entered in a steadily increasing learning curve, in that we are beginning to make decisions and formulate a more solid ministry approach. Below are some notes from one of our discussions:
The spread of the Gospel and expansion of the church occurred in the context of cities; the cities of the early church were not much different than ours today spiritually, culturally, or socially.
This work was not done by isolated individuals (‘lone rangers’), but was accomplished through team efforts; Paul and Barnabas (with Silas, John Mark, Timothy, etc.), Peter and John (with the other 10 disciples); often Christians focus on the heroes of the faith as if they did it all alone
But how did they accomplish this? Are there models and principles for us to learn from?
-This is an especially important question since Jesus’ command to go and make disciples of the entire known world (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8) was carried out by the early church in one generation! In other words, in less than one person’s lifetime, Christianity had permeated everywhere!! They did this with no technology, no seminaries, no church buildings, no youth groups, etc.!
-Furthermore, Paul stated explicitly that he regarded his way of life and ministry as a model for others to follow (1 Thessalonians 3:9); what was his way of life and ministry model?
-With all of the needs and different cultural groups prevalent in our city, what must head the list of things to be done? In other words, using the Bible, where do we begin in obeying Jesus?
1. The disciples went to and stayed in cities to spread the Gospel and develop early communities of faith.
2. These early Christians focused on making disciples, or that everyone in every city needed to be converted to faith and enrolled in continuing, active discipleship (apprenticeship). They would then be baptized and seek membership in Christ’s visible body on earth (what we know as the church).
3. Paul’s approach to urban missions was centered on families and their social/relational networks.
§ Oikos: Is in a range of Greek words based on the idea of home or household. It is used to refer to the houses people live in and the homes that churches met in, as well as the fact that believers all belong to the household of God. But the usage goes beyond a house with a white-picket fence or the nuclear family. At times, a person’s oikos is the fundamental natural unit of society: one’s family, friends, neighbors, and associates.
§ In more urban and suburban societies, people do not build their social lives around family but instead around homogeneous interests. Is this true for us in Denver?
§ Who are in each of our oikos? List them out!
-What can Pauline mission strategy teach us about evangelism through extended families and households? In other words, what kind of effects did this strategy produce?
§ The Gospel spread and the church expanded through the conversion of individuals and their ‘households’ (oikos); e.g. Cornelius and his household (Acts 10); the jailer at Philippi (Acts 16:31-33); a woman at Philippi (Acts 16:15); Jason and his household in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5-9); Crispus and his household in Corinth (Acts 18:8); through the household of Titus (Acts 18:7); other households where Paul spread the Gospel and made converts/disciples (1 Cor. 1:15-16; Col. 4:15; Philemon 2).
§ The fact that entire oikos or households were converted changed entire cultures
§ Common cultural barriers were struck at the communion table, where master and slave, women and men, Jew and Gentile sat together around a common table and celebrated the same salvation.
§ These were covenant communities, committed to God and each other (Gal. 6:10; Eph. 2:19)
-IMPORTANT IDEA: The holistic approach to missions and evangelism taken in this book neither restricts the definition of sin and evil to individual conduct nor limits urban ministry to personal and family matters. The societal dimensions of what needs to be done in the city are readily acknowledged, as is the importance of ministries for community development and the promotion of social justice. But at the same time the holistic perspective on urban mission recognizes that nothing is more crucial for social change in the city than the conversion of persons, families, and groups to evangelical Christianity.
-Thus far, according to the Bible, the pattern for ‘church planting’ was: 1) to go to and remain in urban areas, 2) share the Gospel message, 3) provide urban dwellers the opportunity to follow and serve Jesus in obedience (repent, believe, & be baptized), 4) to share the same Gospel message and provide the same opportunity for discipleship to their oikos or households, and 5) to gather these new disciples to form a community of faith, or church. (Disciple-making first, church comes second)
-Individual conversion=Conversion of their family & social networks=Transformation of cultural practices & customs=Renewal of city!
-Theologian Lesslie Newbigin rightly says, “The Church is sent into the world to continue to that which He came to do, in the power of the same Spirit, reconciling people to God” (John 20:19-23).
-Adolf Harnack, a German church historian stated, “We cannot hesitate to believe that the great mission of Christianity was in reality accomplished by means of informal missionaries.”
BRYAN’S QUESTIONS AND REFLECTIONS
1. Do you think that Paul’s urban mission strategy is still relevant for cities today?
§ If so, how can we implement it for the expansion of Denver Mosaic Church?
§ If not, what needs to be adapted or changed for today’s culture?
2. Who are each of our households/oikos? What are some ways that we can intentionally expose them or introduce them to the Gospel?
3. What does it look like to become a disciple? In other words, what are their basic behaviors, attitudes, activities, relationships, use of time, energy, and money?
4. How can we (Denver Mosaic Church) develop disciples? What is an intentional process to move a lost person to becoming an apprentice/disciple for Jesus?
Monday, October 29, 2007
Why Start a Church in the City?
Many have asked me why I am planting a church in the city.
Some of the various questions and comments that I have heard reveal that, generally-speaking, people see the city through negative lenses. They assume that the city is not only an unimportant and peripheral context for Christians, but that it is too liberal for a church to exist and thrive. Such questions and comments by many also appear to indicate that it makes more sense (to them) to start a new church in the suburbs, due to its apparent infinite expansion and its conservative culture. Therefore, this makes the suburbs more open to hearing the Gospel and becoming part of the Christian culture.
Although these are good initial questions and assumptions, the reality is that due to the explosion of technology and the increasing population (in the U.S., as well as globally), cities are growing tremendously and are becoming powerful forces of influence. In short, cities are centers of cultural dominance.
Think about it....where do we go to watch our favorite sports teams? where are our government centers located at? where are our laws created, discussed, and voted on? where do our young adults go for education (in the university)? where are the best hospitals located at? where do we go to attend venues of high culture (i.e. opera, plays, concerts, museums, etc.)? where are the centers for advanced technology and medical research? where does the communication of information originate from (TV, radio, magazines, etc.)? where does national and international commerce and trade intersect?
The answer to all of these questions is the city. Due to these factors, the city is influential and critically important in how it shapes and directs the rest of our society, including the Christian culture. In short, cities are pace-setters for our society.
Why start a church in the city? If Christians (including myself) are able to reach our cities with the Gospel and renew the culture of the city, then we are able to influence and re-direct the culture and society nationally and even internationally.
As Timothy J. Keller claims, "As the city goes, so goes the culture." May it carry the gospel!
Some of the various questions and comments that I have heard reveal that, generally-speaking, people see the city through negative lenses. They assume that the city is not only an unimportant and peripheral context for Christians, but that it is too liberal for a church to exist and thrive. Such questions and comments by many also appear to indicate that it makes more sense (to them) to start a new church in the suburbs, due to its apparent infinite expansion and its conservative culture. Therefore, this makes the suburbs more open to hearing the Gospel and becoming part of the Christian culture.
Although these are good initial questions and assumptions, the reality is that due to the explosion of technology and the increasing population (in the U.S., as well as globally), cities are growing tremendously and are becoming powerful forces of influence. In short, cities are centers of cultural dominance.
Think about it....where do we go to watch our favorite sports teams? where are our government centers located at? where are our laws created, discussed, and voted on? where do our young adults go for education (in the university)? where are the best hospitals located at? where do we go to attend venues of high culture (i.e. opera, plays, concerts, museums, etc.)? where are the centers for advanced technology and medical research? where does the communication of information originate from (TV, radio, magazines, etc.)? where does national and international commerce and trade intersect?
The answer to all of these questions is the city. Due to these factors, the city is influential and critically important in how it shapes and directs the rest of our society, including the Christian culture. In short, cities are pace-setters for our society.
Why start a church in the city? If Christians (including myself) are able to reach our cities with the Gospel and renew the culture of the city, then we are able to influence and re-direct the culture and society nationally and even internationally.
As Timothy J. Keller claims, "As the city goes, so goes the culture." May it carry the gospel!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Where in the city of Denver are we planting a church?
We are concentrating our planting efforts in the Curtis Park and Five-Points neighborhoods, which are north-east of downtown Denver. According to the Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc., here are the history and profiles of these two neighborhoods. (It is a bit long, but very fascinating!):
Five-Points:
While the name "Five Points" is often applied to the greater neighborhood to the northeast of Downtown, Five Points is also widely known as the busy retail, restaurant and services corridor on Welton Street. Since Five Points' founding in the 1860s as one of Denver's first residential suburbs, this area around Welton Street has evolved into a vibrant mixed-use district that today offers a direct link to Downtown Denver via RTD's light rail line.
The Five Points area got its name early this century from the city's tramway company, who used the nickname because their street car signs were not big enough to list all of the street names at this end-of-the-line stop. RTD's light rail line connects Five Points with Downtown via Welton Street, which bustles with 75 businesses, including restaurants, cafes, boutique shops, barber shops, salons and other retailers. A bank, radio station and bottled water distributor also have Welton Street addresses. Welton Street is the only predominantly African-American owned commercial strip in the country.
This commercial district was a requisite stop for the world's premier African-American jazz musicians--including Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton, and countless others--who stopped in Denver on their way between midwest and west coast tours to play in Five Points clubs and performance halls. Many of them stayed at the historic Rossonian Hotel, which still stands today.
Five Points features many cultural amenities, including the Black American West Museum, the brand new Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, Brother JeffÕs Cultural Center & CafŽ, Roundtree Art Center and the nationally-recognized Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble studios. Five Points' Juneteenth celebration--an annual parade and festival commemorating the day in 1865 when African-Americans in Texas first heard word of the Emancipation Proclamation--is one of the biggest such festivals in America, attracting upwards of 120,000 people over four days each year.
New housing developments are popping up in Five Points, including Downing Street Station at 29th & Downing and The Point at 26th & Washington. Both have great connections to Downtown Denver via light rail.
Curtis Park:
Curtis Park was developed in the 1860s and 1870s as a fashionable residential suburb north of Downtown Denver. Today, Curtis Park remains one of the center city's most accessible neighborhoods for Downtown workers, characterized by its tree-lined streets, its broad range of housing types, and its social, economic and ethnic diversity.
Curtis Park's housing mix is wide ranging: single story duplexes stand next door to recently renovated grand Victorian mansions; flat-roofed rowhouses next to classic, two-story Denver Square brick houses; Queen Anne-style houses with second floor porches are also numerous. There are three designated historic districts in the Curtis Park neighborhood: Clements, San Rafael and Glenarm Place.
Since its founding, Curtis Park has always been a mixed-income neighborhood. Interspersed among the neighborhood's turn of the century mansions are smaller houses built by waves of immigrants who came to Denver to join the workforce during the city's early years. Throughout the neighborhood's history, many of Curtis Park's residents have worked in Downtown Denver, which is only a 15-minute walk or a quick ride on RTD's light rail--or, in past decades, on streetcars--from Downtown's businesses and office buildings.
Curtis Park is also a remarkably diverse neighborhood. Approximately 30% of the residents are African-American, 30% are Latino, and 40% are white.
A current effort that is changing the landscape of Curtis Park is the rebuilding of the neighborhood's housing projects through a $26 million federal HOPE VI grant. Four blocks of two-story apartment buildings that were built for public housing in the 1950s were demolished in 2000. The area is being rebuilt to accommodate market-rate apartments and condominiums alongside affordable and low income units, creating a more economically diverse community. Construction of the new housing is underway, remarkably transforming the neighborhood.
Curtis Park's landmarks include the Denver Enterprise Center (3003 Arapahoe Street), an innovative small-business incubator that utilizes the labor force from the surrounding neighborhood; the Women's Bean Project (3201 Curtis Street), an entrepreneurial business and job skills program for low-income women that is housed in a renovated firehouse; and Sacred Heart (2760 Larimer Street), Denver's oldest Catholic parish whose church recently completed significant renovations. The neighborhood's namesake open space--Mestizo-Curtis Park--lies in the center of the neighborhood, and was created in 1868 as Denver's first public park.
Quoted from: www.downtowndenver.com/UrbanLiving
Five-Points:
While the name "Five Points" is often applied to the greater neighborhood to the northeast of Downtown, Five Points is also widely known as the busy retail, restaurant and services corridor on Welton Street. Since Five Points' founding in the 1860s as one of Denver's first residential suburbs, this area around Welton Street has evolved into a vibrant mixed-use district that today offers a direct link to Downtown Denver via RTD's light rail line.
The Five Points area got its name early this century from the city's tramway company, who used the nickname because their street car signs were not big enough to list all of the street names at this end-of-the-line stop. RTD's light rail line connects Five Points with Downtown via Welton Street, which bustles with 75 businesses, including restaurants, cafes, boutique shops, barber shops, salons and other retailers. A bank, radio station and bottled water distributor also have Welton Street addresses. Welton Street is the only predominantly African-American owned commercial strip in the country.
This commercial district was a requisite stop for the world's premier African-American jazz musicians--including Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton, and countless others--who stopped in Denver on their way between midwest and west coast tours to play in Five Points clubs and performance halls. Many of them stayed at the historic Rossonian Hotel, which still stands today.
Five Points features many cultural amenities, including the Black American West Museum, the brand new Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, Brother JeffÕs Cultural Center & CafŽ, Roundtree Art Center and the nationally-recognized Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble studios. Five Points' Juneteenth celebration--an annual parade and festival commemorating the day in 1865 when African-Americans in Texas first heard word of the Emancipation Proclamation--is one of the biggest such festivals in America, attracting upwards of 120,000 people over four days each year.
New housing developments are popping up in Five Points, including Downing Street Station at 29th & Downing and The Point at 26th & Washington. Both have great connections to Downtown Denver via light rail.
Curtis Park:
Curtis Park was developed in the 1860s and 1870s as a fashionable residential suburb north of Downtown Denver. Today, Curtis Park remains one of the center city's most accessible neighborhoods for Downtown workers, characterized by its tree-lined streets, its broad range of housing types, and its social, economic and ethnic diversity.
Curtis Park's housing mix is wide ranging: single story duplexes stand next door to recently renovated grand Victorian mansions; flat-roofed rowhouses next to classic, two-story Denver Square brick houses; Queen Anne-style houses with second floor porches are also numerous. There are three designated historic districts in the Curtis Park neighborhood: Clements, San Rafael and Glenarm Place.
Since its founding, Curtis Park has always been a mixed-income neighborhood. Interspersed among the neighborhood's turn of the century mansions are smaller houses built by waves of immigrants who came to Denver to join the workforce during the city's early years. Throughout the neighborhood's history, many of Curtis Park's residents have worked in Downtown Denver, which is only a 15-minute walk or a quick ride on RTD's light rail--or, in past decades, on streetcars--from Downtown's businesses and office buildings.
Curtis Park is also a remarkably diverse neighborhood. Approximately 30% of the residents are African-American, 30% are Latino, and 40% are white.
A current effort that is changing the landscape of Curtis Park is the rebuilding of the neighborhood's housing projects through a $26 million federal HOPE VI grant. Four blocks of two-story apartment buildings that were built for public housing in the 1950s were demolished in 2000. The area is being rebuilt to accommodate market-rate apartments and condominiums alongside affordable and low income units, creating a more economically diverse community. Construction of the new housing is underway, remarkably transforming the neighborhood.
Curtis Park's landmarks include the Denver Enterprise Center (3003 Arapahoe Street), an innovative small-business incubator that utilizes the labor force from the surrounding neighborhood; the Women's Bean Project (3201 Curtis Street), an entrepreneurial business and job skills program for low-income women that is housed in a renovated firehouse; and Sacred Heart (2760 Larimer Street), Denver's oldest Catholic parish whose church recently completed significant renovations. The neighborhood's namesake open space--Mestizo-Curtis Park--lies in the center of the neighborhood, and was created in 1868 as Denver's first public park.
Quoted from: www.downtowndenver.com/UrbanLiving
What am I reading right now?
In the Bible, I am studying the Gospel of John in order to prepare for my teaching nights starting Thursday November 1st. The topic of these teachings will be: 'Revealing the Identity of Jesus.'
Also, I am reading through Nehemiah and 1 Corinthians.
Elsewhere, I am reading Urban Ministry by Harvie Conn & Manuel Ortiz; The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter; A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D.A. Carson.
Also, I am reading through Nehemiah and 1 Corinthians.
Elsewhere, I am reading Urban Ministry by Harvie Conn & Manuel Ortiz; The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter; A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D.A. Carson.
What do we sense God calling us to do (mission/purpose)?
By building genuine friendships and engaging in acts of service, we seek to renew our city spiritually, socially, and culturally.
Who are we (so far)?
We are a community of individuals in Northeast Denver that meets throughout the week in homes, pubs, and coffee houses to build friendships, pray, serve, and study. On Sunday nights, we join together as a community both to honor our Savior and Leader-- Jesus Christ and to share in His grace.
What are our Core Values?
Core Values:
· Gospel Centered: we proclaim and practice the good news of Jesus Christ, recognizing that it is God’s power to transform individuals, families, communities, and the world.
· Community Oriented: we love our neighborhood, the city of Denver, and its residents, intentionally committing ourselves to the good of the whole city.
· Culturally Engaged: knowing its powerful influence, we are continually seeking to identify and redeem the valuable spiritual, emotional, intellectual, artistic, and social aspects of our culture.
· Collaboratively Focused: we are not the only church in the community and we do not possess every strength, insight, and resource. Thus, we intentionally are seeking to partner with other churches and ministries to accomplish God’s mission and advance His Kingdom.
· Reconciliation Minded: believing that Jesus Christ broke down the barriers of hostility between all people, we are active participants in the healing and restoration of broken relationships in families, neighborhoods and cultural groups.
· Sharing & Serving Leadership: we follow the perfect leader--Jesus Christ, imitating His example of humility, selflessness, and equipping others in order to accomplish the work of God. Our power as leaders is to be used to serve others.
· Historically Connected: we affirm our family ties to the historic, orthodox, and reformed Christian faith and through our affiliation with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
· Gospel Centered: we proclaim and practice the good news of Jesus Christ, recognizing that it is God’s power to transform individuals, families, communities, and the world.
· Community Oriented: we love our neighborhood, the city of Denver, and its residents, intentionally committing ourselves to the good of the whole city.
· Culturally Engaged: knowing its powerful influence, we are continually seeking to identify and redeem the valuable spiritual, emotional, intellectual, artistic, and social aspects of our culture.
· Collaboratively Focused: we are not the only church in the community and we do not possess every strength, insight, and resource. Thus, we intentionally are seeking to partner with other churches and ministries to accomplish God’s mission and advance His Kingdom.
· Reconciliation Minded: believing that Jesus Christ broke down the barriers of hostility between all people, we are active participants in the healing and restoration of broken relationships in families, neighborhoods and cultural groups.
· Sharing & Serving Leadership: we follow the perfect leader--Jesus Christ, imitating His example of humility, selflessness, and equipping others in order to accomplish the work of God. Our power as leaders is to be used to serve others.
· Historically Connected: we affirm our family ties to the historic, orthodox, and reformed Christian faith and through our affiliation with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Why are we called Denver Mosaic Church?
The name was chosen because it is a metaphor of who we are and who we hope to become.
A mosaic is a form of art in which an artist brings together unique, fragmented pieces of glass or tiles into a unified and beautiful creation.
Likewise, God is joining together diverse people from different cultures, experiences, and spiritual backgrounds to form a united, life-giving community through Jesus Christ. Ultimately, this creation is a real and tangible picture that reflects God’s glory.
The imagery of our name is reflected throughout the Bible, especially in 1 Peter 2:4-5 and Revelation 7:9.
A mosaic is a form of art in which an artist brings together unique, fragmented pieces of glass or tiles into a unified and beautiful creation.
Likewise, God is joining together diverse people from different cultures, experiences, and spiritual backgrounds to form a united, life-giving community through Jesus Christ. Ultimately, this creation is a real and tangible picture that reflects God’s glory.
The imagery of our name is reflected throughout the Bible, especially in 1 Peter 2:4-5 and Revelation 7:9.
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