The Beloved Community

But the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends…It is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. It is the love of God working in the lives of men. This is the love that may well be the salvation of our civilization.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“The Role of the Church in Facing the Nation's Chief Moral Dilemma,” 1957

St. Paul, like all cities, is a city with scars. There are events, moments and people that have shaped St. Paul. Some of them have been good, and some have left painful scars. In our neighborhood, one of the visible scars is I-94, the freeway that runs about ½ mile south of our home. When construction began in the 1960’s, nearly half of the residents of the Rondo community were displaced. The Rondo neighborhood, a vibrant African-American community in the heart of the city, was shattered, and I-94 was an ever-present reminder.

Just as the city of St. Paul bears its scars, the Church has also suffered its own fractures, and reconciliation and restoration are necessary if we are to reflect the Beloved Community of Christ. Therefore, in addition to working with young leaders and church planters, our CRM team, Launch, has been working to foster a spirit of collaboration and unity among the Body of Christ. For the Church is not called to simply tolerate one another, but rather to live and work together in unity – a powerful sign to a watching world.

Better Together

For the past year, I have served on the leadership team of a cooperative kingdom effort called Mission St. Paul. The thrust of Mission St. Paul is city-wide transformation as the whole church brings the whole gospel to the whole city. Groups of pastors gather weekly to pray for one another and for each other’s churches, and a wider group of Christians gather once a month to systematically pray through the city, precinct by precinct. And, occasionally throughout the year, Mission St. Paul will host an event to help nurture this spirit of collaboration and unity within the Body of Christ.

Mission St. Paul recently hosted a city-wide celebration at the Union Gospel Mission on Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. The theme of the gathering was “Better Together: Becoming the Beloved Community,” where we celebrated the rich diversity of God’s people in St. Paul through worship, prayer, communion, God’s Word and personal testimonies of spiritual and racial reconciliation. Daleen and I were asked to coordinate the serving of communion to the group of more than 300. And, in the spirit of the evening, we asked eight pastors and their spouses from different ethnic and denominational backgrounds to serve communion alongside of us. What an encouraging, and powerful, evening.

As beautiful as events like this can be, the real beauty lies in the relationships that are forged and lived out day-to-day. So, just as there are currently several groups of pastors praying in various neighborhoods of St. Paul, we will soon begin gathering with pastors and leaders in Hamline-Midway, our neighborhood of 12,000 residents. Wherever these groups of pastors are gathered, we see healing and restoration of racial and denominational fractures in the Church. Competition also begins to diminish, and in its place, collaboration and kingdom initiatives take root. And, when the Church is living in this spirit of unity and commitment to prayer, we can expect to see our neighborhoods, and our city, transformed.

walking alongside

“You are the only older, wiser people, who have stuck it out as long as you have with me. Everyone else, who has expressed the desire to walk alongside and mentor me in my vision for church planting, has abandoned me along the way.”

These words were spoken to Daleen and me at a recent staff gathering by our teammate, Tony. Although these were encouraging words for us to hear at one level, they were bittersweet because they carry a deep level of pain for Tony. As a matter of fact, it’s due to similar stories that we’ve heard over the past ten years that our commitment to younger leaders has grown. 

As you may remember, a few years ago, Tony gathered several friends and moved into one of the “roughest” neighborhoods in St. Paul. For two years, this group of young men pursued an intentional life of discipleship together, and a life of mission in their neighborhood. Not only were they a light in a dark neighborhood, but they were also a new lens for many of their friends to see their city with fresh eyes. And, after a hiatus to finish seminary, Tony is once again re-forming this intentional community, known as Ekklesia, and moving back into the neighborhood.

Although young leaders like Tony are full of passion and vision, they often lack the resources or encouragement to see their vision become a reality. These leaders are trying to reach their generation with the Good News of Jesus, and, therefore, think outside the box of familiar forms of church. They are experimenting with forms of church that have meaning in the world in which they live where authenticity, social justice, and downward mobility are important values. They pursue the ways of Jesus in everyday life that run counter to our prevailing American culture, and often times, counter to our prevailing church culture.

Our teammates, Tony and Tiffany.

Unfortunately, young leaders are often left to their own devices. The support of pastors, churches and denominations that began with enthusiasm can often wane and slowly disappear as the church plant begins to blossom and take shape. The passion and vision that was once so exciting, can now feel threatening. The church plant that was once highly anticipated (and celebrated) is now left to find its own way.

Daleen and I long to see healthy, vibrant churches being led by healthy, vibrant people. That’s why we walk alongside these young men and women as they break new ground and plant churches. And, not only will we continue to work with the leaders of future generations, but Tony will do the same. We are working hard to cultivate a group of young men and women, who will not only be practitioners and leaders in their own neighborhoods, but will have the vision to share what they are learning by walking alongside and encouraging other young leaders. We invite you to join us in prayer and partnership as we move forward.

Please pray for:

• ·        Tony and his new wife, Tiffany, who were married on September 21^st, and will be moving into Dayton’s Bluff in early October. Pray for them, and the leadership team of Ekklesia, as they re-launch into Dayton’s Bluff this month. Pray for Daleen and me as we walk this road with them. 

• ·         Young leaders full of passion and vision to join our team here in the Twin Cities. We are praying for at least two more people to join our CRM team, Launch, in the upcoming year. We would love to eventually have a whole network of young church planters learning from one another and expanding God’s kingdom throughout the neighborhoods of the Twin Cities and beyond.

Daleen

I write the following because Daleen never would. As a matter of fact, she doesn’t know that I am writing this newsletter about her. It all started at a recent leadership retreat for Thirdway Church, where I was struck by the affirmation my wife was receiving for the role she has played over the past couple of years. It was then that I knew I had to share what Daleen has been doing to strengthen and extend the Body of Christ.

Thirdway Church began three years ago after several families moved into the Hamline-Midway neighborhood of St. Paul. The original vision for Thirdway centered around the University Avenue Corridor, a 10-mile stretch that links the downtowns of St. Paul and Minneapolis. University Avenue is built along the historic path that people took to get from the docks of the Mississippi River in St. Paul to the flour mills in Minneapolis. It has become one of the most diverse areas of the Twin Cities.

                                                                                                        

I recently sat down with the founding leader of Thirdway, Seth, to hear his thoughts on Daleen’s role and impact. As we started talking, he immediately mentioned that, although Thirdway had dreams and vision for the University Avenue Corridor, it had become stuck in how to move forward as a church. He saw Daleen as a person who came alongside him, and the community, to implement some foundational building blocks for a strong missional community. He saw her contribution in the following ways:

·        Covenant groups – Thirdway is a covenanted community, which means we have committed ourselves to pursuing God, one another and our neighborhood in a very intentional way. Daleen was the driving force in establishing covenant groups, where small groups of people gather to create more sustainable rhythms of life together. It is also through these groups that new people are assimilated into our community over a one-year process.

·        Mentoring – Daleen has poured herself over the past two years into a group of young women within Thirdway. She has also played a significant role helping individuals, couples and groups navigate difficult life decisions. According to Seth, she has become a motherly figure, who has brought care and stability that has lowered the sense of anxiety within Thirdway.

·        Creative space for spiritual formation – whether it be creative worship through dance, helping others to understand how they connect deeply with God, or by leading a Passover Seder meal, Daleen has brought a fresh perspective to spiritual formation. From what I have seen, she has been the most intentional force in helping members of Thirdway grow more deeply in their relationship with God.

·        Heart Team – for the past 15 months, Daleen has been one of four part-time staff people at Thirdway. She gives leadership to the Heart Team, which facilitates pastoral care, hospitality, and spiritual formation. When Thirdway started seeking someone for this role, I recommended Daleen because I knew she was a great fit for the job. As I have watched her lead this team, I realize that I was spot on in my assessment.

Our team’s mission is to walk alongside churches, leadership teams, and individuals, helping them to live out their calling. These churches are missionally-minded, intentional about creating sustainable rhythms of life together, and are embedded in local neighborhoods that are often antagonistic towards church. They are filled with young people in their 20’s and 30’s, and many times lack the financial and human resources of larger churches. In light of this, I’m realizing how invaluable it is to have people like Daleen on our team because I believe that the greatest asset our team has to offer is our staff themselves.

tilling the soil one step at a time

It’s a Tuesday morning around 9 a.m. It’s January, and the weather is a brisk 25 degrees. I’m bundled up from head to toe as I walk a two-mile loop down my street and back again. The snow crunches under my shoes with each step I take, and my eyes are attentive, my mind engaged, and I am listening. Something shifts in my spirit and I find myself praying for a family as I pass by their house. What, Lord, are you busy doing in this home, on our street, and in this neighborhood? Who are the people, Father, whose hearts are ready to receive your good news?

For some time now, God has been speaking to me about the importance of prayer in the spiritual receptivity of a neighborhood, city, region and country. Most of us wouldn’t argue about the importance of prayer, yet I find that I don’t always give the time and energy to prayer that would demonstrate its importance.

I have started to dedicate several hours a week to the practice of walking the streets in prayer. And, as I prayer-walk, the picture that I keeps coming to mind is one of tilling the ground, preparing the soil for the harvest that is to come. I am also praying for specific people of peace, who are seeking God and are ready to receive the Gospel, and who will connect us into their sphere of influence and relationship.

Essentially, there are four places/people groups I feel lead to pray for at this time:

·        Hamline-Midway neighborhood – I’ve had a strong sense that I am to start right here where I live, work and play; therefore, I am specifically praying along a one-mile stretch of Van Buren Ave. I have also been praying at Groundswell coffee, which is located in the center of our immediate neighborhood and serves as a hub for this community.

·        Many Somali families work and shop at the Walmart, which is located just a half mile from our house. In 2009, there were 103,000 Somali in the U.S. with more than ¼ (28,000) living in the Twin Cities. As I prayer-walk the aisles of Walmart and engage people in conversation, I am praying/looking for people of peace in the expanding Somali community.

Dayton’s Bluff is the area just outside of downtown St. Paul where our teammate, Tony, will be planting a church later this year. The area has a reputation for being low-income and rough, but God has been/and is doing great things in that neighborhood. Again, we are tilling the ground, exploring what God is already busy doing, and considering the specific neighborhood where the church will be located.

·        There is a substantial American Indian population in Minnesota.  My interest in Native Americans began when I was young, and has resurfaced since moving to the Twin Cities. The two major tribes in Minnesota are the Ojibwe (Chippewa) and Dakota (Sioux). I know there are strong Christians within the American Indian population, but I am praying for fresh expressions of church that will capture the hearts and imaginations of the younger generations.

As I learn and move forward with prayer-walking, I am inviting others to join me. I would also like to invite you to join me as well in praying for fertile soil in the Twin Cities. From a vibrant Arts community to a large immigrant and refugee population, and from dying neighborhoods to young, urban hipsters, the untapped opportunities abound. Our call is to identify and walk alongside leaders and churches as they move into these neighborhoods and networks of people with fresh expressions of God’s timeless Church.

Meet Tony

Missional is a way of being that leads to a way of acting. - Ed Stetzer

What I enjoy about working with young leaders is not only their vision of a transformed world, but also their gumption to move toward that vision in ways that often challenge and stretch me. In 2010, while visiting the Twin Cities, Daleen and I began hearing about a small band of young, idealistic men, who called themselves Ekklesia.

Although most were born and bred in the suburbs of St. Paul, this group of 20-somethings felt moved by God to relocate to a decaying neighborhood called Dayton’s Bluff just outside of downtown. Even though their new apartment was located on one of the most notorious corners in the city, known for its crime and violence, these young men began to incarnate into their new neighborhood. They quickly realized that true incarnation isn’t flashy, but rather it’s quiet, subtle, constant and powerful. Incarnation looks like the Gospel lived out in everyday life.

For two years, these young men lived a life of discipleship, simplicity and shared possessions. Moving beyond their initial fear, they began to live an alternative, Jesus-centered life, seeking to be a constant presence as advocates of the urban poor. The poured deeply into each other, and to those who lived around them. Before long, others from the neighborhood (and beyond) began to join them. The group finally disbanded (on good terms, mind you) when several of the guys left to finish their university/post-graduate studies.

In 2010, as we considered moving back to the States, it was stories like these that sparked our interest and gave us hope. Having lived in intentional community for 10 years, we were amazed that a group of 20-somethings could navigate the challenges of deep community life in a high-risk/high-need neighborhood for such an extended period of time. And it was the opportunity to work alongside such missional communities that was an integral part of our decision to move to the Twin Cities.

Tony

Once we moved to St. Paul, we began meeting people, who were involved in Ekklesia. During our conversations, we kept hearing about Tony, who was a key figure in starting and maintaining Ekklesia. In April of this year, I finally met Tony face to face, and it didn’t take long for us to realize that we had a similar dream – a city transformed by missional bands of Christ-followers spreading through the neighborhoods and networks of St. Paul. As we continued to meet, it became clear that God was moving him to not only partner with us, but to join our staff team so that we could pursue this dream together.

Tony finished his seminary degree in Community Ministry Leadership in June, and just last month he officially joined our CRM team here in St. Paul. In addition to starting Ekklesia, he is on the leadership team of another church plant called The Gallery, where he continues to lead worship on occasion. And, although he has a heart for urban areas, Tony loves fishing, bow hunting and just about anything else that happens in the great outdoors. He describes himself as a Daydreamer, Fence-burner, Wall-mover, Cross-bearer, and Revolutionary.

Over the past 15 years, Daleen and I have counted it a privilege to walk alongside young leaders, helping them grow into the men and women God has created them to be. Therefore, it’s with great anticipation that we welcome Tony to our team as he pursues his dream to re-launch this tight, Christ-centered, formational community in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood.

Love Thy Neighbor

“Some neighbors are easier to love than others.” There’s a good chance that those words would have escaped my mouth if I were present when Jesus gave the two Great Commandments, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It wouldn’t have been my proudest moment, but it would have been an honest one.

Our street.

We love the street we live on and the neighborhood that surrounds us. We have some wonderful neighbors, who live next door and across the street. We even love the close proximity of urban living. However, there is that one house on the block, which sits across the street and two doors down. It’s a rental. There are parties four or five nights a week, which spill onto our street around 3 a.m. with loud talking and occasional fighting. There are people stopping by throughout the day to buy marijuana. The police usually end up being called several times a month. Some neighbors are easier to love than others.

Yes, I’ve called the police…numerous times. Yes, I’ve spoken with my other neighbors about what we could possibly do to remedy the situation. Yes, I’ve silently hoped for an eviction notice. Yes, yes, yes. To be honest, the police are aware of the situation and have an officer on the case, but have not solved the problem. My neighbors yearn for this family to just pack their bags and get out.

Our Neighbor, Julie

Then there is Julie. Julie is a social worker for the county, and lives directly next door to the problem house. Julie is a Christian. On the way back from the bus stop a couple of months ago, Julie told me of her efforts to talk to this family. She is the only person I know, who has actually gone to the family and talked with them face-to-face. She’s the only neighbor that I’m aware of, who has invited this family into her home. And, although change doesn’t happen immediately, Julie has chosen to engage the situation in a direct, honest, hospitable, loving way. As we spoke that morning, I was convicted.

I began to ask myself what it means to love this family. It seems passive-aggressive to talk with everyone on my street but them. It seems futile to wait for the police to “fix the problem.” What does love even look like in this situation? How do I look out for the best interests of my family and other neighbors, yet still love this family? The short answer is, “I don’t know.” What I do know is that in the Gospels I see Jesus loving the “unlovable”  – a Samaritan woman, a leper, a tax collector, etc., etc.

Loving my neighbor is sometimes complex. Loving my neighbor can make me uncomfortable. Loving my neighbor will cause me to risk. Loving my neighbor moves me beyond myself and what I am capable of on my own. Loving my neighbor calls me to be as wise as a serpent and as gentle as a dove. Loving my neighbor is for all my neighbors, and not just the easy ones.

Of course, in the economy of God, the definition of neighbor extends well beyond the people on my street. And, there are times when I am called to move into those situations that are farther from my home. However, I find that I don’t have to look far for opportunities to partner with God in his kingdom work among my neighbors. It often takes little more than walking out my front door.

incarnation

Evangelism is not a word that is used all that much among young adult Christians. As a matter of fact, I find that many young people cringe inwardly when confronted with the word. Social justice, sure. Missional, sure. Loving others in the name of Jesus, sure. Partnering with God in His Kingdom work, sure. Evangelism, not so sure.

I serve as part of the teaching team of Third Way Church, and, as we move into the summer, we are talking about evangelism for a couple of reasons. First of all, it seems as though we need to rediscover the word evangelism. Unfortunately, many have come to see evangelism as a program, methodology or tool (especially of the 1970’s and 80’s).  Rarely is evangelism seen more holistically as an intentional lifestyle that permeates the everyday relationships in the places where we live, work and play. Thus, evangelism is not always viewed as necessary for the equipping of Christ-followers, and for the building up of the Body of Christ (see Eph. 4:11-13).

with our next-door neighbor, Rachel, at the local seedling distribution

Also, we have noticed that most Minnesotans don’t readily invite others into their homes, especially if they don’t have an established relationship. This presents a significant challenge for getting to know our neighbors because most people are holed up inside their homes for five months during winter. The summer months become an important time to establish deeper relationships with people because the days are long, and most people are out and about enjoying the nice weather. Our hope is to establish solid relationships with people during the summer months that will continue inside our homes during the winter months.

The Word became flesh and blood,

 and moved into the neighborhood.                (John 1:14)

Jesus’ incarnation is a perfect example for us as we seek to incarnate into the neighborhoods where we live. Jesus’ incarnation wasn’t complete just by becoming a man, but by being fully engaged in life with those, who lived around Him. In the book of Matthew alone, we can see how this played out in His life: Jesus was born, was baptized, was tempted, preached that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, invited people to follow him, went throughout all of Galilee – teaching and proclaiming the gospel, healed, was with the crowds, forgave, dined with many tax collectors and sinners, prayed, withdrew to be by himself, fed the hungry,  had compassion for people, warned his disciples of insincere religious leaders,  spent time with children, spent time alone with his disciples, touched the untouchable and the sick, allowed himself to be questioned, spent time with the outcasts, allowed himself to be betrayed, allowed himself to be judged, allowed himself to be put to death, was buried, and was resurrected. Jesus fully incarnated into the human reality.

  

So, how do we incarnate into the neighborhoods where we live, work and play? The following matrix has been helpful for me as I think about living on mission in my everyday life:

	Listen	Submerge	Invite
Live
Work
Play

As I begin to listen in the areas where I live, work and play, I find myself asking:  What is God already busy doing? What is really going on in others’ lives?  What would my neighbors consider to be a blessing to the neighborhood? Submerging requires time and margin in life that allows us to go deeper by intentionally seeking others out, and sharing our own life and challenges. And Jesus was the master of the invitation. He often invited others to come and see, or to come and be with Him. He also accepted invitations from others, even when it was socially awkward or unconventional. Daleen and I found ourselves being hesitant in accepting invitations from others, so we have made it a policy to “just say yes” whenever possible.

It isn’t enough that we “moved into the neighborhood,” our hope is to become part of the tapestry that God is weaving together in the lives of those, who we call neighbor.