Church is not an event. It is people--people whom God calls us to love. What is more, it is in a very important sense an involuntary community of people: we don't choose our brothers and sisters--God does. And sometimes (oftentimes) those people are not terribly compatible with us--not the people we would choose to hang out with. But it is this very incompatibility that is so important, for at least two reasons. First, learning to love the people I don't like is by far the best way to learn how to love (it's easy to love people I happen to like). Second, the church is supposed to be a sociological miracle--a demonstration that Jesus has died and risen to create a new humanity composed of all sorts of people. -Charles Drew
I am blessed to be pastoring a growing church community that is becoming more and more a reflection of the area it works within. So far we are kind of carmel. Our neighborhood is about 30% black, 15-20% asian/hispanic/cuban and 50% caucasian. You can see from this picture (thanks Darin!) of our Kid's Church that diversity is becoming a way of life at Jacob's Well. I am learning that the "emerging church" is really a multi-ethnic community of faith. Figuring out how to pastor in the center instead of out on the white bread edge of our communities is a new challenge.
God is giving me fresh eyes to see people I never saw before. He is awakening in me a love for the cultural "samaritans" that I have been missing or passing by or crossing the street to avoid. I am realizing that my middle class economic place in my community has privileged me to choose who I associate with and who I don't. In the end my homogenous church experience was more about economics than faith. I could drive to a "good" church. One of the beautiful things about cultivating a neighborhood church in a lower income area is you find a diversity of ethnicity of people that become part of your church family. If you intentionally reach out and then embrace those you come into relationship with...you can see the Kingdom in all its colorful glory begin to emerge.
I came to East Central Spokane with the desire to give living water to those who were spiritually thirsty...I am realizing now, I was culturally thirsty.
2 comments:
I've been realizing that about myself lately as well since my move here.
Eric,
It has been a pleasure taking this journey with you. Being a part of something that I am convinced wholeheartedly that Jesus started and is cultivating. I can not wait to see what is around the corner for Jacob's Well, East Central, and Spokane at large. I have adopted this city as my hometown, this community as my community, and this church as my family.
I am proud to call you brother and I can honestly say I see the fire of God in your eyes.
We, as a church (in whole and in part) are seeing the beginnings of something truly miraculous stirring. The thirsty, whoever they are and which ever thirst it is, will taste living water.
The Well will flood.
Forgive me but I must say, Mike,that is an encouraging post.
As Eric's father, it is good to here words of encouragement, and Mike, you are right, that is the fire from God, and it has been in his eyes since he was called at 15. He is but a man, but a man with the living God inside.
Fred
Post a Comment