When it comes to ministry, location matters. But it can be a bit daunting if an emphasis on place hasn’t been part of your church’s DNA. Where can you start?
Here are our three favorite “place” resources for church leaders:
This is Our City: Yeah, we’re biased, but Christianity Today’s ongoing project of local storytelling is unlike anything Christian journalism’s ever seen. It features sharp, inspiring reporting, incredible videos and articles, and lots of linked resources and local organizations. The project focuses on six key American cities that are experiencing significant renewal through the work of engaged Christians. Be careful though: you can get deliciously lost in their online archives. You will be inspired to engage with your neighborhood in a renewed way.
Christian Community Development Association: CCDA is an incredible, diverse network of Christian community development practitioners. Check out their website (ccda.org), and find local gatherings or practitioners near you. Jump start your community engagement with their resources, or really get high octane by attending their high energy national conference (in New Orleans this year). It is unforgettable.
The Parish Collective: What if you pastored not a church, but a place? While the concept of “parish” is ancient, this organization is giving the term new life, even for Christian traditions that haven’t historically embraced the concept. Check out the Parish Collective’s (parishcollective.org) nationwide network of church leaders and community organizers working for Christ-centered renewal in their communities.
Watch a powerful introduction to the This is Our City Project at Christianitytoday.com/thisisourcity/more/overview/
Neighborhood Watch
“The people make the parish. They are our neighbors. As we walk through our place, we are trying to follow Jesus’ lead … that is the best summary of what Jesus asked of us: ‘Follow me.’
So that is what we are trying to do. In following his lead, within our neighborhood, we are being spiritually formed.”
—Tony Kriz in Neighbors and Wise Men: Sacred Encounters in a Portland Pub and other Unexpected Places (Thomas Nelson, 2012).
Mind the (Immigration) Gap
What does it mean to love “the stranger” in your neighborhood? American Christians are divided. While many prominent Evangelical leaders and organizations (including the National Association of Evangelicals, the Southern Baptist Convention, and Focus on the Family) have become vocal supporters of immigration reform efforts, rank and file Evangelicals are not quite there yet.
According to a June 2012 Pew report, only 14% of Evangelicals want the main response to illegal immigration to be a path to citizenship, compared with 27% of the general public. 40% advocate for increasing border security vs. 28% of the general public.
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