Please take the time to have a look at this paper or as I like to call it a show about our down to earth god.
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I have been thinking about the effect of all the inner city church’s that closed down just over a generation ago(Bridgeton had 19 church’s at one time in the 1950′s).Now it seems all the large wealthy churches have moved with the wealthy people to the suburb’s.Today I read this article http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/anne-johnstone/glasgow-is-so-much-more-than-just-one-mean-city-1.1010807in which Anne Johnstone talks about the doughnut effect on Glasgow with regards to inner city deprivation.
This same doughnut effect can be seen in the church life of our city .Inner city area’s are no-go area’s for most of the church and have been left to rot.It is only now with the emergence of a few small groups like Urban expression and others that this is being challenged.Our inner city must be seen as the Jerusalem of our time ,Jerusalem was to be the first port of call for those with the good news then the suburb’s and then the ends of the earth.So can our suburban church’s respond to this call to go back to Jerusalem with the good news or are they content to be the dough in the doughnut.
In order to meet this challenge there needs to be a few major change’s in the priorities of those with the dough.I would ask that they question the need for large expensive building projects that use up to many resourses.I would ask that they look at the staff they have and what it is they ask of those staff.Could they take a risk and look for staff who are ready not to simply serve a few but to be willing to go to the many.And finaly I would ask that they consider the need to engage with the issue’s of justice within our city,that they might be willing to be advocate’s for those who do not have the same choice’s as they do and to also consider the need to address justice as a matter that affects the soul as much if not more than simply saying the sinners prayer.
Engagement is at the heart of the gospel and the people of our inner city need engagement (going the extra mile giving away your coat) these are not distant acts of charity that we might think of today,but they are a commitment to relationship that engages in meaningful relationship that goes well beyond the simple act of giving (good though that is).Inner city communities have been failed by a few generations of regeneration that failed to see beyond the numbers game and send those from the dough to try to fill the hole but the only succeeded in making the dough fatter.Surely the kingdom of god can respond in a way that see’s beyond its own back yard and seeks to protect what it has.
Our little community centre in Bridgeton has won the right to host the community champions event with the Evening time.Well done to all the staff there as I know they worked so hard to make sure the event came to Bridgeton.The evening times host some great stuff about our communities on its website http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/communities and does some great work in pointing out the hard work that local people put in to there communities.The event will be held in BCLC 22nd April 2010 from 6 to 8.30 .The BCLC can be found at Dale st Bridgeton Glasgow, G40 4TN
For what its worth adding my support to this.Lets try and make sure this music cloning doest take over.
Talking with other inner city church leaders today I was reminded of just how difficult it can be to plant/lead a church in our inner cities,the biggest hurdle seems to be how to disciple people and alongside that how to raise up indigenous leaders.My first thought as I listened today were that I was sitting at the table and in some ways I am living proof that it can be done my second thought was that this is exactly the model Jesus demonstrated to us so why is it so difficult?
I think that for some of the guys the issue is maybe what they are trying to disciple people out of and into .Often we make the mistake of thinking we just need to tell people that Jesus said it so thats good enough but for me it goes much deeper than that.People dont live in a vacuum they are disciples of a certain ways of thinking and living as they grow up.This is done by there families sometimes for good but sometimes in a damaging way,then we have our peers and society as a whole giving us messages and showing a way to live that is very often damaging to our being.All of these things have to be worked out on our journey and new stuff put in.Stuff that tells about our value to God stuff that tells us of our dreams and vision stuff that replaces forgiveness with vengeance and puts love over fear.For all of this we need patience.
I believe to make any progress leaders need a change fo mind to.A change that moves us from some sort of short-term gain to a long-term view that Jesus took when he said I am with you always a commitment for life .We are not building a business or an institution but a living body where all parts are valued not just those we think can do good work for the church.This has led to burn out for far to many of our people and its time for a change of mind from those of us in any sort of responsible role in the church to speak up and say so.
Last night I visited a few friends who have been through incredible trauma within the church and have somehow survived.They are very down to earth folk who suffered greatly when there church decided to leave behind the folk from the scheme.i felt heart broken as we spoke and thought about all the people I know across the city who have come to faith and then been lost as church left them behind.
This conversation reminded us of just how difficult it can be to see any kind of church work and thrive in the schemes in our city.Some of the folk we work with have hooks so deep its very difficult to se them free.It takes years and a great deal of energy but it is worth it.As I sat in the house of that family last night and spoke about the good things God had done and the challenges they had been through I couldnt help but give thanks to God.But at the same time I felt myself crying out for those who have lost there way.those who struggle with generations of violence and drug and alcohol abuse those who have nobody to look up to and those who have been abandoned by a church that wants growth over people.
I felt like I reset myself to speak for those with no voice and to somehow call the church back to its roots of looking for the broken and sick and sticking with them until they learn to stick with God.But sadly we had to accept that even with all that help some people dont make it like the boy who passed away this week on his own and scared of life .Can the church remember the lost and hurt and repent for the fact that at times we have added to that hurt instead of healing it.
As some of you may know our church is part of http://www.networkonline.org.uk/ group of churchs.They have asked me to write a paper (can you believe it) on the subject of “Down to earth God – how to reach the marginalized in our cities”That they hope will facilitate debate.
My first thoughts were ok let’s go for it ,then I remembered trying to do some work on a micro finance course I took a while back and how difficult I found that.Then my thoughts turned to how much I actually know about the subject matter and even if I would think in those terms.I am not academic and therefore this format makes me uncomfortable ,so maybe I will find another way to approach the subject.I googled marginalized in our cities and this was the first image that came up.
![3313566370_26e702c601[1]](http://mardibum63.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/3313566370_26e702c6011.jpg?w=640 "3313566370_26e702c601[1]")
This may be old news for some people but its new to me so I wanted to put it up here,what wisdom in these words but what a challenge to be able to think about them and put them into practice on a daily basis.
“People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” – from Mother Teresa’s wall
I have been thinking about the nature of some of the communities we have in Glasgow and why it is some seem to be so destructive in nature and a few seem to be more creative.This led me to think about the creative nature of God, the godhead, the community of God being creative.As we are made in his image I believe we are also made with a creative nature but in some of our communities that creative nature has no value,even in our church’s the creative nature is under valued.It is no wonder that destruction then takes hold.Jesus spoke to us about the evil one coming to steal kill and destroy and when we leave a creative void then destruction seems to reign.
This is much clearer with young people .When creativity has no value it is very easy for them to slip into being destructive for no reason.When you look at there behaviour there is no clear reason them being so destructive .I think that if given the chance and encouraged they can become creative instead and discover something about the creative heart of God.I look at Glasgow and see very little of the creative nature being expressed by the church and wonder if that might be a way for us to engage with the young folk we know.
It is in the heart of God to be creative and I believe that flows to all of us ,can the people of God lead the way and can this help to see the transformation of some of our communities.Is it only the educated, better of who can be creative ?I dont think so .So can we the people who claim to know this creative God lead the way forward in our communities.
Are events more events like thishttp://www.theproject.org.uk/project2/ needed and do we need to take them to some of the more destructive places?
