Urban Ministry

Urban ministry in American church culture is sometimes portrayed as an optional extra for the Body of Christ, a specialized branch of the church that does something the rest of us don’t really need to worry about.

Although we know that the Church has an obligation to live and proclaim the Gospel to everyone in every place, we see in the whole sum of the scriptures God’s special concern for the poor. From God’s commands to Israel to care for the poor, widowed, orphaned, sojourner and oppressed (see Leviticus 25 ect…) to the Prophets rebuking God’s people for neglecting justice for those same people (Isaiah 58, Amos 5 ect…) and not least in the life and teachings of Jesus (Matt 3, 5, 19, 25 ect…) and the witness of the early church (Acts 2, 4, 10 ect…) we see God cares deeply for the oppressed and poor of the world.

Today the inner city areas of America and specifically Fresno are full of people who although may be looked down upon by society, are enormously precious to God. Jesus shows us in his parable of the good Samaritan that “loving our neighbor” is synonymous with helping those in need. Urban ministry is a concrete response to God’s call for the church to bring the good news of Christ’s Kingdom to the places of need and brokenness.

 “Vocation is where our greatest passion and the world’s greatest need collide”

Those who have heard God’s challenge to put Christ’s love on display to the world have a unique opportunity to serve in Fresno. Our home has been identified as the city with the most neighborhoods of concentrated poverty for a large city in the nation. This could be looked at as a reason to pack up and leave or a challenge to see the Gospel tangibly make it’s way through these neighborhoods, mending broken hearts and re-weaving the social and spiritual fabric of the community.

At The Hub we believe incarnation is an essential element of Urban (or any kind of) ministry. Jesus didn’t just sit in heaven and shoot us some cosmic “forgiveness rays” from his comfortable throne. Jesus “who though he was in the form of God…made himself nothing, taking the from of a servant, being born in the likeness of men…he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8) He became one of us to show how much he loved us. We take that example as supreme for how we are supposed to reflect God’s reconciling love to others. Solidarity with the people of the city is a powerful tool to change lives that we have been learning about at the hub.

The Hub’s ten-month internship will teach you and push you to seek the Shalom of Fresno in new and exciting ways, If you feel God’s call to serve the people of your city I don’t think there is a better way to get equipped and discipled into this challenging and exciting mission field.    

  - Erik Foss

Apply your life for one year in Biblical Community, Leadership Development, and Urban Ministry through the Hub or Pink House. Visit www.fiful.org or www.highwaycitycd.com to apply. Applications for the Hub or Pink House 10-month internship are due April 20, 2011. Apply yourself today.

Glimpses of Leadership Development

During my internship at The Hub here in Highway City I have had the privilege of working at the Sierra Mobile Park (SMP) after school program located at the Gloria Aldama Community Center inside the mobile home park. It has been a growing experience and has contributed most to my growth as leader and my calling to ministry in an urban context.

            The program serves 20-30 pre-kinder through middle school-aged students that currently live in the Sierra Mobile home park, most of whom come from first-generation Hispanic families. It is one of many programs in the area whose goal is to help improve the area’s struggling schools. Many of the schools in the area, for example, are Program Improvement (PI) schools, which are Title I funded schools and local educational agencies are not making adequate yearly progress and are receiving corrective action measures from the state.

We are also there to provide some positive adult influence in the lives of the kids. A lot of their parents both work and they are often raised by older siblings. Our after school program is a positive environment where the kids of SMP can come and not only get homework help but also play games, sports and computers and receive a often much needed snack. We try to help them develop as leaders and limit their exposure to some of the harmful elements that can be found in any urban context.

Leadership development is one of the factors of the program that happened without our help or influence. It was a need that was unconsciously brought to our attention by the students themselves. In working with the program I was always concerned with how I should be leading and what I could bring to the program to make it better. If the program needed more resources—whether it be snacks, educational supplies, or volunteers etc—It was Bryan Henry the program’s director, or myself who sought out and provided the solution. We were working from the perspective that we had the best ideas for our program’s development. It wasn’t until our third or so time of running out of snacks that the student’s decided they wanted to help.

After being declined to continue receiving snacks from a snack provider, we had been relying on donations from sponsors/supporters of the program, but those weren’t as reliable. We were also having issues with the kids pocketing extra snacks to take home which caused them to deplete mush faster. So some days we would have nothing to give. When inquiring as to why we were without snacks one day, some of the older middle school aged girls in the program offered their own solution,

“Why don’t some of us go around and ask for donations from the families of SMP?” one of the girls asked.

Bryan consented and they came back with a ton of snack foods beaming with excitement for the work they did and the results they helped produce. From there they began meeting together planning other ways of getting snacks and raising money for the program. Some days we have been keeping the program open late so they can hold their brainstorming meetings and also bake some cookies to sell. One day I went in during a meeting and they asked if they could practice a speech with me they had put together that they were going to use to ask for donations. It was very clear and persuasive. I offered some insight but mostly encouraged them and left it up to them create. They were doing great without me. They even mentioned wanting to involve parents in the meetings to include their input on how to improve the program and gather more resources. This came from the same girls who had been rebelling at our attempts to control how the program ran and had been some of the hardest to work with.

Some of the younger kids have also been stepping up to help clean up at the end of the program everyday. From doing dishes to vacuuming to mopping they are also wanting to get more involved in making the program better.

            The most amazing part is seeing these kids take ownership of the program and step up as leaders. It makes the whole experience more genuine when you feel like you have a stake in it. This is leadership development and it wasn’t even our idea. I thought I knew what the program needed in order to be sustained or improve. Maybe those ideas would have been helpful, but then the program would be ours and the kids would continue to have an indifferent point of view. Now no one was trying to steal snacks because they were now theirs, not ours. Kids are fighting over who gets to clean because they want to be leaders in their program too. Once we were able to put a bit of trust into them they responded in this amazing and mature way. I am very proud of them and hope to see this ownership continue and grow!
          Most veterans of community and leadership development and urban ministry, will tell you not to expect to see a great deal of change right off the bat. This is true, real growth in our underprivileged and resource lacking areas takes many years of prayer and dedication. The Hub is in its first year in Highway City and some amazing roots have been planted and it is our prayer that their growth can be sustained as more future Hubbers come and go—or stay.

Elliot Cavale

Apply your life for one year in Biblical Community, Leadership Development, and Urban Ministry through the Hub or Pink House. Visit www.fiful.org or www.highwaycitycd.com to apply. Applications for the Hub or Pink House 10-month internship are due April 20, 2011. Apply yourself today.

Biblical Community: Orange Insurance

 Biblical Community

            After reading the book Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne a few years ago, I became fascinated with this idea of living with other Christians with the same intentionality.  I looked at his adventures and I wondered what shapes this could take and how it could happen in my own life.  I applied to the Pink House after hearing about it during my time at FPU because this really was the most clear route I could see that would help me get to my goal.  While I did not make it into the Pink House, the Hub was a place that I saw the possibility not as an alternative, but instead, where God truly intended for me to be.  Upon arrival I knew this experience was going to bless me in ways I had never dreamed of and I turned out to be right on all counts.

            Things have not always been perfect around the formerly named “Stonepine Apartments” (The name is currently “The Courtyard at Central Park”). We have had to deal with everything from constantly breaking blinds, no electricity in half the apartment for weeks on end, a freezer that becomes packed with ice once a month to things of more importance.  Neighbors who are so desperate for jobs that they need to find transportation to get hired as a stripper, a roommate who has had his car stolen twice, and still other Hub members who have lost family members.  No matter what the situation, we work through these things together.  One of the most simple, yet beautiful things about the Hub as a community is our willingness to share.  When it comes to transportation, there is no shortage of it within the Hub.  We have bikes and cars that are almost freely interchangeable whenever needed.  If there is food in the fridge or the pantry that looks good, all we need to do is ask and it shall be distributed.  Sharing stuff is not the only area in which we are learning what it means to be stewards of God's Kingdom, but more so sharing life as a whole.

            As it says in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”  We have laughed together (oh boy have we laughed), mourned together, danced together, sung together, rode bikes together, beat-boxed together and processed this life together.  Passing out oranges to the neighborhood kids may seem like a small thing, but because the kids know that we always have oranges they come by our door on a regular basis.  Josiah has come up with something called “Orange Insurance” where if they bring some little thing of food to us (i.e. gogurt, apples, bananas, etc.) we will give them an orange in return, this way they have a sense of trade at a young age instead of looking constantly for hand outs.  Though I can definitely sympathize with Shane in his description of what the early stages of the Simple Way looked like, “Folks drop in all day to say hi, have a safe place to cry or get some water or a blanket.  Sometimes we turn people away or play Rock, Paper, Scissors to see who answers the door on tired days.”  It can be exhausting opening up so much of our lives to our neighbors, but the end result of doing these things for them is worth the effort.  When they come over with questions all about the book of Matthew after having read some of it for the first time.  When they come over asking why we have chosen to remain celibate until we are married and they, in turn, have decided to make that same commitment because of how we answer them.  We tell them that boyfriends should not be treating their girlfriends as objects to be used only for sex, instead, we tell them that each individual is a treasure to God.  When a seventeen year old kid comes over in tears after a fight with his mom asking how he can find God.  This is not just one person from the Hub's stories, these are all of our stories and we are working through them together.

            Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes in his book Life Together, “The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists of listening to them. Just as love of God begins with listening to his word, so the beginning of love for our brothers and sisters is learning to listen to them.”  Even when the dishes have not been done, when books, bags and clothing are left strewn all over the apartment, when the toilet has not been flushed after use the worst crime we can commit within our community is refusing to listen.  The past seven months we have spent together has been a roller coaster ride of trials and celebrations.  I do not know what I would do if it were not for the men in the Hub who have held me accountable for my actions and lifted me up in my triumphs.  None of us knew what we were getting into when we began this ride, but now that it is almost winding down it is just the beginning of our time together.

~Thomas Wise

Apply yourself for one year in Biblical Community, Leadership Development, and Urban Ministry through the Hub or Pink House. Visit www.fiful.org or www.highwaycitycd.com to apply. Applications for the Hub or Pink House 10-month internship are due April 20, 2011. Apply yourself today.

The Hub Recruitment: 2011-2012

Grow as a Christian Leader in the City!

What better way to learn, grow, and develop as an effective urban leader than by living in Biblical Community, Immersed in the Neighborhood, and Engaging Servant-Leadership. The Pink House and The Hub are now recruiting until April 20th. If you or someone you know is ready to explore God’s passion for cities and desire to make leaders out of his disciples, apply at under the “Trainings> Pink House” Tab.

www.fiful.org

A short rest stop and then back on the road again…

A few weekends ago The Hub enjoyed a time of restoration at The Mission House in Madera, California. We are thankful that the Kinabrew family opened their missionary retreat home to us for a short stay. Our weekend consisted of plenty of rest, laughter, breaking of bread, singing, fellowship, prayer, reflection, devotion, worship, breaking of more bread, and watching episodes of Scrubs. We shared stories of how God has changed us in the passed year and how he still continues to work in us. There were stories of conflict and chaos with each other, stories of internal struggles with ourselves, and a lot of jokes. We explained how we can continue to help each other grow and exposed what was hindering our community from growing. Ahead of us is a continuation of loving thy neighbor and only good things if we follow Jesus example.
As of today, we are 60% of the way to the end of The Hub experience. However, I know that this is only the beginning of our lifestyle of intentional community with our neighbors. All of us entered the program knowing that we must love God and we must love our neighbors, but God has revealed to us how much He loves us and our community, and how we must see Jesus when we look into the eyes of our neighbors. It was not easy to get to this point and I don’t think it will be easy until our time on earth is complete. I am still learning every day and even in close quarters I still occasionally fail to love our neighbors. But God is gracious!

Josiah Mariano

Loving Your Neighbor Isn't That Lovely

This evening was "supposed" to be an evening with some friends sharing God's work in our lives, prayer for one another and lifting up the name of Jesus with songs of praise. The evening  started well, sharing stories about our weekend, sharing exciting books that have been recently read, and dining on some homemade bean soup. How could it get any better than this? Church of Acts was happening in our apartment and it was awesome.

It was wonderful and it was only going to get better as the excitement building with anticipation to lift up my God in song!

Unexpected but to no surprise a small complaint from a extra large messenger asked if we could lower the noise above their heads. In respect to our neighbors down below we decided to cut out some instruments and noise in order to keep the peace between our two houses.

Our evening progressed with a time of reflection on the Word and prayers for each other as an alternative to give God praise and our worship.

A couple quite songs wouldn't hurt...right?

We sang one song silently and sang it like a breath of fresh air as a release from our longing desire to sing to our Savior. Then we sang another hoping to continue with songs of praise as we closed our evening.

Just one more song...

One more just to end the night. We sang one more and it was beautiful. It fit right into our understanding of our God who is with us and will meet us where we are.

But it was one song too much for our neighbors down stairs.

"KNOCK, KNOCK" communicated enough that patience had run dry.

As I walked to the door trying to come up with some kind of excuse or apology with the split second I had left before the door fully opened it was already too late.  Slowly the door was open wide and eye contact with a pissed neighbor was locked. Scrambling for words to say he beat me to the punch. (Don't worry I do not mean that literally, just in case you wondering their was no  brawl at Stone Pine this night)

With a cigarette at hand hoping that the nicotine would be enough to keep him calm my neighbor's words with exhaust from his smoke, "Look man, I f!$^=# asked nicely. My baby is trying to sleep. I asked for you guys to f!$^=# be quiet!"

My response, "sorry man."

Well, there was really nothing I could say to fix what happened but if I can be honest there were plenty of words I was fighting with to say. But we decided to end their and relocate our time at another place. I said my good nights and gave hugs as people left to find myself in front of the computer just to share what God put on my heart.

Living at the Hub has shaken all my preconceived notions of what Jesus said to be the greatest commandments: "loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength" and "loving your neighbor as yourself." The first part of this commandment aligns our hearts, restores our souls, gives us theology, and the means to put our faith into action. The second part gives God permission to break our hearts in order to earnestly listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, challenges our theology and surrenders our will be done to His Kingdom come.

Outside my balcony at O-223.