Redeem KC

"So where was the church?"...thoughts from a conversation

2014-02-18T10:40:00.000-08:00

Since Stephanie and I moved to our new home in a new community we have been asked many questions. Some of these questions have been: "How is the new home?", "How is the community?", "Have you met your neighbors", "Do you feel safe?"...etc.
This weekend while answering one of these questions I was then asked about the history of the community. This was because the current state of our community seemed so different than the community that we were currently in. It is so close in proximity, yet seems worlds apart. For my friend there was a huge disconnect because she has no relationships in the inner city. I am not saying this is wrong, this has just been her reality and the reality of many others that I talk to.

I shared some of Ivanhoe's story: A community that once was thriving but has since suffered the loss of half its residents due to homes being demolished for a highway, the rise of drugs and crime, the closings of schools, redlining, poverty, etc. After sharing a brief history my friend asked a great question "So, where was the church?" She was right, where was the church? How could we allow our communities to get to this point? Good question, right?

To answer my friends questions I had two thoughts. First, as hard as it may seem for us looking back, the church was present. In inner city communities the African American church never left. It has been a force for good and a voice calling for justice for the poor and oppressed. It was a refuge and safe place during difficult times. My second thought was, sadly, many churches outside of these communities were either silent while all this was going on or ignorant of them because these issues didn't touch their communities. It's like the saying "Out of sight, out of mind.".

My take away from my short conversation is that I can be guilty of looking back and asking the same question: "Where was the church?". Casting judgment on my brothers and sisters who were silent or who carried on in ignorance and ignored those who are close to God's heart. But the question that is harder to ask is "Where is the church today on issues of justice?" This is harder. It's easier to look back in judgment than it is to be concerned about the things that God cares about today. Things like poverty, sex trafficking, homelessness, fatherlessness, racism, discrimination, etc. I know these issues have always been and will be with us as long as there is sin in the world, but an overflow of the Spirit of God working in us should result in us engaging society and confronting the injustices around us.

I want to be clear, there are churches and organizations doing great work in this area. But we have to continue to ask God to help us love the way he would love those in our cities if he walked these streets. How would Jesus love my neighborhood if he were here? How would he love our city? How would he love our neighbors? How would he love you?...

My prayer is that we will be a generation that will not sit back, but will embrace our call to stand with the poor and distressed. Emptying ourselves, so that our God and King will be seen clearer. My fear for the church is that we are too easily distracted and can be influenced by the current consumer culture. This results in us keeping our physical distance from the poor and marginalized because they don't offer the things we think valuable. This is a lie. Again, not speaking about all churches, but the pursuit of power and recognition has distracted many from their true call.

So, where is the church?

"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."

"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."

"Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings." (Isaiah 58: 9-12)

Early Christmas Gift

2013-12-13T08:58:00.000-08:00

So we have been in our new home for a month, and the reality of how we got here is starting to sink in. If you didn't hear, someone bought us a house in the Ivanhoe neighborhood (I wrote about it in my last blog post). We are settled in for the most part, and have had some friends and my parents come to stay with us. It's so awesome to have enough space for friends and family to stay with us at the same time!

We have met most of our neighbors and are really excited about the relationships that will be made in our community. There are good people here. Regardless of the negative things that are said or assumed about our community, there is good here and we are glad to join the work that is been done.

Our new home is definitely an undeserved gift that we will use for ministry in our community. We look forward to the conversations that we will have around our dinner table, the small groups in our living room, and the shelter that will be provided for children who need a safe place.This gift is a reminder for us on this Christmas season of how God gives good gifts to his children. So we thank God for our new home...and thank God for sending His Son, Jesus.

Have a great Christmas!

This is really happening!

2013-10-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

God works in ways I don't understand. He has done just that in the past few months. After months of looking, waiting, and praying we have closed on a house in the Ivanhoe Neighborhood! We have a friend who has joined us on this journey, so we have been looking for two houses close to each other. She is excited about what God is doing, and we are so excited to have her join us!

This has been an eyeopening journey for us as we have gotten first hand experience of what families across the City must feel as they look for a homes in communities with hundreds of abandoned homes and vancant lots, but not enough resources (financial and relational) to be able to buy one.

So this is how it worked out for us: Since we are now becoming friends with the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association, we were able to get connected to Habitat for Humanity who offered to sell two of their vacant homes (that were right next to each other) to us for a great price....a really great price. This was the relational connection for us. Though this was an awesome opportunity and a great deal, Stephanie and I still needed financial help to buy a home. This is where our friend who will be moving into the house next door saved the day! She has a friend who has been blessed financially, and he offered to buy both homes (one for us and one for our friend) and rehab them! Crazy!!! God is using his people to provide a home for us!

So thanks to the relational connection through the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association with Habitat for Humanity, and the financial connection through a friend of a friend, we are on our way to making Ivanhoe our new home! Stay tuned for pics and updates on our progress as we begin our journey of making this community our new home.

Student or Teacher...?

2013-08-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

Last week I began my journey as a new faculty member at Carver Bible College. Carver is a Bible college located in South Kansas City and was established as a school for African American church leaders as a result of segregation. Carver has trained some of Kansas City's well known leaders in the African American Church. One of those leaders is my good friend Dr. Antoine Richardson, who is now the president of Carver.

Before looking into this opportunity I had to answer the question: "Could this position help prepare me for a future church plant?" The answer is Yes! Yes because this would be my opportunity to be a student. A student of the history of the African American Church, a student of the culture, and a student of the leaders who have served in these churches who will be in my class each week.

As we concluded the class, one of my students stayed behind to share a little of his experience as a leader in his church. He shared his desire to see more small groups launched in his church that will empower the members to be on mission in their communities. As we talked, he affirmed me for taking this position because I bring a different perspective and he was confident that this would be a learning opportunity for us all.
The beautiful thing about all this is that my class has already become a place of mutual learning, so we are all the student and the teacher.

To learn more about Carver go to: http://carverbiblecollegekc.org/

Mind the Generation Gap

2013-08-09T09:45:00.003-07:00

While we were in London this summer we traveled everywhere on the London Underground. On the platform of every underground station you can read the words "Mind the Gap". This is a reminder and a warning to pay attention as you get on and off the train. For those who don't see these words on the platform, there is a clear announcement from speakers that say "Mind the Gap". With all this warning people still trip and get injured because they don't listen to the warning signs.

Since coming back to Kansas City we have continued to build more relationships with the leaders of the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association. We have also been asked to lead the Teen Council, which we are looking forward to. Good things are definitely happening, but there is something I am learning in the process. There is a generation gap between the leaders of the community and the youth. There seems to be a generation gap across so many areas...in communities, churches, and homes.

The question we have to answer is "How do we bridge this growing generation gap?" We cannot ignore or disregard our youth just because we don't understand their style, language, music, etc. I believe in the youth, and I believe they are a valuable asset to our communities. The media will continue to show negative images of black teens on the plaza, but I have been told by some of those very teens that they have no place to go in their own communities, and they don't feel like anyone is listening to them.

So here are a few questions for us all to ponder:

What if the teens were not the problem?
What if there were more safe places for young people to go?
What could happen in our communities if we stopped focusing on the symptoms of deeper issues?
What if we as adults took the time to listen to the youth and were role models for them to follow?
What would it look like if the Church left its buildings and was a tangible expression of the Gospel in these communities?

There are people who are working hard to bridge the generation gap, but we need many more who will join this movement of raising the next generation of young leaders to be change agents within their communities.

Will we listen to the warning signs..."Mind the Gap".

Homes in the Hood

2013-07-05T12:27:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I was eating breakfast with a friend at a restaurant in Kansas City's Midtown. While eating breakfast and catching up with my friend we began to have a conversation with our server, Meghan. Our conversation began with how long she had been working at the restaurant, then moved on to family. Finally we began to talk about the needs within her community. Meghan, her husband, and their two kids live in Ivanhoe. She asked the question "How can we be surrounded by so many empty houses in my neighborhood, and there are so many homeless people on the street ?" I thought this was a great question, but we had no answer to give her that morning. She was right, there are hundreds of abandoned homes in the urban core of Kansas City.

Some homes have been torn down leaving vacant lots, resulting in overgrown bushes, areas of the city seeming abandoned, void of life and hope. Our new friend Meghan is currently renting a house in the Ivanhoe community. I asked her if she would stay in the area if she could buy her own home. She said yes. She would be willing to stay and invest in the community. She also said she would like to see more locally owned stores. Again, I agreed with her, but that is a conversation for another blog post.

There are many abandoned homes that the city desires to get off their hands for a low cost. The reality that a person from this community could afford to buy, then pay to fix it up to be livable is unlikely. This is the challenge Stephanie and I see as we look for a home in this community. Not only do we have to have all the relational networks in place to get the home, we must also show that we have all the financial means to pay for a complete renovation of a house. I do see the importance of this process, but I also have more understanding of how a hard working mother like Meghan would struggle to own her own home in a city with hundreds of vacant houses.

In Kansas City there is hope for families like Meghan's who want to own their own home. As we continue this journey of looking for a home in the Ivanhoe community we are learning more and more about organizations that try to help families get to the point where they can own their own home. This is a good thing, but there are lots of other families who don't have the relational connections or financial resources.

After walking away from our talk with Meghan I couldn't help but wonder how a new church plant in that community could play a role in helping people own their own homes?

I guess we will have to wait and see.

Home away from Home

2013-06-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

Last month I had the opportunity to go back to my homeland of London, England. I was so excited to be back home because I had not been back in over three years. I have missed my family and the big city so much! But even more than that, I was excited to be back and show Stephanie where I grew up, and how London has so much more to offer than the stereotypes seen on TV here in the US. Which get on my nerves...just sayin'. To answer a few of the questions I get asked: Yes, there are black people in London. No, I'm not African American, and yes we have "hoods". How do I know?...well... because I'm black, both of my parents are Jamaican, and I didn't grow up in the suburbs. OK..I'm done venting.

We spent two weeks walking the streets, talking to the people, and seeing the sights of this beautiful city. Honestly, having Stephanie with me allowed me to see my city in a completely different light. London is a melting pot of culture and diversity, which I always knew, but I was able to see how God has been working in the city over hundreds of years, and now there are churches being planted. In the midst of London's rich diversity and culture, God is doing a new thing. We met with a church planter who is starting a new church in Brixton, which is the same area that I grew up. Brixton, once known for its large Jamaican population and high crime is now a thriving community. As someone who knew these streets when people thought nothing good came out of this community, it is awesome see that the church is also engaged in building the community.

On Sundays we worshiped at my home church which is made up of English, Filipino, and Jamaican families. This was refreshing and very different to my church experience in the U.S where the churches I have been in have been almost all white or all black. This is not to say that there are not diverse churches in America, but from my limited time in Kansas City the church is still working through the issues of race. Not that my home church is perfect, but It was a reminder that people of different cultures can come together on a Sunday morning because of a mutual love for Jesus.

Stephanie and I celebrated our second anniversary while we were in London, and to celebrate our family put together a reception for us. It was awesome! I had family and friends I hadn't seen in a long time come out and show us love. It was a great time of celebration and vision casting as I shared how Stephanie and I met, and how we feel called to start new churches in under resourced communities. Family and friends blessed us with words of encouragement and affirmation.

Coming back to Kansas City I had to wrestle with mixed emotions. Emotions of feeling homesick, but also a renewed sense of self because I had spent time with "my people". It is easy for me to get so focused on the work we are doing here in Kansas City, but going home was a reminder that God is working to change hearts across the world. The Kingdom of God reaches far beyond our participation in the movement. Thank God for those moments of realizing the reality of it all. That thought makes it easier to be used by God here in Kansas City, which is my home away from home.

Untapped: DeVos Urban Leadership Reunion 2013

2013-05-03T13:45:00.002-07:00

We are in Houston, Texas at the DeVos Urban Leadership reunion with about 300 other graduates and their spouses. Stephanie graduated from the program in 2009 with 11 other urban youth workers from Kansas City. This program picks 12 leaders who work with youth in urban communities around the country for a 15 month training program, where they are equipped to be more effective in serving their youth.

Every 3 years DeVos has a reunion where graduates and their spouses are invited to rest and be encouraged by speakers like Dr. Perkins, who is an example to us all who have decided to work with youth and raise up leaders in under resourced communities. Dr. Perkins has been leading our morning devotions by breaking down the qualities of a leader in the urban context.

We have connected with old friends and have made new ones. This is a great program, and we are both honored to be here with such great people!

Follow me...not on Twitter.

2013-04-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

I must confess, I've had a Twitter account for close to four years now and I think I have only signed in once. I'm not sure if I like the idea "following" people, or having people "follow" me. I know this is a great tool for networking and staying connected, I guess this idea of following people leaves me asking why. Why should I follow someone, and why would anybody follow me? If you think I'm being too anti social media stick with me, hopefully this will make sense soon.

For the past two weeks as a staff we have been reading and discussing Paul's letter to the Philippians. This has allowed me to take two weeks to chew on Paul's words and really wrestle with how I view God, His Church, my relationships, and myself. One thing really struck me as I read Paul's words, and it was on the issue of "following".

Paul says "Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you." Philippians 3:17

The reason why this struck me is because I am in a season of "following" a lot of different leaders. I have been given this great opportunity at Restore to do a leadership residency to learn as much about church planting before Stephanie and I plant in the city. I am following leaders because they are "successful". They have planted churches that are growing and making disciples. There are some who have formed models for ministry that I have great respect for and am always learning from. But then there's Paul, the greatest church planter the church has ever known. He writes to this church in Philippi and he tells them to follow his example. He tells them to follow his life. Paul challenged whole churches to be more concerned about their love for Jesus, and real transformation than a strategy on how to grow a ministry.

Before Paul tells the church to follow his example he says these words "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship and sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." Paul wanted the church to follow his example, even in this. I wonder, if Paul had a Twitter account would anybody follow him. And I also wonder if I really want to follow Paul's example. Do I really want to know Christ in such an intimate way that I would share in his suffering, becoming like him in his death?! I honestly don't know. And that concerns me. This actually concerns me when I look across the scope of church planting because honestly these are questions we don't really consider. Maybe because we would rather follow the successful leader than follow the imprisoned apostle. Following Paul may result in harsh rejection, labelled as an extremist among other church planters who aim to be culturally relevant which is not a bad thing, but the Gospel message is offensive and will be rejected by some. On the other hand, following Paul could reveal the sweet reality of what a life and ministry completely surrendered to Jesus could look like. It could mean we really experience the power of the resurrection in ourselves and the people around us.

I say all this, not to discredit Twitter or the leaders that I know and have great respect for. I say all this because I want to focus on the most important things. I want to make sure my motives stay pure and that I don't follow people for the wrong reasons. Finally, I say all this because I one day want to be able to say to the people I lead "follow me". Not because of anything I have done or because I am perfect, but because above everything else I want to know Christ.

"Just some common folk"...on mission

2013-04-05T12:34:00.000-07:00

This week Stephanie and I had a meeting with one of the leaders of the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association, Yolanda Young. We were both looking forward to sitting with her and hearing more of her story. A few of our friends in the area had told us how Yolanda and her husband after moving to the area in the late 80's were involved in the closing of hundreds of drug houses in the community.
This married couple, along with other people in the community, walked the streets in an effort to reclaim these blocks from the brokenness that surrounds so many inner city communities. They were on a mission to help bring Shalom (Peace) to a community where youth had lost their sense of identity and people were looking for hope.
As we sat with Yolanda we asked her to share her story, then she said something that will stick with me for a long time. She said "This is not my story...this is God's story. We are just some common folk that God used."
That statement summed up our whole conversation. I was humbled by her humility, and reminded that God is looking for some "common folk" to be obedient so He can do awesome things.
My prayer today is that I will aspire to be "common folk" so I can get out the way for a powerful God to work. We are so glad to have met Yolanda and the rest of the good people of the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association.

Youth, Family Life, and Education

2013-03-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

Stephanie and I were invited to join the Youth, Family Life,and Education committee in the Ivanhoe neighborhood. This is a community that is still working to recover from years of neglect and abandonment, but the members of the community association are very optimistic. Last week we went to our first meeting and were so encouraged by our time with our new friends. This is a community of people who are trusting God to make things happen, and bring the right people to make this a thriving community for families.

During the meeting we discussed how we could inform the families about the programs that are available for the youth, and decided that as a group we needed to get out and meet all the youth in the area. So in our next meeting we will be planning a neighborhood canvassing, then we will be going door to door to meet families.

The Ivanhoe community is in the center of the city, and is made up of 400 square blocks. Because of a number of reasons people have moved out of the community so there are only 6,000 people currently living in the area. We have also learnt that all of the schools in Ivanhoe have been closed. This means that within the 400 blocks that make up Ivanhoe there aren't a lot of options for kids. So we are excited to be on a team that will engage the youth and build relationships with them. We can't wait to see what the Spring and Summer will bring in Ivanhoe.

I am Ruined - A thought from Stephanie

2013-03-15T14:07:00.003-07:00

"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the twelve. Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:67-69)

These words have been in my heart and mind for the last week. Peter's words have resonated deeply within me. Jesus had just given one of his hardest and weirdest teachings where he told people that basically to have life they had to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Talk about vampires and crazy stuff...this is a little out there and creepy right? As a result of him saying this, most of the people that had been following him left. They said "this is a hard teaching...who can accept this?" And then they turned back and no longer followed him. To that, Jesus' asks his questions to the twelve apostles: "Are you gonna leave too?"

When I hear Peter's response, I don't hear it in a bold, take on the world, save the day type of tone. I hear a gentle, humble and even scared reply of "where would we go?" Yeah, what you just said is confusing and weird and a little scary, but where else are we going to go? What would we do? We've already left everything, we've already seen and experienced too much of you to go back to just doing what we used to.

I guess in a way, that is what I feel like. Over the last year or so I have seen and experienced God doing some crazy things in my life. I have gotten to be a part of things that are bigger than myself. I have found a sense of identity and freedom in trying to do the best I can to seek first His Kingdom and leave the things of the world behind. I am learning to leave behind the things other people tell me I should care about and instead, I am trying to pursue the things and people that God cares about.

I have experienced the humbling feeling of having no idea how things would get taken care of financially, only to have friends and family "randomly" provide for us. We have always been taken care of. God continually uses his people to take care of us and it is always in perfect timing. I have also seen doors open for relationships that I could have never planned on my own. I have experienced freedom.

There is freedom in not feeling pressure to uphold an image that the world says we should have. There is freedom in not feeling like I have to do something really cool in order to have value. There is freedom in knowing that my identity is in who I am in Christ and in trying to live life like Jesus did - loving God and loving people.

So, like Peter, I too have been ruined. I have been ruined by the experiences I have had in the few moments when I do get it right and pursue the things that God cares about. In those moments I experience him and get a glimpse of what life can be like if I do put His Kingdom first. And when I see that, there is no way I can go back to settling with how things used to be. The things of this world are no longer satisfying. I cannot settle to go back to make more money, or have more stuff, or to be more absorbed in myself or to try to define myself by the "good things" that I do. I am ruined.

Now, do I know exactly what the future holds for us? Nope. Am I scared sometimes? Yes. Do I get things right every time? Absolutely not. However, I share in Peter's reply - "Lord, to whom shall I go? You have the words of eternal life. I believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.

So what about you? Have you been ruined?

Rest and Reconciliation

2013-03-08T12:59:00.001-08:00

On Sunday I had the opportunity to speak at Restore Community Church. I had a great time doing a little rap (you can find that on my Facebook page) and speaking on the word "Back". This word is taken from our mission at Restore which is "Helping People Find Their Way Back To God". This has been our teaching series for the past 5 weeks, and I was happy to be given the opportunity to share what God has been teaching me about this word "Back".
I'm really passionate about the idea of looking back because it forces us to look at a story that is bigger than our own individual one. It helps us to answer the questions "Why are things in the world so broken?" and "Is this the way things are supposed to be?" We only find the answers to these question when we look back to the Fall, when we were separated from God as a result of disobedience in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). The good news is that God refuses to leave us separated from him. He sends his son, Jesus to remove that separation by paying a price that we could never pay. His own sinless life. This is how we are brought "back" to God, this is the Gospel.
As a result God sends us out to join him on his mission to bring people back to him. Paul says in 2 Corinthians that we are given the "Ministry of Reconciliation". This is our mission as God's people but we are easily distracted, we are fearful, and sometimes we just don't think its our job or "calling" so we settle for living a mediocre life instead of being a part of something greater than ourselves.
We often overlook the other side to this same coin of reconciliation. God has also removed the separation that divides us as people. Our ministry of reconciliation crosses racial, economic, cultural, and yes, even political lines for people of all backgrounds to be brought back to God and one another. So what I'm saying is, get to know someone that doesn't look like you or invite someone of a different economic background over for dinner. Get out of your social bubble! Because as long as you "stick with your own" you will be missing out on what other people who bear the image of God have to offer. Reconciliation should result in a mutual friendship from both parties. This can be messy at times, but is worth the risk.

So, after having an amazing Sunday with my Restore family Stephanie and I flew out to Virginia Beach to spend a few days with some more family. Scott and Brittany (Stephanie's brother and his fiance) live in Philadelphia so Stephanie's parents, Stephanie, and I flew out to Virginia. We had a great time relaxing and getting refreshed as we ate good food, enjoyed each others company and watched some good movies. Did I say we ate good food?!
It was awesome!

A thought about trusting people to be the Church

2013-03-01T12:37:00.000-08:00

Stephanie and I have both made a decision that we will do a leadership residency at Restore Community Church with the hope of planting a healthy church in Kansas City, Missouri. We have both turned down ministry opportunities here in Kansas City and in Chicago because we believe that God is leading us to start something new. As part of my training I am learning the art of fund raising. I can say that this is the hardest part of the residency for me for a number of reasons, but mainly because I am very independent and at first did not understand the real reason behind fund raising. I have learnt that fundraising is more than a check to pay the bills, but it is an invitation for people to be a part of something that is way bigger than ourselves. By fundraising I am inviting people to join the mission of planting the Gospel in the heart of our city.

I had a friend challenge me on my independence and how that leads to me worrying about money. As we were talking on the phone one day he said "You need to allow God's people to be the Church!"
This struck me, and helped me to understand the opportunity I have to help people to grow in generosity. I learnt that God wants to work in his people to bless Stephanie and I. And this has definitely been the case. We know God has moved his people because we seem to get exactly what we need at just the right time. In fact, just this week we received a gift from our friend who challenged me to "allow God's people to be the Church" and it was just as were about to begin worrying.

I have a long way to go on this journey of fund raising thing, but I can definitely see how God is leading his people to partner with us in this mission and be the Church.

Engage

2013-02-15T09:17:00.002-08:00

This week I was asked to lead a discussion at Engage, which is a mentoring program for boys at Oak Park High School. The topic this week was "Waging Peace".
I invited my friend Michael to tell his story, and help me lead the discussion with the group of students and teachers. God has radically transformed Michael's life. He shared with the boys how at an early age he got influenced by older guys in his neighborhood here in Kansas City which resulted in him heading down the wrong path, going to jail, and getting shot. He talked openly about his mistakes and how now God is making him a new man through his relationship with Jesus.
As a result of his transparency the boys began to open up about how they navigate the hard times in their lives. We talked about the importance of community, and one of the teachers asked Micheal to share more about how his faith has impacted his decisions and how he deals with hard times.
Michael and I meet weekly to talk about being a follower of Jesus and how that applies to daily life. This week Stephanie and I had dinner with Michael, his wife Anna, and their kids. We are so excited to see how God is working in their family, and how our friendship is changing me.

On Mission?

2013-02-08T12:49:00.001-08:00

This week I had the opportunity to join some church leaders in Kansas City in a training with Hugh Halter. Hugh is a leading voice in the Missional Movement and is the author of Sacrilege, AND , and Tangible Kingdom. I have always been interested in the missional conversation because it revolves around the idea of the Missio Dei (Mission of God). God is a missionary God. He sent Jesus into the world (Incarnation) to save us, the Apostles were sent to make disciples, and we are sent to continue that work. We gather on the Lord's day to remember his sacrifice then we scatter to be and bring Good News in our homes, communities and places of work. Mission is not only assigned to those who are called to foreign countries, though this is important. Every follower of Jesus is called to be on mission.

I love these times of training, and I have great respect for what guys like Hugh Halter have done to train leaders. I am left asking the question: Who are the people in Kansas City's poorest communities who are already doing this stuff? Who are those unknown missionaries who are not interested in writing books or teaching classes because they are busy doing the work? (I'm not saying that Hugh is not doing the work, he is doing great work!)
Who are those people who would be confused if you brought up the idea of being "On Mission" because as far as they are concerned to be a Christian is to be "On Mission"?

These are questions that I am constantly asking myself because I think the inner city has many people who would be considered to be on mission, but their stories are not being told. As I connect with more people in the city and prepare to plant a church, I will work on collecting the untold stories of the people who are on mission in the city and with their permission share them through this blog. God is at work everywhere, even in the places that seem hopeless. We have the opportunity to join him on His mission!

It's Not Political...

2013-02-01T13:02:00.000-08:00

This month in Kansas City we have had too many shootings. Between Monday and Wednesday of this past week we have had 7 shootings. Like many other inner cities in America it is not uncommon to hear of gun violence, but this week I have been asking myself the question: "What is the church's role in the community, especially when it comes to the issue of gun violence?" I ask this question because these incidents happen in the community where we are looking to plant a church. For me, this is not a political issue, it's spiritual.

Other questions I ask:

What difference will another church make in the community?
How can the church help to prevent these shootings instead of reacting to the loss of a life?
Shouldn't God's people have more influence in a community than the influence of gangs and drugs?
What would happen if the pain of the city became all of our pain and more Christians moved into these communities to partner with the work that is already been done?

I don't have all the answers, and I'm not saying that nothing is being done by churches in the city, but I do think there is more that can be done. Fear has a grip on far too many of us. Whether you are in the suburbs or in the hood this is our problem. We can all be a part of the solution, because we are all one Church.

Its Small Group Time!

2013-01-18T13:00:00.000-08:00

This week Stephanie and I kicked off our new small group at Restore! We have been looking forward to starting since we announced it a few weeks ago, but we were a little anxious about who would show up since we are so new to Restore and are still meeting people.

There were 19 of us on our first night. We are 19 young adults who are all looking for community, and are wrestling through what means to live and be engaged in the Kingdom of God. We will be going through the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. We are all excited about being encouraged and challenged in our love for God and others.

I am so excited to see what God will do in our group over these next 13 weeks. I am praying for leaders to emerge who I can apprentice and send out to lead their own groups. I am praying that people will find deep community and for 2/3 groups to be formed which are for discipleship. And I am praying that those with doubts will move further along in their spiritual journey. Lets go!

Church Planting is More than Preaching and Teaching?

2013-01-11T14:19:00.002-08:00

This week I had a meeting about my progress at Restore as a leadership resident. I am doing this residency at Restore with the intention of planting a healthy, reproducing church in the inner city within a few years. My meeting was really encouraging, but there was definitely a few moments of me being challenged in a good way. The challenge this week came in the form of a question. "How are you developing in the areas of Leadership, Influence, Organization, and Execution?" To be honest I thought these were all the same, but after discussing them a little more I realized that these four areas will look different especially in the world of church planting.

So what are those differences and how do I plan to grow in these areas?

Leadership & Influence
Leadership and influence are both tied closely together. One thing I am learning is that you can be a great leader, but without putting yourself in places to lead you will never have influence. Now, I'm not saying that I am a great leader, but I have been in different forms of leadership. Until recently I have had no influence at Restore because I have not placed myself in situations to lead.
Leadership + Opportunity = Influence. This takes time.
I will be able to grow in my leadership and influence by speaking on Sundays, leading our guest services teams, and leading our new small group that will begin next week.

Organization & Execution
Organization and Execution were the two areas that I had not given much thought to. In order to plant a church there will have to be a launch team. A launch team will be made of people who will lead different areas of ministry. The success of this will depend on my organizational skills and leadership. I will be growing in this area as I begin to lead areas of our guest services. This is a complex ministry with a lot of moving parts, so organization is a must.
I am leading the launch of our prayer room. We have planned how we will get the word out and how we will schedule people, now all that is left is the execution. Without execution there is nothing but meetings and planning, and we miss out on people finding their way back to God and growing in Him.

This residency is definitely challenging at times but I love a good challenge and I am excited to see how God will use all of this to grow his Kingdom in the inner city.

New Thing Gathering - Self Leadership

2012-12-14T12:53:00.000-08:00

Last week a few of us from Restore flew out to Chicago to attend our New Thing gathering at Community Christian Church. New Thing is the network of churches that we are a part of, all with the same passion for disciple making and church planting. It was a huge encouragement to learn how God is at work here in the U.S and in places as far as Eastern Europe. This was a great time of vision casting and connecting with other church planters.

During one the sessions Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Church was interviewed and asked questions by the audience. He was asked "What advice would you give to young leaders?" His answer to this question was very sobering for me. He answered this question by telling us his greatest concern for young leaders which is our lack of self leadership. He went on to tell us that this is something his staff has been working on because they see the importance of healthy leaders if they are going to be good leaders of Willow Creek.

So what is self leadership? I have learnt from other leaders that the leadership of self is a journey and never a destination. This journey is intentional growth and reflection in the areas of Relational Intelligence, Physical health, Spiritual formation, and our Mental health. When leaders take their growth in all these areas seriously they will be more successful in leadership of others. My goal for the new year is to be more intentional in my self leadership. Are you with me?

Healthy leaders reproduce healthy leaders, healthy churches reproduce healthy churches.

A Reason to be Thankful

2012-11-30T12:58:00.004-08:00

Two weeks ago my parents flew out to Kansas City to spend some time with us for Thanksgiving. Now, I know we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in the UK, but it is always good to have some more family around for the holidays. I have to confess that I haven't done my research on the story of Thanksgiving but I can always benefit from taking a moment to pause from my busy schedule and count the reasons to be thankful.

After spending the past two weeks with my parents, I am reminded of the many reasons I am thankful for them. I am thankful for how they always come and bless us with some needed money. I am thankful for home cooked food that reminds me of home and my parents' Jamaican roots. I am thankful for how my parents support our vision to plant a church in the inner city here in Kansas City. But, I would have to say that the real reason I am thankful for my parents is because they both love Jesus, his people, and his mission.

As I sit here and write this I can't help but wonder where I would have ended up if it wasn't for my parents' commitment to Christ.
What if they would have given up on the church?
What if they would have stopped praying for me during my teenage years?
I can't say for sure, but I am confident that based on the environment that I was surrounded by as a teenager, it was my parents faith and prayers that helped me find my way back to God.

I spend a lot of my time with young men who have in the past, or are currently making bad choices. As I look into their eyes and talk about their choices and situations, in a weird way, I see myself. In most of these cases these young men didn't have both parents at home let alone both parents that Love Jesus.

Mum and Dad, thank you.

Thankful for New Opportunities (Update from Stephanie)

2012-11-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

God continues to surprise me with opportunities He presents and work He lets me be a part of. A little over a year ago when I began working for City Union Mission I was sure that was a door He opened for me. Over the last year while working there I have had the opportunity to meet some amazing people, have been challenged and stretched to work on areas in my own life and have learned more about homelessness and resources in Kansas City.

Now I feel I am in another place of opportunity and am just as sure that God is opening this door as well. About a month ago, the leaders at Restore approached me and asked if I would be interested in a position working with them in their student ministry. They have had an opening for a Student Community Director and have been praying about who the person would be to fill that position. They also were thinking about what they could do to help develop me during the time Darryl is working with them doing his residency over the next 2 years and this seemed to be a possible solution. In this position I will be working with the leaders who lead the students. I will learn how to recruit, develop and coach people in leadership and work on growing in leadership myself. I will have an amazing woman who will coach me and help develop me during this time as well.

I was very excited about this opportunity for many reasons:

1. I love students and have always desired to have a job working with young people.

2. This position seemed to very specifically focus on areas in my life that I know I still need to grow in. After Darryl and I attended the church planter’s assessment in February, they gave us each individual development plans for the next 2 years. Most of the things that were suggested for me are areas that I can work on in this position.

3. It scares me and excites me at the same time. I was so excited but also scared as I know it will challenge me and take me out of my comfort zone.

4. I think it will help to prepare me for our church plant and is best for our long term goals. While serving in this position I will also get to learn more about church planting and grow and develop in areas which I believe will prepare me for the church we plant in the future.

So, of course I said yes and accepted the position! However, it was a sad transition saying goodbye at the mission. I am continuing to work there one day a week until my replacement starts. I am thankful for my time there, for those I met, and for all I learned.

I began last week with Restore and I love it. There are so many amazing leaders serving the students and I have enjoyed meeting many of them already. I am looking forward to learning with them and working with them to help students find their way back to God and to mobilize Christ followers to the mission of Jesus.

I am thankful for the ways God continues to bring opportunities and people into our life. It continues to be an exciting journey that we are on! We are thankful for your prayers and support as you partner with us on this journey. To learn more about what we are doing, email: darrylanswer@msn.com

Three Magic Words

2012-11-16T16:16:00.000-08:00

This week I had a meeting with my mentor, friend, and the lead pastor of Restore Community Church, Troy McMahon to discuss my residency. Now, I love sitting down with more experienced leaders because I know this will make me a better leader,but there are those occasional meetings when I am shown that some of my choices are motivated by fear and pride. The truth is, sometimes I think I am being independent when I make choices with my life, but the reality is I have a hard time saying the three magic words. I NEED HELP. The scariest part for me in this realization is that I didn't know it was fear and pride that stopped me from asking my friends for help. I just thought to myself "I need to figure this situation out on my own". But I never stopped to ask myself why? Why do I need to figure this out on my own when I am surrounded by such a great team of people? Is it because I am independent, or is it because I am afraid that people with think less of me? I think it may be the latter on this occasion.

I can't help but think about the story Jesus told of the servants who were given talents according to their ability. One was given five talents, and returned five more to his master. The second was given two talents, and returned two more. Both were blessed to hear the words "Well done, good and faithful servant!" The third and final servant was given only one talent, but because he was afraid of his master he decided to hide the one talent resulting in a harsh rebuke. I wonder what would have happened if that third servant would have humbled himself and asked the other two servants for help?

This week has been a eye opener for me as I continue these early stages of leadership and am given the responsibility to manage a few "talents" at Restore. I will work to be faithful with a few, so one day I can manage much for the glory of God. I just have to remember to ask for help, especially when I am surrounded by a great team of people that I trust.

Don't you wish there was a Restart button?

2012-11-09T15:33:00.002-08:00

Its been 10 years since I became a follower of Jesus. I remember standing with some friends at the end of a CIY (Christ in Youth) Conference in Idaho with a heart filled with gratitude. I told God that he could use my life in whatever way he wanted. "I am yours...use me." was my prayer that night. A friend of mine gave me a book that same week, and in that book he wrote some words that have helped me on this journey of discipleship. He wrote "Darryl, Jesus loves you and his grace gives us the freedom to come back to him when we mess up. Never forget that you can always press the restart button". Since then my friend has passed away, but those words have been a constant comfort to me. Knowing that the grace and love of God allows me to start over gives me hope because I don't have to stay where I am.

I have to be honest, this week has not been my best. You can ask Stephanie, this week I have allowed my schedule to get the better of me resulting in me being super tired and short with the people that are closest to me. Can you relate? But the good news for us is that we can always "press the restart button". We have a Father that will forgive all of our mistakes when we come to him. Not only does God forgive, but when we come to him he never leaves us. There is hope because we all have the freedom to come back to God and "press the restart button".

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord" Acts 3:19

Broken relationships and the choices we make.

2012-11-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

We have all experienced in one way or another the issues that come along with broken relationships. What I mean by broken relationships are those connections that we have with people that are fragmented as a result of selfishness, jealousy, anger, etc. If we are honest with ourselves, all of our relationships experience some form of dysfunction as a result of our own brokenness.

This week I was invited to discuss this topic with a group of boys in a mentoring program at Oak Park High School. I brought my friends Lucas and Michael along with me to lead the workshop. Lucas and I work together at Restore. Michael grew up in the inner city, and has recently become a follower of Jesus. We had a great discussion talking about the ingredients of healthy relationships and then about the ingredients that make up our broken relationships. We also talked about how our relationships influence the choices we make.

We answered these three questions:

How does my relationship with my parents influence the choices I make?
How does my relationship with my girlfriend influence the choices I make?
How does my relationship with my friends influence the choices I make?

We concluded our time with a challenge for us all to take home. We all agreed not to use our broken relationships as an excuse for making poor choices. One of the guys shared that as a result of bad relationships modeled in his family he will not continue the cycle of brokenness but will intentionally reach out to others who may need a friend.

We had a great time with the group and were invited to lead another workshop next month. We are excited to see where this will lead us as we bring the Good News to our schools.