Check out the new blog at
www.reachbaltimore.org
Cheers!
People of every background and Faith
Who do we love the most? I find myself asking this question almost everyday as I drive, walk, and live in Baltimore City. Do I love the white guy missing teeth and looking very dirty shaking a cup of change at me from the front stoop of a condemned church? Do I love the black guy who looks at me with what appears to be anger as he walks past my car. Do I love the poor who sit under the windows of buildings throughout the city with nothing but a bag of belongings? Do I love the wealthy families who live in huge mansions that I jog past in the morning? Essentially I have to ask if I love every person despite their beliefs, their history, there economic situation, their looks, their smell, and their effect on my ability to reach this city? If I'm to answer this question honestly I have to say sometimes. Sometimes I love all of these people but not all the time. Sometimes I serve but sometimes I self serve. Sometimes I hurt for people and other times I turn my back. I can allready tell this vision to reach Baltimore is way bigger than I am.
Just yesterday I was talking to someone in the coffee shop who had grown up Mormon. This young couple had been married in a Mormon Temple and gone on missionary journeys. Finally they found that they felt little value in the church and found little value in being part of the church, so they left. I was encouraged to see a spark of interest as I spoke of a church where every person is valued. We spoke of living your beliefs instead of living a double life of church on one side and your personal life on the other. It was an encouraging conversation and ended with this couple desiring to have Carrie and I over for dinner sometime.
No I won't water down the Gospel and say that all religions are good. But I must love people of every background and every belief. Please pray that we will continue to grow and the Lord will continue to give us opportunity to reach out to a community in need.
Just yesterday I was talking to someone in the coffee shop who had grown up Mormon. This young couple had been married in a Mormon Temple and gone on missionary journeys. Finally they found that they felt little value in the church and found little value in being part of the church, so they left. I was encouraged to see a spark of interest as I spoke of a church where every person is valued. We spoke of living your beliefs instead of living a double life of church on one side and your personal life on the other. It was an encouraging conversation and ended with this couple desiring to have Carrie and I over for dinner sometime.
No I won't water down the Gospel and say that all religions are good. But I must love people of every background and every belief. Please pray that we will continue to grow and the Lord will continue to give us opportunity to reach out to a community in need.
The Evergreen
When I think of the perfect place to focus, to study the Word, and to meet the unchurched I think of a coffee shop. The Evergreen is the perfect mix of professionals, students, professors, and coffee drinkers. A cup of Joe runs $1 and the WiFi is free. The place is packed every morning and I am already seeing the opportunity to reach people here and connect with others from my community. In the midst of this blog I just met Zoe, a local who, turns out, lives just a block from us. She has just informed me that the block we live on was once owned by the first land owning free slave in Baltimore and is thus a strange mix of lots with row houses and single family homes with no particular rhyme or reason. Zoe ended the conversation by offering her address and number so that Carrie and I could get together with her and her husband Andrew. The Lord is good!
Quiet Sunday
When you grow up in the south there is little more eerie then going to church on Sunday morning and realizing that there is no one else in town headed to worship the Lord. Baltimore seems to be dead both figuratively and spiritually on Sunday morning. Sure there are your joggers and your people getting ready for the big game down at Camden Yards.... but this Sunday when we headed out to church I was blown away by the lack of activity. I knew that few people attended a church in this city but I was again reminded of why the Lord brought us here.
The Lord is good. As we officially moved in last week we found ourselves encouraged by the openness of the people, the desire for community, and the broadness of diversity. This is going to take a lot of work but we are excited about how we can serve the Lord in Baltimore. We are however, still in desperate need of your prayer and financial support. We have only 30% of our support raised but continue to press on knowing the Lord will provide. Please continue to pray that the Lord would give us wisdom in sharing His Word.
Cheers!
The Lord is good. As we officially moved in last week we found ourselves encouraged by the openness of the people, the desire for community, and the broadness of diversity. This is going to take a lot of work but we are excited about how we can serve the Lord in Baltimore. We are however, still in desperate need of your prayer and financial support. We have only 30% of our support raised but continue to press on knowing the Lord will provide. Please continue to pray that the Lord would give us wisdom in sharing His Word.
Cheers!
Aroma of Jesus
While thinking about church planting it is easy to get strategic and develop core values, mission, vision, and a plan for reaching people. It’s easy to think of creative ways to catch people’s attention or draw them into something unique and exciting. Quite honestly I thrive on the strategy of “winning” people to Christ. As I was reading Paul this morning in 1 Corinthians I am again reminded that we are foolish, and all the wisdom in the world is worthless without the simple message of the cross.
It all comes back to the Gospel. We are called to live lives that are so transparent and Christ centered that people feel the Gospel. Imagine what it would be like if when people came into a room of believers they could smell and taste the presence of Jesus Christ. If we lived in such a way that it was painfully obvious that there is something different about us as believers. When we as believers walk into the places of culture do others see, hear, and smell the glory of God on, in, and through us? That is being incarnational. That is what Paul encouraged us to do. To not focus solely on the fancy tracks, programs, and light shows. But to love people and depend on the power of the Gospel message.
I pray that I might love people in such a way that the aroma of Jesus Christ is existent, and it is pleasing to the Lord.
Hampden Neighborhood
The search for a place to live has been on... and Hampden scored big!"Singles and young families are discovering that Hampden's small town atmosphere and proximity to downtown make it one of the most desirable of Baltimore's neighborhoods. Hampden is great place to live, work and play. It is also a fun place to visit with scores of elegant to funky stores, eclectic restaurants and special events like the Hon Fest. Hampden is a uniquely authentic experience that's happening every day!" -Live Baltimore
Hampden has a uniquie makeup of people from every economic class. Situated between major parks and in walking distance to a major hospital and John's Hopkins University, the community makeup consist of professionals, students, professors, and young families. One might call Hampden a small town in a big city.
Perhaps the one thing Hampden in most famous for is it's annual Miracle on 34th street. As you can see, everyone on the street gets involved! This signifies the importance of community in this neighborhood as a place where everyone joins together for the good of the community. As we search for a rowhouse please pray that the Lord will put us right in the perfect spot to reach people for Christ!
Stop Sinning
Stop Sinning! - Moses commanded the people of Israel to turn from wicked ways and follow the commands of God. Paul often told backsliding Christians to stop sinning and follow Jesus. Is it our job to tell people to stop sinning? Does this apply to Christians or to all people?
I ran across an article on a church trying to help the community of Baltimore with the "stop sinning" campaign. The idea in itself is a noble one. The church would like to help clean up the community but I wonder about the theology behind this kind work in the community. It seems to me that a "stop sinning" campaign would communicate three things from the church. First, this campaign directed to the unchurched assumes that one can regonize sin apart from the Holy Spirit. Second, we are suggesting that to stop sinning is actually something that can be accomplished by our own will at anytime. Third, we are insinuating that we have somehow managed to stop sinning and thus have the authority to tell others to follow our lead. Unfortunately many people have seen Christians as some of the worst sinners. I wonder if we have lost the authority and trust to ask others to stop something we struggle with as the church.
We desire to be a church that shares the Gospel and allows the spirit to change the heart of people. We desire to be a church where everyone (including pastors) acknowledge our imperfections and need for constant grace. We desire to be an open and honest community of believers who are determined to grow in our sanctification but willing to admit our failures. Every person is a sinner (myself included) and every person needs the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
I ran across an article on a church trying to help the community of Baltimore with the "stop sinning" campaign. The idea in itself is a noble one. The church would like to help clean up the community but I wonder about the theology behind this kind work in the community. It seems to me that a "stop sinning" campaign would communicate three things from the church. First, this campaign directed to the unchurched assumes that one can regonize sin apart from the Holy Spirit. Second, we are suggesting that to stop sinning is actually something that can be accomplished by our own will at anytime. Third, we are insinuating that we have somehow managed to stop sinning and thus have the authority to tell others to follow our lead. Unfortunately many people have seen Christians as some of the worst sinners. I wonder if we have lost the authority and trust to ask others to stop something we struggle with as the church.
We desire to be a church that shares the Gospel and allows the spirit to change the heart of people. We desire to be a church where everyone (including pastors) acknowledge our imperfections and need for constant grace. We desire to be an open and honest community of believers who are determined to grow in our sanctification but willing to admit our failures. Every person is a sinner (myself included) and every person needs the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Movement
In Matthew 8 Jesus says "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." I guess you could say this is exactly how we feel these days. When Jesus said this he was in a constant state of ministry and movement. We have been blessed to minister to people in a lot of different ways over the last few months and it has now become normal to live without our own nest or foxhole. However, we are now ready to find a rental in Baltimore and begin building community again.
Recently we have traveled from Virginia to Florida to Texas to California, and now back to Texas again. What an amazing time the Lord has given us of encouragement as we share the vision of reaching Baltimore for Christ. We are continuing to raise support for Reach Baltimore and would love your prayers.
The Lord is Good! Cheers-
Recently we have traveled from Virginia to Florida to Texas to California, and now back to Texas again. What an amazing time the Lord has given us of encouragement as we share the vision of reaching Baltimore for Christ. We are continuing to raise support for Reach Baltimore and would love your prayers.
The Lord is Good! Cheers-
Baltimore- a city in need
The Baltimore Baltimore
1. Population 2.6 million+ (Largest City in MD)
2. The Baltimore/Washington metropolitan area is the 4th largest combined statistical area in the
3. 37% between the ages of 18-44 (Age Group least likely to be attending church -Barna Group)
4. Over 175,000 College Students (Creating International Influence)
5. 19% of Families and 23% of all people in
6. Few Missionally Minded Churches (while there are a number of old church buildings there are few churches reaching the unchurched)
7.
8. Strategically located for impact. (DC, Philly, NYC)
9. The highest concentration of unchurched people in the
10. In desperate need of the Gospel (the homicide rate in
11. City of diversity, perfect for multiple church plants. (
* All demographics data taken from the 2005 US census community report
*Religious statistics taken from Barna Group
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