Life "In the Hill"

I had the privilege of visiting New Haven, CT this past weekend, specifically a neighborhood called "the Hill". I was visiting one of my good friend Tolivar Wills church plant to preach the Word and was encouraged and convicted of how I engage in urban ministry. Seeing his asset based approached was invigorating. Instead of starting a church plant with a core group of folks he simply began building relationships in the community through a soccer camp. The camp allowed him to get to know residents in the community and over time he empowered them by allowing them to lead and make decisions for what the neighborhood really needed.


Instead of creating a bunch of programs and using outside manpower he built relationships by humbling himself and taking on the role of learner. One of the initiatives the community residents pushed was a clothing co-op where they sell donated clothes on the corner in the neighborhood. Seeing the excitement on the faces of the residents as they negotiated and ran the business was infectious. I experienced what it looks like when outsiders come in and defer to the community to make the key decisions in ministry efforts. The store provided jobs for the residents to affirm their dignity and resources for the community at an affordable price, plus allowed them the opportunity to promote the church and build relationships.


The next day I witnessed a perfectly arranged worship service not set up by outsiders but by one of the members of the community. It was so inspiring to see residents take ownership of a ministry apart from others giving marching orders.


You might ask why doesn't everyone seek assets in the neighborhood they wish to reach? Why do we simply bring in outsiders with a better education and managerial skills? Because we are seeking a quick fix...But when you do that you destroy the initiative of the very people you are seeking to empower. I must repent that many of my urban outreach efforts are driven by middle and upper class people wishing to help. By having a needs based ministry outsiders examine the problems and come up with solutions. While we may be right in our assessment of the issues we have overlooked the need to allow the community to speak up and take propriety. We want immediate results and in doing so further mar peoples self image and dignity all the while attempting to help. I have much to learn and am grateful for men like Tolivar who seek a true and lasting change brought about by the very visionaries of the neighborhood not outsiders who think they have all the answers...Lord forgive me...


JW