Brokenness

Last week when someone asked me the key to effective inner city ministry I answered with one word, "brokenness". While so many search for effective strategies and new methods I am convinced that God is still in the business of taking the foolishness of the world to shame the wise, the weak things in this world to shame the strong. Yes its all about Jesus. Yes it's obviously the Holy Spirit and prayer which are vital in urban ministry but until you are broken you don't know just how much you need that prayer or Jesus for that matter.

I am certainly not as qualified as many of my predecessors to articulate the myriad of philosophies in inner city ministry but I know this. If you come in to an urban neighborhood full of pride with a superiority complex that you are going to change things, I don't care how much you know,  you will be ineffective. Brokenness is key because it removes the superiority complex. It removes the "I am coming to minister to you" mentality that so many have unfortunately applied. Brokenness removes all pride, selfishness and expectations but in return it actually empowers because it takes YOU out of the equation and places God in His prominent position to make you effective. 

Brokenness is not a formula it is a recognition of God's holiness and our utter sinfulness. When people truly grasp what the Lord has done for them there is no way to not be broken. I have had the privilege to witness sin manifest itself in my life in ways that others may never see. Whether it be the drug usage at age 14, the selling of poison that destroyed families to many to make my own pockets fat, fathering two kids by age 18 out of wedlock, the fighting, the cheating, the stealing, and the gross idolatry and materialism that caused me to get arrested 6 times; it all has shown me how undeserving I am of God's love. 

Being under the care of my local Presbytery (PCA) awoke me to the fact that many pastors being ordained have never truly witnessed brokenness. When I shared my testimony there were 4 others alongside of me who all grew up in a covenant home, came to the Lord at an early age, and have walked with Jesus since they can remember. They were amazed when I shared my story with them and wondered if someone like me could actually graduate seminary and learn Greek. 

While I am certainly not saying that they cannot be effective pastors because of their past; while I am certainly not saying that they cannot be broken over the effects of sin in their own lives and others; I am saying I know they have not experienced the kind of brokenness and visible damaging effects of sin it takes to minister to broken people. All the seminary training in the world cannot prepare you for the streets like the experience of being stripped completely naked, robbed and beaten with a gun. Watching your life flash before your eyes while looking down the barrel of a gun, crying out to God for help, and then turning from him as soon as He delivers you from the situation. 

That is where my brokenness comes from. Seeing God save me from so many desperate situations and then spitting in his face by turning around and doing the same things. Even now I have given my life to Christ, repented of my sin, placed my faith in Christ, become a new creation, am freed from condemnation, am promised eternal life, am adopted into God's family, am an heir to throne...yet am still broken and despise the sin that I witnessed for so many years...despise the sin I see in the inner city through the family breakdown to the rap music that permeates a young child's life and causes them to pursue satisfaction in everything other than God; despise the racism that I see constantly that manifests itself in a different form than it used to; I despise the pride in my own walk, the judgment I lay upon others, the jealousy I have when others shine. 

Oh if it was not for the cross and the resurrection I am a man to be pitied. Thank you Lord for the brokenness. Thank you Lord that you love me so much that you discipline me and show me my wickedness so often. Thank you Lord that even though I don't deserve you I have you because you chose me. My prayer would be for others to see your standard and their sinfulness. My prayer is that we would raise a new group of pastors who have seen firsthand the devastating effects of sin and BE BROKEN! 

In Christ,

Urban Missionary

From Pipe Dream to Reality

Over a year ago myself and a group of Christian brothers boarded a plane for Dallas, Texas to visit Mercy Street. We had been strategically thinking and praying about how to begin a life on life mentoring program in inner city Birmingham and found out about Mercy Street in Dallas through Dr. Anthony Gordon who was mentoring myself and others. We spent a few days hanging out in Dallas learning from Trey Hill the Executive Director about how they run their program.

Most of the nights were spent talking and praying through how we could bring a program like Mercy Street into our own context of Birmingham. Upon our return we began meeting every few months trying to determine the best strategy for bringing a Christian mentoring program to our community. We included others in our discussion and researched the current mentoring programs already in our city.

What we came up with was the "ASPIRE Movement". Believing that the next generation of urban leaders will come from within the city we put together a structure that will allow us to begin ministering to our young people at an early age. We all agreed that a huge asset in our city is Evangelical Christians who desire more from their Christian life in the way of service.

As we continued discussions with others God led us to Impact Family Counseling where we met with George Casey the Executive Director. He immediately loved the concept and agreed to bring us under their banner as an arm of ministry. Thus the ASPIRE Movement was formed and our website was launched exactly one year to the date of when we visited Mercy Street. There has been much prayer and strategic meetings and while we still don't have all the answers we feel that we are equipped enough to begin placing mentors in the lives of 4th graders this September.

Stay tuned! We are believing God for supernatural favor as we try to reach the urban youth of Birmingham.

In Christ,

Urban Missionary

Coming Soon

Check back and we will have our first blog on how the ASPIRE Movement came into existence.