Assignment 1

WHY SHOULD YOU GET INVOLVED IN URBAN MINISTRY?
 Because Jesus Christ was involved.  Luke 4:18-19, Matthew 22:37-39

Because the second greatest commandment from the Lord Jesus Christ is Love your neighbor as yourself.  Matthew 22:37-39

Because Christ expects us to demonstrate the love of Christ cross-culturally.  John 4:4-42

Urban ministry encompasses many areas of ministry.  It can be a youth ministry, street ministry, ministry to gang members or different ethnic groups and just about any type of outreach into the community at large.  In this course we will be dealing with an inner-city soup kitchen and a Christian men’s rehab program.

If one had to coin a phrase defining urban ministry, the phrase would be tough love.  In a nutshell the basis of Christianity is to deny the flesh, take up our cross daily and refuse to compromise our convictions and integrity beyond all reproach before God.  Individually, that is not only tough to accomplish with God but impossible without God.  Obeying the Great Commission requires that those convictions be sharpened through time to the perfecting of our souls.  That sharpening comes from the constant challenges within our world tempting us to apply situation ethics instead of choosing to live our lives honorably before God.  The consistent choices we make to please, honor and obey God sharpen that tough love to the point that we no longer compromise any of our convictions.  The world through the media and within society, are determined to water down our convictions.  Our response is to live our lives completely to please Christ and not ourselves.

The meaning of the word Christian  means Christ-like.  We are required to act and react in all our ways as Christ would act.  HE would not compromise in any sense.  HE would not lower his standards to situation ethics or anything less than complete excellence and integrity.  Dealing with the poor and indigent means that you will be required to live your life with honesty, integrity and non-compromising ethics that will be tried and tested.  Then is when the principle of tough love comes in to play and will have to be your premise of everyday life as we are all called to imitate Christ every moment.  You will learn the principles and practices of tough love by analyzing how Jesus himself used tough love for the betterment of man kind causing them to look inward into their hearts realizing the sin in their lives that is unacceptable to God. 

Urban ministry is in every sense an answer to the call of the Great Commission in that the motivational factors are go and tell rather than the common church approach of come and experience.  This means that we are to take the seed of the word of God into uncomfortable and impoverished places which are usually places one does not wish to go.  Surrendering to that call is what not only transforms the minister but also all those he touches because he has died to his own desires and that death invokes the power of God working through him to minister to the lost.  The dying to ones' own ways will bring the greatest glory to God.  Two foundational verses that support that choice are found in II Corinthians 5:15 which says ...and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.  And John 12:24 which says, Verily, verily I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it bringeth forth much fruit.  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.  This means that the seed of a person's life if sown into doing God’s will instead of his own, can cause you to store up treasures on earth where mold and rust do not corrupt and where thieves can not break in and steal which are the riches of the fruits of the souls won into the Kingdom of God for all eternity (Matthew 6:19-20).  And when we surrender to the places and methods of God's choosing, they usually produce the most fruit, recover the greatest sinner and serve to empty us the most of ourselves.

Urban ministry was on the heart of Jesus constantly as the issue is addressed within every sixteen verses of the New Testament.  As Christ expressed that we would always have the poor with us, it was a special commission that was closest to the heart of Christ and which He communicated as one of the Church’s responsibilities.  Caring for the poor, meeting their needs, encouraging, uplifting, being of one heart and mind, not only communicated the love and compassion which Christ so deeply expressed for the lost and needy, but was the defining factor which bonded them together with Him thus opening the inner most part of their hearts, enabling Him to have access to speak into their lives unto the saving of their souls.  Jesus said if you see a brother in need and wish him well without meeting his need, you have done him an injustice and as far as God is concerned your Christianity is in vain.  I John 3:17  For without love, we have nothing. 

Of great importance was the fact that Jesus spent most of his time with tax collectors, sinners, heathens and Gentiles which caused the Pharisees and scribes, who were the religious leaders of his day, to condemn Him for doing so.  Obviously Jesus saw that they had more potential because they did not possess the extreme pride and haughty, hardened hearts of the Pharisees but because of their brokenness, were humble and more open to the gospel.  Indeed how odd that those who had very little religious training or spiritual convictions were the ones who KNEW that He was the Christ (which means the anointed one), the Son of God and yet the religious leaders denied that Jesus was God and despised Him completely because they were threatened by Him.  They couldn't comprehend, duplicate or explain His miracles and that defied their religion which was deeply embedded within every fiber of their lives. 

The greatest miracles Christ performed were upon those that were poor, sick, downtrodden and ...DEAD!  Jealousy may also have been a factor on the part of the Pharisees because they couldn’t top anything Jesus did.  If anything the Pharisees questioned Christ’s association with the outcasts of society because from their viewpoint, if he really was of God, He would have scorned and hated these people as the Pharisees themselves did.  You too will deal with both classes of people and acquiring and possessing the wisdom of the Alpha and Omega will answer any ridicule you face.  You can come to the place that  by your answer alone you may put to silence to ignorance of foolish men.  I Peter 2:15

Urban ministry, although very rewarding at times, can also be very challenging when it comes to the actual environment itself as God's wisdom will also be an invaluable tool when dealing with the indigent of our day.  Recognizing issues that are not common to mainline Christiandom within the church, ministers and laymen must be aware of potential dangers, temptations and situations which do not surface within most middle to upper class churches.  This type of ministry will cause you to look deeply within yourself because being REAL and transparent in Christ before this type of people is the only thing that will win them over.  Many live by con-games, wheeling and dealing and illegal and unjust ways of survival.  Over time they have developed a sixth sense into maintaining survival and just know when you are real or not.  It requires your absolute full love, trust and wisdom of God.

 The dynamics of ministry leadership within the urban environment is most effective when the central focus of one’s motivation is love and compassion unto salvation.  That means loving everyone equally from your Christian peers, co-workers, volunteers and right down to your clients and church members.  Prioritizing everything else below that goal will win many to Christ.  No program, funding, process or priority should be placed above God and others making sure that one considers all men equal in the sight of God.  We are to develop a balance in the Christian life which can only be accomplished through the Holy Spirit.

 The actual call of God to this type of ministry in time if performed with all excellence, will eventually render you to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.  It is a call that in the eyes of God touches the core of His heart because nothing is as important as loving God and others, in that order.  When we apply ourselves to obeying the commands of God with all purpose and sanctity, this not only affects our own lives but all those we touch.  Leading them into experiencing of the depths of God's great and far reaching love will also cause them to KNOW that it is the reality of God’s love emanating from us that will communicate to them that we too possess the true spirit of Christ.

 We said all that to say, Welcome to Urban Ministry!!

 Ministry Leadership in Inner City and Street Ministry:

Assignment 1 Week 1

Reading:  Submission and Authority  by Merlin Carothers   See Attachment

Carothers, Merlin R. Bringing Heaven Into Hell. Old Tappan, NJ:  Fleming H. Revell Company.  1976

The principle of submission and authority was developed and created by God.  Even as God was in authority over Adam so was Adam in authority over Eve within a proper balance.  It has been said that God did not create Eve from something from Adam’s head or feet but from his side so that he was not to lord it over her or to worship her but to cherish and respect her even as Christ loves and cherishes the Church - Ephesians 5:23-28..  Heaven is governed by God's authority and all authority figures in our society and in our world are set in those positions by God.  Yet rebellion has raged since Adam to our day and is completely contrary to God.  Learning proper authority and submission will not only benefit your own life but will help you to successfully operate your ministry to the poor. 

1.  What does this article say to you and how did you perceive it?  Because rebellion is so rampant in our society, many people have authority figure issues.  How would you counsel a person who was working at a day labor agency, was blatantly stealing from his boss, had been caught in the act and was now bragging about it?

2.  Write a page on how authority and submission would be valuable within the inner city political environment (social service organizations) and within a company of ministry leadership peers.

3.  Write a page on how this would be valuable within the volunteer ranks of a ministry from a leadership position and devise at least three ways of implementing and maintaining it.

4.  Write a page on how this applies to street ministry in dealing with indigent persons when you have set up guidelines in operating a street mission.

5.  Write a page on how this applies to a men’s rehab program and outline what guidelines you would write and enforce to guide them into relinquishing their addictions and accepting Christ.