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Blogging from CCDA one last time
By Jeremy | October 12, 2007
SHOW ME JESUS
Dr. Cheryl Sanders (Third Street Church of God; Professor, Howard University) “Show me Jesus.†Who are we looking for and where does he show up? The Urban Ministry of Jesus Matthew 9:35-38 His Mission ……....…… Method + Teaching …………….. + Observation + Preaching ……………. + Compassion + Healing ………………. + Reflection ………………………….. + Intercession ………………………….. + Commission He taught in the synagogues where “church people†gathered. Occasionally you can show me Jesus in church! He preached outside the church. He healed their physical bodies, their broken hearts, and their despair. We must stop planning our ministries without first observing the people. But we must attach compassion to what we see (unlike the pastor and worship leader in the Samaritan story. Then reflect; there must be critical thinking about the context and what I can offer. And PRAY. Ministry without prayer is pointless. Then he commissioned people into the harvest fields. Otherwise the harvest will go to waste. If you want to see Jesus in DC, where would you go? The Capitol? The White House? The cathedrals? The shelters? The Park? The Mall? CS introduced the Shaw Community as a neighborhood case study. The demographics are shifting due to gentrification. Historically black community with a black population of 92% in 1960 to 56% in 2000. Three pastors at the church in 97 years. First pastor was there for over 50 years: his theme was refuge. The second pastor was there 30 years and the theme was reconciliation. Church mission statement: “We are ambassadors for Christ to the nation’s capital, modeling love, practicing reconciliation, and reaching out to make disciples as a progressive community of Christian faith and witness.†Inspired from 2 Cor. 5: 16-21.So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.When communities change, churches must stay relevant. Don’t shut down. Can you still stay relevant or are you batting down the hatches? Jesus is always relevant, but church is at risk of irrelevance when we don’t pay attention to community around us. We have to be responsive to community changes. Not just the poor communities. The suburbs need Jesus too. We are called to take care of the community whether they ever walk through the door. If you render yourself irrelevant, God will find someone else. Urban outreach at the church: + Urban Prayer Breakfast (centerpiece of reconciliation ministry for 30 years) for the homeless, including preaching, prayer, and hot meal. + Food and clothing distribution + Community dinners + Social worker + Ministry partnerships + More Show me Jesus: A Pastor’s Vision + A journey outward requires a journey inward + A haven of harmony, hospitality, and hope + A church where God is worshipped, Christ is preached, souls saved and believers baptized + Brightly illuminated buildings, spaces, and attitude + A progressive outlook on faith and social issues + A welcome to people of all ages to be included in our ministries and equipped to give back The woman at the well, John 4 Jesus was thirsty. The woman was “Other.†They talked. He loved her. She ran to town and said, “Come meet a man….†The disciples didn’t get why He was talking to her. She showed the entire town Jesus, and told them it’s time for the harvest today. Let’s not be the church who are so future oriented that we miss the point. When people need you to show them Jesus, be ready immediately. If you show them Jesus, you’ll get your turn to see Jesus through them.
Topics: ccda, cheryl sanders, compassion | No Comments »
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