living. learning. preparing.
Cutting Edge Ministry
I used to think that cutting edge ministry had to do with loud, rhythmic music, intelligent lights and cool videos with relevant messages. I used to believe that the best thing I could do for the kingdom of God would be to join a dynamic church, attend as many conferences as I could pay for and rack up a full library of books on missional living and rethinking church. My views on cutting edge ministry have been shifting as I have continued leading and serving 18 to twentysomethings. But within the last month, a series of conversations have forever changed how I will define 'cutting edge ministry'. These conversations have been focused around an outreach to kids in a neighborhood nearby called Silver Creek.
Silver Creek is an apartment community just off of Atlantic Blvd. Most of the kids at Silver Creek are immigrants to the US. They come from countries in Africa, southeast Asia and the Arabian peninsula. They along with their families are in our country seeking refuge from genocide, famine, disease and other circumstances. They have arrived in the US with little to no English, a limited understanding of western culture and few dollars to spend. Silver Creek is not only a community of international residents, but it is also a low income area with a significant crime rate.
For the last couple of years, members of the A218 community have been getting up on Sunday mornings and taking a drive down to Silver Creek to pick up kids and bring them to church. Folks such as Jackie Tatje, Katie Ullman, Mike Thompson, Sarah Culver and a list of other peeps have faithfully picked up these kids and brought them to CrossRoad Church where they have received breakfast and lunch (sometimes the only meals they would get in a weekend) and participated in an awesome kid's program. Many of these volunteers have talked about how personally rewarding this ministry has been for them as well as for the kids. They've found themselves identifying with Jesus who said, 'my food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.' Every now and then, you'll see subtle yet significant changes in the kids. From what A218 folks have said, the joys of being a part of the this outreach cannot be matched. But there have also been lows.
The kids in Silver Creek have dealt with extreme issues such as severe hunger, war, separation of families, and abuse at a level that we in the US have never had to face in real time. They have seen things that we cannot imagine. As their young minds process and reconcile these images and memories, they manifest in behavioral issues that can become taxing after awhile. The kids love coming to CRC on Sundays, but they have at times been hard to control and even disruptive to the kid's program. Needless to say, there have been some A218 folks who who are no longer involved in this outreach. After a while, the stress takes it's toll. Possibly the hardest part has been the lack of 'thank you's' that come from the kids at the end of the day. (It's not that they are not thankful, it's that they are kids) In the last several months, it has been hard to find people to pick the kids up consistently. Some have even wondered if it is time to end our ministry to the kids of this community.
About a month ago, I was asked to come chat with Carolyn Nelson (CRC Children's Ministry Director) and Scott Crawford (CRC Community Life Pastor) regarding the outreach and particularly the involvement of the A218 Community. I have been watching the outreach from afar and was convinced that while it was a good thing for a while, it's time may have come and gone. I was ready to walk into the meeting and say that it was time to end the Silver Creek outreach (and underneath this was a thought of getting back to real 'cutting edge' ministry.) Within the first 5 minutes of this meeting, everything changed for me. I heard Carolyn's passion for these kids and her inability to believe that this outreach had to end. I listened as she explained how great an opportunity this was for us as a church and for these kids. I begin to see what she saw...if we can reach these kids, we could reach their families and possibly that entire community. If we reached Silver Creek, we could be reaching the world. As I allowed Carolyn's words to break down my resolve, I heard the Spirit say, 'this is cutting edge ministry Derrick...get with the program.'
As of that meeting, I am now involved with the Silver Creek outreach. I don't feel comfortable around kids and my Sunday routine makes it a little difficult to devote lots of time to the kids each week. But what I realized at that meeting was I did have gifts that could help this outreach. I can talk, I can recruit, I can lead and I can inspire. Instead of saying what I (and we) couldn't do, I started asking and praying what can I (we) do. I am beginning to see what this outreach could become if we continue to be faithful with it. I have never had more hope and passion for this outreach. In fact, I believe it might be one of the most important things I will give my time to over the next year.
Last Sunday, I sat with the kids during breakfast. The kids were awesome (probably because Carolyn made pancakes). At the end of their time at CRC, I walked with them to the cars. I've been told that load up at the end of Sunday morning can be quite difficult. As we were convincing the kids to get in a car, stay in a car and buckle up, one of the little girls told me that she would sit down if I spelled her last name. If you know me, you can imagine the blank look on my face when I couldn't even say her first name (and even now I cannot remember it). She eventually sat down and buckled up, but never heard another thing from me. Now I know that God has not forgotten her name or her story. But I don't know her name, and I've been too busy to hear her story. And that doesn't sit well with me. And I am glad that it doesn't.
Do you wanna be a part of a cutting edge ministry to refugee kids? Would you like to be the tangible expression to these kids that God knows their name and cares about their story? It may not be an issue of what you can't do, it may be an issue of offering yourself so these kids can experience the love of God and grace-filled Jesus-community. If you feel drawn to the outreach at Silver Creek in any way, drop me an email.
Silver Creek is an apartment community just off of Atlantic Blvd. Most of the kids at Silver Creek are immigrants to the US. They come from countries in Africa, southeast Asia and the Arabian peninsula. They along with their families are in our country seeking refuge from genocide, famine, disease and other circumstances. They have arrived in the US with little to no English, a limited understanding of western culture and few dollars to spend. Silver Creek is not only a community of international residents, but it is also a low income area with a significant crime rate.
For the last couple of years, members of the A218 community have been getting up on Sunday mornings and taking a drive down to Silver Creek to pick up kids and bring them to church. Folks such as Jackie Tatje, Katie Ullman, Mike Thompson, Sarah Culver and a list of other peeps have faithfully picked up these kids and brought them to CrossRoad Church where they have received breakfast and lunch (sometimes the only meals they would get in a weekend) and participated in an awesome kid's program. Many of these volunteers have talked about how personally rewarding this ministry has been for them as well as for the kids. They've found themselves identifying with Jesus who said, 'my food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.' Every now and then, you'll see subtle yet significant changes in the kids. From what A218 folks have said, the joys of being a part of the this outreach cannot be matched. But there have also been lows.
The kids in Silver Creek have dealt with extreme issues such as severe hunger, war, separation of families, and abuse at a level that we in the US have never had to face in real time. They have seen things that we cannot imagine. As their young minds process and reconcile these images and memories, they manifest in behavioral issues that can become taxing after awhile. The kids love coming to CRC on Sundays, but they have at times been hard to control and even disruptive to the kid's program. Needless to say, there have been some A218 folks who who are no longer involved in this outreach. After a while, the stress takes it's toll. Possibly the hardest part has been the lack of 'thank you's' that come from the kids at the end of the day. (It's not that they are not thankful, it's that they are kids) In the last several months, it has been hard to find people to pick the kids up consistently. Some have even wondered if it is time to end our ministry to the kids of this community.
About a month ago, I was asked to come chat with Carolyn Nelson (CRC Children's Ministry Director) and Scott Crawford (CRC Community Life Pastor) regarding the outreach and particularly the involvement of the A218 Community. I have been watching the outreach from afar and was convinced that while it was a good thing for a while, it's time may have come and gone. I was ready to walk into the meeting and say that it was time to end the Silver Creek outreach (and underneath this was a thought of getting back to real 'cutting edge' ministry.) Within the first 5 minutes of this meeting, everything changed for me. I heard Carolyn's passion for these kids and her inability to believe that this outreach had to end. I listened as she explained how great an opportunity this was for us as a church and for these kids. I begin to see what she saw...if we can reach these kids, we could reach their families and possibly that entire community. If we reached Silver Creek, we could be reaching the world. As I allowed Carolyn's words to break down my resolve, I heard the Spirit say, 'this is cutting edge ministry Derrick...get with the program.'
As of that meeting, I am now involved with the Silver Creek outreach. I don't feel comfortable around kids and my Sunday routine makes it a little difficult to devote lots of time to the kids each week. But what I realized at that meeting was I did have gifts that could help this outreach. I can talk, I can recruit, I can lead and I can inspire. Instead of saying what I (and we) couldn't do, I started asking and praying what can I (we) do. I am beginning to see what this outreach could become if we continue to be faithful with it. I have never had more hope and passion for this outreach. In fact, I believe it might be one of the most important things I will give my time to over the next year.
Last Sunday, I sat with the kids during breakfast. The kids were awesome (probably because Carolyn made pancakes). At the end of their time at CRC, I walked with them to the cars. I've been told that load up at the end of Sunday morning can be quite difficult. As we were convincing the kids to get in a car, stay in a car and buckle up, one of the little girls told me that she would sit down if I spelled her last name. If you know me, you can imagine the blank look on my face when I couldn't even say her first name (and even now I cannot remember it). She eventually sat down and buckled up, but never heard another thing from me. Now I know that God has not forgotten her name or her story. But I don't know her name, and I've been too busy to hear her story. And that doesn't sit well with me. And I am glad that it doesn't.
Do you wanna be a part of a cutting edge ministry to refugee kids? Would you like to be the tangible expression to these kids that God knows their name and cares about their story? It may not be an issue of what you can't do, it may be an issue of offering yourself so these kids can experience the love of God and grace-filled Jesus-community. If you feel drawn to the outreach at Silver Creek in any way, drop me an email.
Comment
Birthdays
There are no birthdays today
A218 on Twitter!
© 2009 ACCESS218
You need to be a member of ACCESS218 to add comments!
Join this Ning Network