We Are Not Alone-the value of relationship

One of the hardest things about my ministry is the inherent sense of innovation.  This approach to doing ministry, modeled after the first century, is so old that it's new to most people.  Concepts like making relationship, listening to people's stories and community building do not fit well and are not highly valued in our culture.  21st century American society uses paradigms that place a premium on the quick fix that one gets from a targeted programmatic intervention, not consensus building and inclusion.

I found a great joy last week when I connected with Mike Mather at Broadway Methodist in Indianapolis.  A conversation I had with Tim Knauff, a Lutheran in South Bend, led me to Mike, who is doing a ministry virtually the same as I.  Arrangements were made and I got in contact with Mike, who introduced me to De'Amon Harges.  De'Amon works with Eric to make relationships and then connect people in the community, which is a mirror of my work in South Bend.  It was awesome to talk with people who have an active ministry doing what I do-suddenly I don't feel so alone.

This blog posting turned into an object lesson in relationships and networking.  Just look how I was encouraged and nourished by relationships. It would be easy to create a programmatic response with appropriate outcome data for the areas to which I minister, but that action invalidates the people I seek to serve.  Spending time on relationship builds up, validates and acknowledges people to fulfill the greatest commandment.  Even though I write about ministry, there is immense value to enhancing relationship in marriage, friendship and work associations.

I recognize the value, the necessity, of sitting in this formative time of relationship making, but the notion of a quick fix is very seductive.  It just seems wrong somehow to not take action, however, jumping to a solution and doing what I think is needed, the way we have always responded, is clearly not the right way to go.  The importance of spending time in relationship was underlined by Mike in Indy and by another friend who I met in Indianapolis, Bob Lupton of FCS/Desire Street in Atlanta.  Mike and Bob both talked about some of their mistakes and one common theme was the failure to make relationship with those they sought to help.  People who are doing effective community ministry talk about how the relationships of a successful ministry are years in the making.
 

We miss out on a lot when we fail to slow down.  When time spent in discernment and relationship is neglected, we lose ears for the still small voice.  I was just reading an article today about how our society has done away with downtime and eliminated sacred space.  Sure, there is action and excitement in community ministry, but it is when we take time for reflection and relationship that the real work is accomplished.

Big visions and little dreams

I was talking to a Lutheran pastor last week who told me about a Methodist church in Indianapolis that had a person they called a "roving listener".  That's a pretty cool title for what I feel like I am doing in the far northwest side of South Bend.  I just go and listen.  It's more fulfilling when our conversations can touch on God, but that only happens about half the time.  A lot of people have trouble doing what I do, which is amazing to me because talking to people comes so natural to me.

I have been working on developing a vision for my ministry and talking to all these people is a help.  It occurred to me the other day, though, that I am at a point where I need to decide if this is a little dream or if it's a place for a big vision.  So much depends upon the willingness of the churches to invest in me and this ministry because I can do a bunch of little things in the community here and there that meet some needs, but to create a lasting and powerful ministry is going to require time. 

I've started by submitting an initiative to the South Bend Housing Authority which has been favorably received.  I'm waiting to hear from them about some of their requirements before I can start teaching some elementary computer skills classes.  I have a vision of expanding that program to the point where it can be self-replicating in other housing projects throughout the city, but, again, that is a vision that requires investment.

I met with a woman today who told me how to start up a soup kitchen and it sounds like something I could do.  That's part of my huge vision for the area-a soup kitchen, food co-op and clothing.  Putting something like this in place will require a lot of work, time, effort and volunteers.  This is something that I could do.

Part of the issue is having the faith to step out and do this.  It worries me to think about the funding (particularly my salary), but I also know that I need to have faith in the venture.  If this is God's will nothing can stand in its way.  I preach about having faith and God's everpresent support so I suppose this is the time for me to live out my words and stand on my faith.  I believe this is what disciples are charged to do so I need to just do it.