Church Official: Christ is fat, drunk, and just one of the guys

"And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

...And the Lord said 'Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation?...

...For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, 'He hath a devil.'

'The Son of man [Christ] is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber [a drunk], a friend of publicans and sinners!

'But wisdom is justified of all her children.'" Luke 7.29-31, 33-35

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This passage has been an eye opener for me...

The religious leaders of the day accused Christ of being a "glutton, a drunk, and a friend of sinners."

They missed the reality that our relationships and fellowship with the lost, sick, and rejected are critical to our Gospel mission. They wanted him to minister and live as the religious of the day did, to associate only with other religious people, to eat and drink in ways that they had been limited to, to only visit homes and places they wanted him to go.

Instead they missed the entire point of Christ's ministry: seeing souls receive the Gospel.

Christ says that the "wisdom" in which he ministers will be "justified" by her "children" (by the results) in vs 35. He says this know what just happened in the verses preceding, vs 29, where "all the people that heard him," except the religious leaders, accepted the Gospel and were baptized. Christ's wisdom in choosing to eat and drink with the rejected, partying, lost crowd was justified by the work of the Gospel to change those lives.

Are we only ministering in safe ways? To only people like us? Only in places that our religious friends approve? Only in places that we are comfortable, places where we are not tempted?

This passage has hit me hard.

I should always be checking to see if my fear of temptation or fear of falling becomes a barrier to service. I know that Christ went to many unsavory homes and was tempted, but remained without sin. I'm not Christ, but I believe his willingness to go there is to show the capability of a spirit led life to over come temptation. I find it is often easier to fall in the places I am most comfortable rather than new or challenging places.

May I never become too spiritually refined that I would never be accused of associating with the lost. May I not do so much to avoid temptation that I avoid those that need Christ the most. May my faith in God's spirit of love, power and a sound mind be greater than fear of failure and accusations.

When people see me, may they see a student of the Great Physician ministering among the spiritual wounded and sick. May I have the boldness to enter, the humbleness to minister, and the discernment to live a balanced life.

I will not be justified in the end by what I didn't eat or drink, but by the work of the Gospel in the lives around me.

Learning to be uncomfortable for Christ.

The Right People or The Best Planning

2011 Day Of Caring (Hampton, VA)

I had the privilege a couple of months ago to participate in a one-day housing rehab blitz that rallied over 200 volunteers to spruce up over 25 homes in a 5 block radius, in less than 8 hours. I was blessed with working as the on-site logistics coordinator for the event (I was given this task less than 1 week before the event). Regardless of communication and logistical challenges that this project faced early on, the event was a relative success: several residents received a much needed hand, volunteers we able to give to their community, the local housing stock receive a touch up, and the community benefited from a sense of care and concern during tough times. I learned a very valuable lesson from this project that serves as a continual reminder for how we do community building. I realized that good planning means little when you have great people involved. I could have planned and prepared for most challenges, had plans B through Z lined up, but without motivated and passionate people fueling the initiative, it would grind to a halt.


Good planning serves an important purpose: to be prepared for issues, barriers, or challenges and enabling us to capitalize our assets in overcoming them. However, great people are the key to moving any good plan forward. Great people overcome challenges and can give of themselves beyond your expectations. Instead of watching the clock they monitor progress. These are the people that see challenging times as a time to support and thrive rather than a time to simply survive.


Many accomplished authors have tried to unlock the secrets to building a great team of such people, so I won't even attempt to start. However, I have experienced, in the last few years, the real and tangible power of social capital in moving projects forward. Social capital, in a nutshell, is the intangible currency that we trade through our relationships, a sort of relational spending money. To me social capital is the currency that is used to motivate, compel, inspire, or even guilt others into action. When social capital is used well, it serves as the conductor of win-win solutions and partnerships. When dealt through malice or ignorance, it corrodes the structure of the relationship, often leading to guilt, regret, or mistrust. I admit that the mastering of using social capital eludes me as it seems some are natural wielders of it, whereas, others, such as I, have to develop their skills in applying it appropriately. (see Romans 12 - especially verse 20)


I believe we need to reconsider the power of people over planning and social capital over financial reserves. Each are important in any organization in their proper place, but focusing on developing great people will lead to greater returns on any investment.

Essential Community Involvement

Wow, what a couple of years it has been. I didn't realize a second child, a departmental reorganization, and across the board layoffs would be this taxing on me in 2010 and almost all of 2011. I hope to focus a bit more on writing and sharing some of the great moments of enlightenment and inspiration that have occurred in that time. Hope you find it all as helpful as I have. So on to a thought that has been hammered home lately...

Community involvement is extremely, extremely simple...except when it is not. I believe it all starts with pride and humility. These are two opposite ideas that when balanced and directed appropriately, can be very powerful:

• Pride...
  In my home:
  The first step is taking pride in my home. I say home because it encompasses a lot and isn't limited to those who own their property ("Renters are neighbors too").
  
  It is the concept of home - the building, the family, the children, the pets, the possessions, the place, the block, the playground, the school, the civic club, the church, the community- that fosters the greatest sense of pride and almost always results in a greater level of care.
  
  Often it is difficult to encourage a "sense of home" in a community where the average person moves every 5 years (according to a local planner). This mean that in one childhood the average youth would have been in 4 different homes or communities and the average adult could be in over 10 communities by the time they retire. Trying to quickly establish a "sense of home" and build pride in where you live is vitally important. Connecting residents from the time they move in and through their local traditions and culture are key to weaving the community together.
  
  In my community:
  When one cares about something they are willing to make sacrifices to care for it or achieve it. The same is for a community. How many business have you walked in and known right away that they had no pride in what that did? Did you stay or go somewhere else? Did you come back? This happens in communities all the time.
  
  If you have pride in your community it shows and others can see it as well. You also care about the others in your community and their well being because ultimately it affects your own quality of life in a neighborhood. But pride in a community is diverse, complex, and simple. It it shown in many unique ways and it can be shown in the simplest ways - Mowing the grass regularly, not parking in the middle of the yard, keeping the house up, planting flowers, sharing tools, sharing stories, or even just a simple greeting.
  
  
• Humility...
  In my lifestyle
  A humble approach to life and the things of life can transform our communities. When we possess a  mind of personal humility it leads us to exhibit true contentment. I'm not talking about the contentment of place or soul but being content with material things and able to give to improve your community.
  
  
  In my networks
  The idea of "no greater love has any man than he lay down his life for his friends" does not mean that we have to die to show love. What it refers to is having a humble spirit of giving. In other words, i will give up my ambitions, my pride to help others achieve their dreams. In doing this collectively we can achieve far greater things than if we push to move forward and leave others behind. Capitalism teaches us the reward for hard work, Socialism reminds us of the needs of others who face far greater challenges.  Each is not exclusive of the other but we require a balanced and fair approach in a high functioning civil society. 

Who are the People in Your Neighborhood?

I recently presented at the Virginia Statewide Neighborhood Conference on the power of Community Stakeholders. The core message was that "resources exist in communities to do great things but knowing the networks and how to access them are key." We explored how to breakdown the traditional gatekeeper barriers and look for key trust agents that can serve as advocates for your community initiatives. Below is the link to the Prezi that I used. The accompanying group activity will be added later but you can see the instructions in the presentation. Feel free to share and tailor it for your own group.

Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood:
The Power of Community Stakeholders

Community Stakeholders on Prezi

I couldn't post this presentation without a quick shout out to my first civic engagement mentor: Bob from Sesame Street...

Hampton's "True" Civic Engagment model

So we (the Neighborhood Office) are exploring this year what "true" Civic engagement is, what our most effective role should be within the city, and how we can strengthen neighborhoods in Hampton. No small task by any stretch. To really understand what we need to do we have to understand what has been done.

The work that was started here over 15 years ago to find better ways for citizens and government to work together (in partnership), was revolutionary at the time. The early 90's in Hampton saw other revolutionary programs around drug prevention, positive youth development, healthy family, and youth in government. The city leaders (most being Hampton residents as well) knew that the city's work needed to be done differently. They no longer wanted to develop plans, programs, and policies, only for them to be opposed or resented by the citizens they were working to serve. Trust of local government was quite low.

The short story version was that the leaders gathered and agreed upon a new Neighborhood Initiative that would change the way decisions were made. No longer would a professional make a decision in isolation based on their best understanding. Now, those with the greatest interest in the decisions (residents, property, and business owners) would be the ones to influence the decisions through deliberative discussions.

This type of initiative was largely unheard of from within a local government and even today large metro areas are still slow to adapt true civic engagement principles. The local leaders had to use their best judgment and advice of the citizens they serve and create a new way of doing business in Hampton. From that a body of community leaders, institutional representatives, business leaders, and city leaders was appointed by the city council to strengthen our neighborhoods and affect positive change. Leaders worked with staff to shape the future of the city and establish long term plans. They begin to build networks of residents, organizations, and leaders that had an interest, a dream for a better community, a hope in the power of collaboration.

Through the years they saw many successes in safety (second/third safest city in Hampton Roads), youth (nationally recognized youth civic engagement initiative), community enhancement (over $1 mil given to neighborhoods for public improvement), leadership development (Youth Leadership Academy, Neighborhood College & Workshop Series), education (beautification, volunteerism, and leadership). But with all great initiatives, challenges with sustainability of innovation and motivation are always looming overhead.

So we find ourselves, especially as the economy and communication media have changed, we must look for the next revolutionary approach the allows for a sustainable approach. Very few of those that developed the vision of neighborhood partnership are still around today. Retirements, advancements, health, societal changes have left us with a fewer founding faces, forgotten history, old ways, and lots of new tools.

There are now numerous opportunities for the "re-invention," "re-energizing," and "re-adoption" of the founding principles of the original Neighborhood Initiative. However, challenges lie in identifying and energizing the new "trust agents" (from Chris Brogan) in the community, renewing a sense of hope in collaboration, and celebrating the amazing things that one small community can achieve with shared efforts.

Next Post: How simple is community involvement needed to make a positive change?

Support through Ownership to Improve Effectiveness (Part 2)

A brief follow-up to the last post. Once we have ownership established, meaning the ones who have the greatest investment in results of the activity are activily involved in the entire planning process, then you move from an object or a resource and into a partnership role.  This is most commonly seen in youth development models of youth participation in programing. The result is a program that lasts because the participants are also partners in the process. They are integral in planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating a program or ministry.

Do you go with what is often comfortable which often isn't as effective? Do you take the time to find the key stakeholders and develop a much more effective product? 

I have always heard that in community building you have to go slow to go fast and far. This reminds us that often the process can be taxing and time consuming in the front but the results will be a much more efficient and effective product for the community that you serve. If I only include those in my own circle of influence then the circle of my ministry or work will never grow. 

I must use the social capital with the circles I am connected so that they can expand my influence to their own unique circles. But if I wait to include them at the end just to tell them what to do or where to be when, then I will inevitablly only recieve mediocre fruit for the my work. Thus, ownership of the process, the implementation, evaluation and celebration will result in a much more effective product. I must be reminded that I don't work for my boss or my paycheck but I work for the citizens, the youth, my neighbors, my friends, my family. If I don't do my job well, then they are the ones who will suffer for my bad decisions. I must take ownership of as well as offer it. Ownership builds responsibility, creates effectiveness, enhances our work.

Intentional Relationship Building in the Local Church

Community building can happen anywhere and it needs to be happening everywhere.

The concepts of intentional community building, building social capital, and increasing the level of neighborliness are all related and speak to the strengths and backgrounds of the builder-observer. The need for effective community building in every organizational culture is greater today than in the last 30 years. Research is beginning to show us that the level of face to face interaction between households has declined. Robert Putnam's "Bowling Alone" highlights this issue as a loss of social capital. See Social Capital's Blog on "UK Loneliness"

It happens in our local churches and worship centers as well. Many people come to places of worship to be connected, but avoid being overly committed. (going to the bowling alley but not joining the league, living in a neighborhood but not hosting a new neighbor, etc.)

I have even seen people come over the past few years and continue to come of their own volition, not because they agree what the beliefs of that group but they seem to want to feel connected. It seems that this is why many people come for entertainment/curiosity and leave immediately or keep their interaction to a minimum.

• Why are activities like Christmas programs so popular but the practical services throughout the year so sparsely attended?
• What happens between visits that draws them back?
• Why do some come if opposed to the standards and position of the church?

Spiritually speaking - we can tend to attribute it to a consciousness, a calling, a yearning. I think that these answers are too easy, putting the sole responsibility on the member/attendee and relinquishing the responsibility of the local organization. In fact, with an effective community building approach, churches could see this problem minimized in a short time. If the membership is motivated, engaged, and aware to intentionally engage visitors, then they will take ownership of the congregation. The congregation itself can routinely and consistently welcome, invite, and include "quick attendees" into the congregation faster than it they would be in a passive engagement approach.

I'll leave you with the thoughts for future posts.

• How intentional is the inclusion of visitors by your congregation?
• Who recruits volunteers? Is it always the leadership or the congregation itself?
• How aware is your congregation of the skills, abilities, and assets of the members?