Distance
“I will send you far away”, Acts 22:21. I am now reading Acts and was struck by this phrase in Apostle Paul’s speech before a very ugly crowd in Jerusalem. When he adds another word “Gentiles”, the crowd roars. Angry. It becomes an uncontrollable situation. The authorities step in. Mission work sends us away some distance. … Read more
Chicago Kroc: Now Hiring
Looking for an opportunity to serve in the name of Jesus in an under-resourced urban neighborhood? Major David Harvey of the Chicago Kroc Center shares – If you have a passion for sports or the arts and want to change the world by bringing Jesus to Kids trapped in a community of violence and few opportunities, Keep … Read more
Stripped Down Theology For Bare Places
We are now on ‘furlough’, what Salvation Army officers call vacation. I am catching up on reading email. Most of it: delete. I do check NY Times for Verlyn Klinkenborg columns, notes from friends (Dean Kellenburger’s Wisconsin outdoors news), and FCS Urban Perspectives from Bob Lupton in Atlanta. Bob writes from an experience typical among those who work … Read more
David Wilkerson 1931 – 2011
This ePistle article from Evangelicals for Social Action was in my email this morning: Reverend David Wilkerson, 1931-2011 by Al Tizon The Reverend David Wilkerson—founder of the Times Square Church in New York City and a highly successful drug rehabilitation program called Teen Challenge—died in a car accident in Texas on April 27, 2011. He … Read more
Arsenal Street in St Louis
I returned last night from Arsenal Street in St Louis. On the south side of Arsenal just west of Jefferson is the Salvation Army’s Temple Corps. Envoys Steve and Ketsia Diaz are the corps officers. A few weeks ago they moved there from what had been the corps officers’ quarters in the suburbs. Steve and … Read more
A Final Post About the 2011 Urban Forum
A few last observations from the 2011 Urban Forum. The opening night in the Toronto Harbour Light, Howard Olver shared words of Bill Iverson, a longtime urban minister in Newark NJ: You need a strong sovereign God to work in the city. Your average suburban God isn’t going to cut it. Yes, and no. Yes, … Read more
Christ Transforming the City
Flee the city? Perfect it? Coexist with it? or transform? This helpful article by Dr. Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan might take 5-10 minutes to read. But it is a handy way to examine four models Harvie Conn has reworked from R. Richard Niebuhr’s material. Urban missioners in the Salvation Army are busy … Read more
