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May
2012 | Renewing the City Socially, Spiritually & Culturally |
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John
Stott and Caring for God’s Creation |
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Called
to Carry One Another’s Burdens |
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Youth
Leaders in Space |
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The
Marriage Seminar: A Personal Reaction |
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Loving
Christ: What’s Race Got To Do With It? |
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Stories
of Gospel Renewal from Hope for New York Clients |
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JOHN
STOTT AND CARING FOR GOD’S CREATION This
article is reprinted by permission from a post on the website of The
Creation Care Coalition. The website is currently a work in progress,
but you can visit it for more information at www.creationcarecoalition.com.
Thanks also to Ann-Marie and Jonathan Keller (full
disclosure—daughter-in-law and son) for bringing this article to my
attention. John Stott has been a hero and mentor of mine since my
earliest days as a believer, and I am grateful that he tackled the
problem of “selective discipleship” in his last years of life. – Tim
Keller |
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CALLED
TO CARRY ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS One
of the things that has really hit home for me during my time
serving with the Diaconate has been the importance of carrying one
another’s burdens. Galatians 6:2, which says that we are fulfilling the
law of Christ in doing so, reinforces how seriously we are to take this
edict. My experience has taught me that in order to be able to carry
another’s burdens, I have to be rooted in the Word, able to really
understand the other person’s context, and then be able to allow others
to speak into my life as willingly as I extend support to
another. I
am now very keenly aware that my best intentions and best efforts will
not cause others to make meaningful changes unless their hearts have
been transformed. That is why it’s so important to continually be
brought back to the fact that only God is able to change people’s
hearts, but that he may use us as the instrument to effect that
change. Without
God, I feel frustrated that my efforts only translate into temporary
fixes and I am anxious, feeling as though responsibility for improving
the situation falls squarely on my shoulders. With God, I am at peace
in the knowledge that God gives us guidelines for how to serve and if
we are faithful to them and him, he will use our efforts toward the
restoration of lives (even when that is not immediately apparent). Before
I can shoulder someone’s burden, I also have to discern what it is
they’re carrying. Financial concerns, strong emotions, and frayed
relationships often point to a deeper issue. Something I’ve found to be
tremendously effective while serving with the Diaconate has been rather
simple: Give someone an outlet to be heard. So often, people I’ve
served as a deacon have shared that what they’ve most appreciated about
my Diaconate partner and me—as a team working with someone who has
approached the Diaconate for assistance—is just providing a safe space
for them to share. I
think it runs counter to the mindset so many of us New Yorkers possess,
where we want to analyze the problem, determine an end goal, and then
come up with actionable (and measurable) next steps that can be
implemented. While not necessarily a bad framework, people are not
projects to be managed. I have found that it takes some investing in
getting to know an individual—their beliefs and goals, hopes and
dreams, values and desires—before I can figure out how to help carry
their burden. And if I am successful in doing that, I’ve found it’s
amazing how empowering that space can be to give the individual the
room to figure out for themselves what they need to do next. This is
not an easy task, but we have a model to look to: God who came to live
amongst us, who understands our weaknesses and every one of our
struggles. Finally,
when requesting the privilege of being able to speak into the lives of
others, I constantly remind myself that no real relationship is a
one-way channel. Something that I’ve tried to put into practice based
on the advice of more seasoned deacons and deaconesses is to not just
pray for someone who asks for prayer. Rather, pray with
someone who requests it. While
it’s not appropriate in a Diaconate context for me to shift the focus
to me, I do try to be open and vulnerable about challenges in my own
life because I’m not someone who has it all together. I’m a broken
person serving another broken person purely by the grace of God. As
such, I seek out and maintain a core group of relationships (my wife,
my fellowship group, and the Diaconate staff and members) who lovingly
speak the truth into my life, enabling me to walk and not grow weary,
helping to carry my burdens as I seek also to carry the burdens of
others. |
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YOUTH
LEADERS IN SPACE A
few years ago one of our youth leaders remarked that working with
middle and high school kids is a lot like being Alan Shepard, the first
American in space. He explained: “Shepard’s job was at times
exhausting, overwhelming, and loud. But he saw the stars. And more
specifically, he saw the light of the stars before it reached us. He
saw the stars of our future.” This
is probably the best description we’ve ever come across of what it
means to be a youth leader. When you spend quality time around middle
and high school kids, exploring with them all manner of Bible, life,
and cultural issues, you see their gifts and talents and have a chance
to behold the light of the stars of tomorrow. Consider this an
invitation to have that experience. There
are at least three reasons why we need you and you need us. First,
there is a need that has not always been there. Only recently could we
say, “Youth Ministry has an obvious need for the men of Redeemer to
serve and befriend the future men of Redeemer.” Since many first and
second-generation Redeemer families have chosen to stay in the City and
raise their kids here, we now have over 130 students, and our need for
leaders is critical, though many at Redeemer may not even know there is
a youth community! Which
leads to the second point. Simply put, few people move to New York City
to hang out with high school kids! Therefore, it’s only natural that
student ministry isn’t on the radar for most of Redeemer’s
congregations as a place to serve. But with nearly 100%
growth in two years, our students have a vibrant and vital
community that is becoming a bigger part of our Church and City. Third,
there is a clear benefit. Taking part in our Youth Community allows you
to fulfill the vow all members take during an infant’s baptism to
support parents as they “train the child up in righteousness.” At the
same time you’re serving the City. Have you considered that most of the
native New Yorkers at Redeemer are under age 17? They are a local
people group, born within the five-boroughs, sitting in the pew next to
you, and they desperately need to see and hear the Gospel through the
lives of people other than their parents. Consider
that while most of our students will go away to college, many will also
return to New York (or another other global city) to live and work. By
investing and serving your church in this area of need you will not
only see the starlight of the future, you will prepare it to shine
brightly. To learn more, contact [email protected] |
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THE
MARRIAGE SEMINAR: A PERSONAL REACTION We
attended the Marriage, Sex and Singleness conference led by Tim and
Kathy Keller at the end of March. It was a unique opportunity to get an
honest look into the challenges and realities of both singleness and
marriage. It also was a great chance to spend time in fellowship and
community with the three congregations of Redeemer while discussing
this important topic. Plus, we got engaged. More about that
later. What
most stood out to us was how frank, forthright and practical the
lessons and discussions were throughout
the weekend. Discarding the rose-colored glasses that we are often told
are a requirement of successful relationships, all of the talks and
discussions approached the joys and challenges of singleness,
relationships and marriage with a realistic but hopeful perspective.
With a healthy mix of teaching, honesty and humor Tim and Kathy
addressed attendees both collectively and in groups of men and women,
respectively. We
were able to ask the questions that we were always afraid to ask, and
probably hear words spoken that we would not have expected to hear in a
church setting. We also were given insight into the Kellers’ history as
a couple from the perspectives of their closest friends. We truly
appreciated their willingness to share their struggles and
vulnerabilities with us, for while many of us see Rev. Keller preaching
on Sundays, we are rarely given the chance to see him with his wife and
friends speaking to us in such a personal and intimate manner.
Observing the dynamics of their relationship was priceless. Finally,
what made the conference even more meaningful (and timely) was that we
were able to attend together, which coincidentally was the day before
our engagement. While the conference was not the reason for our
engagement, it set a solid foundation of understanding and insight into
the joys, truths and meaning of the covenant of marriage. We are sure
these lessons will prove invaluable in the many years ahead of us
both. *No,
we aren’t married yet, we just happen to have the same last name as
singles! |
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LOVING
CHRIST: WHAT’S RACE GOT TO DO WITH IT? On
the evening of March 28 over 800 individuals participated in
a dynamic conversation on race, where Anthony Bradley, Timothy Keller,
and John Piper, addressed the gospel’s role in reconciling America’s
racial divide. Crossway sponsored the event, which was hosted by
Redeemer’s Grace and Race team. The
impetus for the event was Piper’s book, Bloodlines: Race,
Cross and the Christian, in which the author effectively
points to sin—namely, “the problem of exalting ourselves over our
maker… and over others”—as being at the root of racism. In his
presentation that evening, by emphasizing redemptive grace, Piper
challenged evangelicals to root their identity in Christ over their
race. Piper’s
talk was complemented by Keller’s call to acknowledge corporate
responsibility and recognize systemic evil as a critical aspect of the
problem of racism. Invoking passages in the Old and New testaments,
Keller pointed to the notion of corporate responsibility as a central
pillar of our faith, and pivotal to the Christian understanding of sin,
redemption, and salvation. As such, he reiterated the need for us each
to gain an understanding of racism beyond individual responsibility and
conscious intent. Bradley,
an African-American scholar who moderated the discussion, responded to
both talks by urging whites to create venues where they listen to
non-whites “who communicate the ways in which they have been impacted
and affected by race.” Bradley added, “Discussions of race have to be
led by people whose perspective is different.” More importantly, he
reminded us all that we must frame this discussion around love. We are
called by Jesus’ own words to love each other the same way that God
loves us. So as we grapple with the racism in our hearts and in our
congregations, we must honestly ask: do I/we view that group that is
racially different from me/us as worthy of being loved? In
discussing the challenges of leading multi-racial congregations, Keller
and Piper, both pastor-scholars, exhorted white evangelicals to engage
in racial dialogue, despite the potential pitfalls. Bradley invited the
audience during the Q and A “to ask deeper and more penetrating
questions” with the caveat that “we cannot talk about racism without
talking about white privilege (the ways whites benefit from racist
systems just by virtue of being white) and about micro-aggressions.” By
micro-aggressions, he referred to everyday situations in which people
of color are viewed with suspicion or stereotyped, like the assumption
that Bradley is a salesperson in a store because he’s wearing a suit
and shopping in midtown during the afternoon. Keller acknowledged white
privilege and ways he’s benefited from it, but with his characteristic
wit he added, “I’m not going to feel sorry for myself because that is a
very white thing to do.” Piper admitted that though he knew he’d be
criticized for writing this book, but he also felt a need to own his
brokenness before God and not live out of a place of racist
self-righteousness. We
hope that conversations about race will continue at Redeemer, where
over 50 percent of its congregants are Asian or Asian-American. The
talk, followed by the Q&A, can be viewed online at:www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/now-available-race-and-the-christian |
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STORIES
OF GOSPEL RENEWAL FROM HOPE FOR NEW YORK CLIENTS Clients
from Hope for New York affiliate organizations shared stories of Gospel
restoration and hope at nine Redeemer services over Palm Sunday and
Easter. We praise God for the work He is doing through Hope for New
York’s affiliate organizations, and we are so grateful to those in our
church who gave generously and sacrificially to this work through the
Easter Sacrificial Offering. A few of the Hope for New York stories are
excerpted below. God
worked on me from the inside out! I began to understand God’s love for
me: that I didn’t have to live a perfectly righteous life, but I could
accept the righteousness that He offered in Christ. My changed life
didn’t happen overnight. But He started to replace the bitterness with
love, the fear with peace, and the desperation with hope. –
Debra, Former Client (and now staff), Brooklyn Teen Challenge One
day, someone called the shelter where I was staying and told me to get
in touch with my family. He said the family was planning my funeral.
The police had found someone dead of a drug overdose in the Bronx—a
Hispanic male, 40-45 years old, 5 feet 4 inches tall. The guy had my ID
in his pocket. The body had decomposed. Since my family had
not heard from me in months, they thought it was me. They thought I was
dead. That was a wake-up call. I felt like God was sending me a
message: “That could have been you. You are not exempt from
consequences. But you have a chance at something better.” –
Domingo, Client, Bowery Mission I’ve
heard people say that life really begins when you turn 50. Well, I can
genuinely say that’s true because, after spending 22 years struggling
with a life-controlling addiction to crack cocaine, God has given me
another shot at a new life! And how incredible is the timing? Today is
Easter—the day that we celebrate God’s triumph of life over death in
the resurrection of His son Jesus Christ! I really can appreciate this
because I’ve experienced Jesus’ victory in my own life. –
John, Client, The Relief Bus When
I walked through the doors of the Women’s Center home, I felt freedom
for first time in a long time. Through the program at the Bowery
Mission Women’s Center, Christ has been changing me. I have had my
guard up for most of my life, but I am learning how to be secure in
Christ, and now I’m learning to open up to others. I have always lacked
focus and the ability to complete things, and today I’m learning
self-discipline. I want my life to be a blessing by sharing Christ with
others. I am learning that God has a bigger purpose for my life than I
ever realized. I feel hopeful about what God is doing in my life and
what He has in store for me! –
Eunice, Client, The Bowery Mission Women’s |
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HFNY
YOUNG SUPPORTERS SPRING BENEFIT Celebrate
stories of hope at Hope for New York’s Spring Benefit on May 10. Join
our Young Supporters for food and drinks and learn more about the work
Hope for New York is doing to serve the poor and marginalized of New
York City. Find out more at
hfny.org/hope-for-new-york-2012-spring-benefit/. |
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