As a pastor, I have lead about 7 short-term missions trips over the last 13 years. As a church planter, I have hosted more than 10 urban ministry teams over the past 5 years or so (first in Schenectady, NY and now in Atlantic City, NJ). So I’ve been on both sides of the isle as it were. As I’ve reached out with Christ’s love in word and deed in urban settings I’ve certainly made mistakes and in hindsight, if I had the opportunity to go back in time and do it all over again, I certainly would have done some things differently.
But you know what? I don’t regret getting my nose out of endless books, articles and essays on mercy ministry and getting out there and engaging low-income families, urban children, African refugees and other hurting folks with the love of Jesus in word and deed. When I say I have learned a ton from them I am not engaging in some self-effacing false humility. I mean it.
As much as I strive to address the systemic issues that often trap my people in an endless cycle of dependence, hopelessness and despair, I also realize that walking with them, rejoicing with them, weeping with them and bringing some relief (albeit temporary) is a good way to begin loving my neighbor as myself. It’s only a beginning, but a beginning nonetheless.
When urban ministry teams come to serve with us, we try to emphasize that it’s much more about connecting with the community than it is about getting as much work done as we can. So instead of feeling like a home owner or child in the neighborhood is distracting us from our ‘real work,’ I remind them that relating to folks in our community IS the real work!
While I am learning how to help folks in such a way that we aren’t actually crippling them in the long run by causing them to be overly dependent on outside help, I am also learning to simply offer myself to them in all my brokenness, neediness and dependency on the God of grace.
Sometimes sharing in someone’s hurt is the best way to help. Sometimes, hurting helps.
