Connections With Haltom Middle School

Last week, Fort Worth Star-Telegram writer, Traci Shurley, reported on the "Backpacks for Kids" food program. She noted:

"Each Backpacks for Kids school site costs about $12,000 annually to run; the food bank gets operating help from Communities in Schools of Greater Tarrant County and other community groups. Officials would like to expand even more. They believe that support from community groups could make that possible.

"Starting Backpacks for Kids at Haltom Middle School, for example, was first discussed about four months ago when Richland Hills Church of Christ members approached Birdville school district officials with the idea to volunteer for the event, school officials said. Now the church is working in cooperation with the food bank to make the distribution possible.

"Haltom Middle School is the first who already had a community organization ready to volunteer," said Kathy Handler, coordinator of the Birdville district's after-school programs. "Tarrant Area Food Bank usually has to search for an organization to help with the program."

From Shane Clairborne

Shane is young and has a clear prophetic voice. He writes:

"As an evangelical, the only way I know to invite people into Christian faith is to 'Come and see.' After all, I'm not just trying to get someone to sign a doctrinal statement, but to come to know love, grace, and peace in the incarnation of Jesus, and now the incarnation of the body, Christ's church. So if someone asked me to introduce them to Jesus, I would say, 'Come and see. Let me show you Jesus with skin on.' Sometimes we have evangelicals (usually from the suburbs) who pretentiously ask how we 'evangelize people.' I usually tell them that we bring folks like them here to learn the kingdom of God from the poor, and then send them out to tell the rich and powerful there is another way of life being born in the margins. For Jesus did not seek out the rich and powerful in order to trickle down his kingdom. Rather, he joined those at the bottom, the outcast and undesirables, and everyone was attracted to his love for people on the margins" (The Irresistable Revolution, pp. 126-127).

Response to Poverty - Mentors

Jeremiah 22:16 says this about a king with the right heart:

"He gave justice and help to the poor and needy,

and everything went well for him.

Isn’t that what it means to know me?” says the Lord.

Questions:

--Am I living like I know the Lord?

--How much attention am I giving to justice for the poor?

--Am I responding more to the results of poverty or it's causes (education, health issues, etc.)?

--As a church of 4,000+, what could we do (as in, we each roll up our sleeves to give time and effort) in our city toward more justice and help to the poor and needy?

--As a church, what should we do? Not simply how much money can we raise? But what should we as Jesus-followers be doing?

I'm going to be inviting folks to go with me as mentors inside schools to help kids who have educationally been identified as "at risk."

Why is this so important?

Because one of the clearest predictors for poverty in this country is level of education.

Mentoring helps kids. In fact, elementary tutoring helps many kids who are most vulnerable and in danger of continuing the cycle of poverty.

“Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me”—Jesus.

What should and could we be doing? As mentors, we can go together inside schools one afternoon per week to help children with basic homework and have one-on-one conversations with them that could change their lives.

"He gave justice and help to the poor and needy,
and everything went well for him.
Isn’t that what it means to know me?” says the Lord.

Letting Jesus Lead - Samaritan House

Recently, the Darin Hollingsworth and the RHCC youth ministry team sent me the following note:

We were considering taking a Spring Break mission trip this year since most/all the local school's spring breaks are the same week (March 12-16). However, we feel that if we can find the right project locally, we can get more of our youth ministry team & kids involved. Could you help us find such a project?

I began to pray about it and the following Sunday, Anna Griffith (see previous post) introduced me to a member at RHCC who happens to be a resident and employee of Samaritan House in Fort Worth.

He was gracious enough to give me a tour of the facility and introduce me to the staff, including the CEO. The Lord is beginning to open doors for RHCC to serve there in significant ways in the near future.

While at Samaritan House, I mentioned about our youth ministry's desire to do some local service over Sping Break. They told me that this Spring, they planned to build, plant, and estabish a large organic vegetable garden. It would provide food for the the residents of Samaritan House (a couple of hundred people), supply a local Farmers' Market, be a place on their campus where the residents could earn volunteer hours (an important part of their overall rehab program), be a showcase addition to their property, and a visible example to encourage the establishment of similar gardens on properties in that part of the city.

This was offered to the RHCC Youth Ministry Team as a possible Spring Break project for them. And they've accepted. So the teens and their adult sponsors plan to go into the inner city and serve at Samaritan House during their Spring Break.




They came away with some hands-on experience in demonstrating compassion for people living with chronic health problems--something that Jesus did on a regular basis.

Letting Jesus Lead

I'll tie my previous post to something phenomenal Jesus has been orchestrating. First, I'm at a very large, busy, active church in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex (RHCC). Our membership is numbered in the thousands. We have an impressive campus; a broad diversity of ministries; I get to rub elbows with and serve with an incredibly devoted staff; I'm surrounded by fellow members who love to serve and who possess strong, missional hearts; our church is led by courageous and visionary elders; and we have a preacher who consistently challenges us with messages designed to draw us deeper into what it means to follow Jesus.

Yes, RHCC is a progressive church. We're also joy-filled, passionate about Jesus, and amazed by grace. By this world's standards, this also happens to be a very wealthy church. And, to be honest, on any given Sunday, you wouldn't look out across our assembly and see the obviously hungry, sick, homeless, diseased, or down-and-out.

It's not that they're in any way unwelcome. They're just noticeably not with us. Which brings me to Jimmy Dorrell reminder:

Intentional efforts in local congregations must be made to reconnect the rich and the poor; the black, white, and brown; those educated in the university; and those educated on the streets. Only then can we learn the lessons that this God of the little people wants us to know (Trolls & Truth, p. 29).

Two words really get my attention. Dorrell mentions "intentional efforts." In others words, Dorrell urges churches, like RHCC, to act on purpose and by design to reconnect the rich and the poor, the healthy and the chronically sick, the strong and the weak, the homeowners and the homeless.

Why? Because "only then can we learn the lessons that this God of the little people wants us to know."

So this is really on my heart. I know it's where Jesus is wanting to take RHCC. I began a couple of months ago to pray about it. (I'm grateful to Bill New and Allen Tappe for encouraging me to pray like this and wait for God's answer.)

"Jesus, you lead. Show us the way. Show us where you've be preparing in advance the good works for us to do. Reveal to us where to go so we can join you in what you're doing,"

When I was invited last July to join the staff at RHCC, I knew the church wanted to make more direct contact with the community. The staff had read the book, The Externally Focused Church by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson.

After praying for Jesus to lead us, I googled "externally focused church." One link led me to the Irving Bible Church and this specific page that listed where their church is making intentional efforts to serve those in the community living with HIV/AIDS.

I sat in front of the computer screen and prayed, "Jesus, it would be a stretch for many of us to directly minster to those struggling with AIDS and serve them in the way of Jesus. If that's where you want to lead us, give me a clear sign."

I continued to pray for several days about it. And one Saturday morning Jesus gave me a strong sign.

Between 300-350 members of RHCC had gathered in one area of our building for a special Bible study. Before it started, we had coffee and rolls. The place was packed. I went through the line and looked for a seat. I only found one, so I walked up and asked if I could join. They said yes. I sat down and introduced myself around the table. Finally I turned to the person on my left.

"Hello, I'm Rusty Peterman."

She replied, "Hello, I'm Anna Griffith."

I asked Anna what she did.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said with a grin.

I said, "Try me."

"I go over to Africa several times each year to work with the AIDS population."

I leaned forward in my chair and asked, "Anna, how did you get started doing that." Afterall, it's not everyday you meet someone who has that on a "To Do" list.

Here's what she told me: "I did my Doctor of Ministry and a study of AIDS several years back."

"What was your thesis?"

Anna answered, "The Implementation of An AIDS Ministry Within the Local Congregation."

I was all ears by then. "Anna, Jesus wanted me to meet you this morning. We need to get together soon."

We did. And next time I'll share with you where Jesus is leading us at a place called Samaritan House.

Transformation in the Church

Another thought from Jimmy Dorrell:

Transformation in the church must come. "It is hard to escape the conclusion that one of the greatest roadblocks to the gospel of Jesus Christ is the institutional church," says Howard Snyder in Radical Renewal. In new wineskins and perhaps through the life of the old wino, our ecclesiology must be upended by the "least of these": the hungry, imprisoned, sick, and stranger. Intentional efforts in local congregations must be made to reconnect the rich and the poor; the black, white, and brown; those educated in the university; and those educated on the streets. Only then can we learn the lessons that this God of the little people wants us go know (Trolls & Truth, p. 29).

Jesus Said, "Follow Me."

Sometimes, with all the possibilities, I've been confused about which path to take in following Jesus, especially which one he wants for Christians at RHCC to embark on.

This verse has helped big time. Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

In other words, Jesus goes before us to get things ready for us to do.

I thought about how he has been bringing some things together:

It wasn't known at the time when RHCC adopted Mullendore Elementary, but that just happened to be where Jesus brought Billy Pope, RHCC member, to be prinicipal.

Kathy Handler, Birdville Independed School District, presented the "Backpacks For Kids" program into the BISD by partnering with RHCC. This will be the first BISD school to provide these nutritional meals to kids in our area. Of all the schools in BISD where it might have been introduced, Kathy identified Haltom Middle School, where God just happened to place Tad Conner, RHCC member, as vice principal.

Not long after I was asked to join the staff at RHCC, conversations and prayers began about the church ministering in apartments. Before long, Al Dumois, a local apartment owner, called me to see if RHCC would help his management company and a young Christian couple plant seeds of kingdom life in the Hurst Gardens Apartments. It just so happens, that God brought this Christian couple to Hurst Gardens over a year ago as residents. They've been loving their neighbors in the way of Jesus for some time. Now we get to join them.

Recently, the door has been opened by the CEO of Samaritan House for RHCC to serve there in significant ways. Samaritan House is a residential facility addressing HIV/AIDS, homelessness, substance abuse, and crime. And it just so happens that Anna, an RHCC member, has been quietly and effectively serving there for several years. And Greg, another RHCC member, is a resident and employee. I'm working with him to involve Christian business owners, "Menders for the Master," RHCC teens, and others in serving in the inner city with Samaritan House.

Jesus is at work. RHCC just needs to notice where and follow him there.

Hurst Gardens Apartments - The Beginning

Let me tell you a story....

Back in October 2006, a number of signs brought me to the point where I felt Jesus wanted our church to follow him into the neighborhood, specifically into apartment complexes. Troubled places. Lonely places. Stress-filled places. So where would we start?

I vividly recall praying, "Jesus, I don't know where to begin. We want to go to the people you want to reach with your love. You show us the people. You show where. You open the doors. I believe you've been preparing in advance good works for us. Help me see what they are. We'll follow you."

Within a few days, I received a phone call from Al. He told me that he and his partner owned several aparment complexes in our area and that he wanted to know if our church would help or assist them in planting some seeds of the kingdom of God within their complexes.

I'm listening to this Christian business owner who thinks of his business in terms of it being a kingdom venture. He shared some frustration with me, because he wasn't having much success in finding a church to match the vision they had. He wasn't looking for a church that somehow might attract his residents to come over to their building. He had something else in mind. Something very Jesus-like.

Like go to them. Love them. Pray for them. Do it on their turf. And see where Jesus would take it.

Then Al told me about Jonathan and Mandy. This young Christian couple moved to the Hurst Gardens Apartment just over a year ago. They had recently married and were looking to live in a complex where they could love their neighbors in the way of Jesus.

The apartment manager noticed how Jonathan and Mandy were having a good influence on families, single parents, and children...their neighbors. The manager told Al and he found out they were Jesus-followers.

He asked me, "Rusty, would your church mentor this young Christian couple? Would you send people over to Hurst Gardens to come beside them and see what good can be done?"

Yes, we're joining Jonathan and Mandy...and Al...and Jesus at Hurst Gardens.

It's a 125 units. Primarily Hispanic. Many low income. Quite a few single parents. Approximately 330 people.

It's just the kind of place where Jesus would show up.