Tuesday outing, fools!!

Last night, it was Bethany, Katrine, April, Dan, Caleb, and I; and once again we walked over to Food for Life. On the way, we met Louis, who told Dan that he should stop using the word "awesome" to describe everything and should start calling everybody "Fool." It was hilarious, because as we were walking, Louis starting saying "awesome," and Dan starting calling us all "fools." Funny stuff.

There were probably 50-60 people (maybe more) getting fed at Triune, plus about 25 volunteers, so we had plenty of people to talk with. We met several men who want to work but cannot find any jobs in the poor economy, so that is definitely a matter of prayer. Also, Dan got into an intense theological discussion with one guy who knew the Scriptures but has some false ideas as well. Pray for clarity there.

This week, we are continuing to gather information and ideas about the homeless culture, and next week at the meeting, we will put our cards down on the table and discuss what we found and how we can best bring the Gospel into that context. Have a great week,

Paul

Alert! Time change for Tuesday meeting!

Due to the student-led renewal service taking place tomorrow night at 6:30, we will be having our regular Tuesday meeting at 6:00 instead of 6:30. Sorry for the late notice, but we're trying to cater to everyone. 6:00 -- Tomorrow -- ADM 201.

Meeting Tuesday

Hey friends,

Don't forget the meeting on Tuesday at 6:30 in ADM 201. Also, please email downtownimpactteam@gmail.com and confirm your attendance, and let us know when you are available to go downtown -- Tuesday night, Thursday afternoon, or Thursday evening. Looking forward to a great week!

Paul

Tuesday's outing (brrrr!)

Hey guys,

Dan, Katrine, Bethany, Caleb, and I had a great outing last night. We walked through the wind, snow, and ice -- okay, maybe not snow and ice, but it was REALLY cold and windy -- and we ended up at Triune to catch the last hour of Food for Life. We saw Kenny, Dr. Love, Lee, and some other friends, and Paul Blumer, the guy who heads up Food for Life, shared with us his heart for ministry with the urban poor. Kenny said that he has been waiting for us to return, and Dr. Love was happy to see us, and we want to be faithful to be there for them this semester.

We intentionally observed the different tendencies of the downtown culture, asking some of the questions in the previous post and listening for their answers. I would have posted some of our discoveries, but they are written in Caleb's secret notebook, which I do not have access to. I'm sure we will discuss them soon, and the Thursday outing will involve much of the same information-gathering process. It's exciting!

Keep praying,
Paul

Engaging Culture with the Gospel

At this week's meeting we talked about how to define culture and how to understand the way the gospel relates to it. As we start gathering information about the culture of Greenville's urban poor, keep some of these questions in mind. You may even want to ask people some of these things on your own while hanging out downtown: 

• Where do people spend their time and money?
  
• What do people do during their free time?
  
• What do they fear?
  
• What do they dream about?
  
• Where do they shop?
  
• What cultural experiences do they value?
  
• What are the most painful experiences they have had?
  
• What music do they listen to?
  
• What film and television do they watch?
  
• What do they find humorous?
  
• In what ways are they self-righteous?
  
• What do they read?
  
• What is their spirituality?
  
• Whom do they trust? Why?
  
• What do they think about the gospel?
  
• What sins will the gospel first confront and then heal for these people?

Jesus was the perfect missionary, taking 30 years to understand his culture and then preaching the gospel and accomplishing the work of the gospel. Our missionary efforts are weak and often misdirected; however, we continue learning about our culture and seeking to share the gospel in it because Jesus died for our sins of cultural arrogance and insensitivity. The progress of the gospel is not tied to the quality of our efforts but to the sacrifice of our Savior. Jesus exchanged our sin-filled efforts for his perfect missional life.

As we take these first few outings to gather information, remember that Jesus made our acceptance to God possible on the cross; no amount of cultural relevance can make us more pleasing to God. We take time to learn our culture not for our own sake but for the sake of our friends living in culture. To understand them and take the gospel to them in an understandable way reflects the life of Christ and highlights him as the perfect missionary. In every way possible, we want to be highlighting Christ and pointing to him as our only hope.

I encourage you to further your understanding of these issues by reading this helpful article at TheResurgence.com.

Chapel 1/19/08: Race

I thought today's chapel was an excellent presentation and one that was very relevant for our impact team, so I hope you took advantage of the opportunity to think about race in a different light. He brought out some good verses that apply to race and that are helpful to us since we deal with people from different racial and cultural backgrounds. Like Dr. Thompson said as he closed, the solution to reconciliation is not simple, but what is exciting is that we can be part of the solution by understanding what God has told us and by acting on that reality.

"Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:4

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." John 17:20-21

The early church also wrestled with racial tensions. The traditionalists of the day did not believe that the church should seek to reach the Gentiles, and Paul and Peter had to demonstrate that the call of Jesus is for all men, not just Jews. As in the first century, prejudice is still alive and well today, and it's not easy to deal with, but we must work for reconciliation so that the church can be all she was intended to be, and so glorify God.

Paul

Prayer points

Hello everyone,

It was good to see you all at the meeting on Thursday, and I hope you're getting settled into your new schedule of classes. Obviously we want to be increasingly dedicated to God-honoring, worshipful, and intecessory prayer in this spring semester because we believe that God chooses to move when we align ourselves with His will in prayer. We want to do that in personal and corporate prayer, and we want to keep you updated on specific ways that we can pray. God has given us tremendous promises in His Word regarding prayer, and we would be foolish to ignore them. Here are a few specifics:

-Team unity
-Wisdom for how to specifically pursue new opportunities and ideas for ministry
-Downtown churches (GraceChurch Downtown, Pendleton Street Baptist, First Pres., etc.)
-City government (Mayor White, City Council, the police force)
-Wisdom for city businesses operating in a tough economy
-The discipleship of new believer Nathan
-Louis, Crazy, CW, Franklin, Leroy, Scipio, Veronica, Dwight, Ronnie, Robert, Kenny, and the rest of our friends on the street

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." John 15:7

It's great to join with you in seeking the good of Greenville. Let's trust God for a great semester.

Paul Conner

Spring 2009 Family Talk

Friends,

I've always wanted to be a part of something much bigger than myself, and I'm humbled that God has rescued me and made me a part of his movement of missionaries, the Church. As college students, we have the choice before us to serve the Church in advancing the gospel into the shadows of our city or to demand services from underpaid staff members who strive to entertain us with funny-titled sermonettes. Which will you choose?

I know most of you very well, and I believe you are on board with Christ's mission to redeem the city of Greenville. The question our team faces is "How are we going to do it?" What part do we have to play in God's kingdom work? 

I believe Spring 2009 holds incredible opportunities for our participation in the gospel's progress. We are going to hold a family talk for all impact team members on January 15 immediately after the first Fusion of the semester. Our family talk will be held in the smaller Joyful Sound conference room; that is the room in the Student Center at the end of the Student Services and Campus Ministry halls (signs will be posted).

We are going to be asking God to do some ridiculous things this semester. I want to share with you the vision and strategy of the Downtown Impact Team for the current stage we are in and talk about where I see our team moving in the next several months. We must submit to Scripture and act like members of one Body if we hope to do all we set out to accomplish. I encourage you to set your eyes on Christ, lock arms with your brothers and sisters, and march forward with the light of the gospel.

For His fame,
Caleb