Exponential 2011: Best Practices in Social Justice & Community Development Preconference Day 2 recap

Mary Nelson and Kirsten Strand wrapped up our preconference today by discussing an article we read last night called Planting Churches in Justice by Roy Soto. This was the powerful story of a pastor called to plant a church in Costa Rica.  It was a powerful story and the biggest take-away for me was a quote where Roy asked the question, “What does shalom mean in our context?”  Their church “concluded that shalom would mean a holistic practice of the gospel incarnated in the reality of our neighborhoods.”  I think this is a great question for churches to be asking about their communities.

Mary and Kirsten then reviewed the CCDA (Christian Community Development Association) Principals which are:

• Relocation: Living Among the People
• Reconciliation
• Redistribution (Just Distribution of Resources)
• Leadership Development
• Listening to Community
• Church-Based
• Wholistic Approach
• Empowerment

We then took time as a group to discuss a case study based on the forms we filled out the previous day about our faith communities, their mission and assets, and the community’s strengths and needs.  Each of our groups worked to practically make suggestions to assess the community’s needs and brainstorm how to address them.  This was a great time of collaboration and sharing of resources and skills.

The session closed with all of us reading a Chinese proverb that CCDA uses as a philosophical guide:

Go to the people
Live among them
Learn from them
Love them
Start with what they know
Build on what they have:
But of the best leaders When their task is done
The people will remark, “We have done it ourselves.”

Exponential 2011: Best Practices in Social Justice & Community Development Preconference Day 1 recap

Today I attended the Best Practices in Social Justice & Community Development track which was led by Troy Jackson, Mary Nelson and Kirsten Strand.  Troy started the session by talking about how social justice has become a divisive term especially after Glenn Beck condemned churches that use the term.  As I pondered this, I thought: if the term social justice is uncomfortable, maybe we should say ‘Biblical justice’, because it is a mandate; not a choice.  I was left with a number of good questions we should be asking of our communities:

What are the big lies?

What or who is broken?

What or who is missing?

What is there? (assets)

What is not there? (needs)

What are the two best things in this community?

What are two things that need working on?

What are you willing to work on?

Help SIDAREC finish strong

Last week I received word from my good friend George in Kenya that they have run out of funding to complete the construction of the new SIDAREC Mukuru Youth Resource Center.  I have blogged about my friendship with George and SIDAREC before here and here, specifically when he visited with us over the summer.  Their organization was awarded the Architecture for Humanity Open Architecture Challenge in 2007.  A design competition was held and the winning design is being constructed on the site.  Unfortunately, in the last two years, inflation has hit this region of Kenya (near Nairobi) and caused construction material costs to rise drastically resulting in the current gap to finish the project.  The facility is 70% complete which is a huge accomplishment.  Unfortunately, the excitement of the facility nearing completion has been suspended by the anxiety and frustration of seeing most of it built but not having enough funding to complete it.

This is my plea:

If you can donate, please do.

If not, please circulate to as many people as possible so we can help my friend George close this financial gap and complete this facility.  I can testify first hand to the outstanding impact this project will have on the youth of this area of Kenya.  This facility will provide access to information, knowledge, education and literacy.  These are all things that we take for granted here in the United States.  Without access to these resources, the youth of Mukuru Kwa Njenga have a bleak future living in the slums struggling to find work and income.

I have attached a summary letter from my friend George.  This letter includes more details if you are interested.

I am also including two links to fundraising sites for this project.  Thank you friends in advance for reading and for your generosity!  Please contact me with any questions at mrlehrATgmailDOTcom. SIDAREC letter

Crowdrise

Global Giving

Global Freeze Project Day!

I had the opportunity to participate in Charles Lee’s brain-child, The Idea Camp in DC last year.  I love Charles’ work and his heart for the poor and oppressed.  Now I have the privilege and opportunity to participate in another one of his brilliant events.  “The Freeze Project is an idea inspired by a group in New York called Improv Everywhere.”  The Freeze Project takes this inspiration and chooses a public location to freeze in place for five minutes.  “By having a large group participate, their twist on the improv concept is to use the event to draw attention to some of the social injustices of the world.  But instead of protesting, they create an experience that is fun, non-intrusive (in your face activism), and inclusive.”

The Freeze Project is taking their message global on Saturday, April 17th.  This “Freeze” will bring awareness to the reality of modern-day slavery and the partner organizations include:

One Voice to End Slavery

Stop the Traffik

The Sold Project

JustOne

As a local coordinator, I will be facilitating the event for the Quakertown, Pennsylvania area.  It will be held at the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley.  Check out our Facebook event page!

If you live in the area and would like to participate, please contact me at mrlehr at gmail dot com.

the legacy of John Brown…

My dad forwarded me an interesting and challenging article last week that really got me thinking and struggling with some tough issues.  You can check out the original article here.  The topic is the legacy of John Brown.  It seems this is a topic today debated as much as it was 150 years ago when his famous raid took place.

It’s interesting to me that this is an ongoing question of our humanity.  Are there circumstances that call for and warrant violence?  At what cost?  I think these 150 years later, we, as a humanity, wear the scars of slavery in the United States, both those whose family were slaves and those whose family were slave owners.  I think we can also acknowledge that although we seem to have come a long way, in many ways humanity, broken as it is, is still filled with the same hatred and violence that allowed slavery to happen in the first place.  It is my hope that we can learn from our mistakes, and it is in that spirit that I tackle this difficult subject.  I admit that I am not even scratching the surface, and I am by no means a historian.

But to me, despite the atrocity of slavery in the United States, I favor the path of non-violent resistance.  This is by no means a judgment upon those who felt the only path to overturn this tragedy was violent opposition.  It is merely where my heart is.  I immediately think of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Despite the lessons that clearly were not learned from slavery, evident in segregation during the 1960′s, Dr. King and his followers proved how effective non-violent resistance can be.  As a follower of Jesus, I have to acknowledge that this is where I take my cues.  For it was upon a bloody cross that Jesus hung in what appeared at the time to be the biggest failure of a claimed Messiah.  It seemed that Rome had the final word once again as the empire silenced yet another uprising.  Although it was not the silence at the cross that endured for eternity.  No, it was the glory of an empty tomb and a missing body that has withstood the test of time.  The most glorious turning of tables on violence by a bold act of non-violence, that launched a peaceful uprising of love and servitude.  Do not get me wrong, even followers of Jesus have un-learned these lessons and the Church has bore and still bears the scars of these shortcomings, but Jesus’ message of hope endures.

So although I admire the passion that filled John Brown, that did not allow him to sit idly by and put up with the atrocity of slavery in the United States, I cannot condone the shedding of blood that resulted from his violent raid.  I may be naive, but I believe the power of non-violent resistance can transform hearts, people, society and the world…one person…at a time.

There’s much more to say about this and I would love for you to join me in the conversation regardless of your thoughts or convictions on the issue…

This year my birthday will be different…

After attending The Idea Camp this past summer in DC, learning about charity: water, and seeing this video by founder Scott Harrison, I was inspired to help.  So instead of receiving the obligatory birthday card with money or a gift from friends and family, I am asking everyone to cooperate with me in providing clean drinking water for those desperately in need of it.  I created my own website through charity: water here.  If you are interested in joining me, I invite you to visit the site and make a donation.  Or maybe this will inspire you to help in other ways.  There are some creative ways to help shown on their website.  Together we can make a difference.

Idea Camp DC recap

Well, it’s been a week since I attended The Idea Camp DC and it was a crazy week.  I finally had a chance to let all of my thoughts surface since then.  Here are my thoughts/impressions:

1. My first impression was amazement at how this was pulled off so effectively by not using any marketing other than word of mouth and social networking media. My compliments to Charles Lee (@charlestlee) and his team.

2. I was impressed by the humility of all of the speakers and facilitators. This is a group of passionate, innovative and fully committed Jesus followers – accomplished pastors, authors and leaders and it was a privilege simply to be in the same room as them.  The beauty of this conference was that it wasn’t held in some extravagant venue, but a simple local church facility.  That pretty much set the tone for the rest of the conference.  The focus was more on the theme and the attendees than the speakers or facilitators. This wasn’t about show, but Jesus, honesty, creativity and collaboration.

3. I really enjoyed the pre-conference session with Mark Batterson (@markbatterson) and Dave Gibbons (@davegibbons) about The Origins Project. They spoke about their goals to focus on Jesus, innovation and humanity.  They used a lot of “re” words like re-think, re-imagine and re-discover.  For me this discussion was one of the highlights because God used it to affirm a lot of the seemingly wacky ideas bouncing around in my head lately.  This was an opportunity to listen to others share the same thoughts, ideas and desires which really resonated with me.  Dave Gibbons talked about how we have a tendency in our churches to focus on the things that make us comfortable, when in reality, we should be focusing on the things that make us uncomfortable.  He suggested that we balance our communities by honoring the past but also fueling the fringe.

4. Dave Ferguson (@daveferguson) told us “God birthed each of us with a dream.” Part of the process of our faith journey is figuring out what that dream is (the deep longing God planted within us) so that we can carry it out and fulfill it.  He spoke about how it is often directly linked to the pain or hurt we have experienced in our lives.

5. Another highlight was the opportunity to connect with others who are struggling to realize the ideas that God has planted in them. I attended a session led by Leroy Barber where we discussed how to go about being neighbors.  I loved this discussion because it was an honest and open chat among passionate and committed followers of Jesus trying to love their neighbors and their communities.  The relaxed and intimate atmosphere and tone of the conversation made me feel as if we all had known each other for years.  It reminded me of our early conversations years ago before we launched The Village.  I was very encouraged to hear the steps and actions other were taking.  It was also nice to be able to build up others who had either been frustrated by their results or were looking for answers and feedback.

6.  I had a great dinner with Atiba de Souza (@atibadesouza) and we shared our stories, passions and ideas with each other. My prayers are with him, his family and his church as they seek to serve the Columbia, Maryland community.

7. It was nice being able to attend this conference with my Dad. He and I have had the opportunity to collaborate in the past few years in different ways, and I certainly attribute a lot of my creativity and passion towards serving humanity to him.  We enjoyed our time to re-connect with each other and learn about the great non-profits committed to the cause of justice and compassion.

8. Finally, it was wonderful to join with everyone in the evening for a time of worship. It was simple, it was real, it was powerful.

Many thanks to the folks at The Idea Camp (@theideacamp) for doing such an excellent job putting this event together.   I hope to be able to connect with others to collaborate and sharpen each other as we live the servant lives we were created to live.

creativity, ideas and collaboration for compassion and justice

I have been thinking a lot the past month about creativity and innovation.  We spend too little time exploring creativity and harvesting its fruits.  I have found a solution.  A few months ago, I was introduced to The Idea Camp.

“The Idea Camp is a collaborative movement of idea-makers who facilitate free hybrid conferences and develop resources for people who desire to move ideas toward implementation. Facilitated by a growing collective of innovative thinkers and practitioners from numerous disciplines, participants gather around topics of interest to encourage and inspire one another, share practical wisdom from the field, and develop intentional networks for idea-making.”

This is brilliant.  What’s more is that they are leveraging social media and networking to facilitate the cause.  Check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

The Idea Camp’s latest free hybrid conference focuses on the topics of compassion and justice.  Here’s the details:

• Dates: August 28‐29, 2009
• Location: Mt. Olivet Methodist Church ‐ 1500 North Glebe Road Arlington, VA 22207
• Expected Number of Participants: 500+ in person and 2,000+ online
• Number of Organizations and Networks Confirmed to Participate: 40+ (see website for list)
• Conference Websites: www.theideacamp.com and www.theideacamp.ning.com
• Main Contact: Charles Lee (charles@theideacamp.com)

Our God is the God of  justice and compassion.  “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”  Isaiah 30:18.

Jesus calls us to be God’s agents of compassion and justice to those who are crying out desperately to him.  We must respond to the call.  There is a world of suffering and pain that God longs to heal and set free.

How can we use our creativity and innovation to collaborate for compassion and justice?  You can start by joining us at Idea Camp D.C.  Will you be there?

Martin Luther King, Jr.…

I had the opportunity to visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site today. I spent most of my time at the Visitor’s Center and the King Center. The Visitor’s Center chronicles Dr. King’s life along with segregation, integration and the civil rights movement. I must tell you; there were a number of times that I was moved to tears at the hatred that dominated so much of the United States during these times. It just appalled me to no end to see how something like this could have gone on for so long with a group of people (God’s creation) being treated as less than human. It is just despicable. Walking through the streets of Atlanta, I was thrilled to see the fruits of Dr. King’s labor. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t think race relations will ever be perfect, at least until Jesus’ return, but I think we have made major strides in the last thirty years. I was overwhelmed at the influence that Dr. King had and the change that he and those inspired by his life brought about. He is an excellent example of a man who was given a vision from God and carried it out faithfully to the end.

I also visited the King Center and saw Dr. and Mrs. King’s resting place in the middle of a large reflecting pond. The King Center offers displays on Dr. King, Mrs. King, Rosa Parks and Mahatma Ghandi. It focuses on nonviolent social change. Having taught this past year on Matthew 5:38-42, specifically on nonviolent resistance, this was extremely powerful. This inspires me to study more closely Jesus’ teachings and follow them as if he really meant what he said.

props for my pops…

My Dad has had a concern for the people of Darfur on his heart for the past few years. He lives in a development in Northern Virginia where they have an annual Christmas decorating competition for their homes. It has been amazing to see the time and money people put into this competition. Last year, someone in his development actually paid someone to design and install their.

Well, he recently put together a proposal for his idea: “Dark for Darfur“, shown to the left. His idea is to have people calculate how much they would normally spend decorating their house with lights and instead of putting up the lights, donate that money to the Save Darfur Coalition funding the crucial awareness and advocacy programs that play a critical role in building the political pressure needed to end the crisis in Darfur. Unfortunately, this is not a political issue, it is a humanity issue. Yet through Save Darfur, it is our hope that the word gets out so that we will not longer stand quietly while a brother or sister is subjected to atrocities and genocide. Save Darfur enthusiastically accepted his proposal, so this year will be the kick-off of the campaign. Each person that commits to going Dark for Darfur with a donation will receive a yard sign bearing the logo above so you can let your neighbors know why your house is dark. I think this is an excellent way of raising awareness and taking a stand for our brothers and sisters on the other side of the globe. I encourage you to check it out at the website (which has just launched recently). Oh, and if you are too attached to the tradition and look of the lights, make a donation and go Dark for Darfur, one night, one night a week, whatever works for you.