A Heart for the Community New Models for Urban and Suburban Ministry

by Fuder, John; Castellanos, Noel; Perkins, John

• ISBN13: 9780802410689
• ISBN10: 0802410685
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2013-09-01
• Publisher: Moody Publishers

Summary

Our nation used to look at violence, poverty, and gentrification and assign those problems to urban centers. Today, these issues concern the suburbs, too.

The Christian community is responding to this reality. Churches and parachurch ministries are actively working to transform lives and restore communities throughout the city and suburbs.

In A Heart for the Community: New Models for Urban and Suburban Ministry, you will be challenged by a collection of voices seeking community renewal. These individuals are involved in creative church planting initiatives, and they are serving the growing Hispanic and Muslim populations. Additional endeavors include serving racially changing communities, economic development strategies, and more.

As anyone who has been in ministry for any length of time can attest, tackling some of the most challenging issues of our times is no mere academic exercise. The voices within these pages write from experience and offer workable, vibrant models of ministry that make a difference.

Author Biography

JOHN FUDER (PH.D., Biola University) is Director of Justice and Compassion Ministries of re:source global as well as a part time grad school and adjunct professor for Moody Bible Institute. In 1993, after 15 years of serving in urban ministry in California, Dr. Fuder brought his passion of equipping students for effective urban ministry to Chicago. As the Professor of Urban Studies at Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School, Dr. Fuder taught ministry practitioners and students for 17 years. Dr. Fuder has authored many publications including A Heart for the Community, A Heart for the City, and Training Students for Urban Ministry. Dr. Fuder and his wife, Nellie, have three children and a granddaughter. NOEL CASTELLANOS has worked in full-time ministry in urban communities since 1982. He has served in youth ministry, church planting, and community development in San Francisco, San Jose, and Chicago. Noel is a highly sought after speaker, motivator, and mentor to young leaders throughout the USA, and has a deep passion to serve and invest in the lives of emerging leaders. After serving on the Board of the Christian Community Development Association for many years, he has established the new CCDA Institute, which is working to equip emerging church leaders in the philosophy of Christian Community Development, and currently serves as the CEO of CCDA. He and his wife, Marianne, have three children, Noel Luis, Stefan, and Anna, and make their home in the barrio of La Villita in Chicago.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Critical Issues Introduction 1. Gentrification: The Good News and the Bad News 2. Working Together to Restore Our Communities: Networking and Collaboration 3. "Exegeting" Your Community: Using Ethnography to Diagnose Needs 4. The Border, the Barrio, and the 'Burbs: Ministry Among America's Biggest Minority 5. A Special Blessing from the Lord? Muslims Among Us 6. Economic Development in the Hood: The Church's Role in Creating Jobs 7. New Wineskins: Paradigm Shifts for the Church 8. Growing a Church Through Prayer: The Story of Chicago Tabernacle Part 2: Church-Planting Models Introduction 9. Jesus on the Mic: The Hip Hop Church 10. The Volcanic Model: An Eruption Within the Latino Community 11. Becoming a Chinese Neighbor: Pursuing a Church with Yellow and White 12. Church in Emerging Culture: Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther Ministry 13. House Church: Historical and Current Trends 14. Hospitality in the City: Reaching the Nations Through Neighborliness 15. Healing the Hurting in Humboldt Park: Church Rebirth 16. "Alternative" Cell Church: A Training Lab for Urban Missions 17. Church in the City Center: Diversity and Constant Change Part 3: Ministering to Suburban Needs Introduction 18. The Times They Are a-Changing: The Suburbanization of Poverty 19. Seizing the Moment: Churches in Racially Changing Communities 20. 21. Urban Issues in Suburban Towns? Poverty Among Luxury 22. Becoming a Multi-Ethnic Suburban Church: Intentional International Diversity 23. The Great Community: A Pathway from Diversity to Unity Part 4: Parachurch Ministries Introduction 24. Loving the Sexually Broken: The World of Male Prostitution (Emmaus Ministries) 25. Heart to God and Hand to Man: The Salvation Army in Chicago 26. Unleashing the Family: Safe Families for Vulnerable Children (Lydia Home) 27. In Search of Lost Sheep: How Young Life Reaches North Side Teenagers 28. Using Principles of Excellence to Change Young Lives: By the Hand Club for Kids 29. Aggressive Evangelism: Taking the Gospel to the Streets (YWAM) Notes About the CCDA Institute