Well Worth Reading: Article on Urban Ministry

The March 11 issue of Christian Century has a major cover article on "The Church Downtown: Strategies for Urban Ministry." It uses Chicago to illustrate a number of recent trends in this arena. For example, it describes Willow Creek Community Church's new church plant in the south Loop area of the inner city of Chicago. After one year, it has a weekly attendance of about 1,200 and has celebrated "40 baptisms, 440 people in small groups, community care for 50 people, 5 relief trucks sent to Louisiana, 850 prayer requests ... and 320 converts" to Christ. "Intentionally multiethnic from the start," the new congregation rents the 4,500-seat Auditorium Theater. "The pastor, Steve Wu, was CEO of two companies before he quit to go into full-time ministry." The group is serious about transformation of the neighborhood, but it has taken a clear position against gentrification.

Comments

[Chris]

Did not get to read the article, but I have to share my enthuastic affirmation of Mr. Wu.
He represents a growing community of compassionate capitalists, who will be the neo-Nehemiahs of our age. He joins the choir with another rising star, Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana who is creating a new graft-free climate to allow the blossoming of post Katrina, New Orleans. Let me also note that both gents are from the Asian community. There has been a long simmering tension between the African- American community and Asian merchants in many inner cities. These gents could lead an awakening of compassion within the Asian church for the wider world, as presently this church segment is perceived as being insular. Let’s pray for the realization of great possibilities.