Ministry Overview
Dear ministry friends and partners,
In August of 2001, we embraced the challenge of living in one of the most postmodern, expensive and spiritually divisive cities in North America – San Francisco. In January of 2001, we moved our family cross-country and immersed ourselves into a city of 800,000 people. For the past two years we have…
Learned about urban life, the urban values and the history of the church in the urban setting.
Learned the language of the urban context.
Networked with existing ministries, some of which have had a presence in the city for over 150 years.
Restored a neighborhood church building
Helped start a non-profit committed to helping Christians Reimagine what it means to be a Christian in an urban postmodern setting.
Established with a team of 6, a way of being church in the urban setting, which we have called Faith Communities.
Established Urbaneyes, a short term urban plunge that has served as a platform for learning, service and exposure to the dynamics of the city…we have hosted over 8 teams.
Loved a neighborhood and established a missional presence by way of community service, involvement In youth programs such as coaching soccer, services to the poor and elderly and engaged our neighbors through parties, dinners and other events.
As we began 2003 our love for cities has been confirmed and as a family began to see the next 30 years devoted to the urban reality. Not only do we have an increased burdened for urban settings and the people who choose to live in them, but now have a beginning blue print for implementation.Most of our initial work was completed during the fall of 2002. The new year brought a fresh opportunity to implement many of our new understanding and dreams.
Proverbs 16:1 The plans of the mind belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD
Within the first two weeks of January, we began to realize that God might be calling us to reevaluate our plans. Over the span of a week, God closed the door on one of our partnerships, closed the door on the usage of the parsonage and church buildings at the Free Methodist and also closed the door on one of our most viable financial outlets beyond our three-year commitment with you.We contacted three of our sending pastors to pray with us, Pastor Russell Johnson, Pastor Bud McCord and Pastor Guy Melton. We felt as if the safest way to make a decision would be in the counsel of these three men, along with the folks we are in partnership with here in SF. It is also important to note that these same three pastors have been praying with us for almost 5 months as we have been making our long-term plans for our work in cities. As we prayed, listened and searched we asked several questions…From our perspective, what do cities need most? Amazingly enough, cities are filled with churches and buildings that represent a time passed. Churches that are dying or locked into a world past. Churches that have lost touch with the city they exist in. While I believe that new churches are needed in the city, there is a need that precedes that. The need for followers of Jesus (apprentices) to live missional lives in the city. We believe that as Christ followers permeate the systems of the cities that churches of old will reemerge and new churches will be established naturally out of the soil of the city. If they won't come to us, then we must go to them.What can we do to contribute towards this need? Kel and I have learned to live what we call a missional life in our neighborhood, taking the commands of our Savior Jesus to the streets. We have seen lives touched and changed. I have experienced a fruit of ministry as a Pastor that far exceeds any other season of my life. The words of John in the book of 1 John ring so true…there is no fear in love and the evidence one knows God is that he keeps the commandments of Jesus. The red letters in the Bible, the literal words of Jesus have come to life as we have lived them outside the domain of a church building.We feel that our first call is to live this way of life, for the rest of our lives, wherever we live. As part of the larger Church, we feel that our next responsibility is to build the Heart of the City Ministries in such a way that is would serve, inspire, inform and mobilize others to live this way.
Where can we do this in the most natural and sustainable way? Well if there were no other major factors to look to, we would wish to simply live out the remainder of our lives right here in San Francisco. For those of you who know us best, WE LOVE SAN FRANCISCO! However, as we look at our greater calling and corporate ministry opportunities we realize that the closed doors to our future here in San Francisco were simply pointing to new open doors in South Florida. The expansion of territory, influence and our work.
After much prayer and consideration, we have realized that our next step in expanding our dream for Heart of the City into South Florida. Our starting focus will be on Ft. Lauderdale, the Gold Coast Cities and Miami. While taking this step, we also hope to nurture with our San Francisco partners Urbaneyes and HOC San Francisco, Faith Communities, and we also hope to expand our relationship with Reimagine by possibly introducing it in South Florida.
Our most immediate opportunity in South Florida is to assist someone I deeply admire and love, Pastor Guy Melton, in a church plant in downtown Hollywood. During our season of ministry in San Francisco, God began to nurture an unexpected burden in the Melton's heart for the heart of their city. Since that time, he has come to visit our work both as a supporting pastor but also as a co laborer in the city. We are excited because this will be a base church to our work in the cities of South Florida. I realize that a note cannot answer all the questions that might surface, so we would like to invite you to email us your questions at heartofcity@aol.com. For those of you that have been supporting us financially, we ask that you continue to support this expansion as we are still on target for our 3-year goal. Thank you for being a vital part of the early days of our work in cities. All donations will still be handled through First Baptist of West Hollywood, our board of accountability and sending church. We continue to trust God to provide for all of the financial needs throughout this transition and the start up in South Florida.
Many have asked how to pray. First we ask that you pray for those we are leaving behind. Their well being is very important to us and we fully intend to be active in the on going ministry here. Pray for the finances, the well being and most of all for the harvest. We also ask that you pray for our move, our children, the church start scheduled for Easter Sunday. God continues to provide in miraculous ways! We have secured housing in Downtown Hollywood, a friend has graciously offered to move us as a gift to our ministry and another friend has graciously provided the funds for the airfare for our family. As we leave San Francisco, we shed many tears but recognize that God is truly expanding His work. It is a privilege to be on Mission with God. Thank you for going with us through prayer, support and love!
Many blessings,Ken McCord
posted by Ken McCord @ 5:03 PM
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