Justice (by Dr. Mike Moses, pastor of Lake Forest Church)

[This post originally appeared on June 14, 2010 on Dr. Moses' blog Purple Pastor, and has been re-posted here with his kind permission]

One Without the Other

A good friend of mine grew up in a home that cared a lot about ‘Doing Justice.’  That is the first bullet of Micah 6:8′s bulletized version of God’s will for the most fully human life.  The 2nd and 3rd bullets are ‘Love Mercy,’ and ‘Walk Humbly with Your God.’

His parents were very politically involved and engaged, arguing all the time that our nation’s laws should show more concern for the needs of the working poor (those willing to work but unable to earn enough for family necessities) and the indigent.  Wonderul.  But when my friend told his parents that he wanted to spend the summer after his 2nd year in college ‘loving mercy’ by working with the homeless in their city, his parents adamantly refused to allow him to work there.  “That is for goverment and other people to do, its too dangerous for you.”  My friend began to notice that his parents never took any personal action to care for the poor, never entered into relationship with the working poor, nor gave money to charities.  They did not ‘love mercy/charity’ in any measurable way.

They did one without the other.  The first two of Micah’s succinct statements of God’s Will for human beings are BOTH about how to ‘love your neighbor as yourself,’ in the later words of Jesus.  One without the other (justice or mercy) is only half of being fully human toward other people.  This couple just didn’t get it.  To advocate for justice on behalf of the weaker members of society is admirable, but to stay a safe distance from actual people in real need is chicken.  And likely reveals a soul that halfheartedly wills ‘good’ for the ‘other.’

Likewise, if a person who engages regulary in ‘doing mercy’ through acts of service to their spouse/children/parents day in and day out, as well as serving people around them in need; yet they do not take any action to ‘do justice’ (as discussed in last week’s blogs).  That is a person who is ‘doing humanness’ (to quote Walter Brueggeman) halfway, according to God’s clear communication to us through Micah 6:8.  It doesn’t mean God loves you any less if you have ‘one without the other’ type of love and action toward your neighbor.  It does mean there is an entire side to the image of God within you lying dormant, unrealized in your own internal experience of Jesus’ abundant life, and unrealized for the good of other people journeying through this life.

My personal experience is this:  because of my background and natural tendencies, either ‘doing justice’ or ‘loving mercy’ will be naturally more attractive and easy for me (though both are inherently self-sacrificial and glorify God immensely).  The measurement for ME to know I am experiencing full humanity before my God by loving others is this – am I also engaging in the ‘other one’ that is less natural and intuitive for me?  Which for me is to ‘do justice.’  I have grown up and spent a lot of my life engaging in ‘merciful acts’ to people in pastoral and physical need.  For me, it is a surer measurement of my ongoing obedience to God whether or not I am also growing at ‘doing justice.’  Perhaps the same is true of you, for ‘one or the other’ of the first two bullets in Micah 6:8?

 

Living Into Our Potential

It dawned on me the other day that it’s been just 2 ½ years since we formally started this experiment known as H.E.L.P. North Mecklenburg. We’ve done a lot in a short time. More on that in a minute.

I’ve been reflecting lately on this unique ministry and thought I’d put those observations on our blog for you to mull over. Hopefully we’ll get the chance to unpack this the next times we’re together.

Ministry is a process that is intentional and relational. Organization requires connections with others who want to create new possibilities, test new boundaries and experiment new realities. Setting people in motion to build something new requires a framework, some beginning plan. Without either – intent or relationships – we don’t live into our potential.

Isaiah 43:19 – I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Advocacy is unknown and/or misunderstood within congregational life. We, as volunteer ‘organizers’ (clergy, congregational staff and lay leaders) and professional staff organizers, must foster opportunities or pathways for congregations to practice advocacy.

Exodus 18:19-21 – Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases before God; teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they are to go and the things they are to do. You should also look for able men among all the people, men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain; set such men over them as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

Congregation-based organizing, as one type of advocacy ministry, is less known within congregational life. We must work intentionally and through relationships with congregational leaders to know organizing as a form of advocacy, to become good at it for the benefit of congregational life and the common good of society, and to view it as an important tool to get a better return on their charitable investments.

Amos 5:24 – Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

So what have we done in 2 ½ years?

From summer 2007 through end of that year, we asked a simple question – ‘should we organize?’ We met formally each month to build relationships and discern the answer to that question.

In 2008, after answering ‘yes’ to that first question, we asked a second question – ‘can we organize?’ We identified talent through individual meetings and conversations and equipping sessions. Local groups felt like we were ready to build a local organizing network.

In January 2009 we listened to the members of local congregations to assess important issues to tackle. We have started to advance this agenda and build collective power – our ability to act.

Our power base is committed and growing. Our potential – because of the size of our participations congregations and organizations – is even larger and broader, in the thousands.

I appreciate our approach to advocacy, which over time will lead growing numbers of congregational leaders and members to practice and understand governance in a deeper way. I have come to believe, after 11 years of this work, that while I hope one day we will have a ‘golden issue’ in front of us, one that a super majority within our membership will want to tackle through our network, we must stay focused on smaller issues that allow more people to get better grounded in the organizing/advocacy ministry. If we steer away from this approach, and focus only on the ‘golden issue’ scenario to galvanize relationships and community, we will do ourselves and our membership a disservice.

In a quick period we have come to be recognized by some decision-makers and have initial access to them. Now, we must live into our potential and be at the tables when critical decisions are made that shape North Mecklenburg, to make a difference and contribute to the growth and development of the region. We have more work to do, but have established a beginning pathway.

 

To Washington!

(In the next couple of weeks, I hope we’ll hear from Tim, the Rev. Marshall and LaGretta about their respective feelings about our recent H.E.L.P. trip to Washington, D.C.  For now, it’s my chance to reflect – Suzanne)

On March 9th, Tim Tate, LaGretta Neal, and myself accompanied Rev. Touré Marshall and other North Carolina organizers, including Pastor Jessica Patchett of Charlotte H.E.L.P.,  to Washington D.C. to meet with some of our elected representatives and/or members of their staff.  Our North Mecklenburg contingent was mostly there as a band of observers, as other organizations from North Carolina were taking the lead on actions on which they have been working together for some time, but the experience was exhilarating.

 

Sojourn: Act for Justice Locally

[this post originally appeared on March 14, 2010 on the website Purple Pastor, and was written by Laurie Hadley, a member of Lake Forest Community Church, and North Mecklenburg H.E.L.P.]

“Sojourn into acting for justice locally” -by Laurie Hadley (baptized at LFC’s one year anniversary, wife, mom, athelete, community leader, kick-butt soccer player sunday nites for lfc)

Sojourn, defined: (n) a temporary stay;  (v) to dwell temporarily.

Some of us seem to be born knowing our mission.  I live among some of those people and am in awe of them, I envy them.  I listen to the teachings of Mike and others, soaking it up and agreeing, yet I have yet to feel laser-focused for God’s purposes.

So it is indeed by definition that I am sojourner with HELP (Helping Empower Local People), supporting the steps that Chad described (in previous blog).  But I did not arrive here because I had set my compass on this destination and so aimed to travel here;  instead I have wandered here more haphazardly, more on a journey of attempting to discover who I am in God’s kingdom.

 

Journey to Local Justice

[this post originally appeared on March 11, 2010 on the website Purple Pastor, and was written by Chad Lacy, a member of Lake Forest Community Church, and North Mecklenburg H.E.L.P.]

Sojourn into Acting for Justice Locally (By Chad Lacy – Lake Forest Ministry Partner, business executive, Leadership Charlotte member, husband and dad)

I remember seeing a bumper sticker in college that read ‘Think Globally, Act Locally’ and always thought it was poignant. The concept stuck with me and when I became a Christian in 2003 it still seemed to resonate with me as the way Christ would have us live our lives. Think of the larger body of Christ and what Christ can and does mean to so many people around the world. Then live that out in your daily actions. Lake Forest Church has held that same concept in its mission to “make more and better disciples of Jesus” and meet people right where they are when they introduce people to the Good News.

As I’ve heard Mike Moses say so many times, “Lake Forest Church is to be a blessing to the community, not just its members.”  Lake Forest Church has been purposeful in making connections outside of the walls of the building on Gilead Road. It started with Mike meeting the pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church, Byron Davis. A friendship was established and during their conversations, Pastor Davis informed Mike about an organization in Charlotte called Helping Empower Local People (H.E.L.P.). This organization exists to help provide a voice to those people in the community that may not be heard. It cuts across religious, racial, ethnic, class and neighborhood lines for the good of the public. It is driven by the belief that the member congregations are the cornerstones of a vibrant democratic society and hold the key to mending and reweaving the social fabric essential for strong families, healthy communities and a just world. Pastor Davis invited Mike to partner with him and get this organization started in North Mecklenburg.