P.S “churches” > “church’s”

Wow, I like your mention of “encounter.” I think that’s pretty spot on. That’s why I’m encouraged not to live in isolation carrying out my faith, because God calls us to community, “love your neighbor.”

As for affecting change toward affordable housing, I don’t currently live in the power structure of the suburb. I think the majority of the people who read this who do, need to begin by making lifestyle changes, and then organizing to affect other changes.

As for inviting people to live with you, you might want to check out this post:
Guestrooms for Jesus

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Thanks for stopping by my blog. It’s encouraging to find people who care about people, the earth, living well. It’s beautiful. Stop by any time.

Myth (…though with some truth in it). An individual never exists as such. There are certainly things you should be doing, but there is only so much you can do alone. What if change only comes through encounter?

This is one of the problems with Evangelicalism (and those like myself who grow out of it), namely, that eye contact is important, the encounter with the singular Other in all his/her particularity, personal change, etc., but it is difficult to get people people who focus heavily on these to engage in grass roots organizing, coalition building, organizations like IAF.

“Affordable housing is great, how do I change my life to help address that?”

It looks like you’ve read Alinsky, that’s a good start. Talking within the power structures within which you already dwell is a good start…

I can be a little dense at times. I appreciated the quote and the thoughts, I’m a little unsure how to respond though. I feel like we always need to begin with the individual, that’s almost always the place that change begins, it begins with you.

Affordable housing is great, how do I change my life to help address that?

“There are certain landscapes that have been described so often they exist as much in the imagination as in reality. A first-time visitor to New York will find it difficult to see the city with fresh eyes as she walks down the familiar streets of Woody Allen movies. Parts of London will always belong to Dickens, and to this day Casablanca remains more a romantic symbol than an actual city…

…Despite its relative youth, suburbia is already a thoroughly mythologized landscape with its own set of clichés and conventions. The word brings to mind a number of images and associations, many of them negative. The suburb is a land of white-picket fences and well-trimmed lawns, of teenage angst and mindless materialism.”

First, it would help us to get past cliches. Second, your suggestions point to some of problems of the suburb, but don’t systematically address them. This is my way of saying that your suggestions are too individualistic. They help me live more faithful life as a largely disconnected individual. If we asked a different question - How do we redeem the suburb?, then we might get answers that, for example, might tie the amount of required affordable housing in an area to its average income. This would help address the problems of stratification, etc.

I like your suggestions, but think we can ask bigger questions in relation to the suburb.

Your right on that there is nothing “dangerous” about showing people the love of Jesus.

I absolutely believe we should allow people to ’seek’ out the gospels meaning as well.

I think there is a lot we agree on, and I think before we can take this part of the conversation further, we’re going to need to back up a little. I’m not sure quite were to begin, maybe we have to find an agreed upon starting point on what the gospel should look like in our lives?

Patrick, this statement I completely agree with (as I mentioned early on in this post), however, your thought that that somehow dictates the need to shape our lives appropriately to being the most appealing (in the way that we would think) to suburban church visitors is what I think is terribly dangerous.

In our desire to “share Christ” and be “seeker friendly” we’ve completely ditched a lot of what Christ’s message was. There are so many scenarios in the Bible were our logical choices would be different then what God dictates and we both know whose plan works in the end.

I’ve got a few more verses I’ll probably hit on as it relates to this. But do you understand what I’m saying? I’m saying the most evangelistic, sharing the gospel way we can be, is to live it out as fully as possible, and that means a sacrificial life.

I had some pretty intense debates at work with a fellow Christian regarding wealth and it’s place in a believer’s life. She asked me with wide eyes, “So you’re telling me that God doesn’t want me to become rich?” I was speechless. Unfortunately the Church in Suburbia bought into the health-and-wealth gospel, which is no gospel at all; it is Satan’s attempt to cripple us into consumerism.

There are several “churches” in my town that is broadcasting this false gospel.