Adventures in Urban Ministry 2 - "He knew the dopes, the pushers, the addicts, everybody..."

Sermonizing for this coming Sunday... I got to the office, finished my exegesis, but didn't really have a word yet. I'm coming from Luke 19:1-10. The story of Zacchaeus, the cheif tax collector. I sat back in my guest chair and looked at the "Relentless - Hanna" painting, hoping it would preach to me.



It did, but not what I was looking for. I thought about the fact that Zacchaeus had to reposition himself in order to meet Jesus, so instead of vegging out in the chair, I decided to reposition myself...
...Ministry is about context... relevant ministry is not just about knowing scripture. It's about knowing people and understanding context, and building relationships...



So I went out... and been hanging in the hood all day. 2 transitional homes, a few street corners, a drug spot, NA meeting, front steps of the church... ended up listening to old school hip-hop and R&B on my iPhone with a young man in the sanctuary, who is teaching himself to play the piano by ear...



I met some real genuine people, many of whom are looking for a 2nd chance in life.

This morning I was singing... "He knew the dopes, the pushers, the addicts, everybody" (MC Lyte)... Yeah... Yeah... That's WJWD!!! You gotta know ya hood... "Everybody"... Knowing people's story... That's urban ministry!

Frederick A Hanna