The 'Burbs need God too

Sometime ago I wrote a post about memories of my time in an inner city ministry in Winnipeg. That post can be found here.
It was a challenging, heart-breaking and life-changing time. But I got married and moved on to new and different challenges. We live and minister in Lorette, Manitoba, a town of about 2,100, which acts as a bedroom community to Winnipeg.
Let me explain minister. I am not a pastor in my church. I am an elder, but not a pastor. Regardless of titles, however, I am convinced we are all called to be ministers of the gospel. My wife and I are convinced we are called as ministers of the gospel to our community.

Ministry in a bedroom community has an appearance of being much easier than ministry to those poor, desperate people living on the street. And it is--in many ways. There is no threat of physical violence, which was always there on the street. I saw little violence, but there was always a sense of at least some danger. It also less obviously oppressive than the street with its addictions (to alcohol, drugs and glue or gasoline), prostitution, confusion and desperation. But make no mistake, the desperation and pain may be hidden away, but residents of our safe bedroom communities need God too. They need to hear the gospel and the need to be exposed to a vibrant, healthy church that takes its sense of mission seriously.

Let me give you a bit of a tour of the ways our safe, little community needs to see Jesus and be exposed to the gospel.
I want to start by talking a little about Steinbach. That's not where we live, but I work there and have family there. It is a city of about 11,000, smack dab in the centre of Manitoba so-called Bible belt. And it is home to 22 churches (it might be up to 25). There is a lot of good things in this city. It is a good, safe, clean place to live. But even Steinbach needs God. For instance, just recently a 16-year-old boy died in violent circumstances after a fight that got out of control. At his funeral the church was filled with teenaged boys wearing death metal shirts. I'm sorry, but their friend got what they are apparently wanting. Steinbach is a good place, but people there still need Christ.

Now on to Lorette.

Last fall I interviewed the parents of a 22-year-old man who had just killed himself after a lengthy battle with severe depression. They knew he was going to do it, but they just couldn't get him the help he needed. They knew he was going to do it, but they just didn't know when--their son was a ticking bomb. And they felt helpless. Since then this couple has offered help to other parents in the same situation and people pondering suicide. They also say their son was only one of many in a similar state of despair. I'm not saying there is an epidemic of suicide happening in our little town. But are there are desperately confused young people who are living in despair. Yes there are. They need help in many ways. But I am firmly convinced there greatest need is to be touched by the true power of the gospel. They need Jesus, the Rock, the Truth and the Life. And they need a church, which sees their need and help. They need to be brought to the Light of Christ. This little town needs Jesus.

The Lorette area is home to a surprising number of B'ahai. Some are native to Canada, but many are immigrants from the Middle East, often from Iraq and Iran, where they are subjected to persecution. I'm not sure why they would move to the cold and mosquitoes of Manitoba. I know why they would leave Iraq, but I'm not sure what would draw them here. Yet they are here and they need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ preached with power and lived with power. The world is literally here. May our eyes be open.

Of course--and this is no surprise--there are broken marriages and children suffering from broken homes. Sadly I can find Christians who are by all indications genuinely sincere in their faith but some unable to make their marriages function. May God heal and bring grace.

I could point you to many people who are embittered and hurt by damaging experiences with the church. I am thinking of a young man who at one point in his life confessed Christ but now is a mass of thorns toward anyway who would dare talk about Christianity with him. What happened? I don't know? Perhaps he was rejected by the church when he was a confused young man, struggling to make sense of life. But he has been wounded and needs the healing power of grace.

I could, for that matter, talk about the many--far too many--wounded Christians, who still call themselves Christians, but are imprisoned in various ways by wounds, discouragement and offences. They need grace and healing.

I can also point to the ways the Christians in this community are committed to Christ and the gospel. I could point to those people with a genuine compassion for the lost--with compassion for the orphans of Africa and elsewhere and who actually put their concerns into actions.

The point of all this is that God is present and working in this one little community (as I am sure He is working in other little communities). And yet for all the apparent safety and comfort, there is a desperate need for more.
Psalms 2:8 says this--Ask of me and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. (ESV).
The church needs a vision for the nations. But we also need a vision for our own communities--where we have been planted.
John Knox is said to have said "Give me Scotland or give me death." (That could be apocryphal.)
I'm not sure I would say "give me Lorette or give me death." At least I'm not sure I'm ready yet to say that with full conviction, but my heart aches for my safe little community. I know we are here by God's purpose and I long to see Him touch this place.
So Lord give us--give me--a passion to see You glorified right here, right now, where I live. Give us all that deep desire to bring You glory in our communities, neighborhoods and places of work. I am not ashamed of the gospel. The gospel has changed communities in the past. It can change this community today. Let it be Lord.
Open our eyes to see--really see--the world around us. Give us a deep desire for change. Use Your church again to turn communities upside down. Release Your Spirit. Break us out of our institutional approach to the church and let us be the church every day and where ever we are. Break our hearts with whatever breaks Yours. Help us to see the reality beneath the apparent creature comforts of this life. And build Your church Lord.