Blessings?

People with financial means often have the opportunity to travel, and see some amazing locations in this big world. For people that walk the street every day, traveling is more often restricted to a limited geographical area. The concept of vacation is an unreachable dream. When you are in deep financial need, walking the streets is not about leisurely exercise. Walking the streets and “traveling” is about daily survival.

I grew up in the church, and over the years I heard countless prayers from the pulpit and around various dinner tables in our community. Many of those prayers included words of thanksgiving, and oftentimes there was mention of health, shelter, and the bounty of the table.

As I have met more people in this world and studied different cultures, I have become increasingly restless with the concept of blessings. In the Bible, God does talk about taking care of his people, and about meeting their needs. However, as far as I can tell, God does not love us with a checklist. While this country provides us with a lot of opportunities, it is hard to make an argument that we are the most righteous, and therefore worthy of the greatest material blessings.

There are too many people of great faith in this world that live in material poverty for me to believe that God has rewarded me with material gain because I am more loved than my neighbor. I could be wrong, but I feel like I have worked reasonably hard in my life. That said, plenty of people work harder than I do and have not achieved the same financial rewards.

Maybe we have lulled ourselves into a false sense of what blessings are all about. Does God want us to enjoy the beauty and grandeur of his creation? I believe so. Should material growth and comfort be our long-term goal in this life? That is a hard Biblical argument to make.

I have talked before about the Parable of the Talents, and that always comes to mind when I think about the concept of blessings. Perhaps material wealth is not a blessing, but is instead a challenge from God. The oft-used phrase suggests that money cannot buy happiness, but it sure comes in handy sometimes. When you are hungry and homeless, you’ll take a little bit of that temporary happiness.

My challenge to you today is to examine your motives, and your long-term priorities. If you have financial means, congratulations on your earthly success. At the same time, I will remind you of a popular play called, “You Can’t Take It With You.”

Do you see financial gain and material comfort as a blessing? Do you believe that God has given you what you have because you are more worthy than others? I’m not going to tell you to liquidate your assets and give them all away (unless God calls you to). I will suggest that you take a long look at your goals, and ask God whether he has something for you to do with your opportunities.

Lord, thank you for your blessings, in whatever form they come.

Shalom

Translating words from other languages can be a tricky business. The challenge is that language is not just about matching words, it is about interpreting expressions of culture. Like many other words, the word shalom can have multiple meanings depending on the context. Traditionally the word can be a way to say both hello and goodbye, but it can also to refer to a desire for peace.

If we want to get into broad-based theoretical discussions about meaning, we can ask a lot of complicated questions. Is shalom a place? A destination? A state of being? Will we know when we arrive at shalom? Or is it like the Holy Spirit? Is shalom an elusive wind, restless and always moving? Are we called to pursue shalom, though we may never reach a point of personal satisfaction or world peace? Perhaps shalom is about making peace with our own holy discontentedness, an ever-present quest to lay our burdens at the feet of Christ and seek his kingdom each and every day.

Let’s get practical for a moment. Life can be busy and stressful. It can be hard to escape the realities of the moment and dream of nebulous, seemingly impossible goals of societal harmony. World peace seems to somehow work out at the end a feel-good movie, but it doesn’t always translate to the daily grind of angry people and broken families. In addition, scripture tells us that our sinful nature is always going to be a huge barrier to reconciliation and true progress on any level.

Seeking shalom, it would seem, has a major set of challenges.

And yet, thanks to the grace of God, there is always hope. Incredible, inspiring hope. John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” That verse provides amazing reassurance, and a reason to keep working towards the restoration of God’s kingdom here on earth. We experience a lot of failure here at Kingdom Causes Bellflower for the simple reason that life happens. Despite the difficulties and the daily heartaches, we keeping working towards a goal of community transformation. It takes diligence, patience, and the willingness to sometimes work tirelessly with one person at a time.

As you go about your day, don’t be afraid to dream big. There are a lot of needs out there, and that can be discouraging. There are also countless opportunities to pursue relationships and thriving neighborhoods. Ask God where you can be used, and how your gifts can be utilized to show love to your neighbors.

Shalom.

Catalyst

Over the decades, I have had the privilege of being involved with many different ministries and non-profit initiatives. My home church is in Bellflower, and as a church we have partnered with various local organizations and other entities around the world. Every so often I will encourage participation in events that are located in neighboring cities. One of my fellow congregants will say, “How come we don’t have a Bellflower version of this event?” My response is typically the same every time. I will say, “Great idea! When are you going to get started?”

We want a lot of things to happen in this world. If you ask the average person on the street to give you a list of societal improvements, it is likely that he or she will easily come up with tasks for companies, government officials, or just society in general. We want these fixes to occur, but oftentimes we don’t want to do them ourselves or are unaware of how to get started. We are tempted to voice the idea and hope that someone else will implement our vision.

Since the early days of Kingdom Causes Bellflower, we have sought to be a catalyst for transformation in the city. The word catalyst has a couple of meanings. If you look it up in the dictionary, the primary definition is in the field of chemistry, and it relates to a substance that either enables or accelerates a reaction. A secondary definition, and perhaps more fitting for KCB, refers to “an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action” (Courtesy of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

Some of the work of transformation is done by our hard-working staff week in and week out, but KCB runs on collaboration with partners in the community. Without dedicated volunteers, supporting churches, city leaders, and other non-profit organizations, KCB would not be what it is today.

Do you have ideas on how to love this community? We want to hear them. The reason that we want to hear them is that we have always sought to bring people together. We gather our neighbors and share ideas because we believe that the most effective change happens when friends, churches, and civic leaders have a common vision for change.

I can’t promise you that change will happen overnight, or that it will unfold the exact way that you hope. In addition, I do have a challenge for you. KCB seeks to be the catalyst but there is a balance to that relationship. If you have a vision for this community, you may need to have the drive and perseverance to see it through. KCB can help, but change happens when people are willing to fight through adversity until meaningful change occurs.

The ministries that I have been involved with over the years have not been perfect. Programs and organizations has flaws, and so does KCB. And yet, these initiatives are often wonderful pieces of the puzzle that we like to call loving our neighbors.

What is your piece?

Labels

We live in an interesting world of societally-created designations. Put in simpler terms, we create some interesting words and labels. For example, take Kingdom Causes Bellflower. KCB is a “faith-based” organization, which is a designation that we embrace. We are unapologetically about loving our neighbors as ourselves because this is what Christ asks of His followers.

If you go to our website, you can read through our mission and vision statements, as well as our Statement of Faith. Included in our mission is the vision statement, “Our VISION is to see Bellflower transformed as God’s people live out the Great Commission locally.” That is what drives our work, and why we continue to pursue our mission.

What has become clear over the years is that society is not always comfortable with faith-based organizations. The concern is usually centered on two areas. One, there is a fear that faith-based organizations will only help their own, and that there may be a literal or metaphorical ideology detector at the front door. Two, there is a concern that the work being doing is restricted to proselytizing, which is a big word for witnessing, evangelizing or sharing a specific religious message. In practice, the fear would be that KCB walks up and down the streets hurling Bibles at our homeless neighbors, rather than helping them with more tangible needs.

We have found that some foundations will not even consider funding us because we are faith-based, even when we present clear evidence that we have a proven track record in the areas of homeless prevention, affordable housing, job creation and neighborhood development. The frustrating irony is that faith-based organizations can be the victim of discrimination by other entities that are fearful of discrimination. As I said, we live in an interesting world.

Lest this become a long lament about government designations or narrow foundation criteria, let us focus on some realities. In recent decades, the church has not done a good enough job showing love. We have talked about love, but we have also talked about a lot of other things that have turned society off to the Gospel message. To be fair, being a Christ-follower has never been about fitting in with society, nor will it ever be. In addition, the church has also done some amazing work around the world, loving people in myriad ways.

The point here is that we can still do a better job convincing people that when we talk about love, we mean it. Obviously, the word love is very broad, and secular society has used that word to justify all sorts of random behaviors and lifestyles. That doesn’t change the fact that we can always help our neighbor. At KCB, we do our best to get people off the street and prevent them from ending up there in the first place. We work to repair broken families, and keep fractured units from splitting. In addition, we work to create jobs, so that our neighbors can sustain themselves, make good choices, and be contributors to society.

Our faith-based status is something that we will not compromise on, and in some cases, it will cost us. Some people will understand that our faith is not just what we do, but why we do it. Regardless of who we encounter, we will do our best to help them. Society will suggest that you don’t need a specific faith to help your fellow human being, and they would be right. However, it certainly adds to the meaning when you consider that you are loving your brother or sister in Christ.

“I Am Broken”

In the wonderful world of Christian Community Development there are 3 R’s that you must remember:

Relocation is “the need to live and work among those to whom we are attempting to bring the hope of the gospel”

Reconciliation is bringing and reuniting people with both God and others. It is simply “reconciling people to God, and reconciling people across the toughest human barriers”

Redistribution is viewed as a natural result of relocation and reconciliation. It is not the idea of taking from the rich and giving to the poor, rather it is “putting our lives, our skills, our education, and our resources to work to empower people in a community of need”

When I first moved into the Cedar neighborhood 3 months ago, I was all gung-ho about EVERYTHING. The following words we’re my mantra:

‘I’m going to do God’s work; I’m going be a catalyst of change. I’m going to show these people Christ’s love.’

First of all there is nothing wrong with having an enthusiastic attitude like this, but let’s look closer at how I’m saying this:

‘I’m going to do God’s work; I’m going be a catalyst of change. I’m going to show these people Christ’s love.’

I was definitely in this ‘us vs. them’ mentality. I was subconsciously putting my neighbors in a box, separating myself from them. A problem that can arise with those who live and work in under-resourced neighborhoods is the development of a ‘God-Complex’ The mind-set (consciously or subconsciously) that you are here to ‘save’ the poor.

This sounds like a horrible thing and I definitely don’t want to fall into this category. But as I reflect on my first few weeks of living in the neighborhood, I can see how I struggled with that mindset.

You may be asking yourself this: Where are you going with this Rachel?! I promise I do have a point! Which brings us back to the 3 R’s….

Relocation? Check! I have been living happily in the 90706 for 3 months and I honestly love it.

For the past month or so I have wrestled with the concept of reconciliation. How do I apply this biblical principal to my own personal life and more importantly how do I integrate this into my ministry?

Why is reconciliation necessary?

Look around you. You can see how the fall has affected the world around us. People building barriers around themselves. The division that exists between Gods people based on race, class, religion, age, etc.

As Christians we are called to be ‘ambassadors of reconciliation:’ 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 states:

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.^[a] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ¹⁸ All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is, in Christ God was reconciling^[b] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

So how does this look like in the Cedar neighborhood?

As I get to know my neighbors on a much deeper level, I am beginning to see the brokenness in their lives. Broken relationships, financial hardship, a sense of longing for purpose.

It’s heart breaking. It can be very easy to think I have to ‘save’ my neighbors and ‘fix’ them.

But I must remember this, that I too, am broken.  It’s the first step in reconciliation. I may not share the same exact poverty as my neighbors, but I am broken. There are parts of me that are hurting and need healing, there are things I struggle with, or lack.

I can see the commonality that I share with all my neighbors-We are broken.

We alone cannot fix each other. But together Jesus can heal us.

I am realizing an interdependence that needs to happen between my neighbors and me. As I build relationships, and work to point my neighbors to Christ, they in turn teach me and embody what it looks like to receive his love, mercy, and grace, something that I need more and more each day. 

-Rachel De Los Reyes, Community Fellow

Your Kingdom Come

       As we have now seen summer come and go in Bellflower, I find myself questioning more and more, “What are we doing here? What is our vision?” I find myself getting caught up in routines – going for walks, talking with neighbors, doing laundry at the Laundromat – without remembering the bigger vision. Then I’ll have a conversation with my roommate or read a Bible passage or go for a particularly refreshing prayer walk and I’ll recall the vision. The vision is God’s people remembering His goodness and His faithfulness. The vision is God’s people bringing Him the glory He is due all throughout the land. The vision is God’s Kingdom coming in Bellflower California.

            All that got me asking, “What does God’s Kingdom coming look like in my neighborhood? What does that mean for my neighbors?” and I realized I would have a very hard time answering that without looking at what God’s Kingdom looks like in my own life.             As Christians, we are called to seek God’s Kingdom; we are to pray that His Kingdom come and His will be done here on earth just as it is done in Heaven, but what does that look like in day-to-day life? How do we help to bring God’s Kingdom?

            I honestly cannot say that I have formulated a great answer to these questions yet, but I have started to examine the Kingdom in my own life and I want to share with you some areas in which I see the Kingdom. God’s Kingdom in my life means I no longer live for myself. It means that I live for God. But how do I do this? I love people as though I was loving myself by baking for them and listening to them when they need to talk and doing small tasks for them and praying for them and giving my time to them and smiling at them. God’s Kingdom in my life looks like Christine and Allyssa and Rachel and Hannah - strong women of faith who rejoice with me in the wonders of our Creator. God’s Kingdom in my life looks like seeking peace and God’s glory above success or praise or being liked. God’s Kingdom in my life looks like deep-seated joy in every circumstance because I know that the war is won.

            Now I challenge you, where do you see God’s Kingdom coming in your own life? How are you participating in God’s work of ushering in the Kingdom? 

-Laura Dumas, Community Fellow

Community Fellow: Rob

Last, but not least, our fourth community fellow... Rob VerWys!

Well hi there! My name is Robert VerWys and I am one of the new Community Fellows.

I come from the far off land of Michigan, but now have taken Southern California and specifically the Eucalyptus neighborhood as my new home! Kris and I moved into 16111 Eucalyptus last week and have been busy settling in and trying to make it feel “homey.” I am extremely excited for the coming year with my compatriots, let me tell you why…

I am 21 years old and a recent graduate of Azusa Pacific University, where I received a bachelor’s degree in social work. Through my collegiate experience, I had the privilege to both study and live in South Africa for approximately 6 months. It was there that God highlighted within me a passion for learning how to love communities, and do so in a way that empowers rather than disenables. This shift added an entirely new understanding to the Gospel and what it means to desire “Thy Kingdom come” in the present and for an entire community. I came to realize that as rewarding and fruitful as the time had felt to me personally, I was only beginning to scratch the surface in my understanding of the Zulu culture. Without a deep and comprehensive understanding of a cultures’ paradigm, it is difficult to know how to love a community best. Out of that tension was borne the realization that I don’t strive to love and serve God and my community that way when I am in my HOME culture. THAT is exactly the reason why I feel God drew me to the Community Fellows program. God is doing some uniquely beautiful things within the city of Bellflower and I can’t believe I have the chance to learn and take part! I am called to that life, here and now, directly where I am.

I am thrilled to commit this next year to being a present learner in the Eucalyptus neighborhood! I eagerly anticipate the coming joys, struggles and growing pains that come along with the territory. I aim to celebrate and share a glimpse of what God is doing in the neighborhood with you all at least once every month. To God be the glory!

-Rob

Community Fellow: Laura

Meet Laura Dumas, another 2012-2013 Community Fellow!

Hello! My name is Laura Dumas and I am originally from Northern California. I have spent the last three years in the L.A. area which was quite an adjustment after growing up in the country, but I have come to love it here :) 

I graduated from Biola University in May of 2012 with a degree in intercultural studies which I hope to use overseas eventually. I have been involved in various homeless ministries throughout high school and college and have always had a deep concern for those living on the "outside" of society. 

When I heard about Kingdom Causes, I got very excited as it seems like an amazing opportunity to both learn as well as to live out what I have been learning. I have a strong desire to see people live life the way God created it to be lived and to see them recognize their inherent worth as his children and I am looking forward to learning how to do this through Kingdom Causes this year! 

Community Fellow: Kris

Meet another one of our 2012-2013 Community Fellows... Kris Cohen!

My name is Kris Cohen. I am 22 years old and a recent grad from Biola University with a B.A. in Philosophy. I spent the first 9 years of my life in Bellflower, CA. I then moved all the way to La Palma, CA, right in between the cities of Cypress and Cerritos (it was quite the journey!). I grew up in a home where following Jesus was modeled every day. My parents are committed followers of Jesus and have shown me since I was young how to live a Godly life. I currently fellowship at Bellflower Brethren Church and have been an attendee since I was in the womb. Since my early youth, I have been actively involved in my church: playing drums, being on leadership teams, etc. I also love to be very active. My favorite sport, currently, is the invigorating game of Ultimate Frisbee. Sounds intense, right? Although throwing a frisbee is typically a very laid-back activity, ultimate frisbee can be an extremely competitive sport.

I applied for the Community Fellows Program because God has been tugging at my heart and showing me the importance of "loving your neighbor as yourself." Well, who is my neighbor? I think my neighbor, at least, are those people I come into contact with every day. This program is focusing in on this sort of practice: to love your neighbor by having a missional mindset in your everyday activities. I am very excited to be able to be a part of what God is doing in Bellflower, specifically in the Eucalyptus neighborhood, where I will be residing. My prayer is that I can grow and learn through this experience to be able to live in such a way that is representative of the Kingdom life, in Jesus, which we were meant to live and to invite other people around me to join in. 

Community Fellow: Rachel

We are excited to have four brand new "Community Fellows" living in Bellflower! This is a brand new program in which these young leaders will gain practical, hands-on experience in community development as they live in under-resourced neighborhoods in Bellflower. The next few posts will introduce the four 2012-2013 Community Fellows! 

First, I'm happy to introduce Rachel De Los Reyes!

Hello There!

First off the basics.

23 years old. Recent graduate of Biola University. Originally hailing from San Diego, CA. Loves God. Loves people. Loves Art.

That in a nutshell is who I am. I think you may now be wondering what drew me to this fellowship program. Without rambling and going off on wild tangents (which I usually do), I will you tell why.

It’s quite simple. I LOVE people. I enjoy meeting others and getting to know their story, their gifts, and their hopes and dreams. Things that make them unique.

I have always been a ‘people person.’ But my time in college really fostered this passion in me, I got the opportunity to counsel and mentor young adults through university and church programs. As time went on I realized that this just wasn’t a fun thing to do, it was a calling.

And on top of that I love the city. The city is such a unique, diverse, and historic place. Growing up in cities in the Pacific Northwest and Southern California, I was amazed by its beauty. Not just the landscape or the architecture. I was intrigued by the culture and how much diversity could fit into such a compacted space. There were so many cultures and people to experience. The different foods, languages, and customs. I loved it all. And that love and passion still grows to this day.

But despite the city’s magnificence there is a dark side. It is because of man’s sin that division exists within the city due to cultural, political, and social movements. These movements lead to boundaries of race, class, and beliefs. What is left is a divided and ultimately broken city. I believe that Christ longs to transform and reform the hearts of his people. I look forward at the opportunity to work with like-minded people to provide a glimpse of reconciliation, hope, and healing that comes from the gospel.

In the next year, I am excited to gain hands on experience doing urban ministry and learning what it looks like to truly love my neighbor. I am looking forward to being stretched relationally, emotionally, and spiritually.

So I think that’s enough about me! As for hobbies I love film, photography, reading, writing, hanging out at the beach, hiking, trying new foods, fawning over cute dogs, puns, making people laugh, watching cheesy dance/singing reality shows, coming up with witty Facebook statuses, instagramming (yes, it is now a verb), and most of all exploring this wonderful city!

-Rachel

This is what community development is all about...

Last night over 40 families showed up for our neighborhood meetings for Oak St. & Eucalyptus Ave.  Each neighborhood group met to connect with one another, share ideas for improving the community and register for the Christmas Store.  (More on the Christmas Store here and below.) 

Empowering Neighbors
At the end of the evening, we joined the groups together to hear a presentation by Southern California Associates of Governments about proposed plans to bring a public transit project (think train, light rail, etc.) through Bellflower, connecting LA to Santa Ana.  Because there is talk of bringing a train stop to the north end of Bellflower's downtown, which borders both Eucalyptus and Oak neighborhoods, we felt this information is extremely relevant to neighbors.  One neighbor shared her excitement and concern for the new project.  She knew the train would be good for the community, but since Bellflower doesn't have any form of rent control, she was worried that a train stop close by could raise property value and rent, resulting in many families being displaced from our neighborhoods.  The presenter validated her comment and said that is precisely why the neighbors need to be involved at this early stage.  She encouraged them to start talking with the city about their fears.  We decided to host a second meeting with neighbors to strategize how to connect best with the city about their concerns.  


Neighbors Giving Back
We registered 35+ families for the Christmas Store last night.  Individuals, local churches, businesses and organizations donate brand new gifts to stalk the shelves of the Christmas Store.  Registered neighbors come and shop, buying presents at 90-95% off the original price.  Then, 100% of the money that comes in goes to a good cause, which is determined by the neighbors.  After some discussion about a few causes to support, they voted to send the money to help build a well in Africa to provide clean water in a village.  

The neighbors voted to send the proceeds to help build a well in Africa to provide clean water.  We're going to send this picture with the check in December.  Look how proud and excited everybody is in this picture!

True development takes time, but it's worth the wait.  I'm so grateful that I was able to be a part of last night.

Neighborhood Art Class Starting!

On Monday afternoon we had our first Kids Art class for the summer! Each week we are doing a different type of art project, so the kids in the neighborhood will experience multiple types of art. I was very excited on Monday when 11 children walked through the door to our new community center ready to make artwork! This summer the kids will work with paint, clay, oil pastels, paper mache, photography, and more! On August 21st, the kids will display their artwork alongside other local artists at the Bella Art Fest in downtown Bellflower!

Above are some pictures of the Kids visiting the Invitation Decalogue Sculpture, and working on crayon resisting projects and our "Box of Crayons" collage which represents how wonderful our world is because of all the differences we each have and all the beautiful colors we can create!

The Art class is every Monday July 12 - August 16, and the Bella Art Fest is August 21! Email me at kendall.carrico@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer, or donate Art supplies!

Thanks to Paramount Ready Mix!

Special thanks to Paramount Ready Mix who donated the concrete for the new posts in the Community Center! Ron Talsma, from First Bellflower CRC helped to make this connection. Praise God for his people.

What do we do?

Guess who's moving?????

After much consideration and prayer, we have decided to move our office and community center downtown.  It's been a good 3 1/2 years on Alondra & Eucalyptus but we are outgrowing our space.  We were offered this new location (16429 Bellflower Blvd.), which is double the size, for the same amount of rent we currently pay.  We feel this move is strategic for connecting with both Oak and Eucalyptus neighbors, as well as providing more community center space for programs.

We're going to need a TON of help pulling this off.  May 1st is our first big move day.  If you're interested in helping, please contact Chrissy.

Seniors give back!

During the first few months working on Oak street, I gravitated toward the young and idealistic. I wanted the teenagers in this community to reach their potential, and the young families to work together to make their community a better place.

Unfortunately, in the midst of this work, I was missing a key part of the Oak Street demographic. I was overlooking the senior citizens and the rich array of skills and passions that they bring to the neighborhood. Here at kingdom causes, we use the Asset Based Community Development model (ABCD). In a nutshell, this means we look for what is best about a community, and then build on the skills and abilities of the community residents.

As I got to know some of the senior citizens through a senior's luncheon at a local church, I began to recognize how much these people had to offer the community. Over time, though, they have begun to believe that they don't have too much to offer. This mindset is reinforced by those of us who do not ask them to enrich our lives with the wisdom and skills they have accumulated over their lifetime.

In an effort to help these seniors have an outlet for giving back to their community, we've started a "seniors volunteer group" at the Bellflower Manor. There are around 15 individuals who have agreed to give some of their time and talent to various causes in our community. I am excited to learn from them as we serve Bellflower together.

If you know a senior who would like to be involved--let me know! Call our office or shoot me an email at abbeyn@kingdomcauses.org