Henry and I had an unusual bonding moment this summer. We were invited to a late-night bus ride through the roughest and most crime-infested neighborhoods of Durham. He and I both saw things that most white guys never see in real life… a close up look at the “dark side” of the Triangle.

It’s easy to miss. After all, we both live in nicer parts of town. Our schools, businesses, and churches are practically insulated. It’s the human propensity to just “stick to your own.” But something has changed for both of us. We want to be more engaged.

For me, this shift began happening many years ago. Growing up in a Jewish home, my parents taught me about diversity. I understood the “minority dilemma” and it became important to me to accept others. Later in life, as I became a follower of Jesus, I could no longer ignore what was only 15 minutes away… a part of the city where hope was sparse and oppression was strong. At the same time it was often easier to fly 15 hours to a developing nation and serve, than it was to drive 15 minutes to a “Project” of Durham. But that insanity had to end. It was time to stop taking my clues from Hollywood’s globetrotting celebrity caregivers and start getting involved right in my own backyard.

So I started in the Cornwallis Community about 11 years ago. It is less than 10 minutes from our church, King’s Park International. It had taken me years to realize this community even existed. It is one of about ten government-sponsored communities of Durham. Growing up we called them “the Projects,” but recently the term has changed to “Housing Communities,” eliminating some of the stigma.

With a few resources and friends we threw together the Youth Life Center and to my great surprise the Durham Housing Authority gave us a free place within Cornwallis to begin making an impact.

Our first day was interesting to say the least. When our team arrived at the Center to open the doors on the first day, several bullets had been strategically shot through our front door the night before. The timing could not have been worse for a bunch of unpaid volunteers, but I was proud to see that faith was alive and nothing was going to stop our people from showing concern. Was this was a rite of passage? Whatever it was, nothing was going to stop the love of God from flowing.

It was a huge lift when Hall of Fame Football Player Darrel Green, came down from Washington D.C. to be a part of that inauguration. He personally funded the first ten computers and helped cast a vision of what our humble place could become. Another Redskin player shared too. It proved to be significant when men who came out of these communities would address the people right where they were living. Both men let us and the people in the community know that this Center could be a refuge of hope, a place of training, and a resource where dreams could live and not die.

Here is a snapshot of what I’ve learned from spending time in Cornwallis. First, the families are hurting yet very friendly. They welcomed us with sincerity and ease. It is mostly moms and kids since 99% are single mother households. Fathers are painfully missing. The annual household income averages less than $5,000 (this is not a misprint). When we first went in it was clear that oppression and hopelessness were winning.

It’s been more than ten years now of our serving that wonderful community. There have been lots of challenges… more than I would have imagined. My hope of seeing this vision spread throughout Durham has yet to be realized. Often the funds are low and obstacles are high. The Center cannot always meet the needs that are present. Criticism we’ve faced at times has been justified. But one thing is for sure… many lives have been touched, hope has been released, and many young people have been transformed.

Transformation has happened on many levels. Children have had grades improve from D’s and F’s to A’s and B’s. Entire families have broken the chain of poverty and now enjoy jobs, incomes, and new homes outside of governmental intervention. These are the successes that make it all worthwhile. The real heroes, Life Center tutors who serve on a daily or weekly basis, are making a tangible difference that cannot be denied. One such volunteer, Jamie Latham, received an award from President Bush. (Visit www.ronlewisministries.com/letter.html for more information).

I have come to notice several things about the Cornwallis Community. First, we have a lot in common with the people there. My four sons have grown up with their kids. They have enjoyed a common bond in Christ, a common bond in a church family, and wholesome interests that have brought many of their youth to my home, often overnight. Dr. Martin Luther King was so right when he said Sunday morning at 11:00 is the most segregated hour of the week. We are missing so much when we accept segregation in our houses of worship and in our personal homes as well.

Another observation is how much the kids of Cornwallis want to learn and grow. They know something is missing in their lives and homes, and many want to find a way out. Finally, there is a load of talent in the inner city. It is replete with potential world-changers just waiting for a chance. All they need is a little encouragement to keep them from playing out a role they’ve seen on TV or in their “hood.” I believe their dreams can come true with a little help from others.

It’s been said, “Don’t give the needy a fish, teach them to go fishing,” and I agree. But also, let’s teach them about pond ownership. These kids are “hungry” enough to make great business and civil leaders. With a little help from all of us, they will.

Many of us share a common hope: we want to transform Durham one life at a time. We’ve both had enough privileges to last a lifetime. It really is time to give back! It’s refreshing to know that giving does not have to be a major sacrifice of effort, time or money. For me, it simply began 12 years ago with a 15-minute drive. That humble beginning brought King’s Park and my family more blessings than we can ever repay.

In closing this already too-long blog, I want to ask a question that a scribe asked Jesus 2000 years ago… “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29). The Rabbi Jesus wanted to break down the ethnocentric thinking of his followers. He told them the powerful and relevant story of the Good Samaritan. To be honest, I could have spent my entire life and avoided my neighbor… Henry could too. Instead, we chose to get off when the bus stopped that late hot muggy night, and do something to make a difference. How about you? Ready to expand your world?

If you ever want to take a couple of hours and join the Life Center Team, you can find us at http://www.youthlifefoundation.org/. Or, just peruse the great list of opportunities at www.durhamcares.org. Your neighbor can’t wait to meet you!

Let's face it: Evangelicals have never been known for their social activism. Many of us have seen social activism as a distraction from what we have seen as the real responsibility of the church: preaching. Social activism, some of us have believed, is the domain of political and religious liberals who don't believe enough truth to pick a fight over.

I am the pastor of a theologically conservative evangelical church here in Durham. I believe that without conscious faith in Jesus you cannot be saved, and so I do believe our primary task is preaching the Gospel to every person in every country. In other words, I care deeply about evangelism. But, I'd like to suggest three reasons why theologically conservative churches also must be involved in social ministry to the poor, here in Durham and elsewhere in the World. I will offer a biblical reason, a historical reason, and a theological reason.

1. The Bible says that there is fundamentally something wrong with our faith if we don't respond to the needs around us.

There are over 2100 verses that deal with our relationship to the poor. Moses very clearly told the people, "If among you, one of your brothers should become poor...you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be...You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake... Therefore I command you, ‘Open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land." (Deut 15:7-10). Pharisees in Jesus' day tried to insist that the "poor of your land" consisted only of Jews. Jesus, however, in Luke 10, used a parable about a hurt man and a Good Samaritan to make clear that this command applies to all hurting people in our communities.

The egregious sins of Sodom were not just homosexuality and rape. Ezekiel 16:49-50 says, "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it. Sodom's riches caused her to be arrogant and self-centered. This narcissism caused her to forget the poor and ultimately to commit the abomination of homosexuality. But according to these verses, God looks at our lack of being involved in the lives of the poor in the same way He looks at homosexuality.

The New Testament says the same. 1 John 3:17 asks how anyone could possibly have the love of God abiding in him if he shuts up his heart to the poor. James 2:15-17 uses failing to take care of the poor in your community as an example of dead faith.

The conclusion: we cannot say our faith is real if we aren't naturally inclined to be involved in the lives of the poor.

2. The church has always understood its mission to include meeting the needs of its community.

Historically, the church has been found working for change in the least desirable parts of the community. First century documents describe an unusual Christian "outreach": collecting the abandoned dead bodies of societal outcasts to give them a proper burial. Second century documents describe "baby runs," wherein Christians collected unwanted babies left on doorsteps to die.

The watching hostile world took notice. The Roman Emperor Julian, one of the chief persecutors of Christians, admitted in disgust that ‘the godless Galileans feed our poor in addition to their own.'Historian Eberhard Arnold notes, "Most astounding to the outside observer was the extent to which poverty was overcome in the vicinity of the communities, through voluntary works of love... Christians spent more money in the streets than the followers of other religions spent in their temples."

This spirit continued through the centuries. An evangelical Christian named William Wilberforce was at the head of the movement to end the slave trade. The Civil rights movement in the 1960's was led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who grounded his message in the truth that all men are created equal.

Charles Spurgeon had a close friend named Lord Shaftesbury, who brought cemetery reform, clean water, sewer systems, and mental hospitals. His work led to the establishment of 10 hour work days and child labor reform laws in London. It was said that Lord Shaftesbury taught much of Spurgeon's congregation to read and kept them alive so Spurgeon could preach to them.

D. L. Moody, the Billy Graham of the 19th century, won thousands of students to Christ. But do you know of his compatriot, John R. Mott, who worked with Moody to build little community centers to get young men off the street? They were called YMCA's.

Evangelical Christians were the authors of both the freedom of conscience in religion and the freedom of the press. They led in the fight to give women an equal right to vote. They are the ones today who are pushing to end the gross violation of human rights. They give, by far, more than any other group to the ministry of needs overseas. And, here at home, they lead in this fight to end this horrible holocaust of abortion.

Helping those in need has always been a visceral reaction for ambassadors of Christ. Wherever they went, the poor within their church and outside their church were cared for.

It is very surprising, then, in light of what the Bible says, and in light of our history, that so many of us don't associate community ministry with evangelicals. How did it get that way?

The answer lies in the rise of liberalism. From the age of Constantine through the "Enlightenment," the Church sat at the head of intellectual advance. Christians founded and directed the most academically prestigious schools. During the Enlightenment, however, people began to question the intellectual integrity of Christianity. David Hume boasted that modern man could no longer believe in miracles. Charles Darwin explained that creation was possible without a Creator. Nietzsche completed everyone's thought, saying, "God is dead." He was no longer necessary.

In response, a "Christian" school of thought arose under Friedrich Schleiermacher which said that Christianity's value was not tied to its historical or scientifical validity. The essence of Christianity, they said, is a right "feeling" toward God. They thought they would thereby rescue Christianity from its moribund trajectory, making it relevant to a world which could no longer believe in angels or demons.

Since the essence of Christianity was not the substituionary death on the cross, "evangelism," as historically understood, was no longer urgent. But all people agreed that taking care of the poor was important. Christians could lead in the way in caring for the poor, and thereby still be relevant, even if it wasn't historically true. The church could embody Christ's presence in the world by contributing to the evolution of mankind.

But not all Christians had bowed their knee to this intellectual Baal. A group (that came to be known as the "fundamentalists") insisted that if Christianity were not factually true than there was no Gospel. These believers saw their purpose in history as restoring the intellectual credibility of the Christian faith.

The word "fundamentalist" no longer has positive connotations. People imagine some slobbering guy about 70 lbs overweight who talks about gun rights and pickets "lesbins, and homersekshulls." But a fundamentalist was one who simply said that the fundamentals of the faith are true. And we should thank God for those faithful brethren! Theirs was a necessary and life-saving voice.

It was there, however, that "social ministry" and "evangelism" became unfortunately separated. One group did social ministry because they didn't believe anything enough to preach it. The other group did evangelism, and viewed it as their most necessary ministry to the world.

That day is over. Many fine seminaries are now devoted to defending the intellectual viability of the Christian faith. Is more work necessary? Of course. But the early church was born into a world that scorned its intellectual credibility. Yet, these Christians excelled in their tangible acts of love to their societies. Theirs was a ministry of word and deed. It is time for Christians again to be known for their blessing to the poor of society.

If societal improvement is considered in our culture to be "liberal," then let the church be liberal! But note, we are not talking about the government's responsibility in this matter. The early Christians did not see their role as voting reforms that would spend everyone else's money on the poor. They gave their own money.

We have considered a biblical reason and an historical reason for why we as evangelical Christians should be involved in ministry to the poor. Let us now consider a theological reason.

3. Our announcement of the Gospel of the Kingdom is to be accompanied by physical signs of the Kingdom

In the New Testament the preaching of the Gospel is often called the preaching of "the Kingdom." Mark 1:14-15 says that Jesus began his ministry by preaching "the Gospel of the Kingdom of God," saying, "The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the Gospel." In the last historical verse of the New Testament, Acts 28:31, Paul described his gospel as "proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ."

What exactly is "the Kingdom of God?" Some have wrongly assumed that it is something that Christians will "build" here. But the most important element of a kingdom is the King! We cannot set up the kingdom now because Jesus has not returned to earth yet. So Paul talks about the Kingdom as something we enter in the future, when Jesus reigns-at that point when there will be an end of hunger and racism and violence and there will be total peace, happiness and blessing.

Christians, who are already members of the kingdom have as their primary objective the announcing of that kingdom. We announce that the future is a place ruled by King Jesus, and that we must be reconciled to Him in order to enter it.

Our lives, like Jesus' miracles, are to be "signs" of the coming Kingdom. Jesus' miracles were not just cool magic tricks He did to convince listeners. He never said, "Now, for my next trick, I'll turn Peter into a grapefruit." Rather, his healing of the body was a sign of the coming Kingdom-a place of eternal healing. People understood the announcement of the Kingdom as they saw the lame walk, the blind see, and the dead rise.

So it was with the early Church. The people believed Philip's message about "the Kingdom of God" when they saw the signs he did in the name of Jesus. "Unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed." They understood it so much that there was much joy in that city.

But the signs the early church gave of the Kingdom were not just "miraculous." Acts 9 tells of an "ordinary" disciple whose ministry consisted of making clothes. Here again, people "felt" the power of the Kingdom of God through her deeds. When she died, "All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them."

The church's ministry should "bring joy" to the city. Our community should "feel" the message of the kingdom so tangibly that they weep when we are gone. How many evangelical churches can say that their city "rejoices" because of their presence in it? How many of us could say that our city would weep if were gone?

CONCLUSION

I am grateful that evangelicals seem to be rediscovering this forgotten aspect of ministry. Might all of us remember where we would be without the mercy ministry of Christ, who rescued us when we were poor, sick, blind and naked, and that though He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor, so that we through His poverty might become rich.

I am just back from a trip to the Holy Land. David and I took our fathers for a week tour of Israel and Jordan; an absolutely incredible adventure. I can’t properly describe (and it’s not just because I’m a novice writer) what it felt like to see and be in the places (Capernaum, Nazareth, Canaa, Jerusalem among others) that Jesus walked in. It made me have a much greater appreciation for the humanity of Jesus. One thing I now know absolutely is that he must have been in shape with some great quads…the hillside surrounding Galilee and Jerusalem is remarkably steep…think San Francisco steep.

I recommend a trip like this to anyone, and while the biggest impact made on me was to see the places that figured prominently in the Bible, I can say that there is so much more to see from the beautiful beaches of Caesarea to the dynamic city of Haifa. Add in some great secular history in Petra and Beth Shean and surprisingly good food, and the region could stand on it’s own as a great travel destination even if God hadn’t chosen that area to inspire us as the setting for his Word. Happily, though, for us last week, he did.

I could go on and on about the trip, and would be happy to do so off-line, but it’s time to get to the point that I’m trying to make here, and to share what I learned in Jerusalem that has inspired me for what our future might be in Durham.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is the supposed site of Christ’s death and burial. It’s been a pilgrimage since the 300s AD. It’s been jointly administered by many orthodox churches, the Armenians, the Greeks, the Syrians, the Ethiopians, the Copts and the Catholics among others. It’s a strange sight to see the various groups lead church services at the same time as they vie for the attention of various parishioners.

And here’s the challenge: the different sects don’t often play well in the sandbox together. In fact, within the last month the tensions between the groups have resulted in fistfights that have been reported on CNN. Things are so bad and have been for a long time, that a group of Muslim families actually have to manage the church and unlock it every day.

Imagine that! What kind of message does that send to seekers and non-believers about Christianity? What would Jesus say!?!?

Fortunately, we have a great opportunity to do things much better here and there are signs that area pastors are increasingly willing to work together on joint projects. There are many different congregations in Durham, but we are one body in Christ. Let us all work together as one Church to serve our community as we serve him. Let us be a beacon and a light to all around us, together as one. This opportunity is clearly missed in modern day Jerusalem, let it not be beyond our grasp in Durham.

I was introduced to Durham and the Triangle via Pinnacle Studios in Yanceyville, N.C. several years ago by a good older friend Mr. Bill Cherry. I didn't understand at the time, why he was so passionate about visiting the city, especially knowing where I was from and what I liked that didn't fit with the Durham way. But I realized later that Bill was used as a light for my future and purpose.

I have changed a lot since that visit and so have Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill. I have come to realize that we both could be of a great deal of help to one another. I have traveled this country and one common thread has been with every city-there are always those parts that feel hopeless and operate in hopelessness. I come from a place that felt that way physically and emotionally, but by the mercy and grace of God I was shown that dreams can come true.

I like Durham and its people. The people are good and very talented in God's eyes no matter what others think or say. A very well know entertainer I know got caught up in a negative quote he made years back about an area of entertainment he swore he would never do. When he decided to do it, a reporter brought that quote back to his memory and jam him up. When asked why he said that and was now contradicting himself, the entertainer gave a great honest answer in my opinion. He said "because I thought I would never be able to do it!"

That answer speaks volumes for thousands. We don't think our hopes and dreams will ever come true, so we speak and operate in hopelessness. Durham is a perfect model to show the rest of the country that there is hope. That's why I did the 2nd edition of the documentary "Welcome to Durham;" to show what a city can experience before and after it addresses the issues with the youth and solves them. Durham has blessed me with the opportunity to be productive in their education and entertainment community. Durham is beautiful and its people are the reason for that beauty, especially when they know their purpose.

I've always had quirky questions in my mind- like whether gleaning is truly a beneficial principle. I've learned that sometimes you can find answers to life in the most unique ways- for instance, blueberries.

One day a friend told me about a vacant acre of beautiful blueberry trees that were standing so high and were free for picking. So off we went to the blueberry lot. An hour later, I noticed that my bucket was overflowing with blueberries while my friend's bucket was only half full (name is omitted to protect the innocent). Now I know I operate at a fast pace but I am not that fast- what was the deal?!

Well, it was about how we picked that made the difference. My friend stayed at one tree for the full hour to get every last blueberry off that tree - the fruit in his bucket was blue, pink, and green. In contrast, I went from tree to tree to tree, grabbing only the ripe fruit that was ready to come off. The fruit in my bucket was better and my production was significantly higher.

Back in Jesus' day, gleaning not only benefited the poor but also the farmer in his productivity and quality of his product. I think we need to look at our community in Durham this way. So many times we are focused on what we can pick off the tree that is in front of us, but what would happen if we learned how to buy a field and plant blueberry trees and only take a handful off of each tree? It is counter-intuitive and requires discipline and a long term dream. We would be wealthier not only financially but relationally and there would be enough resources for everyone.

I think one of the greatest assets we can bring to help break systemic poverty is to develop an investment mind-set. The "velocity of the dollar" describes how the more times a dollar exchanges hands within a community, the wealthier the community becomes. In the African-American community it usually exchanges hands three to four times. In the White and Latino community six to seven times, and the Asian community somewhere around 12 times.* Though it is not a short term solution, I believe bringing in entrepreneurship back into Durham is a way to unlock the power blueberries that there is more than enough for everyone!

I knew when I entered public education I would be surrounding myself largely with people who care about children. However, the high level of caring I have experienced here in Durham is phenomenal.

Our business and community partners bend over backwards to support us. In fact, we have thousands of volunteers supporting our schools. They come from businesses of all sizes, local colleges and universities and communities of faith.

On the individual level, many Durham residents who want to support our students sign up as tutors and school volunteers. It seems that more individuals want to play a part in making our community stronger through better schools for our children.

We often hear that schools are a reflection of the community. It is certainly true here in Durham. Not only is our community's rich diversity mirrored in our schools, but I have witnessed a significant increase in the ways our students are showing that they care about their community.

I could not be more proud to head a school district that has such caring students, teachers, principals, parents and community supporters. It is my hope that everyone in this wonderful community can realize how fortunate we are to have so many who care so much.

It’s our hope that today, Opening Day, April 11, 2008 will mark the date for an inflection point in the heart and spirit of our wonderful city. We don’t think for a second that we’re going to be able to make this difference on our own, but together with YOU we very much think we can. We’ve got great aspirations for DurhamCares, but many of those hopes ultimately come from our belief that we’re all a part of something much greater. We believe that God is moving in our great city and that we have an incredible opportunity to honor Him by heralding some of Durham’s great charities and encouraging our citizens to give of their time and money in a way that stretches them AND rewards them.

There are many ways that you can help the cause of DurhamCares, but none of them include donating any money to us! We want to have you focus your charitable giving and your time directly on the organizations themselves.

Here’s what we would like you to do:

Register with us. Let us know what special skills you have that you can lend to some of our excellent organizations. Contribute your thoughts and experiences in the community forum. Consider hosting a DurhamCares event in your neighborhood (where several Executive Directors of charities will give a 5-10 minute overview of what they do). Challenge your employer to encourage employee community volunteering. And lastly tell your friends (at church, work and recreation) about DurhamCares and the organizations that you’ve learned about.

Before I go much further, I want to thank the Goodmon family, the DurhamBulls, and in particular George Habel, their General Manager. Our opening day today coincides with the opening day of the DurhamBulls and their donation of the billboard in right center field. Their commitment to honor excellent charities in Durham is remarkably encouraging.

Here’s to Durham Caring in a bigger way than it ever has before.

Get Involved. Get Informed. Get Inspired!!