African American Readings of Paul by Lisa M. Bowens

Many marginalized communities have been victims of the weaponization of Scripture to uphold oppressive systems. For the African American community, the Bible was used to uphold slavery and to require obedience to their masters as to God. Still, a glance at many African American liberation movements shows the same Bible being used to support emancipation and civil rights. How is this possible? How can a community wounded through interpretations of the text reclaim its message of liberation? In African American Readings of Paul: Reception, Resistance, and Transformation, Lisa M. Bowens uses a historical, theological, and biblical lens to survey how the African American community has interpreted the Pauline epistles through the centuries. Bowens emphasizes the idea of reception history, which denotes that the context in which Scripture is being interpreted must be considered just as much as the historical background and setting of the text. Bowens’ review of this reception history demonstrates that “the powerful ways in which African Americans ‘rescue’ Paul from the clutches of white supremacy speak in profound ways to the power of black faith, the ability of black resilience, and the fortitude of black intelligentsia.”

We recommend this book to everyone desiring to widen their readings of Paul by learning from centuries of African American interpretation. We believe that the voices of those who have reclaimed the true faith their oppressors previously corrupted are essential companions for those seeking to reconstruct a liberative Christian faith.

BONUS Why and How We Listen

On this bonus episode of the Mestizo Podcast, Emanuel sits down with last years Scholars in Residence to discuss their work for the year. They share about who they were listening to and how they were listening to serve.

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Have a question you want answered on the podcast? Leave us a message at 312-725-2995. Leave us a 30 second voicemail with your name, city, y pregunta and we’ll discuss it on the last episode of the season. You can also submit a question using the form on this page.

Merch: Whether you want a t-shirt, hoodie, baby onesie, journal, mug, or sticker, tenemos un poquito de todo. My favorite is the recently released "Product of Abuela's Prayers" crewneck, celebrating the theology we inherit from nuestras Abuelitas. Check out our New merch store by visiting our store.

Courses: Want to take courses that prepare you to face the challenges of doing ministry in the hyphen? Visit learn.worldoutspoken.com today and enroll in one of our newest courses.

Learn more about the SIR: Here is the link to the Scholar in Residence Program.

Meet Dr. Nathan Cartagena, new Scholar-In-Residence

We are excited to share the story of Dr. Nathan Luis Cartagena, one of our former scholars-in-residence. Dr. Cartagena shares his testimony of faith, the migration journey of his family, and how he hopes to contribute to the World Outspoken community.

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More On Dr. Cartagena

A son of the US South (Mom/Madre) and Puerto Rico (Dad/Padre), I was born in Charleston, South Carolina and raised in Somerset, New Jersey. Both sides of my family have been committed Christians for generations. And both sides encouraged me to pursue my teaching gifts to edify the Church catholic. After finishing my PhD in philosophy at Baylor University, I became an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Wheaton College (IL), where I teach courses on race, justice, and political philosophy, and am a fellow in The Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies. I serve as the faculty advisor for Unidad Cristiana, a student group working to enhance Christian unity and celebrate Latina/o cultures, and a co-host for the forthcoming podcast From the Underside. I am currently writing a book on Critical Race Theory with IVP Academic, and am excited to join World Outspoken as a scholar-in-residence committed to loving God and neighbor through my work for and from the Church. I look forward to contributing neighbor-loving resources through WOS.

Meet Dra. Itzel Reyes, new Scholar-In-Residence

We are excited to share the story of Dra. Itzel Reyes, one of our new scholars-in-residence. Dra. Reyes shares her testimony of faith, how language shapes the experiences of the marginalized, and how she hopes to contribute to the World Outspoken community.

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More On Dra. Reyes

As an academic from el barrio, I strive to engage in scholarly work that honors and gives visibility to my community. My identity as a U.S. Latina woman of faith and as a daughter of immigrants who was a first-generation college student and a teenage mother is an integral component of my academic formation. My faith drives my passion for justice as I seek to reveal the ways in which certain language ideologies are constructed to operate unjustly against our communities. My work acknowledges language as a powerful tool and promotes linguistic diversity in its different manifestations. Bicultural and bilingual identities are at the center of my work. I am a Spanish professor by vocation and truly enjoy teaching my family’s language as a second language, to students who might not have a strong background in Spanish, and as a heritage language, to Latina/o students who are relearning or enhancing their skills in their heritage tongue. These passions, understood from an academic and experiential perspective, will drive my contributions at World Outspoken.

Abuelita Theology with Hna. Matilde Serrano

Bienvenidos to The Feature, a podcast where we highlight individuals who are doing great work in the culture, bearing witness to the Kingdom, bringing about justice, or addressing a cultural change. In honor of Women’s History Month, we partnered with scholars Sito and Ina Esquilin to bring you the stories of two Latina ministry pioneers of the Hispanic church in the US. As second and third generation Latin@ church leaders, we need reminding of the rich heritage of faith and theology that was given to us by our abuelitas. To honor the legacy of these women, the following interviews are en Español. We hope that these stories will remind you to treasure the history of the brown church in the US.

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English Translation

Introduction

Greetings, dear family! My name is Ina Esquilin. In this opportunity, I will be with my sister in the faith, Matilde Serrano. Who has become, lovingly, a grandmother figure to many in the fellowship of Assembly of God in Manhattan, of which I’m, currently, also a part. Our sister Matilde is an example worth following because, in spite of the adversities, she remains faithful to the Lord. In the 70s, after the death of her husband David Serrano, she moved to the big city, where she started a new phase of her life, as a single mother. Here, is where she helped her children grow, get an education, and become professionals. After her oldest son invited her to church, she gave her life to the Lord and that’s where the importance of this interview lies. From that moment on, the Lord has blessed her mightily. Four of her children became pastors of Assembly of God churches, while her other children help, not just the community in general, but mainly help the faith community by providing social services. Currently, our sister Serrano is a tremendous blessing because she shares her knowledge with humility and joy wherever she goes.

In times, such as the ones we are living in, with social distancing being our everyday norm now, it is refreshing to find a person who is always so willing to open her arms and, with everything she has in her heart, warmly embrace anyone she can reach.

Our sister, as a single mother, a Latina mother, a Christian mother, can show us it is possible to make a difference in this world, truly, passionately, and with longevity by believing in Christ.

Interview

I was born on September 5th, 1926, in the quaint small town known as Toa Alta in Puerto Rico.

We were a family of 7 siblings, 4 men and 3 women, of which only I remain alive; all my siblings went to be with the Lord.

I’m second to last among my siblings.

I grew up in a Christian environment but Catholic because my parents were Catholic.

I used to go to church, but I wasn’t really familiar with the Bible. In the Catholic church they didn’t teach much about the Word, but I always went to that church.

I realized that families went to church a lot; the fathers, the mothers, and all the children, they all went to church together. There was a lot of unity too, the neighbors always were willing to help, if one of them had something they would always share it with their neighbors. If anyone was sick, people would go to their house to help that person, if the lady of the house was sick, neighbors would go to her house and do the laundry, make the food, and clean her house for her. The environment was very nice, it was a community of unity and love.

My husband was a baseball player, he used to play with the double A class (AA). He was also a painter, carpenter, electrician, everything! He did it all! But one time he broke a foot and he couldn’t run anymore, because of this he couldn’t play baseball anymore. So then he focused on work, working as an electrician with my brother. He always said to me that maybe, some time, in the future, we were going to live, perhaps, in a better place; that God was going to give us a better life.

But for that moment, God was giving me everything I needed to live a quiet and content life. Living with my husband and my children, we were happy. He was a very good man, a very responsible father, and husband; he was good.

God gifted me 10 children.

All of my children were born there (in Puerto Rico). So once my husband died, my older children moved to the States to be able to help me. In 1970, they asked for me to be brought here with the rest of my children.

4 of my children are pastors. My son Luis was a pastor and chaplain for the New York police department — he went to be with the Lord. My son José, my son David and my son Ricardo are also pastors.

My son José is the pastor of the Jehova Jireh church, and my son David is the pastor of Tesalónica church, and my son Ricardo is the pastor of Tabernáculo de Gracia church. (13) I also have a granddaughter who is the pastor of a church in Florida.

When I and the rest of my children moved here, my son Luis already lived here and was married to his wife, Abigail. They both went to Macedonia church, and they brought all my other children and me, to that church. That’s where I found the Lord. At that time the pastors of that church were Reinaldo and Blanca Romero. They helped me so much in studying the Bible. They helped me so, so much! So that I would have a better life, because I was still a little sad since I was missing my husband so much. These pastors helped me understand that God was with me, that He was going to help me. They told me to be faithful to the Lord and that He was going to provide anything I could ever need, and that has been true in my life.

All of my children serve the Lord.

I believe they have seen me being faithful to God, as a testimony, how I’ve always been faithful to Him. I’ve taught them that the best way to live is being close to God, because He can help us! The same way he helped me when I became a widower, and He provided for me, and I never lacked anything. I always tell them that God is going to help them. They started going to church too, and little by little, they gave their lives to the Lord as well. Now they are all faithful to the Lord and serve him, all of them do.

I went to study in the Juan 3:16 Institute when sister Carmelia was the principal there.

My children were teachers in the institute too. My sons Luis and Ricardo were teachers at the institute. My son Jaime and my daughter Sonia also studied at the institute, and I also got to teach a class there. When I finished my 4th year, sister Carmelia allowed me to teach the Pauline epistles class. That’s what I was teaching for more than a year, after that I didn’t continue because I was taking care of my grandchildren, by then and I was also working here, in New York.

I worked for 10 years at a school; I was working as a teacher’s assistant.

Sister Carmelia always used to tell me: you have a gift, the gift of teaching! She always used to tell me that.

Well, what I always them is that they need to be faithful to the Lord. That’s my main advice to them, to always be faithful to God, to never stop being honorable and responsible. I tell them, “If God has given you a ministry, be responsible in that ministry God has given you!” And they truly are responsible. “Always go to church, teach your children in the ways of the Lord. Just like God has helped me, He is going to help each and every one of you too.” I tell all of them the same things, even the pastors. Because my son Luis and his wife, my son Ricardo and his wife, all of them are Christians, and all their families too. They all go to church with their children. Seeing them all, like a momma hen with their little chicks, that makes me so happy!

I am happy, but most of all thankful to the Lord. That’s the first thing for me. I thank God for everything He’s done with my family. Every day I tell Him: “Lord, my words are not enough to thank you for so many blessings you have given me and my family!” And my prayer is always, “Lord, cover each one of my children, my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren with your protection!” I pray for each one of them every day. I keep on placing them in God’s hands. That is the happiness that has allowed me to live for so many years because my children make me happy. They buy for me everything I may need; they visit me, they are very good to me. I believe that is what has kept me alive all these years, their love for me.

I would like to see a change in this world. I would like to see people being better people, and more love and unity in this world. A lot of times I feel a little sad because I don’t know why people’s love has grown colder, like the Bible says it would. One of my goals is to reflect love in the lives of the people I know. Even in those that I don’t know, I just want to see that— more love in this world, more unity.

I’m constantly praying, not just for my family, I pray for the whole world. I always tell God, “Lord, rebuke this pandemic, rebuke it in the whole world!” I know that there has been a lot of sadness and so much death. That’s why I’ve been asking God, I always pray, at all times of the day, and that’s what I ask God now, for this pandemic to disappear.

I would tell them to draw closer to God, to walk away from those things that can harm them. There’s a saying that goes “whoever leans on a good tree would be covered by a good shade” That’s the saying that my dad taught me when I was little. What I’m saying is that you should look for people that will help you, instead of people who will harm you. One should always follow the path of goodness and not the bad path. If we take the wrong path we will stray. If we follow the right path, we’ll see that God will help us, that God is there! God is always waiting for us to talk to Him, to ask Him for anything. Because He always gives us everything we want as long as it’s something beneficial for us.

I always say that we should draw near God and seek him more, walking away from things that can damage us.

Always look for places that won’t harm us and people who will help us. Anyone who is feeling depressed or sad, look for someone who can help you. A pastor, or a mentor, an older person, a relative, someone who can help, but seek that help. Nowadays, people who don’t see help end up doing whatever they think is best, but it’s always better to find help.

The first thing I do if I have a problem, whatever it might be, is to seek God. That’s the first thing I do, ask “Lord, tell me what I should do, how should I do it, and when should I do it. Help me, Lord! Because I can’t do it on my own.” You know, every time I’ve had a problem, like you said, or when I’ve felt sad, or whatever, I run to God, and I see that the answer is there. There, at that moment, when I seek God, it is like a little green light turns on in my mind and shinning light on me and telling me what I have to do. That always happens to me.

I tell my children the same, sometimes they come to me, and they tell me, “Mom, look, this thing happened, what do you think I should do?” I answer, “Well, first we must seek God!” and I start thinking, and I say, “Wait! Do this thing!” Like in that moment, God tells me what I have to tell them they should do. God puts the answer in my mind, I’ve come to notice that, so God tells me, and I tell them what they should do. That is why I feel so thankful to God.

For example, I have lost tings, like my glasses, or money or something, and I can’t find it, and I go, “Oh my God! I lost this thing!” “Lord, I don’t know where it is, but You do! Please, Holy Father, tell me where the thing is, guide me!” and I start thinking for a while, and all of a sudden, it comes to my mind! Like God telling me, “look in this place,” and I go there and there it is, what I’ve been looking for! “Thank you, Lord, Thank you! Thank you!” that’s all I can say to Him.

I’m trusting, oh Lord, in You. I remember when my son was sick, I kept saying, “I’m trusting in You, Lord!” because we have to trust in Him.

That one (hymn) that says, “You are faithful, Lord, so faithful to me”? That one, right?

“Even though I’m weak, I am trusting, oh Lord, in you!” My whole life I’ve trusted God.

I want to tell you something before you go, you know which one is my favorite Bible verse? It’s Psalm 37:25 “I have been young and now I’m old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.”

About Ina B. Esquilín & R. L. Ortiz, Jr. (Sito)

Interview host Ina B. Esquilín is a Master’s Degree candidate at Gordon-Conwell Seminary and a credentialed minister with the Spanish Eastern District of the Assemblies of God. Esquilín’s interests are missiology, music, teaching and health and wellness within the Latinx Pentecostal Church.

Researcher R. L. Ortiz, Jr. (Sito) is a PhD candidate at Regent University, an adjunct professor at New York Theological Seminary & an ordained minister with the Spanish Eastern District of the Assemblies of God. Ortiz’ research interests are the genesis and development of 20th century Latinx Pentecostalism on the east coast of the United States and contemporary renewal movements within New York City.

A Mija’s Rules

Imagine staring at a screen of faces caught by stillness, a collage of silent observers. While this sounds like the description of a Zoom call subjected to bad Wi-Fi, it is instead a regular rhythm recognized by “Mija Moments,”, an intentionally all-Latina group headed by Pat VerDuin, director of Mija: Leadership and Coaching. In these moments, each participant of the call is honoring the rules of the virtual space. In “Mija Moments” the rules are few, but the big rule is to temper the urge to give advice and instead to learn to hold space for your fellow sisters.  

“Mija Moments” is just one of the services offered by VerDuin’s organization. In addition to these weekly meetings, VerDuin also offers mentoring and coaching specifically to women and girls of color. Why does she set her efforts on only this particular group of people? That answer can be found in VerDuin’s own background and story.

The Rules We Live By 

“It seems that we are all made up of stories, the ones that we are told throughout our lives and the ones that we tell ourselves.” ”

Patricia Marie VerDuin (Sosa) was born on March 11, 1957 the only child born to Petra Olivia Carranza and Juan A. Sosa. Petra and Juan were Mexican migrants who settled in Ottawa County, Michigan. Like many children of immigrants, Verduin learned to live her life in accordance to certain rules. They were the rules that she was convinced would help her fit in the world around her. She was imparted three rules through the experiential wisdom of her parents:  

1. Get an education, so that doors will open.

2. Get an education in the law, so that no one will take advantage of you.

3. Don’t let anyone know that you are Mexican otherwise doors will close. 

These rules show the ways that her and her parents expected to be welcomed into the space in which they now found themselves. To belong, she would have to prove herself and, in some ways, hide parts of herself, namely her Mexican background.  

But not all rules are explicit. Growing up in a largely Catholic household in Holland, Michigan, faith was a big part of VerDuin’s life. Faith seemed to come naturally to her, but communities of faith are not always reciprocal. VerDuin recalls that it was precisely in her faith community when she was awakened to her own sense of racialize identity and how those parts of her identity rendered her an outsider: “Some of the nun’s targeted me and punished me for being of a different color. It was in second grade that I was first painfully made aware that I wasn’t like other kids.” 

These moments of awareness had subconscious effects on VerDuin. Sometimes it is the implicit rules we construct to adapt to our environments that eventually dictate how we navigate our given spaces. As VerDuin remembers, another one of these more insidious rules had to do with the sun and her complexion. Growing up her mother had discouraged her from being in the sun too long, “at the time I didn’t quite understand it, and frankly it has been a journey to understand it still, but I lived by that rule.” Many can relate to this sentiment of holding seemingly harmless rules. Like VerDuin, many women of color have learned to rely on our subconscious to construct these rules not just to help us adapt but to simply belong. 

When The Rules No Longer Fit

VerDuin eventually found herself working in juvenile court, which introduced her to the world of public service. “What I didn’t know then” she says, “was that this was just the beginning of what would be a life-long commitment as a public servant.” She worked in court administration for 35 years. In addition to this, VerDuin was also getting more involved in her church, Grand Haven Presbyterian, and was ready to take on more leadership roles. What she didn’t see, however, was anyone who looked like her in a leadership role in her church. Nevertheless, VerDuin dared to pursue a seminary education—but God’s calling of us doesn’t always look like the straight line we expect or want. Verduin explains that her seminary pursuit came at a moment of convergence: “It was like the two, gender and race, were converging, it was like I was searching” Her search eventually led her into the work of a non-profit, the work of which she did in tandem with her seminary studies. She began consulting in a community foundation, her main project was to lead a community economic development initiative.

After a few semesters of seminary and a project that was gaining momentum, VerDuin left seminary to dedicate her time fully to the non-profit. Her initiative implemented a simple but by no means easy idea. VerDuin found that many children were failing out of kindergarten and this would have spiraling effects into their life, even to the point of delinquency. So preventative measures were needed, thus began a youth mentoring program dreamed up by VerDuin. Before kindergarten children would be tutored and prepped to help them feel ready for the crucial year before primary school. She created an avenue to set these young students for success. “It met this need of my faith, a need to serve,” Verduin explained, “and it also met my need to feel a connection to people who look like me.” It was precisely this work that would animate her present calling of coaching and mentoring. 

As time went on, VerDuin eventually outlived her parent’s rules. She found herself in spaces where her background was an asset and her bilingual tongue was a way to further connect with those she was working with. In her role she noticed something; she found a majority of the students who needed help and educational intervention were latino/a. Being Mexican was an asset.  

“Still”, she laments, “being a woman, a Latina had its difficulties”. She found very few people who looked or thought like her in leadership in these same spaces. She also found herself exhausted due to the amount of effort she put into changing her demeanor from one group to another (her partners, her staff, and the kids she worked with). She found that questions of her race and her gender in relation to her leadership began to arise more frequently, and it struck her, “I need more women of color in my life!” As she began her search, she found this was a real need, particularly for women of color. If she was going to re-write rules, her own and the rules of leadership, then she would need to look at the intersection of her own identity.

Re-writing Rules 

“These rules served me well until they didn’t.””

From this idea, Mija was born. Mija, which evokes the name given amongst Spanish speakers to express endearment and kinship, was at first called Mobius Coaching. VerDuin wanted to engage the particular context of women of color, more specifically Latina women and so the name was changed to Mija. Her organization works to re-write the rules, reframe the common narrative, and to empower women of color into leadership.  

Mija Moments is a form of peer mentoring a “space where women come together to co-create what matters to them in the moment.” These spaces offer women a level of safety they might not otherwise find in their immediate places. A space where they are free to pose questions, long for answers, and meet understanding silence. These are the spaces where women can begin the work of re-writing new rules, explicit and implicit.  

VerDuin found that when women are surrounded by other women who share a same sense of kinship, color, language, and/or gender, that something special happens. These women begin to grow into their calling and into their own embodied selves, and that is a powerful thing. It is what happened to VerDuin, and it is what she hopes to replicate in the space women encounter in Mija Moments. 

In our interview, VerDuin shared what it felt like to participate in those moments of Zoom silence: “We just share each other’s souls. We sit with on another for a very long time, just looking at each other, digitally, in silence. We don’t respond to make each other feel better, we just hold each other’s silence and witness each other’s souls.”  

Having the opportunity to hear Pat Verduin share her soul inspires me, a woman of color, to reconsider the rules I might live by and to consider perhaps finding my own Ates (big sister in Tagalog) who can help me re-write those rules that might no longer be helpful. This provides all the more proof that the work that VerDuin dedicates her life to now is important work. Women of Color need these spaces, the silent and shared spaces, where we are allowed to grow into the women who are un-encumbered by unhelpful rules.  

To learn more about “Mija Moments” or Pat VerDuin’s organization visit: https://www.patverduin.com

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About Jelyn Leyva

A Second-generation Filipina born in Tampa, FL, Jelyn Leyva graduated Moody Bible Institute in Chicago on May 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Women in Ministry and an Interdisciplinary in Theology. She is currently in Los Angeles, CA pursuing an MDiv at Fuller Theological Seminary with her emphasis in Christian Ethics. Having lived in various places in the US, Jelyn’s interest lie in the complex history and multi-ethnic life of the Protestant Church in the US. Her hope is to serve this church and its many colors with the consideration of traditional and contemporary theological scholarship.

Lecciones De Una Crisis a Otra

How can the Church thrive even in times of crisis? Roadblocks are nothing new to the Venezuelan church. In fact, they have been ministering through national crisis for years. We recently interviewed Pastor Jose Hernandez to ask how his pastoral ministry has developed as the layers of crises grew in his context. There is much we can learn more about how to minister from our Venezuelan brothers and sisters. The interview is partially in Spanish, but the conversation that follows is edited and condensed version that can be read in English.

Question 1- Introduction

Hi! How are you guys doing? My name is Pastor Jose Hernandez. My family is doing well, thank God, although we are currently in quarantine. We’re just trying to take safe precautions, that’s our motto around here.

Question 2- Profile

I’ve been pastoring Centro Evangelistico Peniel (CEP) for 4 decades. Prior to being a pastor at CEP, I was an itinerant evangelist for 7 years. After my time as an evangelist, my wife, Esther, and I planted CEP.

At first CEP was a community of believers that organized a series of evangelistic gatherings in Valencia, Venezuela in order to start a church and they invited me to come to preach. During the course of these gatherings, the organizers begged me to stay as their Lead Pastor because they had not found one yet (lol). It’s been a while and they still haven’t been able to find another Lead Pastor so I’ve stayed. Thus, I’ve been pastoring CEP since 1981; a church that has been influential in our city and a church community that has done a great job in developing pastors and ministries. 

Question 3- La Crisis

The Venezuelen humanitarian crisis dubbed, ‘La Crisis’, has been in effect for a number of years now. Interestingly, ‘La Crisis’ helped both pastors and the church mature in Christ, but we must understand the dimensions of the crisis. First of all, ‘La Crisis’ has everything to do with political ideology. When the current governing authorities came into power, they entered a capitalist form of government but made it their agenda to install communist form of government. This created polarization between those who sympathized with the government and those who opposed the government; even between pastors and therefore the church. The tension was so tense in the church that many churches in Venezuela divided. Thus, pastors became a sort of ‘referees’ between both sides. That was our initial experience with ‘La Crisis’. Second, the conflicting worldviews of ‘La Crisis’ brought forth much societal strife, which impacted the economy. Because it impacted our economy, Venezuela then entered a humanitarian crisis.

In the midst of ‘La Crisis’, our church made many adjustments to our work. First, we had to adjust our worship services. For example, we used to have multiple services throughout the week, but now we only have 2 worship services. As a matter of fact, we have had to reschedule the days and times of our services. Another adjustment we had to make was in regards to the way we did discipleship. Our discipleship method used to be more centralized; we used to have discipleship classes offered on 2 different campuses. However, we had to decentralize these classes. Our people could no longer access our building due to the absence of public transportation. Furthermore, if public transportation was running, prices were too high to afford because the sector was experiencing an economic deficit. Hence, we’ve had to adjust in order to survive. 

Although  ‘La Crisis’ has impacted the church severely, it has not stopped the work that God has called us to do in Venezuela. This is very important to highlight because since ‘La Crisis’, the church in Venezuela has done more than ever before. 

Question 3b-Ministry at CEP

CEP has been a church that has experienced significant growth. When we first planted CEP, we had 1 pastor, a leadership board, and the congregation. Later we grew into having a pastor, a volunteer ministry staff, and the congregation. Now my wife and I serve as lead pastors, we have a pastoral team, a leadership team, a volunteer ministry staff, and we have the congregation. This is to say that our leadership structure has grown as the congregation has grown. 

The ministry philosophy of CEP can be summed up in one word: care. We believe that growth must give a great amount of attention to caring for the holistic needs of one’s humanity. This means we care for the family unit too: young adults, children, women, men, and youth. Up until this point, I’ve been speaking about our ministry within the church.

We also have ministry from the church to our wider community. We call this initiative, “The Church Outside the Walls.” This initiative does everything from street evangelism to creative intercessory campaigns; praying with the community and for the city. Also, CEP provides food for hospitals and jornada integrales in the poorest neighborhoods of our city [jornadas integrales are outreach fairs that include food distribution, medical help, evangelism, performances, and prayer]. In addition to this, we do cross-cultural missions to places in Venezuela that have indigenous/native populations. 

Question 4- COVID-19 in Venezuela

To be sure, the COVID-19 pandemic has created chaos in Venezuela. It has produced significant changes in our context. Obviously the church has not been able to escape the realities of this pandemic. We are currently ordered to practice social distancing and to be in quarantine [per the government] to the degree that the church has not been able to gather in the same way as before. As of right now, our public worship services have been canceled. We are still wrestling with the prolongation of our canceled in-person services.

In facing this crisis, one of the essential practices that we’ve developed as a church is prayer. If there is 1 good motivation that has developed through this pandemic, it’s a motivation for prayer. And I’m not just saying this for just CEP, I am also noticing this among my pastoral colleagues and their churches. I’ve even noticed this motivation to pray on social media. So I would say that this has been amazing because this means the church is winning and will ultimately be victorious through this process of suffering. 

The other essential practice we’ve had to adopt is to stay connected through social media as a church community. However, this is difficult because we have internet connection that is extremely slow and is unreliable. Yet we are doing everything we can to make things work.

Question 4b- Pastoral Development in Venezuela

My pastoral formation came about more than 40 years ago, and I’ve lived through various turning points in CEP and through various turning points in Venezuela’s history. With that said, I think pastoral formation must include a keen awareness of their particular social context. What I am about to say is different from when I was training for pastoral ministry. Current pastoral training must take into account that our pastoral theology remains, but our theology must work itself with a high capacity to engage sociological themes. More specifically, pastors need to know how to engage new ideas pertaining to sexuality and the breakdown of the family. Nowadays we need to put much emphasis on the character of the minister and integrity because we live in a world that is extremely broken. Furthermore, society can only be transformed if we have pastors that are holy and that really challenge hell. 

Question 5- Ministry Practice in COVID-19

What I think is playing the greatest role in the church in Venezuela right now is social media. Social Media has helped us cultivate relationships even though we are not able to hold public services. In terms of church structure, every pastor is assigned a group of ministry leaders to provide oversight and care; every ministry leader has leaders under them; and then there are congregants. In this format, the lead pastor, which is me- Jose Hernandez, sends voice messages through Whatsapp that can be passed down through the chain… you know, these past few days I’ve been thinking about what I call, “Floaters.” I refer to “Floaters” as folks who are not as engaged with the church and more of Sunday attenders. These are the sheep that concern me the most. However, I’m glad because we have been able to connect with our cell groups via their leaders on social media platforms like Whatsapp. [Cell groups from CEP exist all over the city of Valencia.] So this is what we are doing to stay connected relationally.

The other thing I’m doing is preaching via live stream on Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram. I do this to orient people toward God, to teach God’s Word, to edify and to motivate. And this actually helps with relationship building because it helps us to mobilize our evangelistic efforts. As a matter fact, I was recently speaking to our church leaders via Zoom. I told them the church buildings are closed, but the church is still open, which means that the church is still speaking. Frankly, there is a voice that is speaking and that’s the voice of the church- the voice of every man and woman- that is speaking about Jesus in one way or another. We are preaching about the signs of the times, how we should live, and about deliverance from these times. That’s evangelism to the degree that the church preaches the Gospel to the greatest dilemmas of the world.

Hence, I believe that the church will come out strengthened because our leadership is already seeing it. We’ve heard from our ministry leads and cell groups that many people are coming closer to Jesus. Some have even placed faith in Jesus! Others have asked for prayer. What I’m saying is that the church is alive and active; praying, caring for one another, and preaching the Word of God. 

Question 6- Lessons from Venezuela

Attempting to teach something to the brothers and sisters in America requires some good analysis and evaluation. Surely, it's one thing to speak of learning theology or evangelism, topics the church in the US played a role in shaping for the evangelical churches in Venezuela, given that we’ve received American missionaries for years. But, we are talking about ‘La Crisis’ and what it can teach Americans. Honestly, the situations are different, given that we have different cultures; Americans and just different than Venezuelans. Still, there is something that can be learned from us for the Americans. 

For instance, speaking of cultural differences, the Venzuelan is very empathetic. We are a close people. We like to establish relationships, and enjoy a good deal of physical contact. This characterizes us. On the other hand, Americans seem to be more distant; they are not as interested in close contact. Maybe I am wrong, but that’s what I have seen during my visits. And, well, in a situation like this pandemic, where believers cannot meet in-person for their worship service, one of the main points of contact, American believers may have a harder time losing their main point of contact. But, for us, we hunt for ways to further connect because we are used to reaching out when we miss contact. So, when we see each other via zoom, social media, or these other social platforms, that generates great joy. When people write us or reach out, there is an expectation, an anticipation, of the contact that is coming. I think, if there is something we can project from our culture as a lesson for Americans, it is the need to grow in empathy - be friendlier, be closer, more communicative. I think that is important and it is something the American church can do. You guys depend a lot on the meeting for your only contact. I think this will be good. I think it will bring good in that it will develop closeness and empathy for your church. 

So, how has ‘La Crisis’ prepared us? Well, it forced us, as I mentioned, went through some hard things that pressed us to change service schedules, our teaching styles, etc. When this pandemic came, we felt prepared to go through it, given all the changes we’ve made in the past. We have 20 years of economic, social, and public crisis. I’ve reminded my pastoral leaders, we are ready for this.

Question 6b- Lessons from the Past

I think my colleagues in the US should learn from this crisis to be more personal in their pastoral ministry, to get closer to the people. Sometimes there is a distance between the pastor and people caused by the pulpit, so sometimes we become distant pastors. I believe pastors should be as close to the people as possible. This is what we’ve learned from Christ’s ministry. Today more than ever, the pastor should be an open, close person. I imagine this isn’t possible for every member at the church, particularly for larger congregations, but at minimum, the pastor should be close to his leaders and empathetic with them because this will inspire them to be likewise with the rest of the congregation. And this is absolutely necessary given the way society works today. With all the different crises, growing loneliness, the fear of the future … today more than ever, people need both spiritual and emotional support. The pastor is an important figure that can bring that kind of help to people. 

Obviously, this crisis has also changed the way we sing, the way we worship. I believe the content of the music that we are commonly singing today is mostly about adoration - by which I mean the recognition of who God is and the expression of our profound need for His presence. The other theme that comes up frequently is the theme of prayer because, of course, that is our greatest need. These make sense because they reflect our greatest need: to get close to the God who can do all things, confess Him to be the one who can do all things, and ask, from the depths of our hearts, for Him to intercede in the things we need to resolve this situation. The theological themes we’ve been preaching from the pulpit, even before the pandemic because of our other crises, has been the theme of hope and peace.

May we preach, sing, and provide hope and peace to churches and communities both in Venezuela, the US, and the globe.

About Pastor Jose Hernandez

English

Pastor Jose is the husband of Esther Hernandez and they have 1 adult daughter and 2 grandchildren. He has been in ministry since age 16.  He has 2 bachelor degrees in social sciences and theology, a Masters of Pastoral Ministry, and holds a Doctor of Ministry from Logos University. He has been the senior pastor of Centro Evangelistico Peniel since 1981.

Spanish

Pastor José es el esposo de Esther Hernández. Tienen 1 hija adulta y 2 nietos. Ha estado en el ministerio desde los 16 años. Tiene 2 títulos de licenciatura en ciencias sociales y teología, una maestría en ministerio pastoral y un doctorado en ministerio de la Universidad Logos. Ha sido pastor principal del Centro Evangelistico Peniel desde 1981.

Why College Ministry? An Interview with Debbie Moreno

As a Christian teen that did not walk away from the church in college, you might say Debbie Moreno beat the odds. In fact, Moreno not only stayed, she led in college student ministry both in her local church and on her campus with CRU. Attending a university in her home city of Miami, Florida allowed Moreno to stay rooted in her home and spiritual family. Unfortunately, Moreno’s story is not a common one.

In 2019, Lifeway Research released a study entitled Church Dropouts: Reasons Young Adults Stay or Go between ages 18-22. This research states that an alarming 66% of American young adults who once regularly attended church, drop out for at least a year between ages 18-22[1] The percentage of students leaving the church increases as they age—69% attending church at age 17, 58% at age 18, and 40% at age 19. Significantly, 47% of these students shared that moving to college played a role in their transition out of church.

While reasons college students struggle to connect to the local church are numerous, active efforts to intentionally reach and disciple this next generation of believers are harder to find. This ministerial issue is compounded by a church/parachurch divide, one commonly found in minority, rural, or small urban churches. Moreno continues in ministry to college students today and is committed to bridging this divide between the local church and parachurch ministries, like CRU, that serve faithfully on college and university campuses globally. With colleges students cautiously returning to school this month, or completing their coursework online from home, I sat down with Moreno to ask why the church should care about ministry to these young adults and how the Hispanic church is uniquely equipped to step in.

Hungry to Belong

Moreno did not hold back when I asked her why college ministry matters:  “It is a crucial time in someone’s life. It’s when they are on their own. Not everyone is on their own, because some stay home and go to a local college or university. But in the sense that your parents are no longer forcing you to go to church or youth group. It is the age when you are deciding ‘what do I believe and what do I want my life to be about.’”[2] Typical college students bridge two stages of development.[3] The first is identity vs. confusion, which prompts the “Who am I?” question. The second stage is intimacy vs. isolation, which causes young adults to ask: “Am I alone or am I loved?” These developmental questions occur in this season as students transition from home to college, from a secure friend group to a new friend group.

Hearing the classic trope, “students lose their faith in college,” ministry leaders may be tempted to focus on correct belief by providing biblical teaching or theological training for students. While this knowledge is important, Moreno points out this is not the primary need. “College students are hungry to belong. Even if they don’t really believe in God or have any beliefs, just the idea of a group of people pursuing them is enough for them to be like, ‘I want to be part of this. I don’t know what is going on, but these people want me, and I am being pursued.’ It is a key moment to love.”  Could we be missing an opportunity to invest in college students lives by jumping to belief before creating the space for belonging?

Culturally Equipped to Create

Minority churches, small urban churches, and rural churches might not realize how well equipped they are already to step into college ministry. If creating space for belonging is key, who better to do that than churches who are culturally constructed around family and hospitality? This is what Moreno found true of her Hispanic church, and the reason her church’s college ministry thrived.  She described ministry meetings in the home of a ministry leader, eating food and talking until 1am: “It’s very family like—come into our home and just do life with us. Be with our family and become a family.”  While this level of investment can occur in any church culture, there is a unique warmth and home centeredness found in Hispanic congregations, which creates a natural sense of family for college students searching for belonging.  “What I have noticed,” Moreno observed, “Is that it not only helps [engage] Hispanics but is refreshing to students of all different cultures. [They think,] ‘You really do open up your house at any time of the day. You really want to feed me.’ It is a warm and inviting culture, that can relate to other cultures as well.” This is true especially for other minority cultures. For international students, living far from their communities of origin, the warmth of Hispanic culture may provide a taste of home.

Hispanic churches also offer a cross generational church family experience that students may not find in larger urban churches. Moreno fondly shared of attending birthday parties as a student and being welcomed into the familia of a church member. These events exposed her to abuelos and abuelas, tios and tias—loving church family of all ages, relationships she might not have had access to otherwise.

A Critical Partnership

We cannot overlook the churches that do step into college student ministry. These ministry leaders see the need to create a student ministry where young adults have a place to land on Sunday morning, when home on break or weekly if they stay local. However, that is often where these ministries stop—at the door of the church or the home of the ministry leader. Outreach and discipleship of students at the local college or university is left to the parachurch organizations, like CRU.

Moreno sensed a divide between these two ministries when she was a student, one that she continues to see today. “A lot of Hispanic churches I know are small, they do not have a lot of people to send out [to campuses],” Moreno explained, pointing to lack of resources as a contributor to the divide. Another dynamic is a cultural and generational one. Many Hispanic church leaders are first generation. Stepping on a college campus to meet students for coffee or lead outreach events could present a variety of barriers, including language, education, age, and cultural differences. For first generation pastors, elders, and deacons, going to campus may be intimidating, and focusing on the students who make it into the church doors is easier, if not safer.

This is exactly why Moreno is so passionate about partnership: “Partner with what is already happening [on your college campus]. Literally join the work! Ask ‘how can we help and what can we provide?’” By working with ministry leaders in already existing campus ministries, local church leaders can slowly work through any felt barriers and fill existing needs, rather than starting from scratch. Local church leaders can provide much needed, long term support to parachurch ministry leaders, helping them know they are not alone in ministry. Most importantly, connecting students to local churches is critical. Parachurch ministries, while strong in outreach and life-on-life discipleship, cannot fill the role of church family or equip students with skills to be a participatory member of the local body. With a time stamp of four years, students will eventually phase out of an on-campus student ministry. Whether returning home or staying in their university town, being welcomed into and loved by a local body of believers provides the foundation of a lifelong relationship to the church.

A Final Word

World Outspoken exists to equip the church for cultural change. So, this last question for Moreno was critical for you, our readers:

“Moreno, if you could sit down with Hispanic ministry leaders in the local church, what would you like to say?”

“They have so much to offer college students!” she stated strongly. “They are naturally gifted in a way that naturally draws in college students. These are future leaders that we are talking about and students who are going to make an impact on the future of this country and the future of other countries. They are at the age where we get to disciple and equip the future.”

As we look at the changing world around us and the divisive cultural climate in which we minister, a fear for the future of the church’s faithfulness to God rises to the surface. Yet Moreno’s exhortation spurs us to action. It is possible the future faithfulness of the church can be further secured through pursuing partnership and creating space for college students to belong. 

Partner with Debbie Moreno

If you want to support the work of ministering to college students, join Debbie in creating spaces of belonging for college students. Learn more, here.

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About Emily C. Alexander

A first generation college graduate of a rural working class family, Emily C. Alexander recently completed her undergraduate degree in Ministry to Women at the Moody Bible Institute. Emily lives in Chicago where she enjoys long walks admiring architecture and pondering theological and sociological issues. Her hope is to impact the lives of women and the flourishing of the church through thoughtful theological engagement.

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Footnotes

[1] https://lifewayresearch.com/2019/01/15/most-teenagers-drop-out-of-church-as-young-adults/

[2] Deborah Moreno, interview, August 9, 2020.

[3] To learn more about Erik Erikson’s stages of psycho-social development, read: https://www.verywellmind.com/erik-eriksons-stages-of-psychosocial-development-2795740

Vencedores - Stories of Mestizo Graduates

Written by Jelyn Leyva, Staff Writer for World Outspoken

For many graduates, these past months should have held moments of celebration. Many of them were anticipating walking down the aisle to that well-known tune “Pomp and Circumstance,” to be met at the end with a diploma and cheers from their friends and family in the stands. Perhaps, some of us are far removed from the feeling of graduation. We might even think that a cancelled graduation is the least of our world’s problems. While this may hit on some global reality, for our young people this does not resonate with their present realities. For many of our graduates, the ceremony is more than just an event, it is the celebration of years’ worth of accomplishment.

We at WOS want to recognize the accomplishment of our Mestizo graduates this year, and what better way to do this than to give them the stage? We got to sit down (virtually, of course) with a few Mestizo graduates and listen to their stories. We asked them what it was like to graduate during a pandemic. What were the difficulties and disappointments of finishing their final year online? And given the platform, what would you say to your fellow 2020 graduates? I was surprised both by the similarities and the insights of these Mestizo graduates, and I think it best to let them tell you. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the graduating class of 2020:

Hannah Hernandez

Graduated c/o 2020, Azusa Pacific University

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a Minor in Christian Ministries

Hannah Hernandez grew up in a Mexican-American family. She is a fourth-generation US citizen. In our interview, she mentioned that her upbringing felt more American, as she grew up speaking English and her parents had also grown up in the States. However, she was quick to mention that her parents did not get their bachelor’s degrees (her mother completed up to her Associate’s). Nevertheless, in their household it was expected that she and her sisters would go to college. When the time came to apply, Hannah knew that she wanted to integrate her faith into her studies, and decided on Azusa Pacific University. In her beginning years, she found it daunting to discern on a major, but eventually decided on sociology after a trip studying abroad in South Africa, where she discovered her passion for helping people and pursuing justice.

Fast forward to her final year in APU, Hannah had a sense of purpose and excitement to finish school and proceed forward into a life pursing justice-oriented work. However, much of that eagerness changed in light of the events of Covid-19. Like many others, Hannah expressed a sense of being overwhelmed by all the changes with which she was faced in her final days of class. She had to say goodbye to friends, something she wasn’t anticipating doing for months. She had to move out of her dormitory. She had to get ready to begin online learning. All this happened over the course of a couple days.

Even in recollecting this experience, she broke from her story to articulate what it felt like in those moments: “You get to a point where you realize how you are not in control of things as much as think you are, or as much as you want to be.” She was honest with me on how frustrating the whole experience really was. While she knew that the decision to stop school and to postpone graduation was best for the student body, it took her a while to come to terms with the fact that her on-campus undergraduate life was over. Her candor spoke into not just the heartache of our 2020 graduates, but the rapid speed at which they had to adapt.

When asked what she would like to say to her fellow graduates, Hannah offered advice, that brings with it insightful context to our graduates experience: “Find a place to openly process, it’s okay to be disappointed. It’s a big deal.”    

Jonathan Armijo

Graduated c/o 2020, Moody Bible Institute

Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Studies and Ministry

Jonathan Armijo was born in Chile and moved to the States at the age of eighteen. His family moved out to the US, because his father accepted an offer to pastor a predominantly Puerto-Rican church in Philadelphia. With the encouragement of his father, Jonathan pursued a year of studying the Bible at Word of Life. There Jonathan expresses how the Lord radically confirmed a calling on his life to pursue ministry, which moved him to apply to Moody Bible Institute. Jonathan took his acceptance as affirmation of that calling into ministry.

At Moody, Jonathan pursued his studies in Pastoral Ministries, but that didn’t come without its own obstacles. Having grown up in a different culture, especially one that cultivates a strong sense of community, Jonathan found it took time to get used to the American culture of his peers, which he explains gives more preference to individuality. “It was not bad, it was just different,” he explained. Eventually, he found his rhythm and his place within the community on campus, even becoming a president of a student group. It was clear from our interaction that Jonathan has a heart geared towards his community, which made the events of Covid-19 sting all the more for Jonathan. Like Hannah, he was given very little time to vacate his dormitory, leave the campus, and say goodbye to his friends. It all caused a sense of whiplash for the recently graduated Jonathan. 

“I was not able to process everything,” he explained in his summary of the events of his final semester. Furthermore, the physical separation from the community that he put forth so much effort to cultivate made it difficult to find motivation to finish his classes. On top of this, of course, was the disappointment of not getting to walk with them at graduation.

For Jonathan, walking down the aisle meant far more than just the hard work of an undergrad degree. It was the accumulation of the steps he took to get that diploma and the celebration of the community in which he invested. As he explains it, “It has an important sentimental value […], It’s about the entire process.”

When asked what he would like to say to his fellow graduates, Jonathan expressed his wishes with a contemplative sense of retrospect: “Take advantage of the moments you get to invest in people when you’re with them, because if that space is taken you may find that you will regret it.”

Leila Aguirre

Graduated c/o 2020, Azusa Pacific University

Bachelor of Arts in Social Work

Leila Aguirre is a first-generation student. Neither of her parents have a college degree. For this reason, her parents were strict with her in school because they wanted her to be well positioned to attend and complete college, something that was strongly emphasized by her family growing up. Leila was anticipating graduation to be a recognition of all of those years of work and discipline. Thus, not getting to walk down the aisle, was not just less than ideal for Leila, it was deeply disappointing. In our interview, Leila recognized that her diploma signifies more than just one person’s hard work. She explained that her degree was only possible through generations of resilience and sacrifice. As she so well articulates, “This degree isn't just for me but for my whole family. I was able to have opportunities that my family did not. My dad immigrated here by himself and tried to graduate from college but could not afford it, so he dropped out.”

For Leila and so many others, the loss of graduation brought with it its own set of heartaches and anxieties. In addition to all this, Leila revealed that the end of her degree was difficult in ways beyond just the change to online and lack of commencement. The events of Covid-19 expedited Leila’s transition from student to adult. “Post grad life also came earlier than I expected, which was hard for me.” Leila explains, “I was not ready to experience it all yet.” This brought its own complications, but it also robbed her of the gap in between, where celebration comes more naturally: “I didn’t get to hear how proud my dad was because there was no commencement. Obviously, I know that I still graduated, and he is proud of me, but I was really excited to hear those words on my graduation day.” For Leila, graduation carried with it a weight and a legacy of anticipation, and its loss brought an overwhelming sense of disappointment. 

Nevertheless, despite all the disappointment at the end of college experience Leila has managed to maintain a bright and hopeful attitude. When asked what she would like to say to her fellow graduates of 2020, she with exclamatory excitement expressed that “nothing can take away all that was accomplished,” continuing to communicate that she believes they will all be made stronger after this experience.

Jaime Vergara

Graduated c/o 2020, Moody Bible Institute

Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Pastoral Studies

“Where I am from not many people graduate. This was meant to be a celebration for my whole community.”

Jamie Vergara is also a first-generation student, both of his parents immigrated from Mexico. Jamie was born in Colorado, but his family moved to Iowa so his parents could pursue work at a JBS pork processing plant which was known to hire immigrants of any status. Having been raised in a Spanish household, Jamie’s first language was Spanish, and because of this he needed to enroll in EL (English Learners) classes all throughout elementary, middle, and high school. By the time he began considering college he felt a sense of pressure from his mother to go to a school that would easily flow into a career, but at the time Jamie was connecting with his youth group at church. To the initial chagrin of his mother, he decided to apply to Moody Bible Institute. He went on to explain that he didn’t tell his mother of his intention to go to Bible school until his final years in high school, after he had already made up his mind. When asked what his mother’s initial reservation was, Jamie responded, “She was against me doing ministry, and it was usually the money thing that came up when she explained why.” Thankfully, however, Jamie’s mother eventually warmed to the idea and became supportive of his calling, enough to let him apply to Moody.

At Moody, Jamie learned a great deal. His time there gave him the space to work through some important aspects of his identity. Jamie explained that growing up, he had a hard time connecting to his Mexican roots, feeling a sense of shame at times due to the immigrant status of his parents and also feeling like an outlier among his peers. At Moody, he was given the opportunity to contend with this dissonance between heritage and place.

For these reasons, Jamie’s graduation meant more than just hard academic work, it was also a significant celebration for the efforts he put forth to understanding himself and the people around him. Finally, it was a testimony to the calling that God had on his life and his faithfulness to that calling.

Mestizo graduates of 2020, we see you, we celebrate you, and we are proud of all that you have accomplished. We recognize that God has been faithful in your stories. He has given you the strength to persevere, when it would have been easier to give up. He has given you and your communities the resilience to persist, even when it felt like the world was against you. We are hopeful for the work and the life that is ahead of you. We are assured through His promise that He will continue to be faithful to you.

Latino, Come Home

“When they leave our churches, they think it’s the language, but it’s [that] white does it better.”[1]

White does it better.

My breath caught at the statement. I glanced out the window of the Panera I sat in. Not even the warm Florida sunshine could touch the sense of burden I felt. I glanced at my skin, white. I thought about the lives and ministries of two of my closest friends. Their skin—brown. That’s when I knew that the work of Mission Talk and the passion in Agustin Quiles’ voice was critical to the Church, and I needed to get behind it.

Founded in 2016, Mission Talk is an annual gathering of Latino/a young adult church and ministry leaders. At its heart, Mission Talk is a network designed to intentionally equip the Hispanic church for community transformation and justice ministry. When you enter the Mission Talk conference, you will see Latino practitioners teaching Latino leaders. Latino founded, Latino hosted, Latino led —culture to culture, this ministry is equipping the Hispanic church to be the Church within its unique cultural context.

Mission Talk founder, Agustin Quiles, is a Latino ministry practitioner who caught a vision for the flourishing of his community. Born in Puerto Rico, Quiles moved to New York City in grade school, where he was one of five children raised by a single mother. Quiles got involved in ministry from a young age, which began shaping the passion he has today for church and ministry leaders within his cultural community. “I am a product of the Latino community and its disadvantages,” he explained as we chatted about the conception of Mission Talk. His awareness of his own culture, its strengths and weaknesses, informs his approach to ministry. Not only has Quiles identified a clear need within the Hispanic church, but with over a decade of boots on the ground ministry experience in Hispanic communities, he is prepared to meet the need he sees.

A Changing Landscape

Latino evangelicalism is receiving increasing attention in church studies, theology, and national religious conversation. Public Radio International reported last summer that evangelicalism in the US is no longer monolithic, of one culture (white), but that Latinos are the “fastest growing group of evangelicals.”[2] Pew Research data from the “Religious Landscape Study” supports this statement. This study compares data of Evangelical Protestant’s ethnic identifications from 2007 and 2014. As the chart outlines, in those years the evangelical Latino population grew by 4%, while the white evangelical population dropped.[3]

Racial and ethnic composition among Evangelical Protestants // Pew Research Center

With growth comes change. Millennials and Generation X Latino/as find themselves in an in-between world. Pew Research suggests that second generation Latinos are less likely to teach their children Spanish[4] and are often more educated than their parents.[5] A generation or two removed from their immigrant parents and grandparents these young adults tend to assimilate to white culture more than the previous generation. Quiles often hears from young adults, “We’re not Latinos and we’re not Americans.” This identity ambiguity leads Latino young adults to worship outside of their cultural communities, a choice which leaves a devastating gap in the Hispanic church. “A lot of Latinos are assimilating too much,” Quiles shared. “When they leave our churches, they think it’s the language, but it’s [that] white does it better.” Since the white church has resources, he points out, Latino young people leave their cultural places of worship: “[There is a] narrative, [that] they don't fit in in the churches they grew up in, so they [must]  fit into white church culture.”

A Changing Ministry

The Hispanic church is not only experiencing generational change, but changes in ministry models. Historically, the Hispanic church has elevated preaching and singing ministry as primary, and when pursuing methods of outreach, she typically focuses on one’s relationship with Christ and compassion work, not community transformation and justice through policy reform or governmental involvement. However, the trend towards community transformation and justice, which Mission Talk emphasizes, is not completely unanticipated.

In the early 2000’s one renowned Latino pastor, spoke of an “emerging generation of Hispanic American Evangelicals.”[6] Contrary from the past, this kind of “new evangelical” would come from the “barrios of L.A. and the housing projects in Chicago more than from rural America.”[7] This evangelical would be a “hybrid” of sorts, a blend of Billy Graham and Martin Luther King Jr., specifically Hispanic, who would find a middle ground, a space of both righteousness and justice. This pastor envisioned:

“Forging the twin themes of righteousness and justice – not “either/or” – these evangelicals embrace a Kingdom Culture Biblical worldview. It has ramifications for social policy. They stand committed to eradicating al-Qaeda as long as we equally commit ourselves to eradicating AIDS … On cultural issues, the Graham-King hybrid generation stands unequivocally as a vigorous pro-life movement that extends from womb to tomb. This new pro-life movement does not regard health care, education, and poverty-alleviation as secondary issues to sanctity-of-life and marriage but rather as top-tier extensions of a truly pro-life platform.”[8]

The Hispanic church this church leader and others saw emerging is the Hispanic church of today. Evangelicalism is paying attention as the Hispanic church leads the way between the polarity which divides Western Christianity. Community transformation and justice matter to the Hispanic church, as does righteousness and right theology. However, the question of Latino young adults remains unanswered. Will this dynamic part of the Body of Christ lose its cultural bearings and its young people through white church integration? Does Latin identity matter for these believers?  Quiles and the Mission Talk team are fighting fiercely to say yes, identity matters.   

Creating a New Way

The work of Mission Talk is one of space making. Meeting young adult leaders at a variety of stages in their journey of grappling with Hispanic identity, Mission Talk creates a space for these ministry leaders to reconnect with their cultural roots and rediscover the beauty in what it means to be Latino/a. “Reinforcing their identity as Latinos is crucial and key to this conference,” Quiles explained, sharing that at the conference they have salsa and merengue, infusing the experience with Latino culture through music, dance, and retelling of history.

After creating a space, Mission Talk exposes and educates church and ministry leaders to Latino derived resources. The goal is to facilitate the movement from compassion-based outreach to community transformation/justice-based work. This is accomplished primarily through bringing in Latino/a practitioners, men and women of God who are in the trenches of ministry to Hispanic communities throughout the world, bringing about community transformation and justice for the sake of the gospel. “We bring practitioners,” Quiles emphasized, “not celebrities.” These individuals are experienced and respected in all kinds of justice ministries in Hispanic communities, addressing issues such as poverty, hunger, immigration, mass incarceration, human trafficking, social entrepreneurship, ethnic diversity, and racial reconciliation, to name a few. Stepping beyond mere exposure to ideas, these practitioners train and equip conference attendees for the work, teaching biblical theology, ministry models, and ministry skills for Latino/as to return to their native communities and minister well.

As I listened intently to Quiles share his heart for the Hispanic church, I came away challenged. He desires to welcome Latino/as home, for the gap that was created in the Hispanic church to be filled by its own. Rather than relying on Anglo church resources and culture, he champions the Hispanic church for what it is, a dynamic and influential part of the Body of Christ that must be functional for the Church at large to effectively operate.  “What I see,” he concluded, “is raising thousands of young people who are able to shape the church through culture.”

For the Latino/a believer, Quiles extends a call to re-engage. While acknowledging the challenge and pain of assimilation and cultural ambiguity, he calls the Hispanic church home. As an Anglo believer, Quiles gave me a personal challenge: “Help remind us that God made us Latino for a purpose.” Doesn’t this statement itself hold the key to the strength of the historical, global, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, cross socio-economic, two gendered church? The key is the sovereignty of our God over us. With intent, He made each individual and placed them within a time and culture. It is up to us to steward our cultural identities in a way that preaches the gospel—and to help each other do the same.

About Emily C. Alexander

A first generation college graduate of a rural working class family, Emily C. Alexander recently completed her undergraduate degree in Ministry to Women at the Moody Bible Institute. Emily lives in Chicago where she enjoys long walks admiring architecture and pondering theological and sociological issues. Her hope is to impact the lives of women and the flourishing of the church through thoughtful theological engagement.

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Footnotes

[1] Agustin Quiles, interview, March 7, 2020.

[2] “Megachurches, Home Churches, Podcasts: American Evangelicals Are ‘Not a Monolith,’” Public Radio International, accessed April 1, 2020, https://www.pri.org/stories/2019-08-14/megachurches-home-churches-podcasts-american-evangelicals-are-not-monolith

[3] “Evangelical Protestants - Religion in America: U.S. Religious Data, Demographics and Statistics,” Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project (blog), accessed April 1, 2020, https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-tradition/evangelical-protestant/#racial-and-ethnic-composition-trend

[4] “Hispanic Parents’ Spanish Use with Children Falls as Generations Pass,” Pew Research Center (blog), accessed April 1, 2020, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/02/most-hispanic-parents-speak-spanish-to-their-children-but-this-is-less-the-case-in-later-immigrant-generations/

[5] “How the U.S. Hispanic Population Is Changing,” Pew Research Center (blog), accessed April 1, 2020, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/09/18/how-the-u-s-hispanic-population-is-changing/

[6] “The Latino Transformation of American Evangelicalism | Reflections,” accessed April 1, 2020, https://reflections.yale.edu/article/who-my-neighbor-facing-immigration/latino-transformation-american-evangelicalism

[7] Rodriguez, 2008.

[8] Rodriguez, 2008.

Why Can't We Sing "Normal" Worship?

Looking back at 50 years of ministry, Tim Keller says this about the Western church: “While many Christian leaders were bemoaning the cultural changes, Western churches continued to minister as before – creating an environment in which only traditional and conservative people would feel comfortable … All they preached and practiced assumed they were still in the Christian West, but the Christian West was vanishing.”[1] The church got stuck moving to the same rhythms, singing the same songs, year after year until the world around them no longer understood the melody. Today, as non-Hispanic whites already are less than 50 percent of the youth population in 632 of America’s 3,142 counties, worship leaders like Sandra Van Opstal introduce us to The Next Worship.

This is not about updating the playlist for relevancy or belittling the old hymn. It is about worship that captures the full picture of God’s Church, His mestizo people. How do we worship God in a diverse world? Should a monocultural church really sing songs in different languages? What forms of leadership do we need to make the diversity of the Church plain in our context? What if we don’t have the musicians to pull this off? We explore these questions and more with your host Emanuel Padilla and our guest, author Sandra Maria Van Opstal.

About Sandra Maria Van Opstal

Sandra Maria Van Opstal

Sandra Maria Van Opstal, a second-generation Latina, is co-founder and Executive Director of Chasing Justice and lives on the west-side of Chicago with her husband and two boys. She is a preacher, liturgist and activist reimagining the intersection of worship and justice. Sandra served with Urbana Missions Conference, Chicago Urban Program, and Latino National Leadership Team (LaFe) of InterVarsity. Sandra’s influence has also reached many others through preaching globally on topics such as worship and formation, justice, racial identity and reconciliation. Sandra currently serves as Content Director for the Justice Conference, is a board member for CCDA and holds a Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Her most recent books include Still Evangelical and The Next Worship.

Footnote

[1] Timothy Keller, Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City, 8.9.2012 edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012), p. 253.

From Broken to Beautiful…

I was recently in Israel touring the historical sites. Early in the trip, my guide asked, “It’s violent there, right?” when I said I was from Chicago. To think, across the world, in a place marked by conflict and decades of war, my guide – who had never visited the city – still imagined Chicago to be a dangerous and undesirable home. Apparently, this story of Chicago is everywhere, but what happens when a group of young girls decide to tell a new story of the city? What happens when they take the broken shards left by violence and restore them to beauty? What does that make the city? What does that make them?

On this episode of The Feature we sat down with Hannah Olson, the director of Arise Creations, to hear stories of what drew her to Chicago, what keeps her here, and how a jewelry making program is changing the story of her neighborhood. She tells us about the urban hope necklace and the girls who make them. She introduces us to a beauty that emerges from the violence of the city. Here’s Hannah with your host, Emanuel Padilla, sharing her story.

Shop Arise Creations Today

1. To purchase any of the jewelry discussed in the episode, visit the Arise store here.

2. To donate to this ministry, you can give today by visiting their ministry site.

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About Hannah Olson

Hannah is the director of Arise Creations, a program of New Life Centers of Chicagoland. 

Arise Creations is an entrepreneurship and discipleship program where young women on the west side of Chicago are empowered, encouraged and educated through making and selling handmade jewelry. Hannah has been directing the Arise program since 2016 in Humboldt Park, Chicago where she, her husband, and son seek to live on mission for Christ with their neighbors and community. 

When Teen Moms Preach

Dr. Joyce del Rosario reintroduces us to a biblical Mary, through the eyes of unsuspecting theologians and the unfamiliar likenesses of an icon. Meet a Mary who is unseen and forgotten by many, yet intimately known among those who share her experience. Dr. del Rosario, labors to center the margins, through Mary, the Teen Mother of God, taught to us by the teen mothers of our cities.

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“Greetings, you who are highly favored!
The Lord is with you.”
-Luke 1:28-”

God meets us in the most unlikely of places. For Dr. Joyce del Rosario, it was in a doctoral seminar class. Her class was in the middle of examining the Vatican II documents, which were written in 1966 by the Catholic church to re-establish key doctrines. One of the doctrines in question was the role of Mary within the church. There, among her aspiring Evangelical PhD colleagues, which was noticeably predominantly male, she found an underwhelming amount of interest in the Mother of God. So, with only a swift overview, her class found it fitting to move on. Del Rosario, however, did not share this sentiment. Stuck on this woman, she found the subject of her dissertation. Resolved, del Rosario, dedicated her next few years to the study of Mary, the Teen Mother of God.

This is the story Dr. del Rosario shared with me in our recent interview together. She was quick to explain that this moment of academic discovery didn’t happen in a vacuum. Prior to pursuing her PhD at Fuller Theological Seminary, del Rosario served over 20 years in Urban Youth Ministry at New Creation Home in Palo Alto, CA. She specialized in ministry specifically to marginalized teen mothers, predominantly Latina and African American. It was in these black and brown faces that she found a likeness to the woman she read about in Luke 1.

Mary was a teen mom. And a marginalized teen mom at that. In fact, del Rosario was quick to remind me of the fact that God’s very choice of the single teen Mary was a divine critique on the human conventions of economics, social class, and gender—just to name a few. In an article for Relevant magazine, she writes:

Although she is self identified as a “servant-girl,” although she is economically and socially vulnerable as a young, single girl with no one to fully claim ownership of her until her marriage is solidified, although she has no status or title to speak of, God, through the angel Gabriel, calls her “highly favored.”[1]

Nothing was simple about the call of God on young Mary. The complexity of societal scandal, family disownment, and potential rejection from her suitor all weighed heavily on the sore shoulders of this vulnerable teen.

“Mary was greatly troubled at his words and
wondered what kind of greeting this might be.”
-Luke 1:29-”

Mary’s marginalized and vulnerable status is often neglected in our retelling of her story. Dr. del Rosario sensed this by the disinterested silence of her seminary colleagues in Mary, the Mother of God. Nevertheless, she knew that God had something important to give to the church through this teen mom. More so, she believed that it was the marginalized and the vulnerable who would have insight into exactly what that was. What she would soon realize, through her research, is that no one could understand Mary more profoundly than the young, unseen mothers of our cities.

Dr. del Rosario went on to explain just how astounded she was by these young mothers’ insight into the personhood of Mary. “I learned,” she confessed, “what profound theologians teen moms can be.” Unfortunately, communicating these theologians’ thoughts proved to be a challenge.

Just like in Mary’s time, we find an unbalance in the systems that man builds. There is a hierarchy and a belief that there are people who have something to say—usually educated, usually white—and the rest are meant only to listen and to take in with thanksgiving. Dr. del Rosario’s work directly challenges this system. In her experience, she found that the teen mothers she worked with had much to say to the church, if only the church would listen.

This was del Rosario’s challenge. She needed a medium, a bridge to carry the message of these unseen theologians.

Then. She found Tim Okomara’s Courage 3.0. [2]

Courage 3.0 is a painting emulating the traditional iconography of Mary. The classic elements are present. The subject is a young woman holding a baby. Her eyes register a resolute purpose of being. She is a mother, yet she is the sole adult in the image, and she looks strong. Around her head is a bright brimming halo with a crown to make even clearer her stately status. However, there is something decidedly different about this image of Mary. At first glance you might reject a likeness of the mother in this painting to the Mary we have grown accustom to. This is because Okomara’s Mary is a dark colored girl, donning an afro and surrounded by graffiti. “It was the most beautiful picture of Mary I had ever seen,” del Rosario explained, “she looked like the teen moms I knew.” This Mary looked both fierce and restless, courageous and vulnerable. She was a Mary with whom del Rosario was familiar.

“Icons,” Joyce reminds us, “transcend our human constructs like race and class.” It became clear, that this was her bridge. Contemporary icons that emulated this marginalized, Jewish teen mother would give her teen theologians the passage to preach. She would use icons to help bridge the chasm of biblical literacy. Historically, when the majority of people were illiterate, the masses looked to art and icons to connect to God. For centuries, the faces of icons stained in glass and lit by light was where God met the poor, marginalized and uneducated. Icons in stained glass windows was how God spoke for generations; they were the filter between the earth and the sky.

Icons, then, were what del Rosario would use to bridge the gap of the marginalized and the educated. Through them she found she could democratize religious power, by giving those who are often passed by in the church, the marginalized teen mother, the pulpit to speak. By making this the content of her dissertation, Rosario would bring to light both in the academy and whatever pulpit she was offered, the message of these young teen moms. Thus, for her dissertation research, del Rosario curated a collection of contemporary images of Mary and selected her focus groups: Teen mothers and the Women who mentor them.

What she found humbled her. While the Mentors were immediately aware of the iconology of Mary emulated through the images, the Teen Mothers were unaware of this fact. This, del Rosario explained, created very different insights. The Mentors, conditioned by an image of a Virgin Mary produced an almost recycled list of insights on the Mary they felt familiar with, even though the Mary shown to them was radically and racially different. The Teen Mothers, on the other hand, unconditioned and free from a conventional list of “right” ways to see Mary, described a woman who was like them: human, stuck in a hard position, ready to fight to the death for the baby she held, tired, alone, and resolved to rise to the position in which she found herself. This was the Mary that the Teen Mothers of questionable circumstances and racialized realities preached. Arguably, this is the Mary whom the church must refamiliarize herself with, because it is only then that we can see her Son for who he truly is: the brown, poor, and marginalized Son of God, born of a teen mom.

In her final comments, Rosario labored to communicate that we should stop assuming that we as evangelicals “bring Jesus to the margins”. “Jesus,” she expressed, “already exists in the margins!” He was, after all born there. She concluded our interview asserting that it is not about “giving the margins Jesus”, but rather, “it is about seeing the Jesus the margins already know.”

The work that Dr. Joyce del Rosario dedicated her academic life to is work that we should all strive to incorporate in our churches. It is the work of centering the margins—of allowing a teen mother to preach.

“ And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.”
-Luke 1:46-48-”

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More about Joyce del Rosario:

From her bio found here

Dr. del Rosario earned her M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary and her PhD from Fuller Theological Seminary School of Intercultural Studies. Her research interests include youth ministry with a special focus on teen moms and urban and multiethnic youth ministry, social justice and racial reconciliation, theological anthropology, marginalized women, and postcolonial Filipino-American theology.

She is on the Board of the Directors for the Christian Community Development Association, where she is committed to encouraging and equipping churches and organizations across the country to transform their neighborhoods through community development. Dr. del Rosario is also on Fuller Youth Institute’s Expert Advisory Council for the Character and Virtue Development in Youth Ministry (CVDYM) planning project, funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

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About Jelyn Leyva

A Second-generation Filipina born in Tampa, FL, Jelyn Leyva graduated Moody Bible Institute in Chicago on May 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Women in Ministry and an Interdisciplinary in Theology. She is currently in Los Angeles, CA pursuing an MDiv at Fuller Theological Seminary with her emphasis in Christian Ethics. Having lived in various places in the US, Jelyn’s interest lie in the complex history and multi-ethnic life of the Protestant Church in the US. Her hope is to serve this church and its many colors with the consideration of traditional and contemporary theological scholarship.

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 Footnotes

[1] “Dear Politicians, Leave Mary Out of the Sex Abuse Scandal,” RELEVANT Magazine (blog), November 13, 2017, https://relevantmagazine.com/current/dear-politicians-leave-mary-out-of-this/.

[2] Tim Okamura, “Courage 3.0, 2010-2012”

The Hospitality That Saved My Neighbor

In 2015, over one million refugees arrived to Greece, a country roughly the size of Alabama. Just 16,000 kilometers from Turkey, Greece is a gateway for refugees escaping oppressive governments, life-threatening crises, and violent conflicts in their home countries. Upon arrival, however, they are confronted by the reality of a crippled economy and a limited infrastructure that cannot meet basic needs like food, housing, and medical attention. And things only became more strained as the refugee crisis reached new heights. According to recent UN estimates, there are 22.5 million refugees globally. In a country like Greece, the solutions had to come from somewhere beyond government aid programs.

In light of these realities, the evangelical community responded with remarkable speed. On today’s episode of The Feature we have a conversation with Matt Gulley, the director of Mercy Ministries, and discuss how his team responded by establishing hospitality centers, in some cases even having refugees in their homes. In 2018 alone, Mercy Ministries served more than 40,000 meals and provided medical services to 2,500 people.

One Mercy Ministries staffer wrote, “The trauma of escaping from war and conflict-torn countries brings people to Greece with a great desire for a new way of life.” In this episode, you’ll also here from Masoud Gormani. Masoud is from Afghanistan and his story is an inspiration. You’ll only hear parts of it referenced in our conversation since this was recorded during the Anastasi conference. Masoud escaped Afghanistan after seeing the threat radical groups presented to his family; he fled to Turkey. Not long after, he realized his family was still not safe, so they got on a boat for Greece. During the voyage, his son nearly drowned, so when he arrived in Greece, he was desperate. Christians attached to Mercy Ministries took him and his family in. When he realized they were believers, Masoud said he was alarmed. Being a Muslim, he’d heard stories of how Christians demanded conversion in exchange for their aid, but these believers demanded nothing. They cared for his family. Offered meals; taught him Greek. After months, he knew they had Bible studies and prayed before meals, but they never required this of him. Eventually, his curiosity about this led him to ask why nothing was demanded in exchange for their help. They shared the story of Jesus and now Masoud is a believer and pastor of a refugee church showing the same hospitality that was once shown to him.

Crises like these force the Christian community to wrestle with the connection between the gospel and human needs. One Greek pastor, writing about the movements in Athens, saw two types of responses from the church. He wrote, “At one end of the spectrum is the fundamentalist trend, which views the refugees chiefly as objects of evangelism, only to be clothed or fed if it leads to an opportunity to share the gospel. At the other end is the social gospel trend, which views sharing bread already as sharing Christ and considers verbal gospel proclamation unnecessary and even undesirable.”

What you are about to hear is a conversation with Masoud and Matt on this question. This was recorded during our time in Greece at the Anastasi conference, so you’ll hear some ambient sounds and some fluctuations in our voices. We apologize about that in advance, and we’re confident the conversation will still be enriching. In a world needing a story that makes the city whole, Matt and Masoud share compelling testimonies of integration, hospitality, and grace.

If you would like to financially partner with Mercy Ministries, please follow this link:

https://hellenicministries.org/give

For more information or ways to get involved please send us an email at info@hellenicministries.org.

MLB Exec on using his platform to transform Communities

There is a short film about a young, Dominican man named Miguel “Sugar” Santos who moves to Iowa to play in the minor leagues. He dreamed the dream of many young Caribbean-Latino young men; all he wanted was to be a professional baseball player. However, the movie highlights the challenges of being an international player, and the ending is a bleak reality-check of the more likely outcome. Sugar never makes it big, and the audience last sees him playing pickup baseball in an amateur league. Few “Sugars” make it to the minor leagues, and even fewer make it into the MLB. Because of this, some people question Major League Baseball’s relationship with Latin-American countries like the Dominican Republic. Is the MLB good for Latin America?

We had the opportunity to sit down with Joel Araujo, an MLB executive responsible for international player development, to discuss his work overseas. Joel is himself Dominican-American, and his work reflects his commitment to the growth of baseball AND the health of the countries he serves. In the video below (in Spanish), Joel shares his vision for players who become healthy, whole, and active citizens whether they make it to “the Show” or not. Joel is a bridge-builder, a link between two worlds that brings flourishing to both. Listen to this week’s podcast and watch the video below to learn more about Joel’s work supporting the countries he serves.

About Joel Araujo

Joel Araujo is the senior manager of Major League Baseball’s International Talent Development Department where he leads the group’s talent development efforts abroad. Since joining MLB in 2008, he has been involved with nearly every aspect of international baseball operations, from contracts and visas to winter leagues and international talent procurement. He founded the Major League Baseball Amateur Prospect League, which gives Dominican prospects a weekly opportunity to showcase their talents before officials from all 30 MLB Clubs, and the first-ever MLB Elite Development Program for Puerto Rican high school players. He now oversees MLB's Elite Baseball Development Programs in Brazil, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Curacao and South Africa. Araujo also established the MLB International Showcase, an annual event which allows Clubs to view and evaluate the best international amateur talent on the market, as well as the Coach Development Program, a two-week course that trains coaches from around the globe so that they can better develop players in their home countries. MLB now holds multiple showcases in various countries each year (some of which are attended by upwards of 300 Club scouts), and over the last four years, more than 500 coaches from 30 different countries across four continents have completed the coaching curriculum. He continues to work to expand MLB’s baseball development efforts into new markets.

The Urban Village

A recent Metropolis article opened by asking, “If Jesus were alive today, would he be a property developer?” The question is being asked by a writer who is recognizing the Church’s behavior as a reflection of Jesus’ character. Because churches are partnering with developers to create new places of worship and community service, the writer identified this as a potential testimony of who Jesus would be today. It isn’t clear if this writer fully grasps the implications of what she asked, but her question says something about the work of gospel-preaching and ministry. To quote another journalist, “Shouldn’t it be our moral responsibility to finally make it our city's top priority to aggressively rebuild parts of [the city] that in some ways our city leaders have had a hand in helping destroy?”[1]

Dr. A.R. Bernard and his congregation have answered yes to this second question, choosing to address the gentrification of Brooklyn, New York with an astonishing development plan. In partnership with a developer and working with the city’s existing policies, the Christian Cultural Center is working an aggressive plan to build an 11-acre Urban Village equipped with a performing arts center, local retailers, affordable housing, and everything necessary for a walkable community. The project, an estimated $1.2 billion endeavor, will begin as early as next year. Speaking at the 100 Cities Summit, Dr. Bernard said this about the project:

“In cities like New York, there is gentrification taking place. Gentrification could be racial, it could be economic. For us it is economic. Individuals who are working class or in a certain income range are being squeezed out. We wanted to respond by creating affordable housing. We didn’t want to do what has typically been done over the last 70, 80 years in America and that is warehousing people with one income, which perpetuates poverty and perpetuates inner city condition.”[2]

We sat down with Dr. Bernard to discuss the Urban Village, asking him about the way the project developed for the church, how they chose their partnerships, and how this project could be replicated. At a fundamental level, this church is making something new of the city, choosing to shape a large section in response to the broken structures of New York and as a testimony of the kind of community that is promised in Scripture. In this way, the Urban Village is a new World Outspoken, a story told in concrete buildings that point to what Jesus is doing in the city. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

About Dr. A. R. Bernard

A.R. Bernard enjoyed a successful career in finance before opening a small storefront church in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. From a handful of members the church has blossomed into the Christian Cultural Center (CCC), one of America’s fastest-growing churches with 40,000 members.

Considered by many to be the most influential and respected Christian in America, A.R. Bernard has been featured on Fox News, CNN, NBC’s Today, MSNBC, CBS News, and BET — and has his own weekly show on Daystar TV. Revered as the “Power Pastor” by The New York Times, Pastor Bernard was recently a guest on Oprah Winfrey’s SuperSoul Sunday, where he discussed his bestselling book, Four Things Women Want from a Man.

Footnotes

[1] Mark Konkol, “Rahm Is Right: We Have a Moral Obligation To Save City From Itself,” DNAinfo.com, November 05, 2015, Accessed December 16, 2015, http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151105/auburn-gresham/mayor-emanuel-is-right-we-have-moral-obligation-save-city-from-itself.

[2] “AR Bernard’s Brooklyn Megachurch to Build $1.2 Billion Housing Community to Address Gentrification,” accessed December 28, 2018, https://www.christianpost.com/news/ar-bernards-brooklyn-megachurch-to-build-12-billion-housing-community-to-address-gentrification.html.

Making Ballet Accessible

Ballet, as with many of the “fine arts,” is perceived as art for the aristocracy. The art form is commonly expensive, exclusive, and occasionally elitist, but Ballet 5:8 subverts these common values to provide accessible, high-quality dance training to students of all ages, levels of ability, and ethnic backgrounds. Their school commits to fostering a nurturing environment where instructors care for the students’ spirits and bodies. This is Ballet reimagined. This is a studio telling a different story.

Ballet 5:8 is a non-profit dance company and school changing the way this art form is perceived and used in the Chicago-land area. Their faith-based commitments drive their pursuit of excellence in their craft and informs the outward focus of all their programming and performances. According to their handbook, “We see dance not as a means of self-glorification, but as a way to share the joy of our faith with the communities around us and to invite others into meaningful discussion of faith topics.”

We sat down with Ballet 5:8’s Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager to discuss their commitment to share their faith and make quality ballet accessible to all. Watch the video below, then listen to the podcast to learn more about Ballet 5:8 and the city they make. If you are in the Chicago-land area, you should make it out to their upcoming show!

About Julianna Rubio Slager

Ballet 5:8 Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager is originally from Spring Arbor, Michigan. Slager began her dance training with Mrs. Lori Ladwig and went on to study under notable teachers from Ann Arbor Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, the Vaganova Academy and Puerto Rican National Ballet. Slager enjoyed dancing under Barbara Smith at Greater Lansing Ballet during her training, and also under Kathy Thibodeaux and Sol Maisonet at Ballet Magnificat. Upon moving to Chicago, Slager had the opportunity to work as freelance artist, teacher and choreographer in the Greater Chicago area. Slager was instrumental in the co-founding of Ballet 5:8 in 2012. Beginning in 2014, Ballet 5:8 began touring nationally, bringing Slager's critically acclaimed ballets such as Scarlet and The Stor(ies) of You and Me to audiences across the nation. In 2015, Slager was awarded the Individual Artist Program Grant from the City of Chicago for recognition and continued development of her choreographic work.

In the short span of six years, Slager has enjoyed training and mentoring her first generation of aspiring artists in Ballet 5:8 School of the Arts' Pre-Professional and Conservatory programs, and in the Ballet 5:8 Trainee Program. She has had the joy of watching her students be accepted into many prestigious summer intensive, trainee and year-round programs, including the Kirov Academy, Pittsburg Ballet Theater, Houston Ballet, Washington Ballet, Joffrey Ballet Trainee Program, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Ellison Ballet, School of American Ballet, and others.

Radical Root Organic Farm

What has the farm to do with the city? How do they relate to one another? More often than not, the city is a parasite of the rural region beyond its limits. It attracts and often keeps the young talent born in the small town. It demands increased development to house commuting workers and their families, absorbing acres of farmland to that end. The city continues to leach from the land around it. When the local region reaches its limits, the city makes use of the global economy to continue to sustain its life. According to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Illinois residents spend $48 billion on food annually, but roughly $46 billion is spent on imported food.[1] At the time of CMAP’s original report, food consumed in Chicago traveled an average of 1,500 miles to get from farm to plate. The habits of Chicago and cities like it have become “increasingly violent toward the landscape.”[2]

This global food economy depends on industrial farms that produce efficient crops like maize, soybean, and grains. These industrial farms are highly subsidized by government agencies.[3] They make use of genetic modification, seed homogenization, mechanized planting, fertilizers, and pesticides which enable more efficient farming, but they also have devastating environmental repercussions. “For instance, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations records food wastage in the world at 33 percent, with little over half of that occurring at the level of agricultural production and storage, a number that if more responsibly managed would halt deforestation for agricultural production in the Amazon rainforest altogether.”[4] Whether we realize it or not, our choices about the food we buy and consume supports a system that affects everything from water shortages to insect populations and climate change.

“How we imagine and use the land and its resources is a moral and religious concern as much as it is a practical one.” [5]

We need a new way of thinking about food, farming, and the city. Radical Root Organic Farm is one of a few Community-Supported Agricultural farms (CSA) surrounding the city of Chicago. Alison, a mother of two and co-owner of the farm along with her husband Alex, writes, “Instead of simply being careful not to harm the environment, we want to farm in way that benefits and contributes to the earth and to our communities.”[6] This feature is a conversation with Alison about the food industry, CSAs, and their call to make a system that connects the farm to the city in new ways. They graciously received the WOS team to their home and gave us a tour of the farm. Watch the video below, then listen to the podcast to learn more about ways you can support local organic food production and a new relationship between the city and farm.

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Footnote

[1] “Local Food - CMAP,” accessed November 14, 2018, https://www.cmap.illinois.gov/about/2040/livable-communities/local-food-systems.

[2] Jennifer Allen Craft, Placemaking and the Arts: Cultivating the Christian Life (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2018), 24.

[3] According to one report, $500bn is spent every year on agricultural subsidies (Damian Carrington Environment editor, “Avoiding Meat and Dairy Is ‘Single Biggest Way’ to Reduce Your Impact on Earth,” The Guardian, May 31, 2018, sec. Environment, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/avoiding-meat-and-dairy-is-single-biggest-way-to-reduce-your-impact-on-earth).

[4] Craft, 24.

[5] Ibid.

[6] “Radical Root Organic Farm,” Radical Root Organic Farm, accessed July 17, 2018, http://www.radicalrootfarm.com/about-us.

The Storyteller's Responsibility

In his Nobel-prize-winning book, El Hablador (The Storyteller), Mario Vargas Llosa tells of a young man named Saul, who abandons Peruvian society to become an Hablador (or Storyteller) of the Machiguenga. The Machiguenga is a tribe that lives as scattered family camps across the Peruvian-Amazon rather than live together as one complete community. In this unusual, dispersed way, the Machiguengas claim the entire forest as theirs, each family taking up their own corner of it and moving as food would require. Only one person traveled from family to family connecting them together. El Hablador.

For the Machiguenga, the storyteller is of sacred, indeed religious importance. The storyteller’s job was simple enough: to speak. “Their mouths were the connecting links of this society that the fight for survival had forced to split up and scatter… Thanks to the storytellers, fathers had news of their sons and brothers of their sisters … thanks to them they were all kept informed of the deaths, births, and other happenings in the tribe.” The storyteller did not only bring current news; he spoke of the past. He is the memory of the community, fulfilling a function like that of the troubadours of the Middle Ages. The storyteller traveled great distances to remind each member of the tribe that despite their miles of separation, they still formed one community, shared a tradition, beliefs, ancestors, misfortunes, and joys. The storytellers, writes Vargas Llosa, were the lifeblood that circulated through Machiguenga society giving it one interconnected and interdependent life.

“The Machiguenga storyteller is “tangible proof that storytelling can be something more than mere entertainment … something primordial, something that the very existence of a people may depend on.”

Stories are at the core of every culture. They have the power to shape whole systems. Thomas King writes in The Truth about Stories: A Native Narrative (2003), "The truth about stories is that that's all we are" (p. 32). King continues, "So you have to be careful with the stories you tell, and you have to watch out for the stories you are told" (p. 10). King’s words and Llosa’s novel reveal that being a storyteller is a grave responsibility, a calling above all others. For that reason, we sat down for a conversation with Hugo Perez, a former journalist for the NBC News Network and current owner of Local Boy Creative.

Hugo describes himself as a “storyteller for hire.” Our conversation with him took us through the history of his career and the ethics of storytelling today. We talked about recent “fake news” trends and spent time discussing some of the values that guide his storytelling. Reporters and Marketers are two kinds of Habladores (Storytellers) who shape society, and Hugo has been both. At World Outspoken, we are committing to actively making the city, creating culture, and pursuing a vision of justice and beauty. To do that, we need the help of storytellers like Hugo. As King reminds us, "Perhaps we shouldn't be displeased with the 'environmental ethics' we have or the 'business ethics' or the 'political ethics' or any of the myriad of other codes of conduct suggested by our actions … After all, we've created them. We've created the stories that allow them to exist and flourish. They didn't come out of nowhere. They didn't arrive from another planet … Want a different ethic? Tell a different story" (p. 164).[1]

Hugo’s experiences equip us with ideas to consider and roles to reevaluate. Listen to this podcast to hear about the power of storytellers in the form of marketers and reporters.

About Hugo

Hugo Perez is a professional storyteller. He develops strategies and content for a variety of clients around the country as owner of a boutique creative agency in Chicago called Local Boy Creative. He is an experienced brand builder, creative catalyst, innovative strategist, and integrated marketer, having worked in senior roles at a variety of global companies and marketing agencies over the years. He began his career as a journalist at NBC Network News where he earned an Emmy-award for his work. Hugo has traveled and worked extensively all around the world and considers himself a “dreamer, a wild one, and a roaring lamb."

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Footnote

[1] Credit must be given to Dr. Gene L. Green for first identifying the significant quotes from Tomas King’s book. You can access his original review of this book by following the subsequent link: “The Truth About Stories,” Green Trees, accessed September 14, 2018, https://www.genegreen.org/blog789123456789/2018/4/13/the-truth-about-stories.

The Maker's Space

In 2017, The Atlantic published “The Disappearing Right to Earn a Living.” The article reveals irrational and restrictive licensing regulations that bar aspiring entrepreneurs from competing against larger businesses. In word, the US cultural narrative champions the small business owner, but in deed, the systems in place tell a different story. Social systems and cultural values run contrary to one another, making it difficult for people (particularly POC) with skills to start their own businesses. This reality is mirrored across the world, in Jaipur, India, where culture and society run parallel in their opposition to creatives and artists trying to start small businesses.

Adityendra (Adi) Solanki and Elizabeth Schrock are the founders of The Maker’s Space (TMS). In a city that values professional, white-collar work and pressures women into certain roles, TMS subverts the cultural narrative of Jaipur. We recently interviewed the founders of TMS as they fundraise to complete the construction of their space. Watch their video above, then read the interview to hear their story. The conversation that follows has been edited and condensed.

Questions for The Maker's Space

1. What is The Maker's Space?The Maker’s Space is a members-only, community focused co-working space in Jaipur, India. We are designed to cater to local and traveling entrepreneurs, freelancers, start-up companies, and creatives who desire to work together in a professional space, yet don’t want to have the ever-increasing overhead costs of a private office.We offer a variety of membership packages to meet the needs of our clients, giving them access to a welcoming and clean, aesthetically pleasing, fully-outfitted work environment. We also provide event space on rent, cross-cultural exposure and the cross-pollination of ideas through collaborative conversation encouraged by the open-concept office floor plan, and opportunities for growth through personal and professional developmental workshops and seminars.The name, The Maker’s Space, is a nod to the Ultimate Maker’s grace and goodness in giving talents and gifts to people. We see His creativity in each person and want to celebrate that in our members. This space is dedicated to Him. Additionally, we want our members to feel a sense of ownership for the space. It is theirs to grow, to use, to invest in. They have a place to call their own, along with their fellow members.

2. What inspired you to create the space? role do disabled persons share in our culture-making?Elizabeth: The original inspiration came from communications with new friends I was making when I first moved to Jaipur in 2015. When young women get married in this culture, they move in with her new husband’s entire family. Many of these women are not allowed to work outside of the home because they must be available to meet the needs of the family. So, home-based business seems like the only way to fulfill their dreams or have a bit of an escape from what feels like a heavy hand from the new family. Textiles, clothing, and jewelry design seem to be the most popular, but many don’t have the resources they need to succeed and do well in their venture.As I got to know more about these needs, I met more people who desired to follow a dream or passion, but didn’t have the confidence or prior training, and felt the need to help in some way and begin to think about a design studio to encourage new ideas in design.In early 2017, I reconnected with Adi whom I had meet two years prior through a mutual friend. I knew he would have some good insight about this potential project with his experience as a freelance photographer. Our first meeting lasted four hours, and in that time, I realized that the issues I had seen in the lives of young women trying something new were for all freelancers and entrepreneurs in much of India. That meeting helped to form my scattered ideas into a concrete idea for a co-working space, catering to more individuals than just women or designers.
   Adi: As a freelance photographer myself, I know the struggles that those who try a self-made business face and I wanted to help Elizabeth bring a space to Jaipur to help people like myself. I believed in the vision that she had and wanted to be a part of bringing dignity back to the individuals who take the risk to follow a passion.

3. Adi, you mentioned that freelancers and entrepreneurs are often deemed “failures” by the society in Jaipur. Can you tell us more about the social expectations for work? Why are freelancers and entrepreneurs deemed failures?Local entrepreneurs, freelancers, start-up companies, and creatives have been ostracized in the community due to their choice in profession. Historically in India, this group of people have been looked down upon by society, including friends and family, for not having a socially acceptable, corporate job, and no office of their own to work from. In the eyes of those around them, freelancers are seen as lazy, rebellious, and lower class individuals who couldn’t make anything good come from their life in the way a doctor, engineer, or lawyer could, and are not serious about providing for their families or other social duties. The amount of risk involved for a creative entrepreneur and freelancer is high, and because of the lack of support and exposure to opportunities, many freelancers and creatives become discouraged and give up, losing much of their potential to the demands of family and society. I left a well-paying job and a lot of opportunity in Australia in 2013 due to a family crisis. I had done a masters program in hospitality and event management and had a bright future in Australia. But, when I came back to India, I immediately fell back to the lowest of the bunch and knew I would be doing tasks I was too qualified to do in the corporate world. I realized very quickly that life was too short to be miserable in work and decided to pursue something that I wanted to do and brought me happiness.As I studied and taught myself photography, my immediate family was supportive, but only as much as they could be. My other relatives were much less supportive and understanding, and I became the focus of jokes. This was hard, but not as discouraging as what I faced from society. In India, art and creativity are not highly valued. So, as a photographer, someone with the stress of capturing important events and editing them well, my clients see very little value in paying me a fair price for what is considered to be a lesser job. I know the frustration freelancers and creatives face in this society, and want to help support them and share my experiences with them. By providing our members at The Maker’s Space a place to work outside of the home, but still allowing them the freedom to work for themselves, we want to bring a sense of dignity to the freelancer and increase the sustainability of their work through community support and training.

4. How do you envision The Maker’s Space changing the story about success and work in Jaipur?Jaipur has always been a hub for traditional Rajasthani art and design and a widely known and attractive place for international designers. As the age of industry has come, much of the traditional ways of doing art has been lost, and in turn, jobs for artisans have been lost. However, many at the front of a movement to preserve such creativity are local and international creatives, many of whom are looking for community and support as they venture into entrepreneurship in Jaipur for the first time. By working under one roof, our members from various backgrounds will benefit from a network of people and the cross-pollination of ideas through collaborative conversation and developmental resources fostered and provided in the co-working space. It is our goal that the relationships and personal and professional growth developed through The Maker’s Space empowers our members, the freelance and creative entrepreneur community, to excel in business and make a difference in their spheres of influence. The level of our social impact is directly related to the level of personal touch we have with our members and therefore the community. When we directly impact our members, we will indirectly impact those whom they are connected to in life and business. In addition to this, the traditional arts of which Jaipur is known, will have a better chance of surviving if those who are working to save such artistic practices are supported and promoted. This also means more jobs for local artisans and the opportunity to expand the reach of local traditional art into the global markets.

5. Elizabeth, you expressed a special interest in serving the women of Jaipur. What can you tell us about their situation and how The Maker’s Space intends to enable their work?As we work specifically with women, we hope to encourage their growth by providing them necessary resources and help them gain a sense of ownership for their work and provide a platform from which to launch into the local and global markets. Life for women is hard in a patriarchal society, especially now as Jaipur is in the middle of redefining itself between the traditions of old and the rise of modernity. Women are being educated, but there is still a desire from the older generations for them to not work outside of the home once they are married. Traditionally, once a woman is married, it is her job to cook, clean, and care for her husbands extended family. However, today’s newly married women are finding it hard to submit to that traditional expectation as she has been educated through college or post-college degrees. She finds it hard to leave all of that behind when she has spent so much time, effort, and money on bettering herself through education. Both Adi and I see so much value in young working women, however, we both know Jaipur will not change overnight. We think it is the perfect time for TMS, especially for women. Having a co-working space to slip away to for a few hours each day meets the expectations of both young woman and new in-laws. She can take care of the household yet have the resources she needs to be empowered to follow a passion or dream. She has people who believe in her and support her, and a place to call her own.

6. The Maker’s Space is a subversive cultural space, providing opportunities for growth and support to cultural outsiders. Do you expect resistance to your space? If so, how will you respond?Adi: I don’t think there will be much active resistance to The Maker’s Space, but there will be many people who will not fully understand the need for it. Because there is not a value for freelancers and creatives in Jaipur, there is not an understanding of their specific and unique needs. We have talked with many people inquiring about office space for a large team of upwards of sixty people. It’s hard for directors of larger companies to understand that we are a community oriented, not cubical “9-5,” kind of business. The best way for people to understand who we are and what we do is to show them photos or bring them into the space and explain the needs of our members and how The Maker’s Space benefits them.

7. Can you tell us about some of the entrepreneurs and freelance workers you already work with?Currently, we are still in the renovation process of the space, and do not have any signed on members. However, the people who have shown positive interest in future memberships have been mostly local entrepreneurs, freelancers, and a few expat designers who come to India for a few months at a time.We have also been in communication with a two local textile designers who recently did a project on an all-but-lost art form call Jajam, which is all about communities coming together. They came to us asking if we would host an exhibition of the work they have done and help promote this restored traditional art form in the community. It is projects and people like these that excite us for the future of The Maker’s Space and its place in and for the creative community of Jaipur.

8. What kind of training, workshops, and seminars can members expect in TMS?The vision behind TMS boils down to growing and celebrating the God-given talents and passions in each individual, so everything we do points in that direction, including any training, workshops, seminars, and events. Examples of some of these are trainings on how to write a good business plan, hands-on workshops on local art to help preserve what is nearly lost, seminars on balancing a healthy lifestyle, and events to promote community such as Saturday member’s brunch or open-mic nights. The possibilities to promote personal and professional growth are endless.

9. Five-years from opening day, how do you imagine Jaipur changing because of TMS? What will Jaipur be with a vibrant creative community?Elizabeth: My goal in the first five years of TMS is simply to help make artistic, God-given passions and talents valued in society and bring a sense of dignity to the creative people in Jaipur.
   Adi: I want to see more established people and brands growing together under our roof. Through their success stories, Jaipur will be a more colorful city and people around the world will know it for its creative community.

10. How can people support The Maker’s Space?While we are actively desiring to pioneer a change in identity for the freelance and entrepreneur community in Jaipur and provide the necessary platform for growth and celebration, we are inviting you to join us and make our efforts go even further. We are seeking support through financial contribution in the form of a tax-deductible donation, which would help us finish the current renovations and help us meet our first-year operational expenses goal. Any money raised beyond that will go toward sponsoring memberships for female entrepreneurs who are breaking the mold of what has traditionally been their role in society and are seeking empowerment through entrepreneurship. Training for these women, as well as for locals in creative fields (artists, freelancers, startup companies, etc.), is needed to broaden their worldview and help them to think outside of the traditional box when it comes to growing their business or gaining a presence locally or globally. You would provide them an option close to home which will help them gain a new perspective, open their eyes to see their potential, and collaborate with a supportive community. You can give a tax-deductible donation online through the link on our website, www.themakersspacejaipur.com.

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About Elizabeth and Adi

Adityendra (Adi) Solanki

A Rajasthan native and a freelance photographer, Adityendra Solanki has brought a necessary cultural understanding to the co-working concept in Jaipur. His unique perspective has encouraged the growth of the desire The Maker’s Space has to support individuals and teams who may not have support outside of their community. His bachelors and master’s degrees in hospitality technology and management and international tourism have also helped in making The Maker’s Space the best it can be for both local and international members. When you come to an event at TMS, you can be sure that Adi worked diligently to make it happen. Be sure to check out Adi’s other work, too. As someone who values people, culture, and traveling, his work is captivating.

Elizabeth Schrock

The Maker’s Space is the brain child of Elizabeth Schrock. After spending a few years living in India, Elizabeth saw a need in the freelance and creative entrepreneur community in Jaipur for resources and support. The desire to help her friends led to a dream to help the community, and thus, the idea for The Maker’s Space was formed. Elizabeth dabbled in many art forms while growing up in the Unity States, and has a love for all things creative, appreciating the value of each individual and their work. You will find her behind much of the networking and collaboration connections in the co-working space community and curating events to foster community and individual growth.