How to grow peace and community in the suburbs

[sagely]

Since early September, I have been involved in the startup of a new ministry that I hope to see grow into an honest and kingdom-centered christian community. The trouble is, this stumbling attempt at community is located in a semi-affluent suburb of Chicago, where distance is measured in miles and minutes in the car rather than in blocks, where common meals and time spent together must be scheduled weeks in advance, and all apparent injustice is either covered over or driven back into the near suburbs by rising housing costs.

When I told a good friend at the peace-loving, communal church I was just then leaving about the opportunity I was pursuing, he laughed and told me that it was probably a futile endeavor: "Josh, God left the suburbs a long time ago" or something to that effect. After the first few frustrating weeks working with the church sponsoring the new ministry, I can see why he was less than hopeful.

But I'm convinced that the good news of the kingdom is like a weed, that it can sprout up anywhere and take over even the most well-manicured and white-picket-fenced of gardens. So how do we bring the life of God into the suburbs? Any tips and tricks (I'll take anything you'll offer). Or is it a misuse of resources? Has God signed the suburbs over to Satan? Or how can the church live its prophetic life authentically there?

**n.b. "suburbs" here is short-hand for affluent communities where Ikeas and chain restaurants dominate the landscape between housing developments with houses imperceptibly larger than the lots they sit on. There are other suburbs where injustice walks naked down streets--I'm not talking about those.

[Jon Miller]

you know you're on to more than you think. I'm in the burbs in Georgia, believe me community is so in need. We may live in our nice quaint little hoods, but there is so much distance. A whole community of indifference, that could care less about the starving, homeless, addicted, etc, of the near by city. Many in this economy are so enslaved to the evil of debt that it seems futile to think beyond yourself. Our church has grown leaps and bounds through small groups/ home churches. Teaching how to follow Jesus and to see beyond our own debt, to become free from status quo, then maybe they can experience the kingdom first hand. My friend the burbs are slaves to easy living, to busy trying not to be busy to care........but Christ is HOPE.

[Bart Mason]

Is it a strectch to say that many modern day Pharisees live in suburbs? Perhaps. But if we can agree that there is an abundance of self righteousness that is found in the affluence of the suburbs, then yes, you are going to have a tough go at it(is hypocrisy JUST in the 'burbs, no, but for the sake of the discussion, this is my angle.) I have no solid suggestions. But when I look at what Jesus did, he ate in the homes of the Pharisees and he was bold enought to call them out when he was with them. "You place burdens on your people they will never be able to lift up, you built tombs for the prophets your forefathers killed, clean the inside of your cup, MAN!" OH! Don't forget patience and Love too...
Peace and Strength be to you!!!

[Magdalena Perks]

The suburbs are the darkest mission fields today! Perhaps the Lord will give you some discernible measure of your success, maybe not. My husband and I ministered through the farmers' market in our last city. We, despite opposition, got enough support from members there to open a little stall that sold handmade wool goods (my work) and religious items and books. We did a lot of witnessing and one-on-one ministry. Maybe there's a flea market or weekend swap meet where your group might do the same. It is incredibly rewarding over time, although it was slow-growing. Be visibly Christian, and people will come to you, especially the "invisible" needy.

[Mark Van Steenwyk]

I wrote a brief article about this called "crisis in generica" at Jesus Manifesto...it may be worth a gander:

http://www.jesusmanifesto.com/2007/12/24/crisis-in-generica/

[Jon Miller]

hey thanks for your insite Mark. I live in generica...sorta. We're still surounded by farm land and the "good neighbor" mentality, and just 10 minutes from a small city. When i first moved here i left the urban to be closer to my rural inlaws. Small neighborhoods were beginning to pop up in the "great white flight" as a lot the whites moved to another county fleeing the growing black college population ,(dude, i live in the deep south, what can i say). but as these burbs grew, so did the black population, which became a rather mixed area. So here i sit in the middle of racialy mixed generica of the south. the best thing we've had going is the spring up of a local methodist purpose driven experiment, a church that meets in a movie theater. but this has worked amazing because this church reached acrossed lines of race, sex, age, class. The best part has been the small group/ home churchs. now we have ideas of small mission driven house churchs buzzing around, mixed in class, race, age........
and in the burbs at that. i guess sometimes something good can come outa "Warrenism". So my mission field is "Generica" and it's debt inslaved population.

[Katie B]

Mark,
We have been church planting in the suburbs for almost 2 years now. Our community is about 85% new Christians and the holds of consumerism, materialism, and loneliness ring so true for most of our families. We are seeing people simplify and begin making choices to serve and live more sustainable lifestyles.
Recently we had one of our friends talk about his plans for Thanksgiving. His wife is going to visit family so he is going to be on his own, he plans to go and work in Denton at one of the homeless shelters the whole week, this is huge for our little group of people. A year ago this same person said he couldn't stand homeless people.
God is transforming people. I drew a great deal of hope from your article... sometimes we want to pack up and leave. we want to go back to our urban life, but then we have those little victories that keep us here. It is grueling, but through time and patience the way of Christ is infiltrating. We are trying to model what it was that he did in service to others and in choices to stand for social justice issues. Sometimes we get the teasing... tree-huggers, hippies, you know, but ultimately I think Christ is shining through. At least I hope and pray.

[Daniel Kam]

All of these responses have helped focus my thoughts on the suburbs. I hate the idea of the suburbs. I don't like how far I have to drive to go anywhere and how there is no real community outside of the "refuge" of the home. I hate so many things about it and I hate the type of churches it often breeds that are stagnant and uncaring about the urban slums that exist even within the United States. Perhaps though, as many have said, it is these places that need Christ most. I have lived in many urban settings and I would go so far as to say that those in urban America already know of their need for God. In this regard, it is the suburbs that need to catch up with what everyone else already seems to know.