Moving Parts

I like to golf.

The thing I like the most about golf is how completely uncomplicated swinging a club appears while in the same time and space how incredibly complex it is to actually accomplish a swing that actually hits the ball where you actually intentioned it to go. The golf swing has a lot of moving parts, and if you miss just one ... just one. Well, you get the idea.

There are a lot of moving parts to the golf swing.

Whenever possible, I like encouraging people to find their voice. Finding your voice, like the golf swing, is easier said than done. To have voice is dependent on many elements coming together. Many considerations are in play for someone to speak up - even in a room where there will be certain agreement.

To have voice means you've settled the small things in your life such as confidence, articulation and mental acuity. You've also developed certain disciplines. You've learned how to research in an effort to be clear, you've gained in personal management in an effort to be heard and you've become a great listener in an effort to be respected. Not to mention you've overcome possible historical barriers that can range from family to socio-economic realities, to race and or gender limitations.

There are a lot of moving parts to finding your voice.

Like the golf swing and the personal discovery of finding your voice - there are a lot of moving parts wrapped up in the simple statement; I would rather teach a person to fish rather than give them a fish.

This statement is a metaphor often used to describe the effective work in serving others, as well as an encouragement to those who are on the 'receiving' end of relationships.

Here are a few accompanying metaphorical questions:

• Who owns the water where the fish are?
• Are there barriers around the water?
• Who will be responsible to removing those barriers?
• Is this the right water?
• Does the water have the right fish?
• Is there a license requirement?
• Can anyone fish?
• How much fish can be taken at one time?
• Is equipment available?
• Who owns the equipment?
• Are their conditions to use the equipment?
• Is training available for cleaning the fish?
• Is there adequate facilities to cook the fish?
• How will the remaining fish be refrigerated?

There are a lot of moving parts when teaching someone to 'fish'.

We live in a platitude accepted, drive-by-conversating world. You and I will have to say something different, and be willing to do something different just to be the one in the 'row' of lined up public opinion who takes one step forward - awkward comes to mind.

Here's today's question: Are you willing to break cadence with the rest of the lock step world around you?

Dan
A Runner

The Unheard

For those who have followed this blog, you already know how I feel about the unhealthy and disadvantageous behavior exhibited when people when referencing other people, seem to prefer the adjective over the noun. Like when we talk about the homeless.

Homeless - clearly an adjective only describing a condition, the term lacks the depth needed to describe a person - which is the actual noun of our descriptional intent.

Many of us who work and serve within the human condition, who are experiencing homelessness, often refer to these our fellow citizens, as the unhomed. It's a feeble attempt, albeit a sincere attempt, to move the conversational descriptions and the need to describe people, closer to the person rather than the condition of the person.

In any case here's today's question: What would be worse, to be unhomed or to be unheard?

I can think of a multitude of people who are clearly homed, living each day in the comfort of the homed and yet are in relationships in which they are not heard.

They're frustrated.

It's not that they're not talking, not allowing their frustrations to engineer new ways to communicate - you may be one of them, you know what I'm talking about. You try to date the problem, sex the problem, talk the problem, yell at the problem, ignore the problem - all in an effort to be heard.

Yet for all of your good intentions and splendid efforts, you remain unheard.

Now imagine you are unhomed and unheard - what then?

What is your frustration level like?
Do you have a low-grade irritation all the time?
What is your attitude like?
What is your appearance like?
Are you approachable?
Are you skeptical?
Will you take advantage of others?

Voice!

Do you want to be effective in today's ever dynamic and fluid environment of service?

Then listen! It's a great place to start.

Dan
A Runner

HPRP Funding

Capacity; the ability to hold, receive or absorb.
Infrastructure; the basic structure or features of a system or organization.

The Federal Government through the Housing of Urban Development [HUD] is ready to distribute portions of the stimulus package aimed at restarting the American economy and providing support funding as well for critical issues - like homelessness.

A part of this stimulus focus is going for what is called HPRP funding. HPRP is a condensed acronym meaning Homeless Prevention Rapid-Rehousing Program. The City of Toledo is scheduled to receive 3.2 million dollars to distribute among agencies the City identifies as capable of this level of distribution.

The program is a good idea, and communities who are ready with the level of capacity and infrastructure to identify those persons and/or families who are near homeless and have the same structure to identify those persons and/or families who could be rapidly re-housed will do well to receive this funding.

There is a bit of a catch though, the money has to be spent quickly. By quickly HUD mandates the money must be spent within 18 months. Now, you wouldn't think this would be a problem because there is so much need - right?

Wrong.

The fact is the Government is on to a good thing here - but haste still makes waste. The need is in fact so great, there is a chance that without the right capacity and infrastructure in place unfortunate and rather unintended consequences are likely to occur.

Let me list just one problem related to how rapidly the money must be spent:

1. Without the dollars to sustain the housing, through what could be a need longer than 18 months, the people including families who have been helped, will find themselves once again facing difficult choices and balancing precariously on the edge of homelessness.

There is workforce development money within the HPRP funding. But without job creation there won't be jobs for those who are being trained to go to.

Like many leaders of Rescue Missions around the country I support, and Cherry Street participates in, the Continuum of Care [COC] within our community. The COC is designed to identify the organizations who are serving as well as identify the gaps within the service continuum.

Despite what you may hear, the COC in Toledo is not comprehensive enough in its capacity and infrastructure to adequetly distribute the HPRP funding. My concern, and I'm not alone, is that the funding could potentially create ultimately more problems than it solves.

What the availability of these funds should be telling us [City of Toledo] is that we don't have enough of the community at the table to make our COC comprehensive. These funds should be telling us we need to get our house in order so that when funds are available we're ready for them.

I'll hasten to add however, that if our COC house was in order there more than likely wouldn't be as a great a need for the funding as there is.

Here's today's question; 'Are you ready to activate within our community in ways you've never been active in order to have what you've never had or seen?'

Let me know: danrogers@cherrystreetmission.org

Dan Rogers
A Runner

Humanity Groans

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Romans 8:22 (NKJV)

All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.
Romans 8:22-25 (Message Bible)

I believe we live in a very pregnant time - societally speaking.

It's not that society is pregnant with potential, or even pregnant with possibility - just pregnant. Pregnancy is about expectation and as the above verse in Romans states, waiting is a part of the expectation.

My daughter in law and son just delivered their second son not more than a week ago [our fourth grandchild]. It's been fun watching these pregnancies over the last few years from a grandparent's view. Far removed from the discomfort and the travail of pregnancy, the vantage point has been in the comparison of the very pregnant mother and society's pregnancy.

The above verse talks about the whole of creation groans and labors with the pain of birth.

I was in a program staff members office recently when she had an unexpected visit from one of our program guests. The guest was visibly irritated about something and without excusing himself into our conversation just began to interrupt. We stopped his interruption long enough to instruct in polite behavior. While he hesitantly complied with the instruction and followed a more polite pattern of behavior, it was difficult for him because he had something inside that needed to get out - he, for that moment was pregnant.

So many of us groan under the pain and labor of birth - something deep inside us that is waiting to experience the freedom of birth. That's what I mean - societally speaking we're living in a very pregnant time.

We're waiting and the more we wait the more what's inside grows and the more it grows the more expectation stirs and the more expectation the more groan and pain we experience.

Here's today's question: 'Do you groan'?

Dan
A Runner

The Behavior of Salt

Salt is an interesting way to describe what God is looking for in you and me. Salt is good. But salt by itself or too much salt is not so good. Salt has this wonderful preservative interaction with whatever it touches.

The covenant of salt referred to in the Book of Leviticus talks not only to this preserving agent, but also the perpetuality of salt - so the salt covenant spoke of the perpetual, ongoing covenant being made by God through the sacrifice being offered by man.

Cultures of old rolled an infant in salt. While the salt had real benefits to the skin of a newborn in rough climates - there was also the parent saying of the child; my covenant to you is perpetual.

I like the word perpetual when it comes to describing this ongoing relationship I have with God. Perpetual lives beyond time and space. Perpetual exceeds the limited horizon of the next failure or success. Perpetual challenges the boundaries of the possible and explores the vast reaches of the probable.

For someone who should have been released long ago from the covenant I made with God on the grassy stadium floor on a cool summer's night in 1975 - I'm grateful from the depth of me for this word perpetual regarding the covenant made on that day.

God has truly been faithful to His word.

"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
Matthew 5:13

Here's today's question: Are you salt or a salt shaker?

From time to time, people have referred to me as a 'mover and shaker'. To be honest, it sounds good. The whole idea of living in such a way that would have this kind of recognition was appealing. It was appealing right up until I realized the disappointment associated with the disconnect of not being His intended representation in any conversation.

The shaker was not my place [you'll have to decide whether it's yours] for many reasons, but only one that truly mattered - God didn't say I was the place of salt, or the movement of salt, or the holder of salt, he simply said I was the salt.

Would I represent His perpetual nature, through close contact and deep penetration toward those around me - like salt behaves.

God is the Mover and Shaker and as He said, I'm the salt freely dispensed and used at His will for His purpose to represent His perpetual covenant.

When it comes to the complex problems of our city and region I don't think we'll survive one more person standing up as a self proclaimed 'shaker'. We've had enough - or we should have by now.

Recently, I've been wondering how many days we [Soma; The Body of Christ] have between now and the day we truly become salt to the tasteless around us. How many days yet remain between our today decisions and the better decision to become the perpetual of God?

I hope not many. Humanity groans all around us - waiting.

Dan
A Runner

What would you do?

• A few weeks ago on an early Saturday morning, I was approached by a man in his early twenties in a Rite Aid parking lot. His appearance was rough, his eyes not well, his clothes had paint splattered all over, he was tall, thin and approaching a stranger in a parking lot - he needed money.

• A man about my age sat on my front porch not too long ago. His wife had just left him, his countenance was calm, almost matter of fact but his eyes were swollen with the pain of many bad decisions, his adult children were confused, one of them was on drugs and he was contemplating the complexities before him - he needed help.

• A friend arrived at my door several years ago with a friend of his whom I had not met. His friend was in his late fifties, proud, excellent eye contact, strong handshake and earning 6 figures as a business man. My friend brought him to my doorstep because this man was addicted to pornography and he didn't know what to do with him any more - he needed freedom.

Here's today's question: In either one of these situations, would you know what to do?

The Biblical Rescue Intensive is designed with you in mind. Among many other vital techniques, you will learn how to 'slow the shutter speed of life down' If you will succeed where God leads you, vital knowledge is needed to realize that you cannot solve problems at the same speed in which they were created.

The Church is the most powerful certainty on this planet - by the way, that's you not the building you go to on Sunday. YOU are the most powerful certainty in any situation because Jesus is the head of you, the Holy Spirit leads from inside you and God the Father covers you.

All you need now is to be equipped in order to do the work of Rescue.

Join me and others as the Biblical Rescue Intensive is kindly being hosted by Pastor Josh and Pastor King of The Dwelling Place and Westside Community Church. The Intensive will start this Thursday evening [May14-16] at 6:00 at The Dwelling Place on the corner of Angola Road and Eber and will conclude on Saturday at 4:00 pm.

I'll also be presenting a new Rescue construct [May 17-19] called; The Five Core Behavioral Elements of Drunkenness on Sunday morning and Sunday evening [11-1 and 6-8] Monday and Tuesday evening [6-8] at New Life Church of God in Christ on Oakwood off Detroit.

For additional information on either of these opportunities and to register email Ashley Shaffer at ashaffer@cherrystreetmission.org or by calling Ashley at 419-242-5141. You may also drop me a line, if you have questions at danrogers@cherrystreetmission.org.

A Runner not a walker be,

Dan

The Runner's Attitude

Bloggers note: This is the fourth installment of 'The Runner'

The Philip Project is based upon a very unseen, but very certain horizon. This, as mentioned in the last posting, is the Runner's Horizon. The Runner is running not to race, nor to compete - but to win. To be a Philip kind of Runner, the win doesn't go to the swift, but to the one who understands the unseen and unverified horizon.

The Philip Runner understands the horizon without permission. He runs free of collective consensus and she puts one foot in front of the other without hesitation.

Many people may see the need of humanity all around them. The need to house the unhoused, the need to feed the hungry, the need to answer the rising crisis among our youth - all of this can easily be seen. But the behavior and outcome of our work betrays us. We do not have a fix on the proper horizon because of our lack of understanding of it, and therefore possess not the proper attitude.

The Runners Horizon cannot be satisfied within the confines of a cause. On that horizon homelessness and poverty are reducing, low birth weights are rising, our young men are staying in school instead of populating our places of imprisonment, our young women are off the streets and in places of commerce, our veterans, ravaged by the sounds of war are living out their days in peace, our elderly are in safe places of housing, parents are once again honored by all sectors of society and the family is once again whole.

The horizon I'm talking about is where the river of humanity that once flowed with the grief of many generations – now blessed by God’s mercy runs through the tributaries of our communities as a life giving flow once more – my brothers and sisters, that’s what I'm talking about!

The Runner has attitude - can that be your attitude?

One of my favorite vocabulary words [at least lately] is prescient; the ability to perceive the significance of events before they occur. To me, this is the word that describes best the ability to see and to understand.

Prescient is the proper vocabulary when describing Philip in Acts 8 or the Chieftains of the Sons of Issachar in 1st Chronicles 12;32

The reality is you cannot change the world around you, nor be the change you want to be, by just seeing the world differently - with the seeing, must come the understanding that presents in you the proper Runners Attitude.

The topography between the Runner and the horizon is perilous indeed. Cavernous valleys, mountainous expanses and vast open terrains await the Runner. This topography does not elicit many takers. To be a Philip kind of Runner is to often be alone.

Here's today's question; Do you still want to lace up?

Dan - A Runner