Students of the Neighborhood

This past Sunday night's worship gathering stirred up both hope and conviction within me.  We laid out a large piece of cardboard and drew out the grid of our neighborhood, Golden Hill.  This neighborhood represents the unique soil in which we have been called to be a community that reflects and embodies the Good News of Jesus.

As we began to each draw out places of significance (neighbors homes, the community center, half-way homes, corners where our homeless friends live, etc...) we could begin to get a glimpse at what God is already doing in this neighborhood.  It was a beautiful practice of celebrating the faithful work of God and his Church...an acknowledgement of the Thin Places - places where heaven and earth are only thinly separated.

Further, it was seeing all of our neighborhood, even the places that we often overlook, as places that have potential to reflect the goodness of God's Kingdom.  While God's good work is unfolding in Golden Hill, his dreams for this place and its inhabitants are only just beginning.

May we, God's People, not be paralyzed by the pain, brokenness, segregation, hopelessness and poverty that surround us.  Instead, may we take on new eyes...eyes that see reconciliation, restoration and redemption as a tangible reality we are called to represent in every interaction of everyday.

What My Muslim Friend Taught Me About Jesus

(Pic: Prayer of sending/commissioning Ali)

Ali is my good friend and one of my hero’s. He has taught me so much. Let me tell you about him.

Ali grew up a Shi’ite Muslim in Iran. In an effort to complete his studies as a doctor of neurology, he moved to the United States about three years ago. His whole life is in Iran; family, religion, tradition, friends, home.

After moving to New Orleans, Ali met one of the couples who are now on staff with our NieuCommunities team in San Diego. Although coming from two very different backgrounds (Iran and Washington state), they immediately connected and became close friends. More than anything, Ali became intrigued by this Jesus their lives revolved around. Within his Muslim tradition, Jesus is a prominent and highly respected prophet, but to believe in him as God is to commit shirk (holding anything/anyone as equal with Allah/God); the worst sin of all.

In fact, Ali became so intrigued by the Jesus he saw in his friends that when they moved to San Diego to go on staff with NieuCommunities, he asked if he could come with them and be part of their missional church community. After finding a neurology position in San Diego, Ali packed his bags and not only moved to San Diego, but moved into our neighborhood of Golden Hill (where all NieuCommunties participants have committed to live).

It is there that I met one of the most brilliant, yet humble and devoted men I have ever encountered. As a doctor, Ali was frequently getting published in highly respected medical journals, but as a friend he would always be the last to walk through the door. He set aside three times in his day to pray out of devotion and reverence. Anytime I saw him pray (no matter the setting) he would turn his palms face up as if opening and surrendering himself to whatever God may be speaking. For Ali, presence and devotion to his faith could be second to nothing and his life reflected that.

Although a brilliant doctor and having lived a life devoted to Islam, Ali was a humble learner who made the most of every opportunity to hear and experience the Jesus of his friends. Ali dove deep into our Christian community as he prayed, worshiped, listened and practiced alongside of us. He wanted to encounter Jesus, so he chose to expose and submerge himself deep into a band of believers whose lives had been submitted to their King, Jesus.

Ali became a very good friend of mine. Recently, I have spent a lot of time studying Islam as I seek to engage people like Ali and develop my role as peacemaker in the Middle East conflict (see this blog for more on that). Despite my occasional ignorance, Ali would listen to my questions and share insight into his sacred traditions.

Ali became my friend and dialog partner in the areas we each held most sacred. It wasn’t a competition for whose religion was more “right,” it was a dialog of mutual respect and reverence. After all, Ali wanted to experience the truth of Jesus and he asked that we intercede on his behalf.

Through the lives and worship of his new friends and the profound work of the Spirit, my friend Ali did encounter Jesus in his time here in Golden Hill. After a recent worship gathering, Ali looked at me as said, “Yes, I am a follower of Jesus.”

Having accepted a position at Temple University in Philadelphia, Ali moved away from his new family in Golden Hill last week. While it was hard for us to say goodbye, both Ali and our community knew this was not the end of our story together.

After taking Ali surfing for the first time in his life, we all gathered for a meal just hours before his flight took off to Philadelphia. We shared the ways he had impacted us and thanked him for all that he had taught us. He came to us as a student, but his humble devotion ended up teaching us so much.

It is easy to spout out a quick prayer before a meal and quickly conclude, “In Jesus’ name, amen.” Although some of us have heard and said Jesus’ name so many times, it must not lose its sacred power and authority. Ali reminded me of that. To come before God is sacred. It is not to be done in complacency, but with reverence and devotion.

Before Ali walked out the door to catch his flight, we all turned our palms to the sky and thanked Jesus for our friend; our brother.

Food, Neighbors and Common Mission

At our annual “Covenanting Retreat” down in Mexico a couple months ago, we committed to a variety of initiatives that would extend our influence as Kingdom representatives in our neighborhood, city and across the border in Mexico. One such initiative was to be more intentional in building rich relationships with the families and local churches in greater Golden Hill.

We recently hosted a neighborhood meal in the local park where we invited anyone we had met in the neighborhood; whether on the streets, at the park or in a local business. Ordering up some tamales from a nearby vendor, we were able to feast upon good food and conversation.

Another aspect of this initiative is to seek out ways to expand our influence and support of local church leadership. So often the leadership of our local churches find themselves leading endless worship services, but rarely have the opportunity to simply be a participant within a worship service. Because NieuCommunities’ ties cross denominational lines and because we meet in our homes, it gives us a unique opportunity to be a neutral support and advocate to the local Church. After our neighborhood meal, we hosted a worship service consisting of prayer, music and liturgy. The leadership from multiple local churches was represented and it was a beautiful picture of the Church moving forward as one unit on a common mission.

Re-Living our Experience in Israel/Palestine Through Acts

As we continue to get settled in our new role with NieuCommunities, develop an understanding of our neighborhood and CONTINUE to wait for the arrival of our daughter, I had the opportunity to teach at our church gathering this past Sunday night.

As you may know, we spent a good portion of this past summer studying in Israel at Jerusalem University College. It was an intense course and there were times when we wondered if all the work was really worth it. As I prepared for this talk, which was focused on articulating the social/historical context of the church in Acts, I realized how useful that experience really was. It won't only be important for this conversation on Acts, but for many, many other teachings that require the insight gained from our experiences in Israel and Palestine. Bottom Line: If you are ever able to go to Israel/Palestine...Go!! To see/read of some of our experiences, check out my "Israel Diaries" on my personal blog: http://jonhuckins.blogspot.com/

We are reading Acts and discussing the divine imagination the early apostles/disciples had as they invited others into a Kingdom with characteristics counter to their expectations. As Jews with their identity wrapped up the story of Israel, they would have expected their Messiah to be a Davidic King who would physically take the throne of power through military overthrow, while restoring Jerusalem. Instead, their Messiah subverted and overthrew the political powers by inaugurating a Kingdom that turns the other cheek, walks the extra mile and who's King was enthroned through death and resurrection. This Kingdom would not be only be inhabited by the nation of Israel, but freely invites all humanity into participation and redemption.

Some of my central passions/gifts are teaching and writing. With that said, this past year I have often felt uninspired and mechanical in those areas. It was refreshing and hopeful to be able to share those struggles with our new community. I trust that those passions will be refreshed/renewed and I believe this will be a safe place for that to happen.

Also, it was great having both sets of our parents in town to meet and experinece our new friends/co-workers here in Golden Hill

P.S. Pray for progress in the peace talks between Israel and Palestine as they culminate over the next couple days.

Fall Kickoff

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As a community that exists to train and send missional Church leaders, we will spend the next two months of our study and practice in what we call Life Compass. During our Sunday night church gatherings, we are studying the early church as seen through the book of Acts. Tuesday night is our training time and takes a much more academic/practical application element. Throughout a variety of activities/study on our own during the week, we are able to come together, share and receive training in both of these gatherings.

Our Life Compass kickoff was held out in the hills of east San Diego as we did some orienteering. On teams of 4 or 5, we were only given a compass and some basic info to navigate through a course that had 10 check point stations. After two hours, a taranchula siting and lots of weeds in our socks, we were able to process the experience as it relates to the importance of ones vocation aligning with the values of God's Kingdom and our individual gifts/skills.

Each going through a variety of tests that offer insight in our personality, leadership, passion, relationships, etc. we spent last night creating personal time lines that highlight the most formational moments/interactions/experiences to who we are today. It was a profound activity that forces us to acknowledge that we must reflect/remember our past in order to develop a clear understanding of where we are headed.

We can see this being a great season of personal exploration and discovery, while at the same time being a rich context for growing deep relationships with those on mission along side of us.

Oh, and no, Baby H, STILL hasn't arrived:)

A community evening

While the mission of NieuCommunities takes many different forms (click here for explanation of such forms), one key element is the weekly gathering of the church community. Every Sunday night, the church gathers for a shared meal, worship, teaching and discussion. This video gives a good glimpse into what a church service will look like as we step into our role with NieuCommunities.

Sunday Night - NieuCommunities San Diego from Fishboy on Vimeo.