TLF Urban Consultation day 1

Tonight marked the beginning of the TLF urban ministry consultation.  I’m trying to make a point to blog each day of this (though I noticed I’ve blogged every night for the last few nights).  Hope this is interesting at least .

The speaker tonight was Prof. Maake Masango from Pretoria University.  It was a fun message, where he called me out for his illustration that I think is so good to understanding reconciliation.  The story went something like this: “Let’s say Joe is a lump of clay.  The potter takes Joe and molds him into a pot, puts him in the oven, and pulls him out too soon.  This is the half baked Joe (by the way, this is now potentially a weird nickname for me???).  The whites say ‘God pulled us out because he was excited about us’.  Then God makes another pot, puts it in the oven, but forgets about it.  I am the over cooked pot.  What we must both recognize however is that we have one crucial thing in common: we come from the same potter, who  cares deeply for both of us imperfect pots.  One is not more loved than the other… they’re both imperfect, but loved.”

Now… that was not verbatim, and I think I may have added things he didn’t say… but you get the idea.  Perhaps the hope of the city, the hope of reconciliation is in identifying with the Father.  I’d say so.  And it’s our role as ones who are called “beloved” by the Father to find all the prodigal sons and daughters in the city and carry them back to Him.  Prof. Masango went on to discuss a concept that resonated deeply with me.  He called it the “Touch Theology”.  I missed the first point, but I think I got the jist of it…
T – talk to the other… KNOW THE NAMES OF THE BROKEN.  How often do we just throw money at the charities we sponsor without stopping to know the other?  I feel like I’ve done this, and in doing this have only appeased my conscience for a short time.  Investing in the other is where fruit will be formed.

O – Own the story of the other

U – Unite with others who don’t necessarily worship God the same as me

C – contextualize: being amongst the other requires different forms of communication

H – help them but do not take over for them

go now and touch your city… be beacons of hope.