Do not be ashamed
The Wednesday morning bible study group is reading 2nd Timothy together. This is Paul's last letter. He wrote it to Timothy, a young man he loved like his own child and who he mentored in leadership. Paul encouraged Timothy not to be afraid or ashamed of the negative stigma that clung to Paul because he was imprisoned or to Christ himself because of his cross. Paul wrote:
...for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, in the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace...
After the bible study group read these words, Al Burke asked, "What does this mean for us today?" And we started talking about Zion's neighborhood.
Zion's council is in the process of writing a strategic plan for Zion. We're working with Terry Haru, Pastor Elaine's husband. And in our recent first session, we did a SWOT analysis--Zion's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. One threat council identified was the reputation of this neighborhood, the negative stigma that clings to it, how some people avoid Zion's neighborhood and so Zion too.
At bible study, we talked about this, and about how convinced we are that Jesus led Zion here. We believe we follow Jesus by staying here. Yes, there are risks and tensions, but there's also opportunity, purpose, and joy. We won't apologize. A spirit of power and love and self-discipline is what God has given us, for the sake of our neighbors. We could imagine Paul writing to Zion:
Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner or of the West End his neighborhood, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, in the power of God...
How is Christ calling you to claim God's spirit of power and love and self-discipline and to keep following Jesus despite risks, stigma, and tension?