It is common at the beginning of each year for pastors to cast an annual vision and focus for their churches. In January 2016, I declared “The Year of the Surge”.
A surge is a sudden increase in power or movement, a wavelike force. I believe that was a prophetic picture of what God would do in our church and city.
We expected church growth through an influx of people coming to the altar, throwing up their hands, falling on their knees, giving their lives to Jesus and receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
We didn’t know the surge was right outside the doors and four walls of the church. The surge was a crowd of people that had never stepped foot in a church, people living under the radar of employment, education and productive participation in society. The wave of the Holy Spirit came into our church and swept our church outside the four walls. It swept us from our seats, into the streets.
On Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, Milwaukee’s Sherman Park became a flashpoint of angst and racial tensions that had been simmering throughout the summer. That afternoon, a black police officer shot and killed 23-year-old Sylville Smith, a black man who was running from the police while carrying a handgun.
A crowd of people quickly gathered and the community became a war zone of riots, chaos and looting. The shooting occurred just three blocks from our church.
The surge taught me so many lessons, especially how to love my city the way that Jesus does. The chaos occurred on Saturday night, so I had a few hours before Sunday church service to mobilize our congregation. Through social media, I spread the word: “Parklawn, we’re having service. We’re going to walk to the riot area and start cleaning up.”
The surge taught me to obey God even when I am afraid. That Sunday morning, we marched into the burned-out neighborhood, shoulder to shoulder, black and white. Yes, we were afraid. God didn’t take away our fear, but He gave us grace, and we did it scared.
The surge taught me that Christians leaders are being called upon to either lead, follow or get out of the way. The Church cannot remain hidden in the four walls of the church building. Our relevancy is in question. We must lead and serve from the seats to the streets.
The surge taught me to be consistent and put down roots. In Jeremiah 29, God calls the Israelites to put down roots in the land of their captivity — to build houses, plant gardens, marry and have children and grandchildren. Though Babylon wasn’t their ideal zip code, God said to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city” and “pray to the Lord for it”. We have continued to show up week after week in the area where the riots and shooting occurred.
Roots speak about consistency and permanence. What is your perspective about where you are called to serve? Buried or planted? God didn’t bury you in your community; He planted you there for His glory.