Psalm 127 & strategy for working in cities

It's been a few days since I've blogged here. Last Friday I met with a group from Dallas who is considering working in Europe. On Wednesday I met with a couple w/ 2 children who will soon be moving to Paris to be involved in ch-planting. I've had a chance to share some of the principles & lessons that we've learned.

Over 19 years of living overseas & working in ministry have taught me that there is no simple formula for starting churches. Through one book I was reading yesterday, I realized that my whole mindset has been permeated by the ch-growth movement. In a nutshell, by trying to create the right atmosphere & using the right strategies that appeal to people & make them feel good, we're trying to win them to the Lord & become His followers & create & build up communities of Christ followers.

Certainly these are good intentions. Some places, like the Chicago suburbs, the Atlanta suburbs, & Dallas/Ft Worth region seem like ripe places to start churches. WillowCreek & Gateway Church are places that I've been able to see firsthand and be overwhelmed by the size of the buildings & number of ministries.

However, one question I have is why aren't there similar megachurches in Paris? Or are them some that I'm not aware of? We visited one larger church in our neighborhood 1-2 years ago. However, it seemed like no one from our neighborhood went there. While it was a French church, the majority of the people there were from African & Antillian backgrounds. Why aren't churches like HillSong Paris impacting the people in our neighborhood & whom we talk to everyday? It doesn't seem like a gifted speaker has the same drawing power as it does in the U.S., where people like Bill Hybels, Andy Stanley, Robert Morris, and Tim Keller connect with many people who are outside the church.

Yesterday I was struck while reading through some of the Ascent Psalms. Psalm 127 stood out to me as good to reflect upon when considering ministry in Paris.

Unless the LORD builds a house,
the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the LORD protects a city,
guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones.

Children are a gift from the LORD;
they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man
are like arrows in a warrior's hands.
How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!
He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.

One point that struck me was that any success is ultimately from God. He's the One that builds the house, guards the city, and gives food & rest to His loved ones. Hard work is encouraged & laziness is discouraged in the Scriptures. However, times of rest & a dependency on God are principles through the Bible.

I've seen lots of people come to Paris with good intentions, a history of successful ministry, and a strategy that God has used to bring fruit in previous situations. However, they have often left discouraged and without seeing much fruit. Why do some things work elsewhere and at other times, but not in the last 20 years in Paris? Good question.

I do think that verses 3-5 about children are a principle for potential impact in a city. Children are a gift of God. While the sexual act between a man and a woman are the standard way that children are created (small "c"), God does close and open the womb in order to be able to conceive.

God has blessed my wife & I with 3 living children, as well as a daughter born stillborn & who went directly to be with Jesus in heaven. All 4 of our kids have had an impact on our ministry in Paris. I think that family is generally the most natural unit that God has created. It's been around since Adam & Eve. Kids provide a natural world of contacts that generally aren't there otherwise.

This is not at all a criticism of singles and the state of singleness. The Apostle Paul cited how singleness allows one to be completely focused on the ministry, without being divided between family concerns & "ministry." I lived this for a number of years in Paris. For 4 years, I could come & go freely at any hour without having to explain it to a wife.

However, in terms of natural connections with people, our kids have provided the greatest number of opportunities that I've ever had. For friendships with outsiders, kids in public school provide the maximum number of opportunities, especially if one is missional in going through the daily life routine of school drop offs & pick ups. If one focuses in raising kids well & reaching out to their friends & their families, there is a potential for a busy ministry as a family without adding anything else.

We do other things ministry wise besides neighborhood stuff. But the daily conversations that come through living missionally in our neighborhood color all our other ministries with artists, helping new arrivals, & providing short-term opportunities.