NYC

This is the 2-day mark of my adventures in the Big Apple. If you don't already know, I'll be here all month as part of MTW's Pre-Field Training in which we learn more about engaging a city with the love of God, contextualizing the Gospel, church planting, cultural assimilation, and language acquisition.

Almost every person I talked to before my plane ride up told me the same thing--"I love New York!" I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from the Big Apple. I am pleased to report that after roughly 4 hours in the city--that's 1 taxi ride through Queens to Harlem to Manhattan, 1 fresh sushi meal of california and eel roles, 1 "sippy-cup" sized cup of Starbucks coffee, and approximately 30 minutes spent walking the streets of upper Manhattan--I declared boldly, "I love this city!" I know folks, that was quick. Maybe I'm rushing the relationship. But hey, I've heard a lot of positive stories of people jumping right into things and it working out fine. Let's just say that I now believe in love at first site. Perhaps my first Pre-Field Journal (we're supposed to write an entry a day) will enlighten you on my seduction by this city:

A few days before leaving for New York, my mom shared a quote with me that she read in the latest edition of The Network (MTW’s magazine). The quote was from Tim Keller in which he said something to the effect that global cities have more in common with each other than within small towns within their own nations. I had never heard anyone express that idea before, and it struck me as ideologically true.

After two days in NYC, I have had countless confirmations of the truth of Keller’s quote. The ethnic diversity and internationally-charged atmosphere spark memories of large international cities I have traveled to such as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Caracas, Venezuela, and Mexico City, Mexico. On every street corner I have found affirmation that globalization is not just an economic or political subject—it is alive and breathing here in the streets of New York City. A common thought when walking out of a building is, “Wow, this looks so much like Latin America. I can’t believe this is how New York City feels.” Perhaps in order to fit my mind around the NYC experience, I liken it to an infinitely more diverse Mexico City. Here are a few reasons why: Public transportation is the norm. Life does not restrict itself to the insides of buildings, but the streets abound with activity. Buildings (at least in Queens and upper Manhattan) are older and many are dilapidated. If you want groceries, you go to the local corner grocery, not Wal-Mart. Local businesses abound. Street vendors are not uncommon. Ethnicity is a point of great pride. Personal expression is seen as a key component of freedom. Strange smells linger in random spots on the street.

What I would describe as warmth which resonates from diversity excites me for ministry and learning how to love all of these different people groups. I am encouraged by MTW’s approach to learn how to contextualize the gospel without sacrificing our theology. Adversely, I am discouraged by Union Theological Seminary’s apparent approach of pluralistic faux-acceptance of all in an attempt to avoid conflict and simply “tolerate” everyone. I am thankful that the Lord has revealed to me that this is a very shallow means to acceptance in which we strive at the very most to avoid judging people. This leads to neutered love in which we have nothing but our own will-power to conjure up the goodness to accept people. But praise be to God that in the Gospel, Christ not only demands that we love our neighbors, but he enables us to do just that. Just as our sin was far worse than we ever thought, and just as Christ was far kinder to us than we ever imagined, we see that our neighbors are in need of this very same medicine. Oh that our sinful hearts would yield to goodness and have ever-present on our minds both our neighbors’ need for the Gospel and our own. Surely then we would live in shalom. Surely then we would live in the kingdom come.