A Walk along the Hot Metal Bridge

So this blog really IS about missions in Mexico, but being here has exposed us to many different ways of doing ministry --- some Mexican, some American. So I absolutely must share with you my excitement about the newly-released book from one of the two pastors at the Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community in Pittsburgh. Aptly named because of its home near the Hot Metal Bridge and Hot Metal Bridge St., this church plant is a joint effort of the Presbyterian and United Methodist church in the Pittsburgh area.

Pastor Jim Walker's book, Dirty Word: The Vulgar, Offensive Languages of the Kingdom of God, chonicles the life of faith at Hot Metal Bridge and challenges us all to consider different ways of "doing church" and reminds of the "dirty" places and people with whom Jesus associated. It has just been released, so we don't have a copy yet, but you can better believe that we'll be getting one as soon as possible!

Here in Mexico, we worship in what would be equated with a garage. We have worshiped outside, on rooftops and in buildings that had so much construction going on that they looked like they were being demolished. The folks at Hot Metal Bridge used to worship in the basement of a tattoo parlor, then the Goodwill cafeteria, and are now worshiping in an old taco restaurant. We know in our heads that worship is about praising God, learning about God and glorifying God, and we often see the places that we worship as part of that. And yet, here in Mexico, there are 2 words...one for the building (el templo) and one for the body of people who worship there (la iglesia).

A faith community is indeed a body of people growing in faith and walking in faith together. Hot Metal dedicates itself to providing a safe place to come to know Jesus for those who would NEVER walk into a tradition church building. El templo itself causes them to walk the other way...unless el templo doesn't look like el templo at all! The model of Hot Metal is not for all congregations, but in many ways, it could be a model for implementation in nearly every community. Every town and city has those whose shame & guilt, whose loss of self-esteem, whose woundedness, and whose wandering away from the messages of Jesus cause them to consciously reject the church. They believe that they would never feel comfortable in el templo and that those inside would reject them. And yet, these are the very people that Jesus went out of his way to reach. They are the very people that Jesus thought deserved his attention the most. They were the people that Jesus was referring to when he said,

Matthew 9:12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.

Matthew 9:13 "But go and learn what this means: 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Luke 5:31 And Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.

Luke 5:32 "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (NASB ©1995)

Jesus said in Matthew 9:13...I desire compassion, and not sacrifice. Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community shows compassion and reaches out to embrace those who need the love of Jesus most of all. They show the difference between el templo and la iglesia in word and deed.

Do we?