Urban Resurrection-Miami
The West Grove Team
Laurie Cook, Eyerusalem, Tizita, Erika, Isaac, & Michael Philip
Missionaries: Erika & Michael Philip, Laurie Cook
Link to website: Urban Resurrection Website
Link to blog: Erika & Michael's Blog
Give to Urban Resurrection
To transform communities through asset based Urban Resurrection.
To identify and eradicate the roots of socioeconomic decay by wholistically meeting the spiritual and physical needs of a community.
To empower and collaborate with local leaders and organizations in developing their assets for the benefit of the community.
To develop and strengthen teams of Christian workers in a variety of fields so that they can reproduce the model of Christian community development within their neighborhoods and other locations.
To mobilize local churches and individuals to fulfill the Great Command/Commission mandate.
To aid fellow workers around the globe in their community development efforts via short and mid term trips.
To grow and equip our core team in unity, focus and effectiveness.
To reach the growing number of internationals in the world’s mega-cities with the full Gospel of Jesus Christ.
1. Establish overall vision - We are continuously working to clarify the vision that we believe God has laid on our hearts as we develop our core beliefs and values. This includes striving to grow in understanding our roles in fulfilling the Great Command/Commission.
2. Choose Location - We have chosen Miami, a city with a diverse ethnic/racial make up with an acute need for Christian community development. We have chosen a neighborhood within Miami, West Coconut Grove, and have established a base from which to grow our team and to influence multiple cultures for Christ. We have done this by creating Discipleship houses in the neighborhood. (See "Discipleship Houses" under "Programmatic Components'').
3. Relocation - Our team has moved into the West Coconut Grove in order to establish contacts, gather information, build essential relationships and study the neighborhood itself. This includes researching potential partnerships with local churches, other ministries and organizations.
4. Become Church-Based - In order for community development to be most effective a church within the neighborhood must anchor it. We have researched and/or visited all of the churches in our community and focused in on those that have any potential for partnership. We see an extreme need for a church that is both relevant and strong in teaching the Word. At this time we are partnering with other Miami churches that are supporting our efforts.
5. Evaluate Community Assets- As we establish relationships within the community we will evaluate the assets based on observations, experiences, ad input from neighbors. We will then help the community to develop these assets in order to meet the needs prevalent in the neighborhood.
6. Redistribution - As we continue to establish the assets of the community we will proceed to help the community members fulfill their own needs through resources available to them. We will supplement these resources with minimal outside assistance in order to maintain their dignity and to help them grow in their own abilities and skills. This will allow the community to "own" the transformation and minimize the dependence on outside sources.
7. Establish Regional Bases of Operation - Once the model is working and the team is well established we will multiply our efforts by establishing new bases of operation in strategic mega cities world wide by region.
In order for this vision to happen it will mean a great deal of cooperation and flexibility on the part of all parties involved. Living and working in community is messy and hard but it is what we are called to as believers. It will mean giving up individual rights in order to serve your brother or sister and to strengthen the community. We believe that Christian Community Development is the best way for us to reach whole communities for Christ and to bring full transformation to areas that would otherwise be left to decay and spiritual blindness. We also believe this style of ministry to fit well with our personal gifting and that of the other team members to be involved. The fight against spiritual bondage, poverty and all that accompanies it will be greatly enhanced when communities are guided into realizing their own potential and need and then helping them to fulfill them. We also feel that the eventual repercussions of such transformation and training will result in the reaching of other cultures and people groups by others of their own ethnic and racial make up. It is exciting to think that eventually whole communities could be transformed by the Gospel and that this transformation will spread beyond those boundaries. Our desire is to bring glory and honor to our Lord and Savior through the unity of His Body.
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