Somali immigrants, baseball, and early Christian urban mission

This title sums up nicely my next few days. Tomorrow, I am on my way to Scottsdale, AZ to take part in a conference called "Reset: Mission in the Context of Deep Change," a meeting co-sponsored by The Mission Exchange, CrossGlobal Link, and the Evangelical Missiological Society. As part of the EMS program, which is focused on the theme of urban mission, I will be presenting a paper entitled, "Basil of Caesarea: An Early Christian Model of Urban Mission." My hope and prayer is that interacting with this historic case study will stimulate our thinking for urban missions today. In the abstract, I write:

"The hungry are dying. . . . The naked are stiff with cold. The man in debt is held by the throat." This is how Bishop Basil (329-379) described his city Caesarea of Cappadocia in the late fourth-century, especially amid a lingering famine that plagued his region. As the twenty-first century church ministering in the world's cities continues to deal with problems such as hunger, usury, corruption, unemployment, displaced peoples, and even slavery, it seems useful to consider some models of urban mission from the church's past. In this paper, I will explore the approach to urban ministry by the well-known church father Basil who is remembered mostly for his contributions to fourth-century Trinitarian theology. Following a brief survey of his life and call to ministry and the context in which he ministered, I will discuss his practical strategies and theology of mission regarding ministry in the city. In conclusion, I will begin a reflective conversation between Basil and modern practitioners on ministering in urban contexts.

Before the conference, I look forward to spending the day with a former student who is serving the Lord among Somali immigrants in the Phoenix area and then we'll catch the last home game of the playoff bound Arizona Diamondbacks. Mission, reflection, fellowship and surely coffee await.