The Holy Boldness National Urban Ministry Plan was developed by more than 1000 United Methodists representing urban, suburban and rural communities, congregations as well as annual conferences and national leadership. The Plan sets forth a vision, goal areas and outcomes to organize and resource congregations and church-based community organizations for transforming urban congregations and communities through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is a grass-roots movement that will empower congregations and church-based organizations to develop local strategies for urban ministry. The objective is not to create new national structures or priorities, but work within present structures and existing resources to leverage new opportunities for urban ministry.
Therefore, be it resolved that The United Methodist Church:
Commend the ministry of urban churches and church-based organizations that share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through prophetic vision and proclaiming God's Word.
Urge congregations and church-based organizations to become covenanting sponsors of the Holy Boldness Urban Ministry Plan and work toward developing and carrying out local strategies that address Holy Boldness goal areas: contextual urban theology, urban evangelism, leadership development, community economic development, eradication of racism, strengthening multi cultural collaboration, health and healing.
Mandate the General Church agencies' staff having responsibility for urban concerns and/or the General Secretary's designee(s) from Religion and Race, Discipleship, Global Ministries, Communications, Higher Education and Ministry, Council on Ministries, and Church and Society, and a representative from the Council of Bishops to work together to develop collaborative agency strategies for resourcing as well as review existing resources which may be channeled for the Holy Boldness Urban Ministry Plan.
Charge the designated representative staff of the previously mentioned General Church agencies to work with the National Urban Strategy Council to report to the 2000 General Conference on the effectiveness of the Holy Boldness Urban Ministry Plan's ability to: 1) organize and mobilize congregations and church-based organizations to accomplish local church and community transformation, and 2) evaluate how well the General Church agencies collaborated to resource and enable the Plan to be carried out in local urban contexts.
Affirm the Holy Boldness effort and Plan (attached) as a movement and plan for United Methodist urban ministry.
Holy Boldness: a National Urban Ministry Plan
Change is inevitable but transformation is optional. As The United Methodist Church, we have the opportunity to transform urban churches and communities with holy boldness. The Holy Boldness Plan is not a perfect plan but a dynamic tool for organizing and mobilizing people for urban transformation. It recognizes that there are regional and local differences and invites churches and church-based community organizations to develop local strategies to carry out the goals.
The material in the Urban Ministry Plan was identified by the more than 650 participants at the 1995 National Urban Ministry Convocation. The material developed by the participants over a three-day period was further refined through more than 50 focus groups across the country. The goal of the process and Plan is to provide a vision for the future, identify areas of focus, and organize and mobilize resources and people to carry out the Plan. Ultimately, the plan will be effective if local churches and church-related community organizations and agencies develop strategies and carry out the agreed- upon goals. It is also critical for the whole church (congregations in and outside urban areas, annual conferences, and General Church agencies) to work in collaboration to support those working locally to transform urban congregations and communities.
Goal Areas
The goal areas identified for this plan were determined through a national survey of laity, pastors, church-related community organization staff, conference staff, and bishops. The plan does not claim to meet every urban church and community need, but it is a first step toward organizing and mobilizing United Methodists to work locally on goals for church and community transformation. The goal areas are:
1. Urban theology
2. Evangelism and congregational development
3. Eradication of racism
4. Strengthening of multi-cultural relationships
5. Leadership development
6. Community economic development
7. Health and healing
Asset Based
While there are serious urban problems inside and outside the church, transformation is possible through the resources and strengths of the church and community. The Holy Boldness Plan calls for churches and communities to identify their assets and build on these assets as people are mobilized for transformation. Some of the assets identified by the 650 planners who helped to prepare this document are:
1. God's transforming power through Jesus Christ
2. The local church and church-based community organizations
3. The people of our churches and cities who represent a wide variety of racial and ethnic traditions and have the talents for transformation
4. United Methodist general agencies and schools
5. Ecumenical and inter-faith partners
Congregation Based
As a church we are blessed with congregations, church-related community organizations, and institutions that seek to transform urban communities. All are important to the life of urban communities and will be challenged to work toward the goals of the Urban Plan. The Plan calls for a significant focus on local urban congregations which, because they are strategically located, have the opportunity to share God's love in word and deed and are in need of development. If the Church is to transform communities, the local church is critical.
Collaborative Effort
Urban transformation will require a collaborative effort by local churches working in cooperation with other denominations, community organizations, businesses, and governmental institutions. Collaboration will need to occur beyond city limits by collaborating with rural churches which share similar problems and suburban churches which have committed volunteers and resources and relational roots in urban neighborhoods, all of which strengthen ministry.
Collaboration will also need to occur at the national level. General Church agencies will need to work together to identify common strategies that they can mutually accomplish. The national strategies should link with local strategies and needs. National collaboration must also involve other ecumenical and inter-faith bodies and national urban resources.
Covenant Inspired
The Urban Plan invites people, churches, church-based community organizations and church agencies to covenant to work toward the established goals. Churches and organizations will review the Plan and make a commitment to work toward the goals in their setting. Covenanting churches and groups will become part of a nation-wide network for support, idea development, and resourcing. Three thousand churches and church-related organizations/agencies will be invited to covenant to work toward the Plan's goals.
Local Strategies
This Plan does not identify how the goals will be implemented. It is believed that strategies and action plans for these goals are best developed at the local level and by others who commit to carry out the strategies.
Holy Boldness
Churches and church-related community organizations are encouraged to take authority and responsibility in being bold and holy to accomplish the Urban Ministry Plan goals. This will require local strategies and local ownership. With God's help, transformation of urban congregations and communities is possible.
United Methodist Urban Ministry Vision
We will become a church that practices "holy boldness" in urban areas as evidenced by the church:
1. Risking all we have to share God's transforming love as experienced through Jesus Christ in both word and deed
2. Ministering with and among the poor
3. Transforming and developing urban congregations
4. Celebrating and honoring diversity within the congregation, church-related organizations, agencies and the community
5. Living and proclaiming God's justice and equality in every situation without fear of being isolated and ridiculed
6. Being an agent for healing in the midst of broken lives and communities
7. Effectively developing the spiritual, social and physical well-being of individuals and communities
Goals
Urban Theology
1. Teach within churches and church-related organizations, and be a living example in the community that urban ministry is based in the person, ministry, and stories of Jesus Christ, who provided an example of meeting the physical needs of others and proclaiming the saving power of God.
2. Develop an urban academy with a strong urban theology component, as well as practical components for carrying out theology in the world through community development, eliminating racism, developing multi-cultural collaboration, urban evangelism, and leadership development.
3. Encourage congregations to model a theology that serves all people and focuses on the poor and marginalized.
Urban Theology Outcomes Anticipated by the Year 2000
1. An urban theology academy will train and re-train 400 people for urban ministry who will resource other churches for urban ministry.
2. Fifty United Methodist and congregations from other denominations who effectively minister to the poor and marginalized will be identified as models for other urban churches.
3. Seventy congregations (at least one in each annual conference) will covenant to focus their ministry with the poor and marginalized and incorporate the worshiping congregation.
4. A video and discussion guide will be produced and utilized in 500 urban churches to help congregations explore and begin to identify God's vision for their church and community.
5. Three thousand churches will covenant to base their ministry in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ and develop ministries that respond to urban spiritual, physical and social needs.
Urban Evangelism and Congregational Development
1. Develop the necessary support and systems to enable longer pastoral appointments.
2. Design resources and training to help congregations communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ effectively in a diverse and changing urban environment.
3. Use existing resources and develop new resources for urban congregational Bible study to deepen people's faith and challenge them to live the Gospel.
4. Develop a prayer network that links churches in partnerships (this can include urban churches with other urban or rural or suburban churches).
5. Increase the number of worshipers in urban congregations through evangelism and outreach to the neighborhood in which the church is located and other community networks.
Urban Evangelism and Congregational Development Outcomes Anticipated by the Year 2000
1. A printed resource will be developed to assist bishops/district superintendents with ideas for supporting urban pastors.
2. Fifty bishops/district superintendents will covenant to use the resource with urban pastors.
3. Five hundred urban congregations will covenant to explore and identify strategies for urban evangelism and congregational development.
4. One thousand congregations and church-based community organizations will develop at least one new Bible study that will disciple people in the faith and strengthen people to work in the community.
5. Five hundred congregations will be linked in a prayer network.
6. The development of a voluntary clergy salary equalization program will be explored.
Eradicating Racism and Other Forms of Oppression
1. Organize a local and national support system for those willing to risk pursuing the vision and agenda of eliminating racism.
2. Highlight model programs that are challenging and working toward eradicating racism and other forms of oppression in the congregation and the community so that other congregations can develop similar efforts.
3. Be sensitive to racism in all urban training experiences.
Eradicating Racism Outcomes Anticipated by the Year 2000
1. Identify and link 500 people and churches/organizations.
2. Identify and produce a resource guide on 20 effective models that challenge racism in churches and communities and use the resource in 200 churches.
3. Design a resource that will help address racism in urban training sessions and distribute to 400 urban trainers.
Developing and Strengthening Multi-cultural Collaboration
1. Develop the resources for, and encourage congregations to participate in, cultural immersion and cross-cultural experiences.
2. Design new and use existing church resources for the arts, music, worship, and Bible study which model, encourage, and strengthen multi-culturalism.
Developing and Strengthening Multi-cultural Collaboration Outcomes Anticipated by the Year 2000
1. Identify/develop ten (10) models and supporting resources for ministry in cross cultural experiences. At least two of the models will be youth focused. The models and supporting resources will be utilized in 200 churches.
2. Solicit 1000 churches to participate in cross-cultural experiences.
3. Invite the 1000 covenanting churches to commit to an intentional program that broadens multi-cultural understanding and enables congregations to collaborate multi-culturally.
Leadership Development
1. Extend the Hispanic Plan model of lay missioner for urban leadership.
2.Empower laity and clergy for ministry and mission by freeing them from unnecessary bureaucracy within the church.
3. Assertively train lay and clergy leadership for urban ministry, including advocating and effecting change in public and private life.
4. Intentionally recruit more clergy and laity for urban ministry and offer them opportunities to be involved in "hands-on" experiences.
Leadership Development Outcomes Anticipated by the Year 2000
1. Adapt the lay missioner model for use in 200 urban situations.
2. Identify 300 churches who will analyze their structures for unnecessary bureaucracy and develop methods for freedom for urban mission and ministry.
3.Conduct ten (10) regional and two (2) national opportunities for training in urban ministry.
4. Identify and work with 100 sites where children and youth can be introduced to urban ministry.
Community Economic Development
1. Create a national United Methodist community development loan fund that helps United Methodist congregations and individuals invest money for community development through churches.
2. Continue and further develop the Communities of Shalom Initiative as a wholistic strategy for developing communities and strengthening congregations.
3. Provide training and technical assistance to help churches engage in systemic change and community economic development by
working with an existing community development corporation or starting a community development corporation when necessary.
4. Assist churches in learning how they can raise additional dollars for community development from sources outside the church.
5. Assist congregations in utilizing their buildings for community economic development and outreach.
Community Economic Development Outcomes Anticipated by the Year 2000
1. Establish a United Methodist Community Economic Development Loan Fund which will have a $50 million revolving loan fund.
2. Establish 300 Communities of Shalom as a strategy for developing communities and strengthening congregations.
3. Identify training and technical assistance models to help 500 churches engage in systemic change and community development.
4. Identify 25 financial consultants to assist the five (5) jurisdictions in training to raise money and package resources to develop communities and strengthen local congregations.
5. Identify 20 models that exemplify how churches have creatively utilized their church buildings to be in expanded and extended ministry for community economic development.
Wholeness, Healing and Health
1. Increase the understanding of how people are marginalized, and what can be done to develop wholeness, healing and health.
2. Assist congregations in developing a comprehensive understanding of how they can be healing agents in their neighborhoods, and bring about a healthy community.
3. Challenge congregations and agencies to develop ways to improve the spiritual, social and physical well being of individuals and communities.
4. Communicate through the Holy Boldness network, models of ministry with the homeless, the hungry, people that are HIV positive, physically and mentally ill individuals, victims of violence, and people with addictions.
5. Publicize successful models where spiritual development by congregations and/or community organizations has brought about wholeness, healing, and health in urban settings.
Wholeness, Healing and Health Outcomes Anticipated by the Year 2000
1. Identify 40 models that demonstrate the spiritual as well as the social aspects in developing wholeness, healing and health.
2. Provide technical assistance to 100 congregations and agencies that are seeking to develop effective social ministries.
3. Establish a national network for United Methodist churches addressing key health and healing concerns.
4. Identify 40 models of collaboration through which barriers to mission and ministry have been removed.
Immediate Actions
1. Establish a telephone technical assistance program by using experienced volunteer urban ministry practitioners from around the country.
2. Publish a newsletter listing urban ministry resources and accomplishments toward the established goals.
3. Develop an urban covenant that can be used by covenanting churches and organizations.
4. Hold a November 6-9, 1997, Urban Ministry Convocation in the Western Jurisdiction.
5. Publish an occasional journal on urban ministry issues.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
Petition Text: 21362-GM-NonDis-O
1996 United Methodist General Conference