Lesson 2: Big picture, God’s heart for humanity at 50,000 feet

Lessons 3-4: Landing and getting oriented on the ground as followers of Jesus. Lessons 5-16: Walking through the weeds together as we build friendships on the heart of God.

Lesson 1: Hearing God’s heart through a personal journey of transformation

Lesson 2“The Friend Who Values Humanity”

Building on the Heart of God Sunday School Series

Taught by Brian Martin February 8 & 15, 2015

friendships

Pruitt-Igoe: St. Louis, MI• State of the art design.• The world’s best science, architect, behavioral research,

sociology, and psychology was invested into the design. • 2,780 apartments in 33 buildings, 11 stories each on a 57

acre tract, potentially housing 15,000+ persons.• Completed in 1954. Won numerous national awards. • Low occupancy rate, never above 60%• Largely abandoned by late 60’s, by 1971 housed only 600

residents. • First demo in 1972. Totally razed in 1976.

“We must rebuild, open up and clean up the hearts of our cities. The fact that slums were created with all the intrinsic evils was everybody’s fault. Now it is everybody’s responsibility to repair the damage.”

Joseph Darst, Mayor 1951

Pruitt-Igoe Today

What went wrong?

What went wrong?“Pruitt-Igoe came about with the most noblest of attempts. The truth is, we can often fool ourselves as was revealed over time, people were not the focus of this project.”

The Value of Humanity: Personal self-awareness, how do you lean?

People as people vs People as projects Being vs Doing Journey vs JudgmentListening to story vs Listening to hear-say Burdened vs BotheredBlessing vs Cursing Friend to be loved vs Project to be fixedGiving time to people vs People taking your timeThis could be my story vs Their story is messed up

“Who is my neighbor?”

“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“The one who had mercy on him.”

What does this parable reveal about God’s character as observed in Genesis 1?

Why does Jesus tell this story?

Church participation in 17557 zip code

Credit: Pastor Rob Stippich

Church participation in 17557 zip code

Credit: Pastor Rob Stippich

Church participation in 17557 zip code68% of the 17557 zip code is “non-church attending”

Credit: Pastor Rob Stippich

Self-awareness: what stirs within you?• A person you never met before shows up in your Sunday school class,

your first instinct is to…• Two new families moved into your neighborhood; one named

Zimmerman and one named Belinski. Your first visit is to…• After church, as you walk towards your circle of friends, you notice a

person all alone, you immediately… • You are assigned four new work peers named: Rodriguez, Stoltzfus,

Weaver, and Valasamma. You immediately begin chatting with…• A MDS project seems more “missional” than helping at Power Packs,

BBY, Community Meal, Day Camp, VBS, or Fall Celebration because… • When you stop for coffee, the bearded cashier behind the counter

speaks with a heavy accent. You find yourself…