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Dr. Del Tackett is the author, architect and teacher for Focus on the Family's The Truth Project, a nationwide initiative designed to bring the Christian worldview to the body of Christ.

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Desire Street Ministries…Doing it Right

Posted on September 24, 2009
Filed Under Community, Personal |

One of the social institutions that God has ordained is what I refer to as the sphere of Community. Nothing sacred about the name, but I am convinced it is the primary means by which the needy are to be cared for. It is not the duty of the state, nor the duty of the institutional church, but it is the individual responsibility that each of us bears…requiring personal involvement. The tendency in our culture is to believe that the state holds the primary responsibility to care for the needy. The Scriptures do not support that. They prescribe personal involvement…something that a culture so caught up in finding more time for leisure, recreation and personal enjoyment…doesn’t desire to do.

But our personal involvement in caring for the needy could well be one of our most effective means of witnessing to the world.

Jesus said: “Let your light so shine before men in such a way that they may see your GOOD WORKS and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

When we abdicate this responsibility to the state, it isn’t our Father who gets the glory, it is the king.

Now, sometimes we can be more effective when we band together with other individuals to carry out that personal responsibility. There are many wonderful examples of this, but I recently had the privilege of seeing this in action through Desire Street Ministries in New Orleans.

In 1990, Mo and Ellen Leverett got personally involved. They moved into the Upper Ninth Ward of New Orleans—a neighborhood built upon an old garbage dump. It was known as one of the worst areas in the nation for crime, drugs and poverty. But Mo and Ellen had a calling to make a difference in the lives of people who had little to no hope. Most of the young men there were destined to either die violently in the streets or waste away in prison, so they began to pour themselves into changing that. After 16 years of faithful labor, the work was picked up by former Heisman Trophy winner, Danny Wuerffel. The effort runs under the banner of Desire Street Ministries, but it consists of personally involved folks…people who live in the neighborhood and become good neighbors to those in need.

DSM wants to reform the neighborhoods into something that they believe Christ would be pleased with…healthy families, well-kept homes, clean streets…a safe and happy place to live. They conduct after-school tutoring and sports programs, adult outreaches and partnering efforts with a lot of involved folks…from physicians to volunteer Tulane University students. DSM has also founded a community development corporation to restore and build affordable housing…much needed after the devastating effects of Katrina.

One of the highlights of my trip was to visit St. Roch Community Church—a new church-plant by DSM in the difficult Ninth Ward of New Orleans. I immediately came to love the pastor, J. B. Watkins. He is leading a growing congregation in understanding God’s call in all of life and His desire to redeem their neighborhood as well.

This was an emotional trip for me. There was much to see that was difficult to look upon. There were stories that broke my heart. But the thing that grabbed me more than anything was a little poster hanging on the wall of the gymnasium in Desire Street Academy. It represented the eight young men that comprised the graduating class this year. Eight young men who most likely would have been eaten alive by the drugs and crime and hopelessness of their neighborhood. Now, the tears ran down my face as I read their names, each written on a poster that said: “I am going to college!”

You have never met a mere mortal!

Comments

2 Responses to “Desire Street Ministries…Doing it Right”

  1. Trey on September 24th, 2009 3:55 pm

    I have had this idea for awhile, and the blog post reminded me of it. Each congregation should get out a county map, one of those big jobs that take up a wall because they are printed on such a small scale to fit in all the detail.

    Then you make a circle one mile away from the building the congregation meets in. The first goal is to minister to everyone in that circle. I guess in a urban area, you might start with 200 yards away from the congregation, but you get the idea. The believers meet and greet every house in the designated area, introduce their congregation, ask for prayer requests, and offer to help with any heavy lifting, yard work, simple renovation, or other help that might be needed. You share Christ through loving work.

    Then you draw another circle out a little further and do the same thing again. And again.

    It would be a model for local ministry that would show the relevence of love in action, of charity, and good works. Well, that is my idea anyway!

    What do you guys and gals think?

    Trey

  2. RW on October 29th, 2009 8:42 pm

    Anyone who knows the inside story of DSM knows that it is a ministry that is a shell of its former self. The founder was forced out. The school closes down. The indigeous leadership let go. Strained relationships with the community. Headquaters moved to ATL. Its really sad.

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