123. Gentrification and Spiritual Leadership, with Mark Strong, author of Who Moved My Neighborhood

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Gentrification is a process by which a local group of residents are slowly pushed out by economic forces, making room for a new group of residents.  In his book, Who Moved My Neighborhood: Leading Congregations through Gentrification and Economic Change, Mark Strong helps local churches navigate that challenge of gentrification.  And in this episode, Mark unpacks, not only the effects of gentrification on local residents and churches, but also how to respond with resilience and grace in the face of such great change.


THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Mark Strong is the senior pastor of Life Change Church in Portland, Oregon, and the author of Who Moved My Neighborhood: Leading Congregations through Gentrification and Economic Change.
• Mark Strong shares the story of how he came to faith in the church of which he is now the pastor.
• The change of Mark’s neighborhood started very subtly.  They didn’t even notice it was happening at first.
• Gentrification is a process in which one homogeneous group of people who live in a particular area are slowly pushed out of their community by economic forces to make room for new groups of people.
• The process of gentrification stirs up feelings of powerlessness, anger, and disorientation among local residents.
• Mark Strong outlines a process that can help pastors and churches navigate the challenges of gentrification.
• For local residents, gentrification can feel like an experience of exile.
• It is important for the local church to learn to love their new neighbors.
• Mark Strong emphasizes the importance of developing a new vision for churches in gentrified communities.
• Mark shares some of the ways he and his congregation have adapted to their community’s gentrification.
• Mark discusses some of the ways race played into the experience of gentrification and the challenges they faced because of race and racism.

RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:

• Books Mentioned:
  • Who Moved My Neighborhood? by Mark Strong
  • Leading on Empty, by Wayne Cordeiro
• Mark Strong:
  • www.lifechangechurch.org 
  • www.drmarkestrong.org
• Related Episodes:
  • Episode 10: Meeting God in the Darkest Places, Sermon on Jonah 2:1-10
  • Episode 68: Public Policy, Stewardship, and the Kingdom of God, with Breon Wells
  • Episode 111: A Gospel for the Sinned-Against, with Phuc Luu, author of Jesus of the East
  • Episode 120: Forming Leadership Resilience, with Tod Bolsinger, Executive Director of the Church Leadership Institute

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