Seeing Jesus in East Harlem
What Happens When Churches Show Up and Stay Put
by José Humphreys
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Pub Date Oct 09 2018 | Archive Date Dec 14 2018
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Description
IVP Readers' Choice Award
We are all located in different places. And the way we grow as disciples and lead others in spiritual growth depends on our contexts.
Pastor José Humphreys recognizes how deeply our faith is tied to our particular stories in our particular places. Grounded in his own deep faith and wisdom, he writes out of his experiences as a Puerto Rican pastor who has planted a multiethnic church in East Harlem. In this book, he offers a framework to help church leaders take discipleship seriously in their places, calling them to show up, stay put, and see what God is doing in their midst. Combining spiritual formation with activism, vivid narrative with exhortation, and realism with hopefulness, Humphreys offers pastors and church planters a thoughtful look at discipleship in a complex world.
Advance Praise
"Attention all hipster pastors who want to reshape the church and world in your image—you do not want this book, but you really need this book. Pastor José Humphreys offers an authentic narrative not based on an unrealistic, romanticized view of urban church life (centered on coffee shops and organic grocery stores). This text provides a biblically and theologically robust vision of an embodied church that should provide a guidepost for the next generation of churches."
-Soong-Chan Rah, Milton B. Engebretson Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism, author of The Next Evangelicalism and Prophetic Lament
"José Humphreys's new book, Seeing Jesus in East Harlem, is an important contribution to the church at this particular time in our nation's history. With the continual growth of poor residents in our large cities, it is a necessity to be equipped with a contextual theology that speaks to the needs of people's hearts and to the social realities in places like East Harlem and beyond. Thank you José for sharing your wisdom, your challenges, and your love for Jesus in East Harlem."
-Noel Castellanos, president of CCDA
"I believe we need a creative new generation of pastors and church planters today not just so we will have more churches but also so that we will have new kinds of churches—just as suited to our contexts as churches of the past were to theirs. Seeing Jesus in East Harlem is the story of one such church being birthed in the dynamic environment of East Harlem. You will meet a brilliant pastor, theologian, and writer José Humphreys, and you will be challenged to see your own congregation and context in a new light."
-Brian D. McLaren, author of The Great Spiritual Migration
"Prophetic urban pastor José Humphreys offers a gift to pastors and churches with a welcomed book on potential ways to engage ministry in an urban context. His book Seeing Jesus in East Harlem: What Happens When Churches Show Up and Stay Put offers Pastor Humphrey's reflections on urban ministries. This critical and thoughtful book is also helpful for those doing ministry beyond the context of the city. I highly recommend it for anyone dealing with the challenges of germane ministry."
-Samuel Cruz, associate professor of religion and society at Union Theological Seminary, senior pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
"Sustainable embodied ministry requires practice and presence. Humphreys provides theological depth, pastoral wisdom, and practical tools that are deeply needed for communities seeking to be the church and not simply inhabiting a church building. This generation of church leaders needs to honestly ask if they are ready to reimagine how to live into a public and prophetic witness under the overwhelming realities of racial injustice, gentrification, and apathy toward the church. This story is one of honesty and hope."
-Sandra Maria Van Opstal, pastor, activist, author of The Next Worship
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780830841493 |
| PRICE | $18.99 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Michelle K, Reviewer
Seeing Jesus in East Harlem What Happens When Churches Show Up and Stay Put by José Humphreys InterVarsity Press Christian , Religion & Spirituality Pub Date 09 Oct 2018 I am reviewing a copy of Seeing Jeaus in East Harlem through Intervarsity Press and Netgalley: We all come from different places, and some of us come from many places, but often where we come from can be reflected in our walk. Our faith has its own stories, stories that are uniquely ours. In this book Pastor Jose Humphrey’s reminds us how our faith is deeply tied to our stories in our places. I give Seeing Jesus in East Harlem five out of five stars! Happy Reading!
Christina T, Reviewer
"Racial reconciliation" is a term that I have only really heard since moving South, actually, really since coming to the church that I attend here. I know someone that is from the Spanish Harlem in NYC. I am interested in learning how to love people within the inner city well--before I moved South I attended church in Kensington, Philly... and while it was insanely difficult to break in (people told me that I wouldn't be accepted there because I was a white girl and I smiled too much) when I left I felt like I was leaving my family.
These are all reasons that I asked for a reviewer's copy of this title.
There are a lot of things I really, really appreciate about this book. I appreciate how Humphreys created a safe space for people of diverse backgrounds (ethnic and religious) to come together and ask each other questions and share their stories. I really appreciated the model he presented of making it a space for awkwardness to be brought out--sometimes it feels like we have made it so impossible for people to ask questions without causing offense. So sometimes it feels safer to sit in ignorance than to risk asking the questions that could offend others. During my time at Urban Hope, the church in Kensington, I was continually humbled. I ran into brick walls and open arms through my questions and interactions. People that I was afraid to approach... well, I would challenge myself to step into their space and try to hear their stories. From that I became so close with people that even after 5 years I still want to go back.
This book breaks down the model of showing up, staying put, and seeing for a church community.
Guys, I don't really know how to properly review this title because so much was covered.
Instead, I'm going to write some of the ideas that I am thinking about now after finishing. If you want to know more... I would say ask me.... but how about you read the book for yourself? ;]
1. Creating safe spaces for communication (this isn't from the book but is related to this, "You can't hate someone once you've heard their story."-- that is why I agree that a safe space like Humphreys tried to create is important and necessary.)
2. Churches needing to stay in their communities and being a part of their communities, getting to know the small businesses that surround the area.
3. How whiteness has effected the evangelical church. (This is something that I've been thinking about not just in racial terms but also how being "American" affects Christianity and how we live out what God called us to be.)
4. Okay, making this list isn't really even working..... This is an really good resource. I don't think that it should only be pigeon holed for inner city ministries but used for others to adjust their ministry models for reaching out and building community in the community and amongst the community of believers.
I received a complimentary copy of this title in exchange for my unbiased review.
Reviewer 496412
What a book! In a world where racial diversity and racial tension are still alive and well, it was so refreshing to read about a place and time when people came together as people, and were able to get past the color of skin and truly succeed. It warms my heart to know that places like this exist in America.
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