Ministry in the Big City
In 1979, Joe Walsh, former leader of the James Gang and current lead guitarist for the Eagles, released a song entitled “In the City”. The song serves as a yearning to leave the fast-paced, hard knock life of living in the big city. The first verse of the song goes,
“Somewhere out on that horizon
Out beyond the neon lights
I know there must be somethin’ better
But there’s nowhere else in sight
It’s survival in the city
When you live from day to day
City streets don’t have much pity
When you’re down, that’s where you’ll stay” (Walsh)
The words to this song echo the hearts and minds of many people who come to the big city with expectations of wealth and grandeur, only to be disappointed when life becomes more difficult than they imagine. Growing up on a small farm in Kentucky, many of my friends would talk about leaving our small town and moving to “bigger and grander” things (normally, Lexington or Louisville, Kentucky). While some of them were able to “escape” to big city lives, many who left inevitably returned to our small town after the reality of big city living hit.
As I was reading through CultureShock!, what caught my eye was the vast array of nationalities and ethnicities represented in London, particularly the population of refugees and asylum seekers. Hargraves mentions that “throughout its history, London has been a haven for those escaping political or religious persecution in their countries” (loc 711). Delving into the history of migration to London also shows that “in all periods of history, the most motivating force for people coming to London has been the desire to find a better life” (Hargraves, loc 738). With this in mind, it shows the draw and allure of big cities for people around the world.
It also raises many questions. One of the most pertinent questions is, “What do we do with all of these different people groups?” How many of the people who move to London (or really anywhere in the world) looking for freedom or a better life only to find that the “city streets don’t have much pity” and “when you’re down that’s where you’ll stay” (Walsh)?
In February 2019, I visited London and Oxford with my housemates over our Chinese New Year Holiday. As we walked the streets of London, it was apparent just how many different nations were represented around us. I couldn’t help but wonder at the different stories of how their families had arrived in London. What was even more fascinating was how different people groups had formed smaller communities within London, creating a unique blend of culture throughout the city.
Living in an international city like Hong Kong, I have had the privilege of meeting people from all over the world. From Europe, to North and South America, to Africa, to various parts of Asia, to Australia (Antarctica is the only continent I have yet to meet anyone from), there is a beauty that one can find in these cities. There are a myriad of stories – whether it be for work or study, or those who are fleeing political and religious persecution – and identities, and yet we call Hong Kong our home. In the same way, I imagine that many who come to London have similar feelings.
But life in the city is not easy. Although a nation may have many social issues, going to a big city can give you a snapshot of the various problems. Given the issues that plague our world, going to an international city gives you a snapshot of the various problems people around the world are facing. When we talk with those who are political refugees, we learn of the state of their world. When we talk to the university student whose family has sent them to study abroad for a better life, we learn of the state of their world. When we step into the lives of others, we learn empathy and no longer look at the world through narrow blinders.
Again, though, we ask the question of where this great melting pot of cultures fits into the identity of London. Hargraves makes note of the class system within London: “In a nutshell, class is the index that Britons use to establish how they fit in, and how others fit into their society. In other words, it is a significant component of most British people’s identity” (loc 891). Although it’s not as explicit, this gave me pause as I reflected on the various contexts in which I’ve lived. One could argue that Hong Kong has a class system (and when one looks at the massive wealth gap and the school system, it’s hard to argue on the contrary). Even driving through my hometown in Kentucky, it is easy to know the divide of wealth and and class, though we would not explicitly call it that.
So the question is, how do we as the Church engage with those around us? How do we look beyond our prejudice and class systems within a city/nation? In an international city like London, the Church has a variety of situations that it can speak truth and life into. Identity becomes a key point of concern as people try to hold on to the identity of their home culture while simultaneously attempting to navigate what it means to be part of their current context. But it is in this tension and the in-between where many opportunities lie for the Church. There is an opportunity to serve and to learn from people all over the world.
In the final verse of “In the City”, Walsh sings:
“I was born here in the city
With my back against the wall
Nothing grows, and life ain’t very pretty
No one’s there to catch you when you fall”
If life in the city isn’t very pretty and no one’s there to catch you when you fall, then the Church has a unique opportunity to be that safety net and to support people when they fall. For those with their backs against the wall, the Church offers a ray of hope in the person of Christ. May we reach out with outstretched arms.
References
Hargraves, Omir. 2010. CultureShock! London. 6th ed. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Corporation.
Walsh, Joe, and de Vorzon, Barry. “In the City”. The Long Run. Hollywood, CA: MRI Recording Studio, (1979). Retrieved from <https://genius.com/Joe-walsh-in-the-city-lyrics>
Link to “In the City” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUDFMl-TsaA
About the Author
Dylan Branson
Small town Kentuckian living and learning in the big city of Hong Kong.6 responses to “Ministry in the Big City”
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Thanks for highlighting the diversity of London. With the US becoming increasingly polarized, I’d like to see how the UK has approached differences, especially with ethnicity. It is the human condition to stratify people, so I don’t expect harmony, but I want to see what can be learned. I find that outsiders can often have a helpful perspective. In that vein, I appreciate Miroslav Volf, especially his “Exclusion and Embrace, who lived through the war-torn Eastern Europe and now speaks directly about loving one’s enemies. You’re right that the church should be those caring for hurting and on the outskirts. How does your church do that in HK?
My church in Hong Kong focuses more on elderly outreach and prison ministry (I’m not entirely sure what they do, as these outreaches are primarily for Cantonese speakers). I have talked with several members of the staff at the church who have mentioned their frustrations with the way outreach is done. The church has had many struggles throughout the years and they feel it’s becoming more and more exclusive in how it does outreach. It has quite a few mission partners, but in terms of congregational empowerment to serve, that’s one area that seems to be lacking.
But that’s not the case everywhere. A friend of mine pastors at a bigger church that does a lot of work with refugees and asylum seekers and is one of the leading partners in the Justice Conference Asia.
Thanks for this post, Dylan. You’re insight and questions are important. I think for many people in the USA, when we think of London, we default to “jolly old England,” and picture the royal family, Downton Abbey, Harry Potter, Parliament, and some of the iconic structures. It’s easy to forget that at the end of the day, London is a simply a place were a great number of people live and work and try to make a life.
From that standpoint, it’s no different than the cities of America and all of the struggles we face here. It’s important to be reminded that part of our work may be to help make life better for others. Respecting our diversity, responding to needs, and discovering the giftedness in each person can help us begin to find our common humanity.
Despite the vast population density, the city can be a cruel and lonely place. Your post challenges me to consider what I am called to do about it.
As you write about pausing and reflecting I am drawn to consider that this is a significant place for me to learn: pause, listen, and reflect. It is not so much that my questions need to be answered as it is my paying more attention to the environment and the others.
Dylan for starters I love the song reference. Even when immersed in a diverse cultural community it is so easy to be so self absorbed with our own concerns that we fail to see that people of different back grounds have there own concerns. Some of these admittedly may be hard for us to grasp due to our limited exposure to life issues outside of our sphere of influence. You are fortunate to be in a church the reflects the vast diversity of the bride of Christ. When traveling home to Kentucky and attending church do you find your heart yearning back for a more diverse community?
Though our class system in US is not as well defined in many aspects as it is London it does exist in one aspect or another. How can the church be the leveling field, removing the need for class structures and racial/cultural tensions when even among churches we separate ourselves by cultural views and doctrines, holding each other at arms length with more of an attitude of tolerance than acceptance?
Dylan, your reflections on your home town in Kentucky drew me immediately back to the small town in Alabama in which I was raised. I so wanted to be out of that place, to see the world, to go to the big city. Like you mentioned though, the city isn’t always what we hope it will be. As global conditions continue to change drastically, migration of massive populations of people will increase. The Church has a unique position of being a place of safety and hope, if we choose to be attentive to the opportunity. I so look forward to learning more for you and the wisdom you’ve gained living in Hong Kong. That is definitely a long way from home for a southern boy; you’re walking a path not often taken by those who hold so tightly to their roots that they refuse to ever leave the soil they once played football on. Your post reminds me to walk carefully, mindfully, and open-handedly on historic streets of London, being attentive to the movements of God along the way.