Lasting in Urban Ministry – Part 1
Today I want to start a series on lasting in urban ministry, because not only can the crucible of ministry be stressful, but living in the city, though it has its many benefits, also has its stresses. While I will be sharing some things that specifically deal with city living, there are many things that will help you whether you live in a city or not.
The fact is that our world is becoming more urban. The pattern of urbanization in our world is fascinating to me. Through most of history, the human population has lived a rural lifestyle. In 1800, only 3 percent of the world’s population lived in urban areas. By 1900, almost 14 percent were urbanites, and by 2000 about half the world was living in urban areas. Those who chart these trends say that in 2030, 60% of the population of the world will be living in urban areas. This is one reason why I’m encouraged about the renewed interest in church planting in cities, because the population is only going to increase.
But as I mentioned earlier, living in urban areas brings some additional stress to our lives. Not only do we have to face the stresses that Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe point out in their famous stress scale back in 1967, but we have additional stresses because we live in the city.
Urban Stress Test
A few years ago, besides giving our leadership community the well known Holmes and Rahe stress test, I developed what I call an urban stress test, additional stresses we encounter by living in the city. As you work through these, look at the Holmes/Rahe scale and try to give some numbers to these various experiences. As you can see, some of these experiences seem minor and others seem major, but minor stresses on a regular bases over a long period of time can become major.
- Have to regularly travel during rush hour(s)
- Do not have a permanent parking space
- Received at least two parking tickets
- Received 3 or more parking tickets
- Received 3 or more parking tickets a month
- Feeling that you are living in a cramped environment
- Encounter panhandlers at least twice a week
- Experienced unrelated rage from a stranger for no reason
- Live in an apartment/house with a high level of noise pollution
- Been in a car accident
- Been in multiple car accidents
- Been hit by a car while cycling or walking
- Been a victim of small theft ($250 or less)
- Been a victim of large theft ($250 or more)
- Been a victim of identity theft
- Someone broke into your apartment/house
- Someone broke into your apartment/house while you were there
- Been a victim of a violent crime
While more experiences could be added to this list, you can see that while living in the city has its many benefits, it has its stresses as well. This is why you need to tune into this series on lasting in urban ministry. Join me later this week for part 2.
Based on the Holmes and Rahe stress scale..it appears I should never marry, rent not buy a home, and if at all possible don’t grow up to be an “adult” to use the adult scale instead of the child’s scale(lotsa big #’s in these scales revolve around these 3)..LOL well I do have the 2 out of three going for me…if only I didn’t have this house I would be a perfect 3 and have less stress…LOL…it was interesting to see how life stuff(stress) does affect our health…thanks for the post!!