“If you see a fish go belly up in a lake, you try to find out what was wrong with the fish. You see a thousand fish go belly up in a lake and you better take a look at the lake.”
– Unknown
Consider the quote above. The lake is Indianapolis, the fish are the ministries that filled important needs in our inner city that have died or are dying for lack of funding. So, perhaps it is high time we take a better look at the lake.
The self support-raising model used by most churches and ministries may work in Carmel, Fishers or in other suburbs, but in economically-challenged areas it fails because self-support depends on the group’s social network being made up of people who have disposable income they can give on a regular basis.
According to the latest Marion County Census Bureau research among families with income, white households make 50 percent more than black households with income. But consider the unemployment and government subsidy rate in our poorest neighborhoods. These folks often live on subsistence income, where there is no disposable reserve from which to draw needed funds to support ministry and church-provided services.
We look at an inner-city ministry and say “what are you accomplishing in your area of influence?” A better question might be: “What could you accomplish in your area of influence with proper funding?” We have perpetuated a level of misunderstanding in this area for so long it will take a powerful effort to turn it around.
We at Unite Indy are finding interested and engaged people who want to make Indianapolis more than just the crossroads of America. We believe our city can be the very heart of America.
We have caused a small ripple of interest in this work. But we want to cause a flood of understanding, of re-directed funding, of care for our neighbors, of jobs for every person who needs one, of great education for all and a metropolitan unity so impressive that people move here just to be a part of it. When the water subsides we will find that Indianapolis has become the model of a new paradigm for cities across the country and globe.
Blessings,
Nancy
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