What's happening in College and Career class?

Tonight we (the college and career class) took a road trip to one of the most interesting parts of the city. We went to the Asian district and over to the Paseo district. As you go down Classen Boulevard, you find a part of town that has been rescued by the Asian community. Once a high-end part of OKC, this area fell into disrepair in the 80's and 90's. When the Vietnamese moved in, they remodeled many of the buildings and added a large measure of their culture. There are delicious cafes and interesting markets. Oklahoma City is fortunate to have this district. As you go west from Classen, you find many ethnicities and economic levels. There are some historic neighborhoods which have kept their value. There are run-down neighborhoods with everything that comes with poverty. A little farther west is Oklahoma City University.

As you go east from Classen, you encounter the Paseo district; an arts district with many cafes and galleries. It is dominated by artists, musicians, and eclectic personalities. There are also neighborhoods of historic homes which sell for astronomical prices relative to the OKC real estate market.

There is much to be found in these neighborhoods. Asians, African-Americans, Latinos, artists, musicians, and upscale young families reside in this part of town. There is good food in abundance, entertainment, and good shopping. What I have not found is any evidence that anyone is really reaching out in an effective way with the Gospel message. This has been a burden on my heart for 5 or 6 years, now.

Our class went there on Wednesday evening and stopped at the Pho Cuong cafe for some soup and coffee. We drove through the Paseo district and saw the neighborhoods. We prayed while driving through the area that we would know how God might want to use us to reach people in an effective way. God has been stirring me for some time about being a resource for people who are uniquely qualified to reach out to distinct groups of people. I told the students something that has become a mantra for me: The question is never "Can we afford it?". The question is always, "Is this what God is calling us to do?" If we have that answer, we will have all of the other answers.