Knoxville: The Scruffy City

July 22, 2024

I am still unpacking in my heart and in my mind the long weekend trip I had with seven of the Concord Baptist Church youth and other adult leaders, serving and learning and worshiping together in Knoxville, Tennessee. I told Joe that every opportunity to be an adult in the room with a group of our kids feels like a gift and a little treasure. I definitely felt that this weekend, but there was something refreshing in it just for me as well.

Our church has partnered with Washington Pike church in Knoxville for the last several years. The city as a whole seems to be revitalizing, but it is still rife with people with problems. Somehow I can relate to that! Over the last several years a new staff has been called to a tired old church (and church building) to bring in new life. The neighborhood itself is a tangle of old made new, problems and revitalization, and the old church building is a picture of that. In the old sanctuary there is fresh carpet, fresh seating, fresh paint, fresh technology, and a fresh backdrop. Their children’s ministry space, which is overflowing, has been refreshed and remodeled into a safe and engaging place for families to bring their children. And our students got the opportunity to bring the fruits of their Spring Students Weekend service project and offering (nearly $2,500) to help make the old new in a space dedicated to the students of Washington Pike.

The twists and turns of this beautiful old building took days to learn, but reminded me of the church my uncle served when I was young.

The weekend was a beautiful blend of physically serving and getting out of our comfort zones, of praise and worship and teaching, and of fellowshipping and simply enjoying each other and being together. One theme I felt strongly was unity and belonging in the body of Christ, and we were welcomed warmly by the church on Wednesday evening.

What youth doesn’t love a pizza party?

I was never an athlete, but all of our kids joined this volleyball game, they all contributed, and they were all valued on this court (driveway). Here we began to communicate and use each others’ names!

Just the girls!!!

Day One:

Thursday morning, we set straight out for the Western Heights Baptist Mission, which has been in the center of the projects for 40 years, and has seen generations flow through as it sought to meet physical and spiritual needs. Every Tuesday and Thursday they open their doors as a food pantry. Community members lineup, pass through the prayer room where they receive a short devotional, and then “go grocery shopping”. There is a dedicated group who serve, who know the community members by name and need, and who allowed us to serve beside them. I got to partner with Pastor Richard in the prayer room offering scripture, encouragement, and prayer as each group passed through and although we mainly riffed, the theme again and again was that this was a place of love, we wanted to share with them the love that God had so freely shown us, and that Jesus was the source of light in our lives. What precious people and sacred stories passed through that room. Our teenagers rotated through welcoming participants, joining in the prayer room, escorting participants through the line and shopping with them, and offering an extra gift we had brought from home—hygiene bags that have been prepared and prayed over by our students during students weekend.

Different nationalities and backgrounds and states of mind passed through our lines. One believer from Russia told us about her time in prison, and her complicated deportation process, which until this time has not gone through. Pastor Richard is praying that she will be allowed to stay in Knoxville, but she has settled in her mind to be content, no matter her circumstances. A father and daughter from Africa, who didn’t speak English passed through, but sharing love and light doesn’t necessarily need words to be communicated. Several with evidence of hard living, several who were the pillars and nurturers within their community, many in pain, and one in a state of mental confusion with a knife on her belt and num-chuks over her shoulder. I kid you not. Our students engaged deeply with them all—except for num-chuks lady, whom our adults engaged. All of these people were seen and accepted, welcomed, loved, touched, and prayed for. One gentleman when going through the line asked one of our youth to pray for him, so the student stopped what he was doing and put his arm around him and prayed for him right then and there. They shared the love God had so richly poured into their hearts, and they let their lights shine.

I stole this pic from their FB page!

Elijah and Maggie are READY for it!

Helping folks select their items

Handing out our hygiene bags

How beautiful are the hands and feet that bring the Good News of Jesus!

Day one we were still getting comfortable with one another. Back at the church we enjoyed a time of praise and worship, and learning from the Judges about different leadership capabilities and how God used them. God took a hesitant man named Gideon, and once he had received clarity, he said YES to the Lord, whittling down an army of 30,000 to 300–so the Israelites would know it wasn’t their own strength but the glory of God that delivered them. God did what only he could do, but he used a simple man to do it. God did a God-sized work, but a simple man got to partner with him in it.

Unloading supplies

Aaand these are the youth rooms. Games are cool, but that color?!?

Our boys don’t seem to mind…

A beautiful day was rounded out by play, and after dinner, we topped it off with laser tag, bowling and games at Main Event. I had forgotten the joy that can come from shooting other people with laser guns. Pew pew!