By The Rev. Dr. Carl Grosse

Recently, I had lunch with the organizing pastor of a new PCA church plant in Fountain City. Over the next few weeks, I plan to meet with other neighboring pastors. We’ve all exchanged pleasantries, but you and I know full well that those moments do not constitute a chat. For my part, I hope to get to know a little about them personally and their congregations. 

Another area of intelligence gathering for me has always been civic entities, especially local government and education. I’ve learned a little about Knox County and Knoxville City through portals such as Compassion Coalition and the Leadership Foundation, plus a little of my own data mining. I really wish Charlotte Davis were still around so I could pick her brain about where Fountain City has been and where she thinks it’s going. 

A strong signal you all sent in recent surveys was a desire to have our congregation step up its neighborhood mission efforts. One part of a proper response to that goal is to assess your surroundings. Whatever mission ideas you come up with should be relevant to actual needs. Kay Kotan describes this approach as being “culturally competent”, while the current business models emphasize “community engagement”. These concepts contrast past church practices of planting a flag and building an outpost with the expectation that people would come, and newer strategies that emphasize knowing both your mission and your surroundings with a goal of forming relationships and partnerships that are mutually beneficial. 

I hope you have started thinking a little differently about how Fountain City Presbyterian Church can be a good neighbor. Your neighbors include other churches, schools, local businesses, civic leaders, and of course the people in these lovely homes. The first step toward being a good neighbor is just getting to know your neighbors. Talk with them, hear their stories, be attentive to their strengths and their hopes. Above all, be the love of Christ to them. What you learn about your neighbors will guide you and your next pastor in designing mission initiatives that match up what you have with what your neighbors need. Kind of makes sense, doesn’t it?