From the Blog
The River Babies Series
Early on in our ministry, a mentor shared the “River Babies” story with me. His ministry was similar to ours, providing an after-school tutoring program for under-resourced children. I thought I understood the story’s meaning straightaway. Over the years, however, my own experiences have enabled me to see multiple layers of wisdom beneath the story’s surface. Now, I share the “River Babies” parable with you.
Featured Series
River Babies
The founding story of New Hope — how we learned to stop pulling babies from the river and start walking upstream.
From Preaching to Politics
I needed more understanding, more empathy, and more curiosity. I needed to learn to love the way Jesus loved and I needed to see the world the way He sees it. On July 4th, 1997, I stood alone as a man in need of God’s transforming love.
Heading South
The initial reason we journey upstream is to get a better understanding of our world. The main benefit, however, is that we gain a better understanding of ourselves.
Brooklyn River Babies Cry for Help
As we journey upstream, we must remember that everyone is captive to their own experiences. We can only truly know our own world: we merely believe that we understand the experiences of others. Our experiences, in turn, influence our perspectives.
From the Orange Groves to High Falls
Like every child, I believed that my hometown was the best city on earth. Many years later, I still believe I was fortunate to have grown up there, but I now have a more nuanced view.
From the Genesee River
Yes, like all American cities, Rochester had an exceptional past, but it also has some truly ugly stories that have remained carefully untold. Stories that those neighbors and my own dad had never heard. The racial conflicts which spawned “white flight” were symptoms of deeper problems.
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Reconciliation
