One year ago I walked into the South Chattanooga Rec Center arms piled high with retractable banners, boxes of stickers, info cards, and candy.

People should be nice together because you don't know what they been through and somebody in they family might be dead.

It is a universal truth that bacon is delicious - even vegetarians, vegans, and PETA supporters secretly admit it. Bacon is amazing scrambled in eggs, lovingly folded into a velvety Mac & Cheese, or just fried crisp and eaten alone in all of its glory.

It was an experiment - an experiment to translate a lack of enthusiasm toward education into an affirmation of achievement and hard work.

It didn't take long to realize that we would need a youth group. I know that sounds antiquated, "churchy," or even cumbersome to the vitality and energy of a brand new church.

LeBron had never heard of BCC, seen the bus, or been to church, but here he is. Pray that we continue to see more LeBron's find the joy, excitement, community, justice, mercy, and humility that is Bridge City Community.

Cash. Advance. The combination of those two words evokes a variety of reactions depending on who you are and where you come from.

What then is humility? I hope I have an answer, or at least some insight, considering to walk humbly is in our mission statement at Bridge City. Great question... wish I would've come up with it but, alas, I didn't.

I hung up the phone, groggy, and started putting some clothes without really knowing what had happened or what I was going to do. As I slipped into the muggy darkness of the early morning I promised Jenny I would call her as soon as I discovered what had happened.

The last few days have been overwhelming. I have never had to fill out insurance content forms (not fun), speak with fire inspectors (not too bad), or explain to people why an act of violence like this would happen to a racially diverse church in south Chattanooga (an impossible task).

All too often youth like these are recruited into local gangs and the cycle of violence and poverty continues in neighborhoods like Alton Park. Without a support system, skills, and alternative activities, these youth lack what they need to succeed.

We believe and proclaim that the Kingdom of God isn’t segregated, so our churches and communities shouldn’t be either.

It was like stepping back in time.  I was transported back to day one at the south Chattanooga rec center. But this time I was in Bushtown at the Carver Rec.

Consistency is double-edged - it is necessary but also a liability.  To succeed, we must endure the sharp edge of inconsistency while utilizing the other edge to sharply remove any weeds that threaten to choke the roots that are deepening and the plants that are sprouting.

With all of the progressive envelope pushing that Chattanooga is gaining a national reputation for we are still guilty of systemic inequity going back countless generations.  

A trinket cross from 1974 doesn't seem like much but that small token from Christyna meant the world to me.  It is a tangible reminder of the burden Christ bore for me so that my burdens wouldn't be too heavy - the yoke of isolation, anxiety, uncertainy, and loneliness.  

Holding space refers to intentional, available presence instead of the misinformed desire to be active in traumatic situations. Victims of trauma need to be given safe space to breathe, rest, and debrief. Too often they are suffocated by a claustrophobic space of overwhelming activity.

Hospitality is not a quaint idea that we pretend to pursue at Bridge City. Hospitality is our identity. In all things we try to practice Biblical hospitality for the stranger, foreigner, friend, or family in our midst.

Amidst a week of celebration over the continued growth and development of Chattanooga as the “new Silicon Valley” - a coveted destination for start-ups and entrepreneurs - some headlines were forgotten and overlooked.

As a pastor people leaving the church is a tough pill to swallow - especially if you’re small and your survival depends rests with a few really dedicated members. It’s one of the inevitable realities of starting something from scratch.