The Ghetto as part of Seminary Curriculum

It has been a few years since I have been around the place where I grew up-Lynwood, CA. Just recently I had to stop by the So Cal Gas Company's Compton base which is right next to Lynwood and I saw so much poverty and darkness that I couldn't believe my eyes. It was hard to imagine that just a little over ten years ago I was walking these same streets. As much as it was hard to look at it did me good. For one thing it reminded me of where I am from and who I am and where I've come from. Sometimes after we get into our christian bubble we forget what God has even done for us and end up being distant from God even though we use his name for everything and do all of this religious stuff. The next good thing that came of it was that it grounded my ministry and especially this stage of my journey in seminary. As much as we can sit and talk about God in the cloistered halls of academia we really do not know him until we have his compassion and serve others. I actually would recommend that all seminary students do some time in the hood as part of the required curriculum. You can definitely learn a lot!