After my first National Conference in 2009, I had the opportunity to meet Dave Clark at our first National Conference Host Team meeting in Indianapolis. At the beginning of the meeting he mentioned the Leadership Cohort program. Having just enjoyed my first CCDA National Conference, and new to …
Inspired
CCDA has influenced both my personal life as well as our approach to ministry in very big ways. Our urban church in Waterloo, Iowa has many people with lots of different needs. Before we were introduced to Christian Community Development, we had several programs that were charity …
Life on Life Mentoring
I received an email from a national grantor informing me that our organization would not receive the (critical) funding that we had budgeted and anticipated. I was far away from my office, my team and my Board. I felt like I was keeping a dark secret... I received an email from a national …
Room for Reconciliation
“Who's gonna take back those stories?” The challenge was simple. Who is going to take back the stories that have been entrenched in American culture about Native Americans for so long? Stories of how Native Americans are pagan, how they are less than human, and how "Indian" customs just …
Emerging Leader Finds His Footing at CCDA
I moved to the Madison Square / Garfield Park neighborhood of Grand Rapids when I was 9yrs old. Now, almost 18yrs later, as I survey the area in which I live, I don't see too many of the people I grew up with. Most have moved to other parts of the city, suburbs, or across the country. Those that do …
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The Language of Shalom
My experience in working as a mediator and a director of a community-based ministry has led me to believe that the fields of restorative justice and Christian Community Development should be brought together. Mediation skills and processes are the threads that weave these two practices together. …
Community Health Connectors
As we become more aware of the increasing dangers of poor nutrition and obesity, the health of our communities has never been more important. Yet, many are not accessing the health benefits available to them. As we become more aware of the increasing dangers of poor nutrition and obesity, …
The Line: Poverty In America
As we approach what may be the most contentious and costliest election of all time, Sojourners and CCDA believe poverty needs to be back on the public agenda. We’ve worked with an Emmy-award winning writer and producer to create a new film called The Line that reveals what poverty in America …
