Up the Mississippi for a few days or so...

Up the Mississippi for a few days or so…
- A ministry update of Mo Leverett, March 30, 2008 -

Many thanks to all those who generously helped us through the month of March!

Before heading off on my next set of travels, we will have Bible Study, as always, with the kids from Clark High School in New Orleans on Tuesday evening. There are about 30 or so kids involved in this ministry. Richard Johnson is its leader, who is coaching football and track there, though he has asked me to teach the Bible Study over the last few weeks while I’m in town. He says it’s because I’m good at it, but I know he’s just looking for a break in the action. The Bible Studies are held in Sam Rauschenberg’s house, one block away from the school. (Sam is a teacher at Clark and a volunteer at Rebirth). We normally have burgers or chicken wings from Manchu, (a Chinese hole in the wall restaurant that specializes in wings and chicken fried rice). We of course integrate games but then get serious and explore the implications of grace in justification and sanctification and in all of life.

This Bible Study is a good start to a hopefully growing ministry movement in the resurgent urban schools of New Orleans. You see, pre-Katrina, New Orleans was a study in concentrated poverty around large and rough public housing projects. That poverty is more dispersed now, as the projects are being torn down, but it concentrates during school hours in the Recovery School District (RSD) and other public schools. These are now our target zones. We hope to plant a ministry center in the middle of these schools but have an outreach in each one of them.

One young man who we had led to Christ many years ago called me this past week, and in tears pleaded with me to relaunch the church that was Desire Street Fellowship. Of course that is on our heart. But I have much to do, and I’m finding that my body only allows me to do so much in my forties. When I was in my twenties and thirties, I thought nothing of holding down 4 or 5 full-time jobs, like senior pastor, school head-master, director of development, recording artist and so on and so forth. These days, however, the full-time job of fathering teen-agers forces a particular pace which I’m having to reluctantly submit to.

I will be headed to St. Louis this next week April 3-6 to speak at Covenant Seminary, Grace Presbyterian Church and Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church. Joining me will be Torey Angeletti, who we led to Christ in his younger years and who now feels led of God to become a minister. He has become my shadow over the last few weeks, is pleading for mentoring and is assisting me in my efforts. Another gentleman will meet me there as well, who is prayerfully exploring the possibility of becoming an incarnational urban missionary in East St. Louis. Be in prayer for all of us in these regards.

Following my weekend trip to St. Louis, I will fly to North Florida College in Jacksonville on April 9th to do a number of things there too. I really don’t know what all I am doing at most of these sites until about 24 hours or so before the event. But I am the master of quick assessment and adaptation.

So I hope I can count on your prayers this next week for this flurry of activities.

I’m also working on recording a new hymn project that should come out this year. I’m talking to a few friends in Nashville about where to go from here with my whole music thing - there’s some exciting possibilities that we are discussing. Stay tuned.

My family is well. I took Lindsay recently on a three day college tour. She’s excited about at least one good option. We’re working toward placing our other kids in public schools here in New Orleans. Finding a good school that would work for us is like the proverbial needle in the haystack, but we’re trusting God. Our kids have been blessed, despite living in poor neighborhoods, they have been afforded an education that I would not have known how to hope for.

Manning is building forts and making his own weapons of spears, machine guns, bazookas and missile launchers. Again, I become the object of his aggression but I must assume that his way of saying I love you is to imagine a grenade blowing me to smitherines. As best I can I accommodate and accept his destructive affection.

Many blessings to all…

Flying Home After a Long Trip

I’m in the Orlando airport about to board an early morning flight back into my beloved city. My trips to Connectict and to Florida have been very productive evidenced in part by my weary soul. In addition to speaking and performing in numerous churches and campuses, I was also able to meet with prospective donors. It looks like a new ministry launch in East St. Louis is becoming a real possibility. Keep praying.

I will have a few projects to tend to before turning back around and speaking at Grace Fellowship’s Missions Conference in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Work has already begun despite my absence on the repair of two homes in the Desire neighborhood. Ministry at Clark High School in New Orleans has been carrying on in my absence.

I can hardly wait to see my wife and children. I imagine that there’s a project or two awaiting me there as well!

Thanks for your support and prayers. We’re making progress…

Humble Pie in Hallowed Halls

I was standing in a distinguished chapel at Yale University with towering stone walls under vaulted ceilings sustained by ornate pillars. The architecture was from a distant century - the acoustics like no room I’ve ever played in before. No one so small as me has been privileged to perform in so grand and dignified a place. I was singing but underneath I was reflecting about the significance of the moment. I was thinking that I’ll never forget this occasion - I’ll remember it always - the day that Mo Leverett performed his music in these hallowed halls.

And then it happened. And God seems to always do this to me in the moment I need it most. He fed me some humble pie.

It started with one person, then another, then two more - exiting in the middle of a song. I thought at first…maybe he’s got a night class…and then I remembered it was Saturday. After the second one left I thought…maybe he has another commitment. But then when the two girls left abruptly, I got the message. It was God. And He was thumping me on the head while saying…”Hey you down there! Get your head out of the clouds!”

And so I awakened from my little dream. I finished my little concert and I gave my little talk.

But there was a girl in the back - an uninhibited black girl with dreadlocks that swayed to the rhythm of my music. When I finished, I put up my guitar, gathered my lyrics and licked my wounds. She rushed to the front of the chapel and when I turned around she threw her arms around me, thanked me, gave some encouraging words about my songs and my talk. It seems that I got through to her, maybe others, who knows? But it doesn’t matter. I preached. I sang. God remains sovereign.

I’ve preached in other less dignified places like the locker room at Carver High School or the simplicity of my own living room. I’ve seen those humble places turned into sacred ground as empowered by the Holy Spirit of God sinners turn to the Savior. In truth it matters not what surrounds you when you preach, but who surrounds you when you do. And truth be told, I’d rather be at home teaching and training them.

Nevertheless, my time in Connecticut has been good. I’ve performed and taught at the University of Connecticut, Hartford University, Wesleyan and Yale. I have done a little workshop for urban ministry workers in New Haven. I’ve consulted with a couple of church’s venturing into new works in the inner-city. Tomorrow I will speak in a Presbyterian church’s Sunday school and then hustle over to the Baptist church’s worship service to preach. I’ll then drive to JFK Airport in New York and fly to Orlando to ready myself to teach a week long urban ministry course at Reformed Theological Seminary. I will then sing in 6 or so services the following weekend at Northland Community Church. Between those services Greg Doles and I will record the remaining number of hymns for my next CD project. When I’m done with all these things I’ll fly home the following Tuesday just in time to catch a few beads at a Mardis Gras parade with my Manny Man as well as the rest of the family.

Pray for my family while I’m gone. And pray for me as I miss them all terribly! Pray for stamina for myself until I return. Pray that God would be glorified and His Kingdom advanced. Pray that my many efforts would go a long way in providing the support necessary for the new initiatives at Rebirth! Thank you for your prayers and partnership!

While you’re praying, I’ll be finishing the last bite of my pie. Blessings…

Ministry Update 1/8

Dear Friends,

We’ve had an exciting year of ministry development, consulting and replication - thanks to you. I’ve taken a little break from developing the ‘08 plan to write this letter of thanks to you for your significant contribution to our successful first year of existence. We have the beginnings of a ministry at Clark High School and in the mid-city area of New Orleans. We’re scoping out possible locations for the development of the Center for Rebirth which will house our local ministry initiatives, a church plant and our ministry replication training programs. We are developing significant partnerships in ministry and community development. We’ve assisted many other churches and ministries across the country with training and consultation. Moreover, I’m continuing to travel and advance the principles of urban mission in seminaries and colleges around the country. I should have a new CD coming out in the early part of the year - a compilation of hymns! Ellen and I and the kids are doing well and are excited about continuing in the call that God has placed in our lives. I hope you will pray, support and spread the word about Rebirth in the new year! Again thanks a bundle. I hope to see you all in ‘08!

Yours for the mission of God,
Mo Leverett

Fighting the Good Fight

a ministry update from Mo Leverett, December 29, 2007 -

We had a lighter Christmas than usual. Were it not for the generosity of our children toward one another, the presents under the tree would have been conspicuously sparse.

My son Manning requested but three things: 1) baseball cards, 2) a remote control car and 3) boxing gloves. He got precisely what he asked for. His favorite however, by far, was the boxing gloves.

I’ve paid a heavy price for his new passion – punches in the stomach, the side and yes, the head and face. He doles out all of this punishment with smiles, grit and irrepressible joy - reminding me much of someone else I know. You see, Manning’s Dad, for better and worse, is a fighter too. I was renowned on the play ground, school bus and neighborhood for my fists – not as a bully, but I enjoyed fighting for what I believed to be a good cause, and I often did. Some things never change.

I remember one fight I was in with a boy in our neighborhood. It was short. Though he was two years older, he left having been humbled. However, I did not know that his defeat led to his increasing desire for revenge. He decided to drink a gallon of milk for greater strength and power. He came out of his kitchen with a renewed confidence and countenance that frankly was intimidating. I decided that I could not contend with his two years advantage and a GALLON of milk, so in fear, I retreated. Looking back, I think one body blow would have done him in!

I am still attempting to fight the good fight. I fight daily with the flesh, the enemy of my soul. Frankly, while some have believed that our ministry of 17 years in the Desire neighborhood took courage - the fight with the flesh requires more from the soul than any other foe or challenge I’ve faced in my 42 years of life. It is my flesh that grows weak, tired, discouraged and angry. It is my flesh that is pessimistic, bitter and biting. It is my flesh that is unforgiving, relentlessly rude or impatient. And while I have dissenters and bone fide enemies in this life, none is more effectual than the enemy within.

In this fight, as in all other spiritual enterprises, Christ is the protagonist. He is the one who will triumph and prevail. My efforts when they are limited to such, fall significantly short. But He will finish the work He began in me. I make no excuses in this, only apologies and acknowledgments that Christ is not finished with me yet. There are many more cavernous places in my heart and soul where His love and healing power have yet to heal and restore. Therefore, I wait on Him to add strength to my jabs, hooks and uppercuts.

However, as I’m waging this war within, I’m seeking through God’s strength to fight for His Kingdom by advancing the gospel of word and deed into the hearts of others. On this front we’ve made much progress but we have far to go. I’m not as fleet of foot as I used to be. Hopefully I will be able to press against the schemes of my opponent through wisdom and reliance where my own agility has given way to the aging body I posses. And where the punches I’ve absorbed along with my many falls to the mat have jostled my cerebrum, I pray the Lord will supply his strength to endure and to refresh.

When Manning presses against me with his new gloves, I laugh and long for that youthful exuberance that I once knew. I pray for the will to continue to fight, punching my way out of the corner of defeat and to strike a crushing blow against the enemy of my Savior. I look forward to looking over that enemy of Christ with the sweat and blood off our collective brows falling finally towards his slumbering body.

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for the help you continue to provide for the fight! I have a rather big and talented corner, I know that very well!