Episode Five

Community Economic Development & The Church

With Church of the Messiah

Episode Summary —

The Church needs to learn how to think holistically.

Local churches act not only as places of worship, but can be engines for community and economic development as a means of pursuing the Call to Shalom. Dr. Dave Kresta and Pastor Barry Randolph share the importance of Community Economic Development.

 

Join the conversation on Relight.

Part 1 — Dave & Pastor Barry

Community Economic Development & Church

Part 2 — Church of the Messiah

"Being Community" vs "Going to Community"

Part 3 — Church of the Messiah

Being a Community Anchor in Detroit

 

Guests

Joining host Josh Yates this episode are David Kresta and Barry Randolph.

 


  • David E. Kresta, PhD, MBA, is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Urban Studies at Portland State University where he teaches graduate level courses in community and economic development. He is also a Fellow at the Ormond Center.

    David recently wrote Jesus on Main Street, a book that shares good news through community economic development.

 


  • Barry Randolph is Pastor of Church of the Messiah in Detroit. Under his leadership, the congregation at Church of the Messiah has grown from 41 members in 2002 to nearly 200 member today. Most of these new members are African-American males between the ages of 16 to 30.

    Rev. Randolph is also the executive director of the B.L.V.D. Harambee (Building Leaders for Village Development), the social services arm of Church of the Messiah.

 

"The Church is being called to participate in economic justice because God loves people in these communities and He cares about those who are falling through the current economic cracks."

 
 
 
 
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