{"id":1755,"date":"2008-04-23T20:16:00","date_gmt":"2008-04-23T20:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?p=1755"},"modified":"2010-12-22T12:26:01","modified_gmt":"2010-12-22T17:26:01","slug":"6241","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2008\/04\/23\/6241\/","title":{"rendered":"Race, Distrust First Hurdle in Starting Citadel Ministry"},"content":{"rendered":"

DETROIT, MI (April 23, 2008) \u2013 The friendship between Lisa Johanon and Harvey Carey, pastor of Citadel of Faith Covenant Church<\/a>, had to overcome what they later would say were issues of race and distrust. Their bond is an example of the racial reconciliation the Covenant congregations in Detroit hope to accomplish.
\n
\nIn 2002, Lisa (lower photo), who is white, and Harvey (top photo), who is African American, did have something in common the first time they met: they were skeptical of working with each other.<\/p>\n

Lisa and her husband, Dan, had moved to the area in 1989 when she became executive director of Central Detroit Christian Community Development Center<\/a> (CDC). The faith-based nonprofit seeks to empower people through various programs that focus on individuals as well as those which promote economic development.<\/p>\n

\"Harvey\"After living in the area, the Johanons felt the call to start a church in the neighborhood, one of the poorest and most crime-ridden in Detroit. The couple believed the neighborhood, which is 98 percent African American, was not being well served by the existing congregations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have all these historic churches just blocks from where our church is now. Ninety-five percent of their (members) drive in,\u201d she says, complaining that those congregations would prefer that the locals not attend.<\/p>\n

The Johanons knew that finding the right pastor would be critical. Bob Hoey, pastor of Messiah Covenant Church in Detroit, knew of their desire to plant the church. He suggested they meet with Harvey and his wife, Nancy, who he had met in Chicago.<\/p>\n

Harvey believed God was calling him to plant a church in Detroit, but at the time, he was an associate pastor at Salem Baptist Church in Chicago, one of the largest and most politically active African American congregations in the city. That made Lisa nervous.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had done my research,\u201d she says. Lisa knew he had preached at similar churches in Detroit.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had perceived him as a political Baptist pastor, and I thought that was the last thing this church needs.\u201d There already were plenty of those in the city, she reasoned. The neighborhood needed a church that would focus on sharing the gospel as well as working to meet other needs of the residents.<\/p>\n

Despite her reservations, the Johanons accepted Hoey\u2019s invitation to dinner at his house, where the couples could meet. The conversation stretched to four and a half hours.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe next day the Harveys show up at my house and they said, \u2018show us the neighborhood,\u2019 \u201d Lisa recalls, sounding as surprised as she was that day.<\/p>\n

\"Lisa\"Lisa\u2019s opinion quickly changed. \u201cHere is a man who really does try to engage the community and share the gospel,\u201d she says with admiration.<\/p>\n

Those initial meetings led to an all-night session in which the Johanons and Careys sketched out their common vision for the church. Making that vision a reality would challenge Harvey and Lisa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was racial tension at first,\u201d Lisa says. \u201cWe both admit it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lisa says she needed to understand that \u201cHarvey had not had a lot of good experiences with white people.\u201d Trust would need to be built, and that takes time.<\/p>\n

Harvey says some of the racial issues related to how pastoral leadership is exercised in black churches compared to how it is practiced in white congregations. Harvey says he was used to the pastor having a lot more authority.<\/p>\n

For her part, Lisa says she has had to learn to let Harvey be her pastor and be a ministry partner. \u201cGod has had to chip away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harvey came up with the name for the church. \u201cI don\u2019t think I ever used those words in a sentence in my entire life,\u201d Lisa says, laughing.<\/p>\n

The two were able to work through their differences because, \u201cFirst and foremost we are followers of Jesus,\u201d Lisa says.\u00a0 They have now formed their own mutual admiration society.<\/p>\n

She recently asked him to serve as chair of the board of directors for CDC. \u201cIt\u2019s a great honor,\u201d Harvey says. \u201cLisa has developed that for 13 years in an incredible way.\u201d<\/p>\n

So far, the church has not grown as they planned, however. Both of them believed the congregation should be almost entirely African American because that would reflect the neighborhood. \u201cI assumed that it would be a black church, but God said no,\u201d Harvey recalls.<\/p>\n

The congregation has grown as a multi-ethnic church. Lisa says 65 percent of the members are black and the others are white. \u201cI think it is a safe place for white people,\u201d Harvey says. He and others are committed to making possible discussion of the race-related issues that inevitably will arise.<\/p>\n

Congregation members also come from all economic levels. \u201cWe have people with doctorates and people just up from the gutter,\u201d says Lisa, who marvels at Harvey\u2019s ability to preach so that his sermons are relevant for everyone.<\/p>\n

Each month, newcomers to the church are invited to dinner at Hoey\u2019s home, where Harvey and Lisa orient them to the congregation and its history – and tell about their first dinner in the same dining room.<\/p>\n

Lisa notes that the all-night planning session took place five years ago on March 23 – the date on which Easter fell this year. \u201cWho would have thought five years ago we would have had a great ministry relationship and a great friendship!\u201d<\/p>\n

Report This Post<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DETROIT, MI (April 23, 2008) \u2013 The friendship between Lisa Johanon and Harvey Carey, pastor of Citadel of Faith Covenant Church, had to overcome what they later would say were issues of race and distrust. 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