Spiritual Life and Leadership

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What does ministry look like when your church gathers at the very place that’s meant to divide? In this episode, Seth Clark invites us into the powerful story of The Border Church, where the simple act of worship confronts separation with the radical unity of God’s love, and where he and his congregants—on both sides of the wall—have had to adapt to a reality in which the powers make it harder and harder for them to worship together.

THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Seth Clark describes the Border Church as a practice of publicly experiencing God's presence and unity at a site of division.
• The Border Church centers its ministry around sharing holy communion as a visible act of God’s love in a divided context.
• Seth Clark explains how families from both sides have long used Friendship Park to connect despite restrictive border policies.
• Border Church started as periodic communion services at the border and gradually grew into a more structured worship community.
• Seth Clark recounts the agreement that allowed Friendship Park to open for limited hours on weekends, enabling regular gatherings.
• Physical barriers at the border forced participants to adapt, sharing only a pinky touch through the mesh as a sign of peace.
• Leadership of the Border Church came by community discernment when the founding pastor stepped down, Seth Clark shares.
• Border Church functions without a traditional building, requiring creative leadership and adaptability in its pastoral approach.
• The COVID-19 pandemic and persistent border lockdowns have forced the church to continually reinvent how it worships and connects.
• Seth Clark highlights the shift of pastoral needs toward the Mexico side as waves of migrants and asylum seekers increased.
• Border Church supports partnerships with local shelters, providing meals and spiritual care for migrants waiting at the border.
• Markus Watson explores the deep sense of loss, frustration, and adaptation that accompanies changes to how the Border Church operates.
• Seth Clark emphasizes the importance of faithfulness over visible results, especially when facing circumstances beyond one’s control.
• Leading through loss involves distinguishing between what can and cannot be changed, and supporting people in navigating change and grief.

RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:

• The Border Church:
  • Facebook
  • Instagram - @theborderchurch
• Books mentioned:
  • Church at the Wall, by Seth Clark
• Related episodes:
  • 88. The Border Church, with Seth Clark
  • 119. Being Leaders of Grace in a Divided World, with Kirsten Powers
  • 120. Forming Leadership Resilience, with Tod Bolsinger

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