by David Docusen | February 25, 2019 | Uncategorized
I have what looks like is going to be a scar under my right eye. It happened a few days after my mom was in a horrific car accident (January 2019) that almost took her life. I spent every day in the hospital with her as she was dealing with seven broken bones, three surgeries, and bleeding on the brain.
I went home one night to go check in on the fam and help with a few things around the house. Alight in the living room needed to be changed, so I went to grab the ladder out of our utility closet in the garage. When I grabbed the ladder, the weed whacker fell off the brace that holds it up against the wall and onto my face. Not cool. I bled, and I was frustrated.
It’s turned out to be a permanent mark that reminds me of God’s faithfulness because during this entire season, my mom (Becky Docusen) has been praising God from her bed, unable to walk or do many basic things that we take for granted. She has one working limb right now, and she’s using it to raise in worship to God. Mom said, “hopefully that heals one day.” I said, “It’s just a face, and it reminds me every day of God’s faithfulness to us in this season, and of your (mom) faithfulness to God.”
by David Docusen | February 18, 2019 | Uncategorized
I just found myself all up in my feelings tonight as I wrote the first draft of my conclusion for the doctoral dissertation. Three years worth of academic research and practical ministry as I’ve explore race, economics, and friendship as it relates to the topic of biblical neighborliness.
Here’s my first stab at my conclusion… it will change through the editing process, but I wanted to share the experience as it unfolds. There’s probably mistakes, but after three years and 12+ hours of writing today alone, I don’t hardly care at all … hahahahaha… shoot me a message if you have any feedback!
The journey of this dissertation process started in 2015 when I looked across our congregation at Center City Church and I saw a predominantly white congregation in a city that was brimming with cultural diversity. I prayed a private prayer to the Lord after a Sunday morning service and asked him to teach me how to see the beauty of the diverse kingdom of God expressed at Center City Church. I had no clue what I was praying, and even more so I could have never anticipated the beauty and the challenge of seeing this prayer answered. I have been deeply touched and changed by the rigor of this academic and theological journey, but immeasurably more by the friendships that have filled my life over the past four years. I am forever changed by the neighborliness that has been expressed to me by the pastors that have faithfully served the West Charlotte community for years and the residents of the Camp Greene neighborhood that have welcomed our church family with open arms. I am a better son of God, husband to Dara, father to Max, Mary, Jack, and Ben, and pastor for Center City Church because of the experiences that have been afforded to me on this academic and relational journey.
As a son of God, my eyes have been opened to the beauty of God’s diverse creation across racial and economic lines. I have learned how to patiently listen to the stories of others without insisting on interjecting my own personal opinions or biased outlook on life. I have learned the value of humbly placing myself at the feet of others that may not have personal riches (as measured by the dominant culture) and learning from a different level of faithfulness and trust in the Lord that is sharpened by trials and tribulation that I may never experience myself.
As a husband to Dara and father to my children, I have learned how to engage in meaningful conversation around our dinner table about culture and the dynamics that are ever-present in our society that our family (as middle-class and white) may never have addressed if I had not been afforded this opportunity to explore race, economics, and friendship at such an intimate level. I will never forget the first time that my oldest son, Max (fifteen years old at the time), and I listened to Propaganda’s album and discussed the meaning of the lyrics in-depth that explored dynamics that my son had never had to address. I saw a spark in his eyes that day that has grown into a fire for justice and compassion today.
As a pastor at Center City Church, I have witnessed beauty that is forged through conflict, forgiveness, misunderstanding, grace, and faithfully journeying together toward a beautiful expression of neighborliness that was described by Jesus as the greatest of all the commandments. We are an imperfect Christian community genuinely pursuing the perfection of Jesus on a daily basis. I will continue to choose Jesus daily and share his love with others, and I expect nothing less from this beautiful and courageous community that is embodying the message of Jesus in Charlotte, North Carolina.
As I look toward the future of where I hope this field of study will continue to press toward, I can envision two areas that I would hope that either myself or others will explore to add to the work that has been explored in this dissertation project. The first would be a practical examination of how affluent and influential leaders in the community (business and political leaders, in particular) can genuinely use their positions of power to engage in a meaningful way in the work of creating a more equitable society for all residents of Charlotte, North Carolina and cities like it across the world. There are countless men and women of God that I have met in the past four years that genuinely want to share their influence and resources with neighbors in Charlotte that have only known the devastating pattern of generational poverty. However, the unknown or unseen landmines of racial and economic complexity that have been set by the enemy have produced fear and timidity and hindered them from using their influential positions to bring true equity to high-poverty communities. I believe that someone will take on this mantle and courageously engage in making a submission that will have an incredible impact by bring reconciliation and healing between neighbors from vastly different economic realities that are all created in the same image of our beautiful God.
I have a personal desire to explore the topic of the spirit of mammon that is referenced in Matthew 6:24 and how it has infiltrated our culture –in cities as a whole and the church community. The New Living Translation does not mention this spirit specifically as mammon. It reads, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” However, the King James Version does refer to this spirit specifically. It states, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
This spirit seems to be insatiable and without satisfaction. I have met countless businessfolks that have achieved the highest levels of success as defined by the popular economic measurables of our society. However, so many feel like they do not have enough and they continue to work harder and harder to achieve some sort of satisfaction that always seems out of reach. Sadly, I also recognize this same spirit in popular church culture, as well. Church leaders insatiably chasing after astronomic levels of numeric and financial growth in churches, never satisfied with what God has given them and chasing after a sense of peace and tranquility that will only be found at the feet of Jesus. Instead of finding security in their status as a son or daughter of the king, the unattainable pursuit of satisfaction by notoriety or fame has them trapped. The spirit of mammon has ensnared entire communities and churches with the false promises of peace and security through influence, power, and financial gain. Jesus provides the antidote to the spirit of mammon in Matthew 6:33. He says, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
When Jesus was challenged by the lawyer in Mark 12:28-34 to sum up the greatest of all the commandments, Jesus concisely and powerfully replied that we should love God and neighbors. If this was the central commandment of Jesus, I believe that the aim of the body of Christ should be to love God with full passion and embody a spirit neighborliness to a world that is desperately in need of reconciliation.
by David Docusen | February 16, 2019 | Uncategorized
Ever feel reluctant in your leadership or too nervous to speak up? Welcome to the company of heroes of the faith. We may remember their names now, but everyone one of them were normal folks like you and I.
Consider the story of Moses. Even though he is now regarded as one of the central figures in the Bible, he was an incredibly reluctant leader. God saw strength, character, and integrity in Moses. He knew the task ahead would be arduous, and he knew Moses could handle the heat.
However, like many of us, all Moses could see was his insecurities and inadequacies. He said, “I can’t speak well… I stutter.” God was not looking for an orator that could move hearts with a golden tongue… he was looking for someone that would trust that if raised his hands over a river, it would part and the people would be saved (Ex. 14:21).
God is not looking for perfect leaders, but hearts that trust him and seek after him with full devotion. We are encouraged by these stories of faith, and we’re exploring the Word of God together as a church family. If you want to join us, we have copies of the The Gospel Project devotionals at the Welcome Table on Sundays at Center City Church, and there is also an app for the same devotional.
We gather in homes across the community and discuss the things we are reading and explore matters of faith together. I hope you’ll join us, and I absolutely know that if you genuinely pursue Jesus, your faith will grow and you will continue to be renovated by the love of God.
by David Docusen | December 7, 2018 | Uncategorized
Each kid in our home has gotten a cell phone when they got to middle school. It is both a fun moment for the family to communicate with our kids in a new way, and a terrifying reality that the world is opening to them in a whole new way.
We’ve had ups and downs along the way, but overall we have absolutely awesome kids that are (mostly) open and honest with us. One of the ways that we try to encourage that openness is by setting clear boundaries and letting them know that they can talk to us.
Here’s the agreement between us and them that we came up with recently. I found a template at https://joshshipp.com/teen-cell-phone-contract/ (thank you to Josh!) and then adapted to reflect our family values. The main thing is that we’re trying to create an open and honest environment for them to choose accountability and open lines of communication.
We’re not doing this perfectly, but we do love them and continue to find ways to talk about the ever-evolving temptations and pitfalls that are out there as technology continues to shape our kids. Dara and I won’t allow prevailing cultural trends be more influential than our voices. We’re making it up as we go, and loving these kiddos with all of our hearts.
by David Docusen | November 3, 2018 | Uncategorized
I have a thing for ships. This is Edward Moran’s “Ship at Sea, Sunset” painting.
Ships have been a prevailing metaphor for my journey of faith as I travel from who I was to who I am becoming.
It is fascinating to me that the ship in this picture does not have a motor, depending only on the wind to propel it toward the intended destination. You cannot see the wind, and I cannot “see” the Holy Spirit. I can feel the wind. I can feel the Holy Spirit (most days).
I am also struck that the crew has to work with the wind by adjusting the sails to get this ship to the destination. I am working with the Holy Spirit – along with a close community of family and friends – to find my way to who I am becoming.
Sometimes, the wind stops blowing and the sea is still. There is not a lot of movement on those days, but a perfect time to rest. Other days, the wind is blowing perfectly and the sea is calm enough to move quickly. And sometimes the storm comes along, the sails have to be drawn down to make sure they are not destroyed, the the sailors have to ride out the storm. Together. The sailors ride the storm out together.
Are you working with the unseen beauty and power of the Holy Spirit? Do you have a community that enjoys the peaceful days of rest, works with the wind to move forward, and rides out storms together?
I love ships because I love the mystery of traveling from who I was to who I am becoming.
