Nathan E. Lewis

“Most cherished in this mundane world is a place with no traffic; truly in the city there can be mountain and forest.”
Wen Zhengming (1470-1559)

One of my friends, Rod, told me at Ava Coffee this morning that he read about Portland described as “the nation’s biggest small town.” For years I have discussed with Portland enthusiasts, flocking to our city, their glowing descriptions of Portland as a “city.” Many of us who have lived here for some time have an aversion to the urban sprawl and to the cold, brash feel of large, American cities. Our thinking and contributions have produced “the biggest small town.”
Today, I received a prayer update from Pat Roach and Jason Little, who are planting a new congregation in Southest Portland. Pat has discovered in the little time he has lived here that Oregonians are candid when it comes to spiritual issues. When people discover that he is a minister of the gospel, they will say, “Well, I’m not religious.” I have received numerous responses over the years from people who are then quite interested in discussing with me spiritual topics. That’s what I love about Portland! “Religion” is a devil term and “spirituality” is a sweet conversation. The church should use this distinction to inform its apologetics. In Oregon’s communities there is wide open space for us to create safe and productive conversations about ultimate issues. Of course, we will have to break out of our “in-house” discussions and enter into larger conversations about spirituality.
Have you noticed how many Christians are blogging? Undoubtedly, hopefully, our little blog rants stimulate face to face conversations with people. By the way, our blogs take our opinions and perspectives around the globe. This is an amazing opportunity! Is it possible that some of us are forfeiting local, face to face conversations in coffee shops or in our homes while we interact with strangers in Indonesia and Prague? I am guilty.
Portland, and most of Oregon is plugged in and surfing around the world and so, we can connect with people locally by blabbing globally. (I met one of my neighbors face to face only after he stumbled across my blog!) At first we were both embarrassed but then we both agreed what a wonderful tool the world wide web is!
That’s what I love about Portland - the people - their global participation and their willingness to turn conversations locally to build community.
As a pastor I consider part of my duties to encourage members of the church to love the community where God has placed them. Have you ever met a person who loathes his city? Some people feel stuck in a town just like they are stuck in a bad marriage. At the soonest opportunity these people relocate just like they divorce their spouses.
When I was a child, my family moved from Recife, Brazil to Placentia, Orange County, California. (just for the record, I was born in Grants Pass, Oregon, making me a native Oregonian.) My father became an Associate Pastor of a congregation whose Senior Pastor was concerned about the mass flight of families out of Southern California to more idyllic communities - Mendocino, California; Ashland, Oregon; Park City, Utah. He would often say from the pulpit and in congregational meetings: “Wherever you move, you take yourself with you and the communal problems you have with your present home might be within you.”
I have always remembered that and it has helped me to “love the one you’re with.” (Don’t underestimate what little children hear and take to heart during the preaching of the church!)
At our church website, I have recently included a page titled, “We Love Our Community - Beaverton, Portland-metro, Oregon, the World.” On that page you will discover many links to various places and sites in our communities that make them beautiful and enriching.
The Church is comprised of people who are citizens of heaven. We believe that our true home is the heavenly city, Jerusalem. This has caused many Christians to be critical of their earthly homes, loathing the cities in which God has placed them on earth. Nothing in the Holy Scriptures allow us to have such a low view of our earthly dwelling places. If anything, our heavenly citizenship should promote our positive contribution to our earthly communities and free us to love our neighbors and to take less seriously the problems we face, like traffic jams.
I chuckle every time an Oregonia complains about our traffic congestion. It is nothing like Seattle gridlock or daily LA commuting. That’s what I like about the “nation’s biggest small town.” In less than 30 minutes I can drive nearly the entire width of the metro area. The Portland metro is comprised of at least eight municipalities and most of us own downtown Portland as our city center. It is a one-square mile of modest buildings and charming meeting places. A rider on our MAX can depart Hillsboro at the western end and arrive at the PDX, our international airport east of city center in approximately one hour. The complaining about traffic is mild and I have always interpreted it as “We humans have to always complain about something!” But mostly around town I hear people express their delight in living in Oregon, enthusiastic about our local culture and natural beauty. That’s what I love about Portland. Let the love fest continue.