At Seekers, we remain in our almost-but-not-yet condition, with regard to Carroll Street. Here there is some parallel between our situation and Jesus’ teaching about the realm of God. Jesus taught that God’s realm was both present reality and future promise. Therefore, it is with Seekers and Carroll Street.
I imagine Carroll Street as an embassy of the Empire of God. It points to the discontinuities between American culture and the values that Jesus manifested in his life and ministry. The American church has not always been too clear about this, and has often mistaken the dominant political or nationalist values for Kingdom values. The image of Embassy is a concrete way of seeing what Jesus meant when he taught his disciples to be in the world but not of it.
Everyday I was angry, confused, frustrated, and exhausted. Nevertheless, God used this to draw me to Him. I prayed all the time. I literally could not get ready in the morning before I prayed. I needed God's power to get out of bed, brush my teeth, get dressed and walk out of our apartment. All throughout the day, I would take a minute to myself to pray for patience. When I got home in the afternoon, I read my Bible again, seeking forgiveness for the thousands of ways I had fallen short in one afternoon, and reassurance that I could get out of bed and do it again tomorrow.
Just peace theory recognizes that even though all wars are, in some sense, mad, they are nonetheless real and, in practice, unavoidable. Christian must refuse to let the presence of madness define their actions. It may be necessary to fight some wars, especially wars of defense. However enemies present themselves to us, Christians must also listen for the truths of pacifism, the truths of liberation, and must give themselves to the hope for justice.
I remember most a woman that I see weekly who had broken her leg the week before the attack. Getting up the stairs here was difficult for her. When she came in 2 days after the attacks, she fell into the big green chair with a smile and said, "This has been a better week. Since Tuesday people have gotten up and given me a seat on the Metro.”