Which of the following, on average, would you guess is the second highest paid position in football (behind the QB)?
a) Wide receiver
b) Left tackle
c) Running back
d) Middle linebacker
The answer is (b): the second highest paid position in the NFL is the left tackle. Why?
1. Because of Bill Walsh. You could say, more generally, the West Coast Offense. But there were two versions of the West Coast Offense: one went deep and the other (Walsh’s version) went wide. Spread out the field. Send four or five receivers out for shorter passes, raising your completion percentage and extending the run after the catch. Sending more people out, however, left the quarterback more vulnerable.
2. Because of rule changes in 1978. No longer could a cornerback “bump-and-run” with a receiver all the way down the field. Now he’s limited to five yards. And offensive linemen, who formerly were forced to block looking like clothes hangers, were suddenly allowed to use their hands.
3. Because of Lawrence Taylor. If you still wince when you hear the name “Joe Theismann,” then you’re probably a football fan. Taylor was a QB-destroying machine. The new profile for the blind side pass rusher became that athlete who is large, fast, and violent. In other words, someone not easily blocked by a running back.
Michael Lewis’s The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game
The new profile for an NFL left tackle is what Lewis says the scouts call “a freak of nature.” He’s tall (6′4″), big (320+), quick, and has a wide butt, long arms and big hands. Think Orlando Pace or Jonathan Ogden.
Like Michael Oher, now a left tackle for Ole Miss. Much of this excellent book tells his story.
It’s the story of Memphis — a city with an invisible Berlin Wall between white and black. Lewis talks about the Christian academies that sprang up quickly with forced integration so wealthy white children wouldn’t have to go to school with black children. He talks about the pilgrimage east — as far away from the problems of West Memphis as possible.
But this story is specifically told through one young man: Michael Oher. He was a child who seemed to have no hope.
He was one of ten children of a crack cocaine-addicted mother. At times they had no shelter. When asked what he remembers about his first years of life, Michael says: “Going for days having to drink water to get full. Going to other people’s houses and asking for something to eat. Sleeping outside. The mosquitoes.”
For a few years they lived in Hurt Village — a community of about 1000 with no — count them, ZERO — two-parent families. Seventy-five percent of the adults there had some mental illness. Drug lords waited with crack in hand at the first of the month when welfare checks arrived in the mail.
By the time he was 15, Michael Oher hadn’t been to school much. He’d been tested, and his IQ came out to be 80.
But all that changed. I’ll leave the details for you to enjoy the book. But the short story is this: he fell victim to the love and nurture of one wealthy, white family in East Memphis. Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy (a former basketball player and a former cheerleader at Ole Miss) welcomed him into their family. He suddenly had a family, including a sister his age and a younger brother. He had a school to attend — Briarcrest Christian School. He had clothes and food. His IQ rose from 80 to 110.
Whether you’re a football fan or not, you’ll love the chapters on the recruiting of Michael Oher. Every college coach in the country began salivating when he saw tapes of Oher treating large opponents as if they weren’t there. In one game Briarcrest played, every offensive play consisted of giving the ball to the running back and telling him to stay behind Oher’s butt until he heard a whistle. They destroyed their opponent on that one play.
This is a hard book because of the despair. You realize that most people in the Hurt Villages of our inner cities don’t have a Tuohy family to help them.
But it’s also an inspiring read because this one family — this one white, wealthy, Evangelical family — brought a monstrous kid into their lives before anyone knew he had athletic super-talent. He was lost, and Leigh Anne Tuohy was going to care for him.
Michael Oher became what Lewis calls “a freak of nurture.”
Thanks, Richard B, for the suggestion and the loan. You can have your book back now. Pass it on!
I can’t wait to read it! I’m buying it now.
My mother’s family lived in Memphis and it was so far from the quiet small town culture I lived in. She’ll want to read it, too.
I’m next going to get you to read a book about the NBA. How’s your knee?
My knee is slowly healing. It felt better before I tried moving!
Thanks for the offer, but I’d prefer a book about real (think: college) basketball.
I will say, though, that the Mavs are a very fine team to watch. I’ve never in my life been to an NBA game. Maybe we need a guys’ trip to Dallas sometime. Maybe Mark Cuban could make it “Abilene night” and let us in free.
Sounds good!
Mike,
Thanks for the info on the book. So far, every book you have recommended that I have read I have enjoyed. Even Sam Harris’ “Letter…” (although it did boil my blood a bit).
Here is my question about football, however. People talk a lot about the balance of positive/negative sports brings. A story like this accentuates the positive, but there is a negative undertone. How natural is it for people to grow to 6′4″, 350#? Something is going on in football (apparently) to help enhance poeple’s growth. The average offensive lineman is something like 75 pounds heavier than offensive linemen only 15 years ago. Shawne Merriman was suspended for four games and still received votes for Defensive Player of the Year while being regarded the best linebacker in the game today. Baseball fans turned a blind eye until someone disliked began to approach Aaron’s record. Are football fans doing the same thing?
Everything I’ve read by Michael Lewis has been wonderful.
What a wonderful post. I live in the Memphis area, and the story you’re referring to is legendary around here. And you’re absolutely right about the wall of racism . . . it’s amazingly real. What’s even more amazing, however, is the apparent apathy about the wall we Christians seem to have. Racial reconcilation is not a part of the good news for most churches. Why is that?
What a great story!
What about all the churches of Christ, including Highland Street, in Memphis, which are fleeing the city so fast that they leave skid marks? I live in the metro area (on the Arkansas side), and Memphis is going downhill faster than most people realize. The churches abandoning their historic locations in the city are not helping things.
Memphis is no longer what it was when I was growing up here. EVERYTHING has changed, and very little of it for the better.
The church is supposed to be salt and light, but it seems like most of them in Memphis want to be salt in a fine restaurant, where the food is already seasoned properly, and they want to be a flashlight in a place where the sun shines all the time.
If you’ve never been to Memphis, and want to see why this city was so great at one time, you had better hurry, because it won’t last long. I believe the news reported a couple of nights ago that there had already been 9 murders in Memphis since January 1. This city is getting dangerous in the extreme, and many people won’t go into the city for anything.
It is depressing, but not surprising.
kerry - Your concerns about the churches in Memphis is my own as well. It’s sad to see churches choosing to “build bigger barns” instead of thinking innovatively about how they can remain where they are as the people of God. It’s sad, really, as you said.
There are still “salt and light” Christians living in the city, but their “churches” generally don’t look like the ones they are replacing. What they lose in resources, they make up for in radical discipleship and mission. This is exciting.
*should have read “concerns … are” rather than “concerns … is.” whoops!
Just a quick response to Kerry.
I live in Memphis and I agree with you; Memphis is going downhill fast. As evidenced by the recent FBI stings, we have more than our share of corrupt politicians/city leaders as well as a mayor who thinks of himself as invincible. Our city leaders aren’t doing much to tackle economic issues or more importantly the crime problem that has made us #2 in the country on the list of most dangerous cities.
I am also a member of the Highland Street Church of Christ. I will be the first to tell anyone that I am less than thrilled about Highland leaving the heart of the city for the suburbs. I’ve had to pray hard about whether to find a new church home or remain part of the Highland family. There are many pros for moving and there are many pros for staying put. Personally, I’d rather stay put and find other ways to address the overcrowding issues we are facing.
All that said, Highland Street Cof C and other Churches of Christ in Memphis have made a commitment to Memphis. Hope Works, Memphis Urban Missions, FIT (a ministry to unwed, pregnant mothers), and the church plants that have occurred are just a few of the reasons I believe we are concerned about being salt and light to more than just those in fine restaurants. Despite the future relocation, Highland is remaining committed to these ministries and to helping the poor and the forgotten of Memphis. Based on the church’s history, I have every reason to believe that Highland (and others) will not only remain committed but will do even more in the future.
JMH,
As a former Highland member (grew up there in the late 70’s and early 80’s, during the building boom), I agree with your assessment of their commitment to ministries in the city. I was speaking more of the physical presence of the church in the city, which I believe is also your concern. I can’t imagine Highland Street without Highland Street Church of Christ smack dab in the middle of it. Hopefully, brother Redd and the folks at Midtown, and my home church (Missouri St. in West Memphis) can pick up some of the slack, as I imagine there are people who don’t want to travel an hour to get to church. You guys are moving WAY OUT THERE!!!
I thought Bellevue Baptist was WAY OUT THERE, but you guys are moving almost to North Carolina, it seems like.
Just to take this Blind Side conversation in another direction if anyone cared to comment…
As Lewis writes it, the story of Michael Oher is mixed. On the one hand, it’s an amazing story of rescue. On the other hand, Michael gets saved because he is fortunate enough to have the skills to protect one of America’s greatest “assets”: The NFL quarterback. Michael Oher will be a millionaire one day for what he can do that few others can do. In short, Michael Oher gets saved because he possesses something we value. He is a commodity. In the book even Michael struggles with discerning who is interested in him for who he is versus what he can do for people.
But the true “blind side” of America are all those other kids who don’t have Michael’s abilities. Since they are not rare or exceptional they don’t get rescued.
In our world, your value, in short, is determined by market scarcity. Because Michael’s gifts are rare he is valuable. I wonder how much of this as seeped into our churches, this elevation of scarcity, the elevation of rare talent. Do we also make talent an idol in our churches? Obscuring a worldly streak in us with language of “giftedness”? It is a difficult question, but one well worth discerning.
My son played against Oher several times, both in regular season and the playoffs. Briarcrest was a true powerhouse then. I still remember the time when my son put a good block on Oher and as Andrew was getting up and walking back to the huddle Oher pushed him so hard in the back that he fell on his face. An official saw it and threw a flag. I was just thankful that Andrew had sense enough to get up and keep walking to the huddle. I hold no hard feelings against Oher. He and my son shook hands after the game and I never heard a word about it from my son. Football tends to bring out the agression in people, so it really wasn’t a big deal to the kids playing. I also live in the Memphis area, have most of my life, and I love it, but the city itself is dying. To me it all started with forced busing. That was the single most stupid thing the federal government has ever done. All in the world it did was to cause schools like Briarcrest and many others to be born. The poor black kids were the only ones who got bused. It ended up destroying many good black communities. The race problem in Memphis is complex and solutions are even more so. My wife teaches in a middle school which is over 95% black. One of their 8th graders went into labor yesterday. This school happens to be in an affluent black community. Someone mentioned the Memphis mayor, “King Willie.” as numerous people both black and white call him. He is the most arrogant politician I have ever seen. I have rambled enough, but I want you to know that Harding Academy has done far more than Briarcrest to help minority students be able to attend. Harding also has a far more diverse student population than any other of the Christian schools in the area, and Harding was started years before busing.
Only today am I realizing how many Memphis readers there are here! Thanks for those perspectives from all of you. Richard, your wife is one of my heroes of the day. And for your son to hold his own against Oher — well, that apparently puts in him a VERY small minority! Apparently, not many defensive tackles in the SEC can say the same. Other Richard, that’s part of the deeper, systemic issue we have to come to terms with. Kerry, blessings on the churches that you mentioned that are right in the middle of the greatest challenges. And JMH, you’re part of an amazing community of faith. I have no doubt that they will continue doing everything they can.
Richard,
Don’t forget West Memphis Christian School along with Harding! Instead of running out of the city, we moved CLOSER to the poor kids, renovating an abandoned K-Mart building in West Memphis for our new high school campus. We’re like Harding in that we have all kinds of kids, too.
Interesting that the only two “Church of Christ” schools in the metro Memphis area are part of the EXTREMELY FEW that aren’t running for East Shelby County as fast as the donors will let them… West Memphis Christian has given scholarships since my days there (late 80’s) to poor minority students, due to the fact that the overseers saw the school as a mission, not just a private school.
As far as “King Willie” goes: what other politician in America, or even the world, looks at a city literally crumbling into ruins in front of their eyes, and says the following: “We need to build an NFL ready football stadium. That will fix everything.”?????!!!!!!?????? I agree with you: he is the most arrogant politician I have ever seen.
This sums up how I see Memphis lately: before we go into town to see a movie or something, I put about ten one dollar bills in my front pocket, because I know that’s about how many times I’m going to be panhandled, harrassed, and generally pestered just walking from the car to the movie/restaurant and back. I have been cornered on the street by bums so many times in the last two years that I am losing count. I can literally see them positioning themselves as I am parking, just waiting to see who can get to me first. My wife is absolutely terrified of going anywhere over there.
This city was GREAT. And it wasn’t that long ago…
Also a member of Highland Street in Memphis… and also sadly disappointed with our decision to move.
What’ll be weird is every time I come home to Memphis from school and attend a building where I did not grow up. (Kind of like when you’re parents move and you come home — it just doesn’t feel the same.)
I know Highland’s leadership has continually said they are still committed to the inner-city and that their inner-city ministries/support will continue to grow. However, I really have a hard time believing this. It’s hard to stay committed when you’re not right there in the middle of a relationship…
As an X-QB, I remember playing in a High School football game in Dallas when my left tackle blew an assignment and I got blind sided. I didn’t know who was more upset–my offensive coordinator or my mom. When we got to the sideline, my coach made the guy apologize to me over and over again. I can still here him, “Tell him you are sorry! Tell him you won’t let it happen again!”
It didn’t happen again because my new left tackle became a guy that went on to start for the Kansas Jayhawk’s.
A very inspiring story! And I don’t even like football much.
…does that book really say “wide butt?”
I’m sorry, but this “i’m really scared highland is not going to be salt and light to the inner city” is pure bs.
How many african americans attended church at highland? Lucy Trainer, and several others, who still have to get rides from their neighborhood to attend church.
We are a wealthy white church that just happens to be on the border of a wealthy lily white neighborhood…. the church waited far too long to try and get to a place where they could expand to meet their space needs so they ended up on houston levee.
The vast majority of the church lives well east of the building, and those people are still committed to the poor now, why would a change in meeting places make them suddenly not care for the poor? It won’t.
What I see is a bunch of self righteous people who think they are holier than everyone else because they want the building to stay where it is. Nevermind the fact that the church is unable to reach out to more people at its current location because of overcrowding. There are plenty of people in east memphis that need a church that is about helping the poor, and all their options now are mega churches preaching the health and wealth gung ho praise president bush churches. Something different needs to happen out there.
And maybe that’s where change begins. Maybe to fix Memphis, we need to send missionaries to the rich. Maybe we need to move out there, build the space we need, but stay as far away from the starbucks mall type churches that are appearing everywhere.
Maybe I’m niave, but I trust that the elders at our church are making a decision based on prayer and petition. I think its shameful how people are slandering those guys right now. Steve, Daniel, I know you two guys, and I know you’ve got good hearts, but I don’t think your feelings about this are warranted. You complain, but you don’t offer any other options. I heard a lady at church say we should have split up into smaller churches. Sure great idea, but she better be the first one who starts a church, and I cna guarandamntee ya that she wouldn’t be.
Its a bad situation that doesn’t have a good answer. And its fruitless to criticize the current decision made by the elders, who prayed over it for YEARS if you don’t have a better solution to offer that you are willing to head up. Its just utter nonsense.
Mike, I didn’t realize your Memphis draw. I mean you don’t even talk about Barbeque! I grew up an hour from Memphis and ALL my relatives lived there. It seems that the vast majority of white Memphians agree on one thing. The city is dying. I have a number of friends from architectural school who work and live downtown. They are determined that Memphis is getting better. Downtown certainly is getting better. But Memphis has always been a horizontal city. Out in the middle its rough. But I don’t think its dying. It is definitely changing. There are some very encouraging things happening to help those who need it, but they are too few and too far between. Of course its complex, it is everywhere. The question for all of us is whether we are willing to get messy and do something or lament that we can’t really make a difference.
I believe that we can as individuals and as churches. I believe the way of Jesus is all about that we can. I pray that those who are in Memphis trying to live out a life that makes the world better will find their numbers swelling.
Left tackles are important but for any city to work we have to learn to play as a team.
Mike, I love stories about greatness rising from the ashes of the stupidness of our humanity. I love hearing about kids who have never had anything handed to them and they do amazingly great things with their lives…it is inspiring and makes me wonder why I haven’t done more.
I just passed a book on to Diane that you might be interested in…The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. She now contributes to MSNBC but grew up with crazy parents…it is a wild story but in the end feels great.
Amy - It doesn’t exactly say “wide butt.”
“The ideal left tackle was big, but a lot of people were big. What set him apart were his more subtle specifications. He was wide in the ass and massive in the thighs: the girth of his lower body lessened the likelihood that Lawrence Taylor, or his successors, would run right over him. He had long arms: pass rushers tried to get in tight to the blocker’s body then spin off of it, and long arms helped to keep them at bay. He had giant hands, so that when he grabbed ahold of you, it meant something. But size alone couldn’t cope with the threat to the quarterback’s blind side, because that threat was also fast. The ideal left tackle also had great feet. Incredibly nimble and quick feet. Quick enough feet, ideally, that the idea of racing him in a five-yard dash made the team’s running backs uneasy. He had the body control of a ballerina and the agility of a basketball player. The combination was just incredibly rare. And so, ultimately, very expensive.”
Julie - Yes, I know about that book. Diane has been LIVING in it since you gave it to her.
TCS - Diane and I lived three years in Memphis at the Cottonwood Cabanas. Our world revolved around Harding Graduate School, Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis), and church. Loved this line: “Left tackles are important but for any city to work we have to learn to play as a team.”
Welcome to the club. Cindy and I lived in those same Cottonwood Cabanas. I think they were torn down after we left. Cindy got her Masters from Memphis State in those days as well.
Maybe you remember David Reeves from Memphis. His daughter dates one of the other linemen on the Ole Miss team. I sent David your blog link. He and his family attended many of the Ole Miss games.
Peace.
I can’t resist. All this talk reminds me of one of my late grandfather’s (Roy Phemister) favorite jokes. He’d smell his armpits and say, “Shoowee! I remembered my Right Guard, but forgot my Left Tackle!”
First of all, Justin — I really don’t appreciate the fact that you called me a self-righteous, BS-laden person. If you wanna discuss a situation, fine… but no name calling.
If Highland’s opportunity for growth and expansion already passed, then why move, if that was the purpose?
The issue I see with the move has to do with the symbolism of the church’s location and the message that moving sends to the community. And in actuality, I think symbolism/perception can have a major effect on what a church does.
I don’t have a problem with disagreeing with the elders. I know they put a lot of prayer and thought into this decision, but that doesn’t mean I have to agree. I still respect the elders and their leadership, but I simply don’t agree with that specific decision made.
I have my own view — I said I was disappointed with a decision. But I never badmouthed the people making the decision. I really don’t appreciate you not returning that respect. I respect your views, and though I disagree I’m not saying you’re views are wrong because you have a self-righteous attitude with opinions full of BS.
Thanks for ridiculing me instead of my opinions, I’ll try to return the favor next time.
Daniel,
Its obvious in your critiques and others, that you think that Highland is just trying to escape the city to get away from black people, and I think that’s borderline slander. You’re judging a group of elders that I would say are some of the best in our fellowship. Then you go on to say that the people in the church are going to abandon the city because we move out east. I don’t think there’s ANY evidence to support that conclusion, in fact, I think there is evidence to the contrary. Half the church lives in wealthy areas in east memphis, and eastern shelby county, yet our kids drive 30 minutes into church for services, youth group, bible study, power hour, workcamp, and the list goes on and on. They all ready drive that far into the city, so why would they not just because the building is somewhere else. Do you think its because they want to be a part of a super white mega church? Absolutely not. Its because they are dedicated to serving Christ, and they will go whereever to do that.
And like I said, what is highland doing for the area immediately aroudn the church? a five mile radius is probably 60 percent african american, yet we may have 1 or 2 percent of the church that is african american. How is the church moving going to negatively affect that area?
Normally, this is the time when I would apologize for calling someone names, because most of the time, I just get upset and don’t think about what I’m saying, but this time its different. I still have yet to see any other options come forth from the complaint mongerers among the church.
Like I said, our meeting place is not doing anything for the neighborhood. We haven’t done a good job bringing in people from the neighborhood. It may just be me, but if I were a lower income african american, I wouldn’t be comfortable in a church full of rich white people.
What Highland is doing that is making a difference are power hour, downtown church, fraiser mission church, the school store, workcamp, etc. I don’t know if this is in the plans, but they should definitely buy a building to be able to serve the neighborhood during the week. Whereever we meet for corporate worship has no bearing on the neighborhood at all. Its a building made up of people, and what those people do for the neighborhood is what matters.
I’m just tired of the same old arguments and no better solutions. I’m tired of people being self righteous about the matter, criticizing people for making a decision and making judgements on these men’s hearts. They are elder’s for pete’s sake! Daniel, you and I have been gone for several years and we don’t know all the inner workings of what’s been going on. Neither of us can make a truely accurate assessment of the situation. Maybe I’m stupid, but I feel like trusting people that God has called to lead this church, who have done everything they could to postpone this and find new solutions, is probably the best idea.
justin - here’s a solution / alternative
Read this book several months ago and loved it.
For HU people out there, the author quotes Memphis Harding Academy coach Paul Simmons, who now coaches DL for the Bisons.
Anyone who hasn’t read it … should.
Also, the We Are Marshall movie is a must-see. It’s sort of a football movie, but much more, it’s a tremendous story that a lot of your younger readers may not be aware of.
Steve,
It would be wonderful if the church could just disband and become christ followers, meeting in homes, and being jesus everywhere.
But I don’t think that’s going to be a palatable option to most people.
You and I and Daniel think WAY differently than the majority of most congregations of people. The elders are trying to do what they think is best for the church. There’s not a perfect option, but I think that discounting the members desire to help the poor is sad. I don’t thinka nyone at Highland St. wants to be Hope Pres or anything like that.
I, too, live in Memphis. In fact, I attend the congregation where Josh preaches.
I’ve only lived in Memphis since July, but you don’t have to live here long to know the reality of the racism wall, or perhaps “chasm” is more fitting. I grew up in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and while I certainly witnessed racial prejudice there (as some exists anywhere, unfortunately), it was nowhere near the level it is in Memphis.
The eastward migration is as alive as ever. For some people the motivation to move east of town stems from a desire for safety, and that’s certainly a viable concern given the steady rise of violent crime–see other folks’ comments regarding the often corrupt and perpetually inept local government. However, for others, moving east is a form of segregation via economic standards. When I attended a concert on the square of Collierville last summer, I played a game with myself to see how many non-white people I could spot out of the several hundred people there. I found six–a black family running one of the vender stands and an Asian couple.
Kerry, you mentioned Harding as one of the two schools who chose to remain in the heart of the city. Last year Harding purchased land in Lakeland with the hopes of building a new campus there by 2010. This is my first year working at Harding, but I know that some folks questioned the necessity of moving from our current location.
Last week in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Wendi C. Thomas wrote an article exploring how a Christian ought to decide where to live, with a focus on Memphis. Although I don’t agree with all her points, the article is certainly thought provoking:
http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local_columnists/article/0,2845,MCA_25341_5271028,00.html
Justin - It’s an honest solution. You asked for solutions, and I offered one (or linked to another person’s). I’ve noticed that for many godly leaders in more traditional churches making the “missional move,” this option seems to be off the table almost immediately. Why is that, I wonder? I think it’s because suggesting that we are the church rather than go to church is pretty offensive to most people. If not offensive, at least daunting.
The truth is, Highland is only changing the location of a weekly meeting, not the location of “the church.” The church — individual Christians and Christian families — lives all over Memphis, mostly east of the urban core. So in a way, this conversation is more about where to build a central “headquarters,” not where a church is moving. Like the kids’ song says, “the church is the people!”
this blog is truily a blog within a blog. Justin…see me after class.
BST
Not that it matters a hill of beans to anyone but me, but my husband and I like to visit Memphis occassionally (we live in central Arkansas but LOVE LOVE LOVE the Rendevoux!) and we’ve always worshipped at Highland because it’s the closest congregation to downtown that we know of. Is there another one? Or are tourists supposed to drive out to the suburbs to worship?
Well, I just caught it from my son. He did play against Oher, but it was another guy that gave him the cheap shot. That guy is playing for Harding now, and I am sure is a fine young man. There is a PhD dissertation waiting to be written about the racial climate in Memphis. Right now I am preaching in the far north suburb of Memphis, Millington. We are very intergrated and very happy. There is a stability in Millington that I don’t see in other parts of the area. I think that one of the real problems is the perception of the school. If people view a particular school in a negative light they are going to move to get their kids into a better school. The school might in reality be great, but if the preception is negative it doesn’t matter what the reality is. My wife teaches in a school that has seen nine faculty members quit so far this year. I hear an interesting story every day when she get home. I wish I had some answers. I have my opinions about Highland, but I don’t feel that it is either right nor fair to express them. I want Highland to do well wherever that might be. So once again, it was not Oher that pushed my son.
Lisa, Rendevouz is certainly good, but you should try Neeley’s or Blues City Cafe sometime.
Lisa,
Missouri Street Church of Christ is on the Arkansas side in West Memphis. It is right on I-40/I-55 at the split, with an exit from the interstate that nearly dumps into the parking lot. It is less than ten minutes from downtown. It is my home church, and there are a lot of Bible classes to choose from. Sunday school is at 9 am, with worship at 10. You can’t miss the building; it is the giant, tan, wedge shaped building visible from the overpass as you pass through West Memphis, just past the McDonalds.
The other option is Midtown Church of Christ, where my former Bible teacher from high school, Harold Redd, preaches. It is a largely black church located on Union just before you get to East Parkway (Christian Brothers University area). It is roughly a ten minute drive from downtown. Brother Redd is (or was) on the board of Harding University, and is one of the finest men I have ever known, with a biblical knowledge among the best.
I’m sure there are many other smaller churches not much further, but none as large as these two. Missouri Street has about 500 on a typical sunday, and I don’t know how many Midtown has, but it is large.
It is a solution, and I think that’s similar to the solution they are going for. They want to be able to have a meeting place that can accomidate the people who want to attend worship there, and who want to be a part of a church that is active in being the church. There were places that we’d rather have gone besides fisherville, but the problem was that the church waited so long to make a decision, that many options were unavailible. They built that huge addition in 97, and it was full as soon as it was finished. They couldn’t aquire enough land to meet the needs without sacrificing parking, which was all ready a problem. So, when the opportunity came along for someone to purchase the property for market value, they took the offer with faith that God would provide a location. They found one, though it wasn’t nearly as close to the city as they had wanted, but their hands were tied at that point.
You’re right, the building really is just home base for the church, and I agree withthat totally. I think that’s kinda how the elders view it too, and while they would have loved to stay in the city (and they went to drastic measures to do so) it didn’t work out that way.
Sometimes, I don’t disagree with people in the spirit of Christ, and I apologize for that. Not defending my actions, but it just irks me to no end to hear criticism of the elders who made this decision. It was not an easy one. If they had visions of a mega church though, they would have moved back in the mid ninties, rather than building a huge new wing that was just going to be a money pit (the whole building will be demolished in feb).
They’ve tried and tried to stay, but it didn’t happen and they took the best possible option. If the situation were different, if they hastily made the decision to move east without considering other options (briarcrest middle school, summer ave, etc) then I would be right with you. But from what I’ve seen, its Godly men trying to make the best of a bad situation. And it just gets me upset when people start making judgements about them, which is how many of the posts (and things I’veheard at church) have come off. Maybe its just my perception. Anyway, I apologize for blowing up.
Memphis indeed has many problems. The race card plays heavily into the problems and it’s played by both races equally and often. Playing the race card is a convenient way for our city’s elected officials to never get anything accomplished and many of them like to keep the racial issues stirred up. I realize it’s not all elected officials; it’s ordinary citizens too.
The Tuohy’s are a wonderful example of being Christ to a broken city. Our city is broken and I believe there are many Tuohy’s out there trying to change that. I think a lot of people in Memphis really need to die to themselves in order for major changes to occur in this city. I know many have been praying this prayer for years.
However, I do struggle with what we term racism. Moving because my next door neighbor is a difference skin color- yeah that’s racism. Moving because my property taxes are double in the city than they are in other parts of the county or because I live in a school district where my child will not even receive a sub-par education or my home has been broken into multiple times, is that really racist? In Memphis we try to wrap racism around all of these things and more. If we could only quit putting race into every issue that comes up, I think that would be a start. I wish I knew the answers to the problems of Memphis and other cities. I guess if I knew those answers, I wouldn’t be sitting at this desk everyday! (incidentally, I live inside the 240 loop and enjoy living in the city).
All of us Ole Miss fans are happy that Michael Oher is a Rebel and happier still of the examples that the Tuohy’s have been to people all over the nation!
My apologies for the rambling.
On the racism issue
Its not simple, that’s for sure, but let me defend Memphians a little from racism claims.
Its easy to not be racist when you live where everyone you come into contact looks like you. Moving to Nashville, I’ve seen this in a big way here in Nashville, which has way fewer African Americans than Memphis does. People in Nashville will tell you up and down that they aren’t racist, but you’re lucky to find someone that even knows a black person here. The black communities are completely quadranted off from the white parts of the city, and since the african american population is smaller, even service industry jobs that in Memphis are heavily populated by african americans, aren’t in Nashville. So people never run into people that are different. In Memphis, even in east memphis, collierville, and germantown, you don’t go anywhere that isn’t somewhat mixed racially. People may say bad things about african americans as a group (often because of the political situations) but they live together for the most part and there are no problems. In Nashville, people refer to Hickory Hollow mall in Antioch, a middle class ethinically diverse neighborhood as “shady”. This mall has a demographic much like any mall you go to in Memphis. No one says that Wolfchase is shady or Oak Court is shady. But Nashville people would be scared to go to a mall that is this ethinically diverse.
Racism is everywhere. Not just Memphis. It just comes in different forms. And honestly, I’d take the person who can live amongst people who are different, who may say something about the crime in memphis being bad, then a person in Nashville who swears up and downt hey aren’t racist, but never even comes into contact with a person of color.
Gotta agree with Justin on the last post. Memphis is one of the least racist places I have ever been, and I’ve lived here for going on 30 years now.
The most racist place I have ever been? Fayetteville, Arkansas. Population: 100,000 plus. Number of black people? about 300.
Memphis is the first MSA (metropolitan statistical area) in the entire United States to be majority black. If you are an overt racist here, you aren’t going to last long.
I don’t think people are moving to East Shelby County and beyond because of black people. They are moving because of schools and crime, as one poster said above. I just wish the historic churches could find some creative ways to maintain their locations, while expanding, also. It KILLS a city to have the churches move out.
I had heard the rumors about Harding moving, too. Are they facing declining enrollment or something that would force the move?
We’ve been to the Blues City Cafe, but when I get to choose, I choose the Rendevoux. I’d rather have my ribs dry, thanksverymuch.
Plus the waiters are wonderful.
Well, the building is old and in need of repair
But its full of asbestos.
And declining enrollment.
They have substandard athletic fields and facilities and its only a matter of time before they can’t afford to operate.
They probably would have liked to stay at cherry road, but because of asbestos, and other problems, it would be too expensive to try and rebuild the campus. There were plans though.
Justin — I just want to know… When did I say all of those things?
When did I say Highland is trying to escape?
When did I judge the elders?
When did I say Highland wants to be a super white mega church?
When did I make a judgment on the Highland elder’s hearts?
Just point to my posts and explain where I said all of these caustic, divisive comments. I looked back through my comments (2 posts) and I have NO EARTHLY idea where you’ve gotten all of these evil comments I’ve made.
I really don’t know why our conversation is going this way…
Justin,
Your post about Nashville says it all, and you would not believe the number of blacks who are moving for the exact reasons why whites are moving. I personally wish Harold Ford Jr. would run against King Willie for Mayor. I would vote for Ford in a second.
Lisa,
Kerry only gave you Church of Christ options. I am sure there are also some wonderful Baptist or non denominational churches close by.
…not taking that bait…
Kerry,
I live in Fayetteville, Arkansas. There are considerably less than 100,000 people here. There are considerably more than 300 African-Americans. You might be thinking of Springdale.
I know Highland’s leadership has continually said they are still committed to the inner-city and that their inner-city ministries/support will continue to grow. However, I really have a hard time believing this. It’s hard to stay committed when you’re not right there in the middle of a relationship…
Maybe I read too much into that, but it seems like you’re saying “i know that they SAY that, but we all know that its not going to happen”
I’ve probably got you mixed up with some other commenters here Daniel, I apologize for that. I kinda grouped all the “we disapprove with highland moving” people together.
I’m sorry.
Luke D,
Metro area…way more than 100,000
If there’s more than 300, then that has changed considerable in the last few years. I was involved in a demographic study centered around the area east of the square (Tin Cup). In the late 90’s, there were between 300 and 500 black people in Fayetteville proper.
Lisa: My wife and I are former members at Highland Street and now have a house church in Midtown. We would love for you to visit us when you are in town. There are several groups meeting in homes in the midtown area, and Steve Jr. is right: most of them don’t look like “your mother’s church.”
Steve Sr.
sholtsr@juno.com
Yeah, when I said I had a hard time believing that, I didn’t mean I distrust them and think they are lying — and I didn’t think any of my posts hinted that direction. I was simply remarking on how hard it is to remain committed to something with being farther away from it.
Dear Mike,
Another of your “raised in mid-town Memphis/grew up at Highland” readers and I got tired reading all the posts so I scrolled down. I’m married to a good Abilenean, so maybe that adds to the credibility! ha Greg and I read the book over Christmas and loved it. Thanks for discussing it and maybe touching the raw nerve ending of “how do I treat my brothers and sisters” in my life, where I choose to live, worship, etc. I really appreciated the above discussion and the author’s point that Michael Oher, the person, was “rescued” from the inner city because of his ability to play this highly prized position in football. And the blind side is all the other children that are left in Hurt Village. Keep letting this book sink in (it took me a while to absorb all the subtleties) and we all pray to be guided by the Spirit, wherever that leads. We also just finished reading “Leaving Microsoft to Change the World” and it may also lead to some conclusions about what the world needs from us. Thank you for your ministry right where you are.
It is true that its harder to remain committed Daniel, my point was just that many of the people who are committed to that sort of thing (your family and mine for example) live a good 30 minutes from highland, yet still continue support for ministries and being involved as much as possible. Many many members of highland live in suburban white east memphis, and many more live well east of 240. I believe that God has a plan for highland st out east, just as he had a plan for us in midtown (well, barely in midtown). How many people out east are living lives devoted to consumerism who will check out Highland because of its proximity and see the lives of people and a church that are committed to the poor in Memphis. People who are willing to leave their suburban safety zones to go in and help people who live in dire poverty. God is ready to work on people’s hearts in the suburbs and ready to use them in financial ways, as well as use their time. How many churches in eastern shelby county are committed to the poor? How many people haven’t even heard the message that it is our duty to serve the least of these? I’d imagine its a lot. Hopefully, Highlands move out there will show those in suburbia that we are called to minister to those in the inner city. Like I said, its not the best case scenario. It would have been wonderful if we had plenty of land on Highland to accomidate people who wanted to worship with us, but that wasn’t the case, and the elders made the best decision they could. Studies have been done that show that if a church isn’t growing numerically, it will eventually die. I think a worse scenario than Highland moving east is Highland ceasing to exist and ceasing to be a force for social justice in the city of Memphis.
I don’t live in Memphis — I think I’ve driven through it once about 10 years ago — and don’t have a dog in the “where should that church go” fight, but I read an excerpt from that book in a recent Reader’s Digest — I would REALLY like to read the whole thing. The book really challenged me to think about Lee Ann Tuohy and if I would be willing to turn my nice, cozy, safe family on it’s ear to serve someone from such a different place — but who obviously needed to be served. I love that she didn’t wait for a program or plan — she made it happen because it needed to be done. May I do the same!
Highland Street’s commitment to the inner city is only skin deep. Note the departure of two extremely talented, effective and dedicated inner city ministers in the past year or so from the Highland staff (people around here are still wondering what happened there). HSCC’s contributions to HopeWorks have not increased in the past 4 years even though that ministry faces dire and on-going financial strains. But the problem is city wide among churches. Presently, there are more than $20 million in planned building projects among churches of Christ in the city while inner city ministries and projects are left wanting. Buildings or people? The churches in Memphis have spoken.
Could someone tell me if it’s this way in other major cities?
Whoa . . . what a conversation. Mike, did you envision that a post like this would turn into a sounding board for Memphis/Highland Street folks?
Kerry,
You are right; there are way more than 100,000 people in the metro area, but the different parts of the metro area are very distinct from each other.
According to the 2000 (figures have changed, but you said “late 90s”) census, Fayetteville had a population of 58,047, 5.11% of them being African-American. That’s hardly a stunning percentage, but it is approximately 10 times more than the 300 you cited.
If anything, Fayetteville has historically been considered a haven for African-Americans in NW Arkansas when they weren’t welcomed elsewhere. Fayetteville has many problems, but being notably racist is not one of them.
I realize that this is not the central issue being discussed here and apologize for going off topic; I just wanted to contest the misinformation that was being spread about my beloved hometown.
well dang it… the elders are schmucks. chris is power hungry and wants to make highland the c of c bellevue. screw them. I guess I’m stupid for trusting that these men were trying to do what God wanted them to.
I just moved to Memphis. I will be purchasing a home in Olive Branch. I am seriously concerned about the racial and poverty issues of Memphis. I am not moving to Olive Branch because I am white or rich. I am moving so my daughter can go to a decent public school and I can not have to fear for my family’s safety.
Does this mean i am not being salt and light?
Does God call me to put my family’s safety on the line in order to follow him?
Does God want my daughter to have a second rate education so that I can live near the problem?
Or does God want me to find ways to impact that culture, regardless of where I live?
Generalizing those who live in East Memphis, Collierville, Germantown, and Notheast Desoto County as simply “white flight” doesn’t work. The church I attend is made up of majority caucasian, wealthy people. They are generally concerned with the state of the Memphis area. They are working/serving in some of the worst area’s to be salt and light.
They are not passive, self involved believers just because they live in these areas.
I think the situation is far to complicated to generalize.
Grew up in Memphis. Harding Academy graduate. Racism is rampant in Memphis — it is dishonest to describe it any other way. I still struggle to overcome all the way subtle ways that a legacy of racism influences my life. Confession is a good start.
Perhaps God does call me to put my family’s safey on the line in order to follow Him (at least by our usual standards of safety).
Maybe God wonders why my children are entitled to a first rate education while their brothers and sisters have to be satisfied with dangerous substandard schools.
We satisfy ourselves with the hope that we can be rescuers of these communities without the commitment and risk of being fully invested members of these communities. I believe that we are deceived.
Jesus moved in to our neighborhood. By a lot of standards that didn’t work out too well for him.
Josh - No. Had no idea. Thought it would be a discussion about (1) football, and (2) the larger issues of missional living amid such great disparity (using the Tuohys model as a hopeful spark).
I believe God can use us no matter where we live if we are willing. It is interesting though that Jesus left a wealthy effluent heaven and moved to a poor denigrated earth in order to bring us home. Which it seams to me Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy accomplished.
Circle complete.
Jim,
So, just to clarify, do you think it is possible for people to be salt and light in the Memphis area while living in Germantown, Collierville, or Olive Branch?
And you beleive that in order for me to fulfill God’s calling on my life, my daughter and wife need to live in fear?
No accusations here. Just something to think about.
What is it that we fear?
Oh.my.goodness. Did I miss something?
jim… where do you live, just for clarification purposes.
Justin –
What would you say if I told you I lived in the chaos of Haiti and listened to gunfire in the road in front of my house most nights?
What would you say if I told you I lived in Abilene, Texas in a home well below my means but I still struggle with how far separated I am from much of the suffering in my community?
What if I told you I lived in Southern Africa and once payed a terrible price for my foolish risk in thinking it important that I try to more fully enter into the suffering of those who have no choice in where to live?
What if all these things are true? Do I need to earn a right to speak?
Like I said — no accusations here. Just some things to think about — mostly for me. Any sacrifices I make pale in comparison to the sacrifice made by the Christ I claim to follow.
i’m just asking cause its really easy (and common) for people to determine that what they do (or how much they sacrifice) is enough, and anyone with more isn’t in the right. I’ve been on the receiving side of that before. Friends who talked behind your back because your house is bigger than his, but who doesn’t know your family situation. I believe that some are called to be prophets, but being a prophet means living in a radical way (shane claiborne comes to mind). I say we do as much as we can and as often as we can and be an example, but not spend time pointing fingers at people who may or may not have a weaker faith.
Can’t get the finger out of my own face, brother!
I keep finding the less of me, the more of Jesus — and I want it all!
You are welcome in my home anytime.
Of course, concerning teams with left-handed quarterbacks, it’s a very different story. Ahem.
I wish you guys would stop fighting! As a famous American once said “Can’t we all just get along?” LOL!
Julie - I read and loved THE GLASS CASTLE too! Can you believe that Jeannette Walls is normal after that upbringing?