Stress of urban life takes toll on workers’ well-being

On the Commercial Appeal’s website is a story that we urban pastors have known for a while; that the stresses in urban life can contribute negatively to a person’s overall well being. The article reports that “stress is heightened when you add urban factors that could be beyond our control. These include insecure employment in a weak economy, crime, pollution, noise, waiting and standing in lines, bureaucracy, office politics, racism, and difficult neighbors. The social aspects of feeling powerless, unsafe, alone when surrounded by people, or ignored take a big toll on mental health. These feeling seem to be more likely in the cities and suburbs than in the country.” See the full report here

This is why we advocate for a holistic approach to urban ministry. Urban ministry is more than soup kitchens and clothes closets. It is more than a suburban or rural church coming to the “hood” to “minister” or baptize. To engage authentically in urban ministry is to first establish an urban theological approach to the issues and problems germane to the urban environment (because many of our theologies do not address the urban landscape despite the fact the the Bible is an urban book) and second, participate in critical and social analyses that begin to raise consciousness to issues and then hopefully plans to address the problems. In short, an urban ministry class will address the aforementioned items above and discuss what it means to dwell in Shalom.

Here at Memphis Theological Seminary we are interested in engaging the Urban. If you have any ideas or suggestions, feel free to comment below

by Andre E. Johnson

Dr. James L. Netters Assistant Professor of Rhetoric & Religion and African American Studies