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Read and comment on the Rev. Matt Poole?s blog on the Hot Metal Bridge Bible study, where the Rev. Jim Walker has also joined the conversation.

By Matt Poole

Ecclesiastical Frankenstein, tattoo parlor, Bible fight clubs, and even sex were among some of the words shared with us at annual conference by the Rev. Jim Walker of Hot Metal Bridge Community Church. The church was started five years ago when Jim, a United Methodist pastor, and Jeff Eddings, a Presbyterian pastor wanted to do something dramatically different to engage the people living near a bridge known as the 'Hot Metal Bridge' in the old steel city of Pittsburgh.

They started holding what we would typically understand as small groups in places like tattoo parlors, local bars, and coffee shops. They also used drama as a way to help people understand and engage in the Gospel. The church is going back to forms of worship and fellowship mentioned in the book of Acts. They sing, communicate the Gospel through drama, share in communion, and end with sharing a meal together.

One of the ways that this new church in Pittsburgh is engaging the culture with the Gospel is through Bible Fight Clubs. They are not your typical Bible studies found happening in the Pastor?s study on Sunday morning. These are groups that meet together to actually state differing arguments about what is written in the Bible. Here are the rules:

1. Respect and love people, not necessarily their opinion.
2. Say anything - no judging, no holding grudges.
3.  Must fight - no sitting in silence.
4. Get to the point.
5.  'God is a Mystery' is not an argument.

Jim went on to add that the club is not about winning the argument but valuing the argument. The point is to really listen to others. The Bible fight club ends with each person sharing what they learned from one of the others in the group.

The Bible study Friday morning at conference challenged us to question some of our assumptions. One is that the church is a building. Another is seeing that the 'good' people are in the church and the 'bad' people are outside the church. This leads to another assumption that we need to go get the bad people and change them into us. This is where we get mixed up in our mission of 'making disciples.'

The shocker was when Jim explained that 'making disciples' was not putting body parts together like Dr. Frankenstein but more like having sex. Disciples are not made or manufactured using church programs. They are reproduced by Christ followers being in authentic relationship with people searching for community.

He mentioned their main focus was on 'koinonia' a word that means more than just a potluck in the church basement. He explained that it was about going into deeper authentic relationships with people. Not just the people who looked like them but the people in the community who were longing for real community. They understand church in simpler terms.

Hot Metal Bridge is reaching many young adults in the community. This is a group that many of us know is missing from our churches. Jim pointed out that young adults are the least likely people to categorize themselves as 'Christian.' Although they are technologically connected to one another their lives are marked by isolation. They are hungering for authentic community and can smell a hypocrite from a mile away. Jim said that they are looking for 'authentic intimate relationships.' Yet what they discover in life is more like 'superficial alienated selfishness.' I would add that we probably all do.

Our conference ended with much discussion about young adult ministry in our conference. I thought it was interesting to note the things that Jim said in his talk about creating authentic relationships. He said things like, 'cannot create a staff position, cannot program it, cannot throw money at it, and cannot market it.' He also emphasized that it cannot be a 'one up' type relationship where we assume we are slightly better somehow than another person.

Jim will be coming out with a book based on some of the material he covered at conference on the spring of 2008. If you want learn more by hearing what others are saying you can find a link to a blog about Hot Metal Bridge Bible study on the conference Web site. Pastor Jim has left a comment there challenging us to rise up and start engaging our culture in authentic ways. It is time for us to start 'sneezing!'