A Violent Month for Shelby Park

I live in the Shelby Park neighborhood of Louisville, KY. It's a part of town known for crack cocaine and prostitution, and this month it's unfortunately been in the news for violent crime as well. Why live in such an area? I attend Immanuel Baptist Church, an old church planted square in the neighborhood with a vision for seeing the neighborhood change through the preaching of the gospel and the conversion of the very people selling and using drugs, prostituting themselves, and committing violent crimes.

On Monday, March 23, Christina and I came home from Sunergos (my favorite coffee shop) and saw some police lights across the park. Lights aren't that unusual, so I figured someone was busted for something, and we went inside. The next day while talking to a friend from church on the phone, I found out that the lights were in fact a result of a homicide in the park. I quickly searched the web and found out that Troya Sheckles was ruthlessly gunned down in broad daylight with a couple hundred witnesses nearby. She was sitting in the park with a friend when the murderer walked up, caused an argument, shot her in the torso multiple times, and ran off. Her friend sitting right beside her was unharmed, at least physically.

In the case of Troya, news stories are indicating that her murder might be connected to the fact that she was due to testify in a double homicide trial. A few years ago, she witnessed a man break into her home and murder her then boyfriend. She was the principal eye witness in the case, but she was actually too scared to testify in trial for fear of her life. She was eventually pressured into testifying, apparently even under threat of arrest. Unfortunately, coming forward and "doing the right thing" might well have cost her her life. I visited a memorial for Troya that's setup in the park and can't believe that such a crime could happen in a place I walk past when heading to church and 50 feet from where I push children on swings and chase them down slides.

A week before that murder, some friends from Sojourn Community Church (a like minded church in our neighborhood) were holding a small group meeting in their backyard on the block next to ours on Camp St. Men broke into their yard and robbed them all at gunpoint while they met. From what I understand, some of these same people then witnessed the murder on Monday, which was a couple hundred feet from their back porch. And this all just down the street.

Why share this? Why talk about it? I can picture the children playing nearby as a woman was gunned down. I can feel the fear of a group of brothers and sisters in Christ having their peace and encouragement shattered by armed robbers. Is this not oppresssion? Is this not injustice?

I truly believe God cares about neighborhoods like Shelby Park. As was preached at our church on Wednesday night, God's kingdom is one of justice and righteousness, salvation for those oppressed by evil men and for those enslaved to their own lusts. Our prayer is for God to bring this kingdom to life in Shelby Park, and we're staying put to see it happen. We're staying put to be part of the happening.

And just how does it happen? Well, I know prostitutes who have been transformed by the gospel and left the streets behind. I know a crack addict, cried with him and cared for him, who has been transformed by the gospel and left his drug behind. I know a drug dealer and man of violence who has been transformed by the gospel and earned an honest living and shared with those in need. He's one of the most encouraging people I know! These people have all been transformed by the gospel, the message we preach that is a stumbling block to some and foolishness to others, but the power of God for salvation to those who believe. These people all have believed that Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins. They have believed that they have perfect redemption in him. They have believed, and God has made them new creations in Christ, and He is very obviously at work in them to cause them to desire and to live according to His Word. Amen.