The church I serve is a member of the Good Faith Network in Johnson County, Kansas, which uses the DART model to organize social change in our community. Our community has identified three pressing needs for change and revolution: affordable housing, mental health access, and homelessness. The thirty faith communities that are a part of our Network have been working for three years to bring about change in a county that likes to believe it does not have problems. The work that has been accomplished is quite remarkable.

Through the Good Faith Network’s efforts, the county owns and is ready to operate a year-round homeless shelter. Our efforts have also led to the development of a Crisis Stabilization Center for those who voluntarily admit themselves for psychiatric assessment, which will open later this year. Partnering with Habitat for Humanity we have launched the Pathway Housing Development, right down the street from Aldersgate United Methodist Church.

On Tuesday evening, over 1500 people attended the Nehemiah Action Event, the culmination of a year’s work to pressure county officials to change their actions in our three identified areas of impact. Amazingly, most of the public officials who were invited to this event agreed to follow through on the action items the Network brought up for attention. One of the officials was not willing to commit to the requests of the Network leaders. There were some uncomfortable moments when the public officials said that he could not promise to deliver on the timeline for the changes the Network was requesting. I felt the tension of those moments, and I wanted to yell, “It’s okay; we know you are doing your best.” (I’m a recovering people pleaser.) But our presenter held steady and leaned into the tension with hopes of an agreement. There was no change in the official’s stance, but there were promises to continue working for solutions to our community problems.

Pressure points are uncomfortable. Historically, I have not liked to feel the tension of a board meeting or tense conversation. However, my life experience has taught me that change can happen at pressure points. What the Good Faith Network has accomplished in only three years is nothing short of miraculous. So, even when I feel uncomfortable, I am going to lean into the tension and hope for the positive changes that the community needs and deserves.