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Renovate: Changing Who You Are by Loving Where You Are
An Atlanta pastor describes how individuals and churches can become agents for spiritual and cultural renewal in urban contexts.
God is not wiping this world away. He is in the midst of renovating it.
Léonce Crump, lead pastor of Renovation Church in the urban core of Atlanta , invites you to do what God did when He wanted to make a difference in this world— move in .
Whether you’re a pastor looking to plant a church, a missionary preparing to serve in a far-off land, a family preparing to move into a new community, or a follower of Jesus simply looking to engage more deeply in your current neighborhood, Léonce reveals how our agendas can often sabotage achieving real change in our world.
Léonce takes you on a journey to understand what he calls “the ministry of presence” which he himself learned the hard way after planting a church in one of the most violent areas of Atlanta. Léonce and his family found that, before we can preach or reach others, we must first know the story of a place and its people—especially since skin color, cultural norms, and economic status often isolate us more than bringing us together.
God is not wiping this world away. He is in the midst of renovating it.
Léonce Crump, lead pastor of Renovation Church in the urban core of Atlanta , invites you to do what God did when He wanted to make a difference in this world— move in .
Whether you’re a pastor looking to plant a church, a missionary preparing to serve in a far-off land, a family preparing to move into a new community, or a follower of Jesus simply looking to engage more deeply in your current neighborhood, Léonce reveals how our agendas can often sabotage achieving real change in our world.
Léonce takes you on a journey to understand what he calls “the ministry of presence” which he himself learned the hard way after planting a church in one of the most violent areas of Atlanta. Léonce and his family found that, before we can preach or reach others, we must first know the story of a place and its people—especially since skin color, cultural norms, and economic status often isolate us more than bringing us together.
- GenresChristian
224 pages, Paperback
First published February 17, 2016
15 people are currently reading
430 people want to read
About the author
Léonce B. Crump Jr.
2 books3 followersLéonce B. Crump Jr. is lead pastor of Renovation Church in Atlanta. The former professional athlete has strong transcultural appeal and connections in the world of professional sports and pop music as well as church planting and leadership circles. He is currently earning his Master of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary. Leonce and his wife Breanna reside in downtown Atlanta with their two daughters and son.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 5, 2018
Over the past few years, Leonce Crump and the team at Renovation Church have been among the most influential voices in my life and ministry. Naturally, I was excited to pick up Renovate, in which Pastor Crump details their story and lays out the convictions that God has refined in them during their church planting journey in Atlanta. It did not disappoint.
Crump starts by framing this book as a challenge to the reader. His goal is to bring our attention to a problem and to propose biblical, practical solutions. That problem is transience. And for many churches and individuals, putting those solutions into practice will require a radical reshaping of how they consider the location they call home, why they're there, and how they relate to the place and the people they have been placed among.
In many places, certainly in most major American cities, transience has become the norm. The question of where to live is a question of where we can best access our preferred opportunities and amenities. "Limitless options and unfettered mobility" reign supreme when it comes to determining where we'll call home (3). As soon as the perceived costs of a place outweigh the comforts, many of us are looking for a new ZIP code. Crump identifies this transience not as a neutral cultural proclivity, but as a serious obstacle to the mission of God. In his own dire words, he proclaims transience to be "the obstacle standing in the way of our lives and our communities reflecting the glory of God" (2).
These are the stakes: "if I am only connected to a community to the extent that it can sustain me, we have a parasitic relationship, and I will siphon its resources without regard to its well-being" (4). If this is how I relate to my community, I am not a good neighbor. I am falling short in reflecting the redemptive reign of King Jesus. I am a leech...or, at best, someone who is only investing in the good of the world around me inasmuch as it directly benefits me.
In contrast to this culture of transience, Pastor Crump lays out the case for Christians to realize the value of permanence, develop a theology of place, and live with a sense of sentness wherever God has placed them. He calls us to a "ministry of presence," in which we move-in not merely for the sake of ourselves, but as good neighbors, as co-laborers for the flourishing of transplants and indigenous communities alike, and as agents of God's redemptive purposes in our cities (9). Crump urges Christians to see themselves as placed by God on purpose; "sent" into their communities as his ambassadors.
Before touching on practical implications, Renovate begins with a theological, Scriptural foundation built upon God's revealed intentions for his creation. Crump builds his argument for Christians as "redemptive agents" in this world on God's promises to redeem not just individual human souls, but all of creation, as well as on humanity's God-given mandate to be stewards over the rest of that creation (13). These biblical truths anchor the rest of the book, as Crump returns to Scripture again and again in order to show that the practical outworkings for which he advocates find their origin in the heart of God, as revealed through the Word of God. He endeavors also to show the central place of the gospel in the ministry of presence, as it was first modeled for us by Jesus. The Son of God "moved-in," taking on human flesh and living a life on earth not for comfort or convenience, but to accomplish the redemptive purposes of God. Pastor Crump calls Christians to engage redemptively within their communities not because it is necessary for salvation or as an alternative to evangelistic ministry, but as a response to the finished work of Christ on our behalf and as a witness to those around us of our compassionate, restoring, just, powerful God.
One of the most compelling aspects of this book is how it extends beyond the academic into the autobiographical. For Crump, these matters are not merely theoretical; they are the result of years of refining as he and his wife labored to start a church in Atlanta. The openness and humility with which he shares the mistakes, the setbacks, and the pain through which these convictions were clarified makes his writing more engrossing and his arguments more compelling. By so vividly illustrating the story of Renovation and the context of Atlanta, Crump also gives us an example of how we can begin to know and relate to our communities in similar ways - the ways required to more holistically fulfill our redemptive potential as the people of God.
When it comes to practical suggestions, Renovate is peppered with the poignant principles and though-provoking questions necessary for readers to begin to formulate a faithful ministry of presence for their context. Seeking to know not just the demographics, but the personal stories, sufferings, and hopes of your community; acknowledging the pursuit of human flourishing through cultural renewal as an outworking of the gospel; applying a holistic biblical worldview to all of life; planting our lives with a permanence and a redemptive intentionality that pushes back against our culture's rampant transience and selfishness - these are the kind of challenging, yet exciting objectives that Crump presents to readers. Challenging because putting these principles in action will require humility, sacrifice, and perseverance. Exciting because this is an invitation to see - and to take part in - the unlimited, redeeming power of God poured out into the brokenness around us in ways we may never have dreamed were possible! As is always the case, when Christ calls us to come and die, there awaits us a richer, fuller, more glorious life on the other side.
One section that I found particularly helpful was the exposition on the brutal impact of gentrification on indigenous communities. Pastor Crump explains how frequently the urban "renewal" of gentrification comes at the expense of the vulnerable for the benefit the more stable and mobile. He laments how many Christians and churches are embracing gentrification for the sake of the benefits they receive, with no thought for the dire implications for those who are being displaced. With this practice so common and so often celebrated, we must soberly consider the question Crump confronts us with - "is this redemptive?" (148) And if not, what should we do about it? I found this to be one of the simplest, most compelling examinations of gentrification from a Christian perspective that I've come across, and plan on returning to it in the course of conversations about the topic.
Renovate is a worthwhile read for any follower of Christ, and will be of particular interest to those who are seeking greater understanding of how to pursue gospel-centered cultural engagement - which is rightly no small number considering the current emphases on both church planting and social justice in modern evangelicalism. The questions and conversations sparked herein promise to be stimulating, likely convicting, and hopefully fruitful for the glory of God.
Church planters, do you really know and love the city God has called you to or are you simply infatuated with an idea of place? Does your knowledge go deeper than demographics, into the hearts and minds of the people you've been sent to serve? "You cannot have a plan for a people you don't know." (138)
Church leaders, in discipling your people, are you teaching them to see themselves as sent and to engage redemptively in the places God has them? Is your discipleship holistic enough to bring the gospel to bear on all aspects and decisions of life?
Christian, how do you relate to your place? Are you there only to reap the resources, or also to take ownership of the problems? Are you willing to leave behind transience for permanence? What if God has you right where you are for a purpose - a glorious, redemptive purpose - and it's time for you to lean in and accept the invitation?
Crump starts by framing this book as a challenge to the reader. His goal is to bring our attention to a problem and to propose biblical, practical solutions. That problem is transience. And for many churches and individuals, putting those solutions into practice will require a radical reshaping of how they consider the location they call home, why they're there, and how they relate to the place and the people they have been placed among.
In many places, certainly in most major American cities, transience has become the norm. The question of where to live is a question of where we can best access our preferred opportunities and amenities. "Limitless options and unfettered mobility" reign supreme when it comes to determining where we'll call home (3). As soon as the perceived costs of a place outweigh the comforts, many of us are looking for a new ZIP code. Crump identifies this transience not as a neutral cultural proclivity, but as a serious obstacle to the mission of God. In his own dire words, he proclaims transience to be "the obstacle standing in the way of our lives and our communities reflecting the glory of God" (2).
These are the stakes: "if I am only connected to a community to the extent that it can sustain me, we have a parasitic relationship, and I will siphon its resources without regard to its well-being" (4). If this is how I relate to my community, I am not a good neighbor. I am falling short in reflecting the redemptive reign of King Jesus. I am a leech...or, at best, someone who is only investing in the good of the world around me inasmuch as it directly benefits me.
In contrast to this culture of transience, Pastor Crump lays out the case for Christians to realize the value of permanence, develop a theology of place, and live with a sense of sentness wherever God has placed them. He calls us to a "ministry of presence," in which we move-in not merely for the sake of ourselves, but as good neighbors, as co-laborers for the flourishing of transplants and indigenous communities alike, and as agents of God's redemptive purposes in our cities (9). Crump urges Christians to see themselves as placed by God on purpose; "sent" into their communities as his ambassadors.
Before touching on practical implications, Renovate begins with a theological, Scriptural foundation built upon God's revealed intentions for his creation. Crump builds his argument for Christians as "redemptive agents" in this world on God's promises to redeem not just individual human souls, but all of creation, as well as on humanity's God-given mandate to be stewards over the rest of that creation (13). These biblical truths anchor the rest of the book, as Crump returns to Scripture again and again in order to show that the practical outworkings for which he advocates find their origin in the heart of God, as revealed through the Word of God. He endeavors also to show the central place of the gospel in the ministry of presence, as it was first modeled for us by Jesus. The Son of God "moved-in," taking on human flesh and living a life on earth not for comfort or convenience, but to accomplish the redemptive purposes of God. Pastor Crump calls Christians to engage redemptively within their communities not because it is necessary for salvation or as an alternative to evangelistic ministry, but as a response to the finished work of Christ on our behalf and as a witness to those around us of our compassionate, restoring, just, powerful God.
One of the most compelling aspects of this book is how it extends beyond the academic into the autobiographical. For Crump, these matters are not merely theoretical; they are the result of years of refining as he and his wife labored to start a church in Atlanta. The openness and humility with which he shares the mistakes, the setbacks, and the pain through which these convictions were clarified makes his writing more engrossing and his arguments more compelling. By so vividly illustrating the story of Renovation and the context of Atlanta, Crump also gives us an example of how we can begin to know and relate to our communities in similar ways - the ways required to more holistically fulfill our redemptive potential as the people of God.
When it comes to practical suggestions, Renovate is peppered with the poignant principles and though-provoking questions necessary for readers to begin to formulate a faithful ministry of presence for their context. Seeking to know not just the demographics, but the personal stories, sufferings, and hopes of your community; acknowledging the pursuit of human flourishing through cultural renewal as an outworking of the gospel; applying a holistic biblical worldview to all of life; planting our lives with a permanence and a redemptive intentionality that pushes back against our culture's rampant transience and selfishness - these are the kind of challenging, yet exciting objectives that Crump presents to readers. Challenging because putting these principles in action will require humility, sacrifice, and perseverance. Exciting because this is an invitation to see - and to take part in - the unlimited, redeeming power of God poured out into the brokenness around us in ways we may never have dreamed were possible! As is always the case, when Christ calls us to come and die, there awaits us a richer, fuller, more glorious life on the other side.
One section that I found particularly helpful was the exposition on the brutal impact of gentrification on indigenous communities. Pastor Crump explains how frequently the urban "renewal" of gentrification comes at the expense of the vulnerable for the benefit the more stable and mobile. He laments how many Christians and churches are embracing gentrification for the sake of the benefits they receive, with no thought for the dire implications for those who are being displaced. With this practice so common and so often celebrated, we must soberly consider the question Crump confronts us with - "is this redemptive?" (148) And if not, what should we do about it? I found this to be one of the simplest, most compelling examinations of gentrification from a Christian perspective that I've come across, and plan on returning to it in the course of conversations about the topic.
Renovate is a worthwhile read for any follower of Christ, and will be of particular interest to those who are seeking greater understanding of how to pursue gospel-centered cultural engagement - which is rightly no small number considering the current emphases on both church planting and social justice in modern evangelicalism. The questions and conversations sparked herein promise to be stimulating, likely convicting, and hopefully fruitful for the glory of God.
Church planters, do you really know and love the city God has called you to or are you simply infatuated with an idea of place? Does your knowledge go deeper than demographics, into the hearts and minds of the people you've been sent to serve? "You cannot have a plan for a people you don't know." (138)
Church leaders, in discipling your people, are you teaching them to see themselves as sent and to engage redemptively in the places God has them? Is your discipleship holistic enough to bring the gospel to bear on all aspects and decisions of life?
Christian, how do you relate to your place? Are you there only to reap the resources, or also to take ownership of the problems? Are you willing to leave behind transience for permanence? What if God has you right where you are for a purpose - a glorious, redemptive purpose - and it's time for you to lean in and accept the invitation?
December 15, 2019
Léonce Crump has provided an excellent resource for the church. Renovate is a challenging treatment of the problem of transiency in the pursuit of transformation in communities. I recently moved neighborhoods, which was part of the reason for the book being so challenging. A theology of place is something I will continue to explore and chew on moving forward. Crump presents very good probing questions that the reader will benefit from wrestling through whether they arrive at the same position as Crump or not.
July 29, 2018
Renovate challenges the church to consider not just their effect on their communities, but their real motives toward their communities. Speaking from much personal experience, Pastor Leonce shares what he's learned about getting to know the place you're sent to before being able to do any effective or heartfelt ministry. As page 46 says, "you can't make a plan for people you don't know."
January 25, 2021
Very insightful, and loved the relatability of this Profound Pastor! His words are truly inspiring. I would have loves this book even more if it was a little more in depth. But it is a quick short read!
June 26, 2019
Excellent book on place as it applies to your faith and the building of God's Kingdom
February 12, 2016
"Renovate" by Leonce B. Crump Jr. is a great survey for the inspiration behind a specific ministry in downtown Atlanta that then branches into a call for all Christians to equally accept all people as creations of our loving and creative God. The message of this book is fantastic and the vision that Crump puts forth is inspiring. Crump invites his readers to explore his personal history along with the ways that God has worked through him in establishing Renovation Church.
Unfortunately, "Renovate" does not truly accomplish what it claims to accomplish. The front cover claims to help readers change who we are by loving where we are. The book then goes on to claim assistance in helping us all renovate our world and specifically our place in the world. "Renovate" does help me gain sympathy toward the plight that faces the city of Atlanta. The sketch of Atlanta and its surrounding communities grants knowledge of the need for social and spiritual renewal within that community. This does not translate to the community to which I find myself very easily. Atlanta being a very urban environment with its own history contrasts sharply with the rural area in which I live. There are pointers that can be taken from the book such as understanding that we all have to realize that God sends us to our place of ministry and that there is a need for people to know the history of the place to where they have been sent. "Renovate" also offers a great reminder that we all need to reflect Christ by being incarnational. Yet, the book falls short in helping me translate the concepts it espouses to my place.
People endeavoring to follow Christ in this world should still read this book though. It offers great insight into a wonderful ministry. It also offers a call that the entire church needs to hear over and over again -- the call to equality within the body of Christ and within the world.
I received this book as a part of the Blogging For Books program with Multnohmah Press.
Unfortunately, "Renovate" does not truly accomplish what it claims to accomplish. The front cover claims to help readers change who we are by loving where we are. The book then goes on to claim assistance in helping us all renovate our world and specifically our place in the world. "Renovate" does help me gain sympathy toward the plight that faces the city of Atlanta. The sketch of Atlanta and its surrounding communities grants knowledge of the need for social and spiritual renewal within that community. This does not translate to the community to which I find myself very easily. Atlanta being a very urban environment with its own history contrasts sharply with the rural area in which I live. There are pointers that can be taken from the book such as understanding that we all have to realize that God sends us to our place of ministry and that there is a need for people to know the history of the place to where they have been sent. "Renovate" also offers a great reminder that we all need to reflect Christ by being incarnational. Yet, the book falls short in helping me translate the concepts it espouses to my place.
People endeavoring to follow Christ in this world should still read this book though. It offers great insight into a wonderful ministry. It also offers a call that the entire church needs to hear over and over again -- the call to equality within the body of Christ and within the world.
I received this book as a part of the Blogging For Books program with Multnohmah Press.
July 11, 2016
Just last night I was discussing about the increasingly expensive price of homes in Singapore and how I desired to buy 2 room flats (the second smallest type of public housing available) but they were only reserved for those about aged 55. My friend was cautioning me about whether my wife would feel safe coming home (given the demographics of the neighbours) and if I would be at ease letting her return alone.
Using the case study of his own city of Atlanta, he proposes that we should find out the history of our cities. Like Greenfield (in Subversive Jesus), Crump Jr. intentionally uprooted his family to live in an area that was unsafe for his family, and how they persevered in spite of seemingly bleak situations. He candidly shares about his mother's accounts of racial discrimination, and his struggles with encountering such treatment today.
Growing up as the majority race in Singapore, where the entire city-state underwent concurrent third-to-first world development, Crump Jr. helped me gentrification in a whole new light, not just as a theory from my human geography syllabus, but the real-life impact to the people undergoing it. While I especially appreciate the efforts to ground the book in Scripture, I was not persuaded that the author is truly zealous about the cause he is writing about. At least it did seem to be conveyed through the pages of the book; I did not sense that the primary was one of his consuming passions. Hence I give it 3 out of 5 stars.
I received this book from the Crown Publishing Group's Blogging for Books program for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. All views are my own.
Using the case study of his own city of Atlanta, he proposes that we should find out the history of our cities. Like Greenfield (in Subversive Jesus), Crump Jr. intentionally uprooted his family to live in an area that was unsafe for his family, and how they persevered in spite of seemingly bleak situations. He candidly shares about his mother's accounts of racial discrimination, and his struggles with encountering such treatment today.
Growing up as the majority race in Singapore, where the entire city-state underwent concurrent third-to-first world development, Crump Jr. helped me gentrification in a whole new light, not just as a theory from my human geography syllabus, but the real-life impact to the people undergoing it. While I especially appreciate the efforts to ground the book in Scripture, I was not persuaded that the author is truly zealous about the cause he is writing about. At least it did seem to be conveyed through the pages of the book; I did not sense that the primary was one of his consuming passions. Hence I give it 3 out of 5 stars.
I received this book from the Crown Publishing Group's Blogging for Books program for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. All views are my own.
February 2, 2016
"Renovate" is about becoming an active part of your community. It's mainly targeted at people who live in big cities. The author advocates putting down roots (rather than moving frequently) and getting to know an area's past and present so you can effectively impact the future. Instead of coming in to do what you think needs to be done, you discover what the locals want and need to help them flourish. He talked about avoiding classism, racism, and gentrification.
But much of the book was a look at Scripture to argue that our faith should have social as well as spiritual aspects. He argues that the belief that we will "go to heaven" has focused our efforts on saving souls while ignoring the physical world. He argues that there will be a physical world after Christ returns, so we should join now in God's restoration of his [physical] world. That God will remove the infection of sin from the world and bring about a complete healing of creation.
While I agree that the Scriptures talk about a "new heavens and a new earth," I understand that to mean "new" not just "fixed up" or "disinfected." Yet I think other verses support the idea of helping improve people's physical circumstances along with meeting their spiritual need for Christ. I have put down roots and gotten to know my community. I live in a rural area without a lot of diversity, though. I was disappointed that I didn't get much useful to my situation out of the book.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for review purposes .
But much of the book was a look at Scripture to argue that our faith should have social as well as spiritual aspects. He argues that the belief that we will "go to heaven" has focused our efforts on saving souls while ignoring the physical world. He argues that there will be a physical world after Christ returns, so we should join now in God's restoration of his [physical] world. That God will remove the infection of sin from the world and bring about a complete healing of creation.
While I agree that the Scriptures talk about a "new heavens and a new earth," I understand that to mean "new" not just "fixed up" or "disinfected." Yet I think other verses support the idea of helping improve people's physical circumstances along with meeting their spiritual need for Christ. I have put down roots and gotten to know my community. I live in a rural area without a lot of diversity, though. I was disappointed that I didn't get much useful to my situation out of the book.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for review purposes .
June 7, 2016
This book is a great telling of the tale of the work that has gone on in urban Atlanta. It lays out the heart that the pastor and the church has to reach their community, and gives a lot of insight into urban ministry. My only complaint about this book is that it is weak on universal application to any setting. The book tells theiir story, but does not seek to engage the biblical and theological underpinnings of why they do what they do so that others might apply it in their context. Very inspirational account, but more a biography of a church than anything else.
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November 6, 2018Convicting and inspiring. A call to minister, love and care for those in our communities in need. All while living in and among them.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews