Since I left my full time job in January 2009 to join Metro Merge (formerly Sub-Urban), I have also been working for BLACK, a small web development company two friends and I started. Income from this work helps provide for our family since we chose to raise support for only one minimum wage salary and health insurance. At first I thought of this as a crutch, but it didn’t take long to realize that being involved with BLACK actually increased my ability to do ministry.

As Metro Merge is working to empower local entrepreneurs to strengthen and grow businesses, I don’t have to strain to imagine what kind of challenges a small business owner may be facing – keeping books, writing proposals and contracts, maintaining client relationships, planning cash flow. This gives me a completely different level of credibility when interacting with other small business owners in our neighborhood.

Recently my neighbor across the street, Ray, started his own commercial cleaning business and already employs four others. With the high unemployment rate in our neighborhood (unofficial numbers say 40%) people like Ray are crucial in re-establishing economic health. That’s the reason Metro Merge strives to empower local business owners.

Over the last several months, Ray and I have had many conversations on our front porches, speaking into each other’s lives – both vocationally and personally.