I don't write as much as I could on the topic of urban ministry. Sometimes my experiences and knowledge of the topic seem surreal. Sometimes they seem unbelievable. However, they are real and true...and sometimes I need to write about them, because the process of writing helps me to think a little more clearly about life.
For the last few days, I've been thinking about the family at church who left their apartment last week because of the violence in their neighborhood. The overnight gunfire became so frequent that they were sleeping in the hallway. They were trying to put more walls between themselves and the gunfire so that they would be less likely to be struck by a stray bullet. Obviously, no one could sleep or function well under such stress. The family has left their apartment. They have been staying with other family members and church members until they can find a safer home.
Their experiences are a reality for too many people. And I need to remember it.
"Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.'
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and
speaking wickedness,
if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday" (Isaiah 58:6-10).
Showing posts with label Violence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Violence. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Helping Abused Women
In this video from TV station KFOR in Oklahoma City, you will see the story of a couple who own a trailer park in Edmond, Oklahoma. Motivated by their faith in Christ, they use one of the trailers as a shelter in which abused women can live as they try to get a new start in life.
"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:13-16).
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Fighting Domestic Violence
Sometimes Christians personally need to protect victims of domestic violence. My wife and I have offered to house a young woman and her daughter who have experienced domestic violence in the recent past. We are waiting for her response to our offer.
At other times, Christians can help to protect victims of domestic violence by supporting shelters for battered women and children like Tulsa's Dayspring Villa. This video explains some of Dayspring Villa's mission. More information can be found at www.dayspringvilla.com.
"(L)earn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow's cause" (Isaiah 1:17).
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Why Do You Want Me to be Surrounded by Poor People?
As we were preparing to go to our regular Tuesday evening prayer meeting tonight, our son Christopher asked me, "Why do you want me to be surrounded by poor people?"
In some ways, it struck me as an odd question. When did he discover that most of the people in our congregation were poor? He has been attending the Contact Church all of his life, but only recently has he mentioned the poverty of our members. How does he understand poverty? Has he noticed the condition of the apartment complexes that we visit? Does he remember the homeless man that we used to pick up and bring to church with us when he was younger? Have his friends at church mentioned the violence that they have witnessed and experienced? Has he noticed the prayer requests dealing with drug abuse, gang violence, and suicidal thoughts? Does he feel inferior to his friends at school because he worships with an urban ministry? Does he feel superior to his friends at church because he lives more of a middle class lifestyle?
I plan on exploring those questions with my son over the next few days, but I thought it would be good to answer his question about why we are raising our son in an urban ministry.
First, Janet and I want Christopher to be exposed to modern heroes of the faith. Many members of the Contact Church (including many poor members) are true heroes. They run to help people whom others would rather avoid. They are willing to cross the yellow tape of a crime scene in order to take the good news to people who need it. They will deal patiently with the struggling drunk or drug addict. They will comfort the victim of childhood sexual abuse. They will counsel a struggling couple to remain committed to each other. They will keep showing up for the woman with emotional problems. They will provide the food, clothing, and furniture needed by someone who is struggling financially. They will tell the hard truths of the gospel in a gracious manner to someone who would rather not hear them. They will encourage others to do good while quickly forgiving them for doing wrong. They do not give up. We want our son to see such men and women in action. We want him to admire their good qualities and to try to emulate them.
Second, we want our son to be exposed to the ugly side of sin. If he learns about alcohol, drugs, and sex outside of marriage from the media alone, he may never see the consequences of living outside of God's standards until it is too late. In urban ministry, he can see the consequences all the time. He can see how difficult it can be to be controlled by alcohol or drugs. He can hear the prayers of the men and women who cry out in despair. He can see some of the problems faced by our members who have not adhered to biblical sexual ethics, from emotional problems to single parenthood to incurable and deadly diseases. While he will see God's love and forgiveness extended, he will see how sin can take its toll on men and women even after they have been forgiven. We want our son to learn to see beyond the temptations of sin to see the consequences of sin.
I understand that risks are involved in our strategy. We could fail. But we could fail by avoiding the poor also.
I pray that we succeed. I want nothing more than to see my son become a genuine follower of Christ. I want to be able to echo the words of the apostle John someday: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth" (3 John 4).
In some ways, it struck me as an odd question. When did he discover that most of the people in our congregation were poor? He has been attending the Contact Church all of his life, but only recently has he mentioned the poverty of our members. How does he understand poverty? Has he noticed the condition of the apartment complexes that we visit? Does he remember the homeless man that we used to pick up and bring to church with us when he was younger? Have his friends at church mentioned the violence that they have witnessed and experienced? Has he noticed the prayer requests dealing with drug abuse, gang violence, and suicidal thoughts? Does he feel inferior to his friends at school because he worships with an urban ministry? Does he feel superior to his friends at church because he lives more of a middle class lifestyle?
I plan on exploring those questions with my son over the next few days, but I thought it would be good to answer his question about why we are raising our son in an urban ministry.
First, Janet and I want Christopher to be exposed to modern heroes of the faith. Many members of the Contact Church (including many poor members) are true heroes. They run to help people whom others would rather avoid. They are willing to cross the yellow tape of a crime scene in order to take the good news to people who need it. They will deal patiently with the struggling drunk or drug addict. They will comfort the victim of childhood sexual abuse. They will counsel a struggling couple to remain committed to each other. They will keep showing up for the woman with emotional problems. They will provide the food, clothing, and furniture needed by someone who is struggling financially. They will tell the hard truths of the gospel in a gracious manner to someone who would rather not hear them. They will encourage others to do good while quickly forgiving them for doing wrong. They do not give up. We want our son to see such men and women in action. We want him to admire their good qualities and to try to emulate them.
Second, we want our son to be exposed to the ugly side of sin. If he learns about alcohol, drugs, and sex outside of marriage from the media alone, he may never see the consequences of living outside of God's standards until it is too late. In urban ministry, he can see the consequences all the time. He can see how difficult it can be to be controlled by alcohol or drugs. He can hear the prayers of the men and women who cry out in despair. He can see some of the problems faced by our members who have not adhered to biblical sexual ethics, from emotional problems to single parenthood to incurable and deadly diseases. While he will see God's love and forgiveness extended, he will see how sin can take its toll on men and women even after they have been forgiven. We want our son to learn to see beyond the temptations of sin to see the consequences of sin.
I understand that risks are involved in our strategy. We could fail. But we could fail by avoiding the poor also.
I pray that we succeed. I want nothing more than to see my son become a genuine follower of Christ. I want to be able to echo the words of the apostle John someday: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth" (3 John 4).
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Lessons in Urban Ministry
I've been involved in an urban ministry for approximately 10 years now. As I've been thinking about the last decade, I've been thinking about how naive I was when my wife and I first volunteered. Although I continue to have much to learn, I thought it would be a good time to write down a few of the lessons I've learned over the last several years. These are personal observations. They may or may not reflect the findings of social scientists or the views of others with experience in urban ministry.
1. Serve the children for their sake, not in order to reach their parents. Most children will come to the church's activities and worship assemblies without their parents. They will be attracted to a safe and fun environment in which they are supervised and guided by caring adults. They will be open to biblical teaching that can serve as the foundation for lives devoted to following Christ. They deserve attention simply because they bear the image of God, not because they can be used to lure their parents to the church.
2. Teaching a man to fish is not enough. Years ago, poverty-fighting ministries discovered that providing the necessities of life to the poor accomplished little long-term good. Such aid is always necessary, especially for children and the mentally and physically disabled; but those ministries discovered that they needed to connect the poor with jobs if they ever hoped to enable them to overcome poverty.
In many cases, however, the lack of employment and necessities of life are not the causes of poverty. They are the results. More often, poverty finds its roots in:
1. Drug and alcohol abuse. Addicts can have a hard time finding and maintaining employment. Many companies require drug tests before hiring a new employee. No company can afford to keep an employee forever who fails to do an adequate job because of drunkenness and drug-induced highs.
2. Family disintegration. Fornication, adultery, and divorce lead to multiple children born to young mothers who cannot support them. Fathers--and sometimes mothers--abandon their roles and responsibilities. Familial violence, physical abuse, and sexual abuse can scar a child for life. He or she will grow up without developing healthy social and coping skills. Anger and other negative emotions can control this individual, making it difficult for him or her to get along with others. He or she will have a hard time submitting to the authority of an employer, making steady employment an elusive goal. Even worse, he or she is likely to pass down these same problems to the next generation.
Urban ministries can do a great deal of preventative good by teaching the importance of self-control and sexual integrity.
3. Friendships are crucial. Broken people cannot simply be told to get their lives together. Like every one of us, they need the emotional support and encouragement of good friends as they make positive changes and learn to follow Christ. We need to be patient with each other. We need to challenge each other. We need to enjoy time with each other. We need our Bible studies and prayer meetings. We need to be able to confess our sins and to seek help from each other. Good friends give us the support we need to become what we were intended to be.
4. Good theology is essential. An accurate view of God, oneself, and others goes a long way in prompting us to make good choices. We need to see God as omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, holy, just, merciful, and sovereign. We need to see ourselves as flawed and in need of God's grace. We need to respect the completely justified wrath of God and the completely gracious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. We must recognize that we are in over our heads in a mess of sins--our own sins and the sins of those around us. We can't really make any progress of any lasting value without faith in the God worthy of our trust.
1. Serve the children for their sake, not in order to reach their parents. Most children will come to the church's activities and worship assemblies without their parents. They will be attracted to a safe and fun environment in which they are supervised and guided by caring adults. They will be open to biblical teaching that can serve as the foundation for lives devoted to following Christ. They deserve attention simply because they bear the image of God, not because they can be used to lure their parents to the church.
2. Teaching a man to fish is not enough. Years ago, poverty-fighting ministries discovered that providing the necessities of life to the poor accomplished little long-term good. Such aid is always necessary, especially for children and the mentally and physically disabled; but those ministries discovered that they needed to connect the poor with jobs if they ever hoped to enable them to overcome poverty.
In many cases, however, the lack of employment and necessities of life are not the causes of poverty. They are the results. More often, poverty finds its roots in:
1. Drug and alcohol abuse. Addicts can have a hard time finding and maintaining employment. Many companies require drug tests before hiring a new employee. No company can afford to keep an employee forever who fails to do an adequate job because of drunkenness and drug-induced highs.
2. Family disintegration. Fornication, adultery, and divorce lead to multiple children born to young mothers who cannot support them. Fathers--and sometimes mothers--abandon their roles and responsibilities. Familial violence, physical abuse, and sexual abuse can scar a child for life. He or she will grow up without developing healthy social and coping skills. Anger and other negative emotions can control this individual, making it difficult for him or her to get along with others. He or she will have a hard time submitting to the authority of an employer, making steady employment an elusive goal. Even worse, he or she is likely to pass down these same problems to the next generation.
Urban ministries can do a great deal of preventative good by teaching the importance of self-control and sexual integrity.
3. Friendships are crucial. Broken people cannot simply be told to get their lives together. Like every one of us, they need the emotional support and encouragement of good friends as they make positive changes and learn to follow Christ. We need to be patient with each other. We need to challenge each other. We need to enjoy time with each other. We need our Bible studies and prayer meetings. We need to be able to confess our sins and to seek help from each other. Good friends give us the support we need to become what we were intended to be.
4. Good theology is essential. An accurate view of God, oneself, and others goes a long way in prompting us to make good choices. We need to see God as omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, holy, just, merciful, and sovereign. We need to see ourselves as flawed and in need of God's grace. We need to respect the completely justified wrath of God and the completely gracious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. We must recognize that we are in over our heads in a mess of sins--our own sins and the sins of those around us. We can't really make any progress of any lasting value without faith in the God worthy of our trust.
Saturday, October 09, 2010
The Courage and Love of a Shepherd
This is an excerpt from The Mentor Leader by Tony Dungy:
"As I continually looked for examples of what it meant to be a good leader, I found a great one in John Thompson, the Hall of Fame basketball coach of the Georgetown University Hoyas. Coach Thompson was a crusader in many respects, having become the first African American coach to win the NCAA Division I national championship, two years later.
"Along with his success, he always seemed to find himself in the middle of controversy--probably from a combination of his fiery temperament and his willingness to be a trailblazer for individual rights and fundamental fairness for everyone. He took a stand on everything...His protectiveness of his players was seen in a negative light by many in the media, spawning the term 'Hoya Paranoia.'
"But despite his reputation as a rough, gruff coach, one demonstration of Coach Thompson's 'paranoia' made a profound impact on my attitude as a coach and what it meant for me to care for my players.
"During the 1980s, Rayful Edmond III was one of the most notorious drug dealers in Washington, DC. His network was thought to be responsible for numerous murders, and he reportedly was one of the first dealers to introduce crack cocaine into the District of Columbia. Unfortunately for Coach Thompson, Edmond became a big fan of Georgetown basketball and their great success.
"When Coach Thompson learned that Edmond was fraternizing with some of his players, including star center Alonzo Mourning, he sent word to Edmond through them, requesting a meeting on the Georgetown campus. Coach Thompson was well aware of the rumors linking Edmond and his organization with violence and murder, but he quickly got to the point when Edmond arrived: Edmond was never again to wear Georgetown gear, and he was to have no further contact with any of the Georgetown players...
"I tried to put myself in John Thompson's shoes. I simply couldn't see myself confronting Edmond directly. I probably would have started by meeting with Mourning, explaining to him the dangers of being around a drug dealer like Edmond, or maybe instituting a team rule limiting where players were allowed to go. Or maybe I would have gone as far as to approach the police, explaining the situation and looking for guidance and help--in other words, get someone who was trained in that environment to handle it. I was pretty sure I wouldn't have stood face-to-face with a reputed killer.
"But then it hit me. I immediately thought of Jesus' parable of the sheep and the shepherd in the Gospel of John, chapter 10. There, Jesus speaks of the difference between a hired hand and a shepherd. When a wolf comes and threatens the flock, the hired hand runs away, leaving the sheep--someone else's sheep--to fend for themselves. The shepherd, on the other hand, rises to the defense of his sheep. He will die for the sheep, if necessary, because they are his. I knew that Coach Thompson cared for his players--he had long had that reputation. But by putting himself directly in the middle, between his players and danger, he showed me just how much he loved them.
"It wasn't that he knew Alonzo Mourning and the others were talented players who could help Georgetown win games. That wasn't the point. Coach Thompson had told the players and their parents that he would watch over them as if they were his own. He did that, even to the point of placing himself in harm's way" (pages 93-95).
Sunday, October 03, 2010
Inspiring Lives
I am constantly inspired by the lives of fellow members of the Contact Church.
Today, I discovered another example of someone quietly making a difference for Jesus in this world. One of our members volunteers to help children at a local hospital. She shows up to demonstrate a little kindness and compassion to children in need.
Last month, she showed up to hold a 10-month old little girl who had been severely beaten and abandoned by her parents. The baby had broken bones, bruises, and a nasty injury to her head. Even worse, she had no one to care for her.
Our friend from the church held the child gently while praying for her.
This week, she found the little girl in the hospital again. But things were very different this time.
The child was continuing to recover; but beyond that encouraging news, she was in the care of Christian foster parents who were in the process of adopting her.
Our friend and the Christian foster parents are quietly making a real and positive difference in the world...while inspiring me to look for ways to honor God with a similar commitment to doing good for others.
"And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need,and not be unfruitful" (Titus 3:14).
Today, I discovered another example of someone quietly making a difference for Jesus in this world. One of our members volunteers to help children at a local hospital. She shows up to demonstrate a little kindness and compassion to children in need.
Last month, she showed up to hold a 10-month old little girl who had been severely beaten and abandoned by her parents. The baby had broken bones, bruises, and a nasty injury to her head. Even worse, she had no one to care for her.
Our friend from the church held the child gently while praying for her.
This week, she found the little girl in the hospital again. But things were very different this time.
The child was continuing to recover; but beyond that encouraging news, she was in the care of Christian foster parents who were in the process of adopting her.
Our friend and the Christian foster parents are quietly making a real and positive difference in the world...while inspiring me to look for ways to honor God with a similar commitment to doing good for others.
"And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need,and not be unfruitful" (Titus 3:14).
Friday, September 24, 2010
Walking in the Light (Without a Spotlight on Them)
One of our church members came forward after the sermon last Sunday.
He wanted to apologize to the church for his sins and to ask for our prayers. He has been in prison 5 times and in jail even more often. He has been in numerous fights, has stabbed people, and has been stabbed. He has consistently battled the allure of crack cocaine and alcohol.
He also wanted to thank fellow Contact Church members for saving his life a couple of weeks ago. Four of our members had been concerned about him. They went to his home to see how he was doing. When they found him, he was semi-conscious. He had overdosed on drugs in an attempt to commit suicide. Immediately, they called for the medical attention that saved his life.
Even though he was so ashamed of his sins that he felt like never returning to the church, he knew that members of the Contact Church loved him and had saved his life. He recommitted his life to following Christ. The church welcomed him back with warm embraces.
Something stood out to me about this incident: I never knew about our 4 members who had saved his life just a few days before. They had not mentioned anything about what they had done. (Knowing them, I doubt that they ever would have.) They were following Jesus' instructions: "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 6:1).
They were walking in the light without a spotlight on them. They were doing good without drawing attention to themselves.
It makes me wonder: How much more good is being done today by Christians who are not seeking attention? I have a feeling that it's much more than I can imagine.
He wanted to apologize to the church for his sins and to ask for our prayers. He has been in prison 5 times and in jail even more often. He has been in numerous fights, has stabbed people, and has been stabbed. He has consistently battled the allure of crack cocaine and alcohol.
He also wanted to thank fellow Contact Church members for saving his life a couple of weeks ago. Four of our members had been concerned about him. They went to his home to see how he was doing. When they found him, he was semi-conscious. He had overdosed on drugs in an attempt to commit suicide. Immediately, they called for the medical attention that saved his life.
Even though he was so ashamed of his sins that he felt like never returning to the church, he knew that members of the Contact Church loved him and had saved his life. He recommitted his life to following Christ. The church welcomed him back with warm embraces.
Something stood out to me about this incident: I never knew about our 4 members who had saved his life just a few days before. They had not mentioned anything about what they had done. (Knowing them, I doubt that they ever would have.) They were following Jesus' instructions: "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 6:1).
They were walking in the light without a spotlight on them. They were doing good without drawing attention to themselves.
It makes me wonder: How much more good is being done today by Christians who are not seeking attention? I have a feeling that it's much more than I can imagine.
Monday, November 16, 2009
I Found a Savior (Part Two)
This is the continuation of a Contact Church member's testimony. Part One may be read at http://adisciplesthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/11/i-found-savior-part-one.html.
"Our family moved to Texas. On September 16, 1996 I was taken from the complex laundry mat to a storage room on the back side and sexually assaulted. I remember laying there crying and begging God to save me. Men had continued to do whatever to my body and I never had a say. Not even the all-powerful God would save me. Part of me wished he had killed me and put me out of my misery. When he took my wedding ring and my husband's class rings off my fingers that night it hurt me more than anything else. Waking Russell up to tell him what happened was hard as I had already cheated and hadn't even gotten through the pregnancy; I was eight months pregnant. Russell eventually left for another woman which only reinforced all the lies--that I was unlovable, worthless, and not good enough. I was left with myself, 2 kids, and a bunch of drug addicts and alcoholics who I sure fought hard to not be like, but I resigned and figured that's exactly what I deserved. I would spend the next 10 years with a man who did every drug known to man. He was an IV drug user and an alcoholic who very much did not value women. He introduced me to a behind the scenes look at the drug world. I was at a place where I really welcomed death, in fact half the time I prayed for death. Well when that plan failed I began provoking anger in Bill___--maybe he would put me out of my misery. Bill and I would spend a lot of time arguing, fist fighting, drinking, drugging up until I got busted in February 2000. Then I would clean up, however, he would not. I began to realize that God was with me the night I was raped and that I was alive and God was working in my heart. After I cleaned up I became pregnant with my first girl. This spoke to me in awesome ways because I believed God would not give me little girls because I wouldn't be good enough, after 3 boys that was very easy for me to believe. There was this calm inner voice that kept saying leave this man and a much louder one saying no he might die without you. I wanted to leave all the time but I was terrified of being alone. I needed him to protect me. I would not cook, wouldn't clean, wouldn't try, just argue, scream, fight, and rage. Then I began rocking, abusing crack cocaine and neglecting my children. I was completely bankrupt. Imagine this, there I am on the floor searching for a crumb of crack to smoke and my 5 year old daughter bends down and says, 'Is this one momma?' I began to cry and she said, 'Momma I want you and daddy to stop fighting, stop cussing, stop smoking cigarettes and stop searching for white rocks.' I would soon discover the thing I feared the most--those precious girls that I just knew God would not give me had been molested. I was very calm and made a phone call to DHS. The judge ordered the children to remain in custody. I begged for Family Drug Court which required rehab, counseling, accountability, and responsibility. You would think that the reality of children being gone, what happened to them, and the court stuff pending would have been enough for me to get clean but it was not. Bill, myself, and my sister all shared an efficiency apartment where I helped my little sister off of her program through DUI school and strung her out on crack too! I later beat up my sister and she called the cops and the landlord."
To be continued.
"Our family moved to Texas. On September 16, 1996 I was taken from the complex laundry mat to a storage room on the back side and sexually assaulted. I remember laying there crying and begging God to save me. Men had continued to do whatever to my body and I never had a say. Not even the all-powerful God would save me. Part of me wished he had killed me and put me out of my misery. When he took my wedding ring and my husband's class rings off my fingers that night it hurt me more than anything else. Waking Russell up to tell him what happened was hard as I had already cheated and hadn't even gotten through the pregnancy; I was eight months pregnant. Russell eventually left for another woman which only reinforced all the lies--that I was unlovable, worthless, and not good enough. I was left with myself, 2 kids, and a bunch of drug addicts and alcoholics who I sure fought hard to not be like, but I resigned and figured that's exactly what I deserved. I would spend the next 10 years with a man who did every drug known to man. He was an IV drug user and an alcoholic who very much did not value women. He introduced me to a behind the scenes look at the drug world. I was at a place where I really welcomed death, in fact half the time I prayed for death. Well when that plan failed I began provoking anger in Bill___--maybe he would put me out of my misery. Bill and I would spend a lot of time arguing, fist fighting, drinking, drugging up until I got busted in February 2000. Then I would clean up, however, he would not. I began to realize that God was with me the night I was raped and that I was alive and God was working in my heart. After I cleaned up I became pregnant with my first girl. This spoke to me in awesome ways because I believed God would not give me little girls because I wouldn't be good enough, after 3 boys that was very easy for me to believe. There was this calm inner voice that kept saying leave this man and a much louder one saying no he might die without you. I wanted to leave all the time but I was terrified of being alone. I needed him to protect me. I would not cook, wouldn't clean, wouldn't try, just argue, scream, fight, and rage. Then I began rocking, abusing crack cocaine and neglecting my children. I was completely bankrupt. Imagine this, there I am on the floor searching for a crumb of crack to smoke and my 5 year old daughter bends down and says, 'Is this one momma?' I began to cry and she said, 'Momma I want you and daddy to stop fighting, stop cussing, stop smoking cigarettes and stop searching for white rocks.' I would soon discover the thing I feared the most--those precious girls that I just knew God would not give me had been molested. I was very calm and made a phone call to DHS. The judge ordered the children to remain in custody. I begged for Family Drug Court which required rehab, counseling, accountability, and responsibility. You would think that the reality of children being gone, what happened to them, and the court stuff pending would have been enough for me to get clean but it was not. Bill, myself, and my sister all shared an efficiency apartment where I helped my little sister off of her program through DUI school and strung her out on crack too! I later beat up my sister and she called the cops and the landlord."
To be continued.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
I Found a Savior (Part One)
I wrote a very condensed version of a Contact Church member's story on my blog last month. This time, I will let her tell her story in her own words. She wrote this for Ron and Judy Babbit's newsletter to supporters of their ministry with the Contact Church.
"I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, incest, rape, physical and emotional abuse. I am overcoming chemical addiction, alcoholism, co-dependency, and sexual immorality. I still struggle with control, anger, un-forgiveness, fear, and feelings of inadequacy. It is a blessing for me to be a light of God's grace, glory, forgiveness, and unfailing love, and how it has been demonstrated in my life.
"I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. My childhood was chaotic at best. Very little consistency ever, well actually there was some. I knew there would be drinking, fighting, drugs, and yelling. Around age 8 or 9, myself and other family members were molested by a live-in babysitter who was a 28 year old male. After all the fighting and everything else in our home, it changed a lot of things. I began withdrawing and isolating myself. I went from a straight A student to a straight F student. I felt so dirty, angry, ugly, unlovable, and ignored. Couldn't my mom see, didn't she know, did she even care, and how selfish was it of me to feel that way when she was the one being beat up everyday. How could I even tell her? Nevertheless, these feelings went on for a while until one day my mom demanded to know the truth. With a lot of resistance I finally told her.
"Shortly after that my dad showed up. I needed my dad to love, approve, and protect me. When my dad began putting me in his bed I began having what I call emotional blackouts. It stopped with me and began with my sister. When she told me I called the police and had us removed. My sister and I were taken to a Tulsa shelter for children and then to DHS where my mom and dad would both exit the elevator and dad walked out of our lives. I began lying to myself about what my dad did to me. You see when I called the police I told my sister's truth not mine. I wanted my dad to be anything other than what he was or actually what his sin had made him. I still love him very much and accept all the things that have brought me right here today and made me into the woman God called me to be.
"My mom kept me for a little while longer and then gave me a choice to go live with my grandparents or she would separate all 5 of us into foster homes. Now my own mom was giving up on me. I was delivered to my grandparents. My grandpa began touching me in ways that made my skin crawl and I remember the alcohol on his breath. I began to despise the smell of alcohol especially after a 3 day drunk.
"I began seeking attention by kissing and touching, after all I could control that part or so I thought. I began trying to find love in sexual relationships. I tried to build a marriage on sexual relationship, in fact 2 marriages on sexual relationships. My first marriage took a turn for the worst when he joined the army. I felt abandoned and I didn't know how to be alone and unprotected. I cheated, got pregnant and was faced with what I had done almost immediately. I believe God had convicted me. Consumed with guilt and the fact that I couldn't hide what I had done, I called Russell and told him. While Marvin Phillips had baptized me 7 or 8 years earlier at Garnett Church of Christ, I still had doubts about his love for me. But God was working out my salvation and still is."
To be continued.
"I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, incest, rape, physical and emotional abuse. I am overcoming chemical addiction, alcoholism, co-dependency, and sexual immorality. I still struggle with control, anger, un-forgiveness, fear, and feelings of inadequacy. It is a blessing for me to be a light of God's grace, glory, forgiveness, and unfailing love, and how it has been demonstrated in my life.
"I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. My childhood was chaotic at best. Very little consistency ever, well actually there was some. I knew there would be drinking, fighting, drugs, and yelling. Around age 8 or 9, myself and other family members were molested by a live-in babysitter who was a 28 year old male. After all the fighting and everything else in our home, it changed a lot of things. I began withdrawing and isolating myself. I went from a straight A student to a straight F student. I felt so dirty, angry, ugly, unlovable, and ignored. Couldn't my mom see, didn't she know, did she even care, and how selfish was it of me to feel that way when she was the one being beat up everyday. How could I even tell her? Nevertheless, these feelings went on for a while until one day my mom demanded to know the truth. With a lot of resistance I finally told her.
"Shortly after that my dad showed up. I needed my dad to love, approve, and protect me. When my dad began putting me in his bed I began having what I call emotional blackouts. It stopped with me and began with my sister. When she told me I called the police and had us removed. My sister and I were taken to a Tulsa shelter for children and then to DHS where my mom and dad would both exit the elevator and dad walked out of our lives. I began lying to myself about what my dad did to me. You see when I called the police I told my sister's truth not mine. I wanted my dad to be anything other than what he was or actually what his sin had made him. I still love him very much and accept all the things that have brought me right here today and made me into the woman God called me to be.
"My mom kept me for a little while longer and then gave me a choice to go live with my grandparents or she would separate all 5 of us into foster homes. Now my own mom was giving up on me. I was delivered to my grandparents. My grandpa began touching me in ways that made my skin crawl and I remember the alcohol on his breath. I began to despise the smell of alcohol especially after a 3 day drunk.
"I began seeking attention by kissing and touching, after all I could control that part or so I thought. I began trying to find love in sexual relationships. I tried to build a marriage on sexual relationship, in fact 2 marriages on sexual relationships. My first marriage took a turn for the worst when he joined the army. I felt abandoned and I didn't know how to be alone and unprotected. I cheated, got pregnant and was faced with what I had done almost immediately. I believe God had convicted me. Consumed with guilt and the fact that I couldn't hide what I had done, I called Russell and told him. While Marvin Phillips had baptized me 7 or 8 years earlier at Garnett Church of Christ, I still had doubts about his love for me. But God was working out my salvation and still is."
To be continued.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Some Secrets Can't Be Kept
Matt Hurley is one of our ministers in the Contact Church. Among his duties, he coordinates activities for youth groups from other congregations that come to help us in the urban ministry. Last night, he told us about the efforts of one youth group from a small town.
The group had been coming to Tulsa for a few years, and Matt felt that the members were ready for something new and challenging. He approached the leader and told him that he felt the group was ready to minister in one of the apartment complexes with a fairly bad reputation. He assured the leader that it would be safe. In response, the leader said, "Okay, but don't let the other parents know about its reputation. They will freak out." Matt agreed to keep it silent.
The next day, Matt addressed the youth group. Several of the Contact Church's kids were intermingled with the other church's youth group. Matt announced, "Today, we're going to Mohawk." Suddenly the Contact kids erupted with: "WE'RE GOING TO GET SHOT! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!"
So much for keeping secrets.
The group had been coming to Tulsa for a few years, and Matt felt that the members were ready for something new and challenging. He approached the leader and told him that he felt the group was ready to minister in one of the apartment complexes with a fairly bad reputation. He assured the leader that it would be safe. In response, the leader said, "Okay, but don't let the other parents know about its reputation. They will freak out." Matt agreed to keep it silent.
The next day, Matt addressed the youth group. Several of the Contact Church's kids were intermingled with the other church's youth group. Matt announced, "Today, we're going to Mohawk." Suddenly the Contact kids erupted with: "WE'RE GOING TO GET SHOT! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!"
So much for keeping secrets.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Murder and Urban Ministry
I've been thinking about the importance of urban ministry in a violent society for the last few days.
At the end of last week, a 16-year old boy was walking home from his bus stop when a car pulled up alongside him. After an exchange of a few words, someone in the car opened fire and murdered the kid.
According to news accounts of the incident, the murdered young man was a good student with a pleasant personality and respectful attitude. Unfortunately, he lived in a "bad part of town"--a euphemism for the poor, black, and violent section of the city.
On Sunday morning, a few of the teenagers in the Contact Church requested prayers for the murdered boy's family as they mourned his death. According to the prayer requests, the criminals who murdered the boy did so after he could not (or would not) tell them the location of someone else for whom they were looking.
As I have thought about the situation this week, I have come to have a deeper appreciation for the Contact Church. The urban poor need such churches. Like everyone else, they need safe people with whom they can share their struggles. They need to be able to get together in safe places and pray for the people they deeply love. They need the encouragement of gathering with and working alongside people who share their faith in Jesus Christ. They need people who will share the gospel of God's love with them so that, if they meet a violent end to their lives this week, they will be prepared for heaven.
During times like these, I feel honored to be a part of such a church.
At the end of last week, a 16-year old boy was walking home from his bus stop when a car pulled up alongside him. After an exchange of a few words, someone in the car opened fire and murdered the kid.
According to news accounts of the incident, the murdered young man was a good student with a pleasant personality and respectful attitude. Unfortunately, he lived in a "bad part of town"--a euphemism for the poor, black, and violent section of the city.
On Sunday morning, a few of the teenagers in the Contact Church requested prayers for the murdered boy's family as they mourned his death. According to the prayer requests, the criminals who murdered the boy did so after he could not (or would not) tell them the location of someone else for whom they were looking.
As I have thought about the situation this week, I have come to have a deeper appreciation for the Contact Church. The urban poor need such churches. Like everyone else, they need safe people with whom they can share their struggles. They need to be able to get together in safe places and pray for the people they deeply love. They need the encouragement of gathering with and working alongside people who share their faith in Jesus Christ. They need people who will share the gospel of God's love with them so that, if they meet a violent end to their lives this week, they will be prepared for heaven.
During times like these, I feel honored to be a part of such a church.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
The Power of Love to Change a Life
This is an excerpt from Joseph Stowell's excellent book Loving Christ (pages 13-16):
"Ruth McBride Jordan lives in a cozy home in a lovely part of New Jersey, near Trenton. At the ripe age of seventy-six, she graduated from Temple University with a degree in social work administration. She travels widely, serves in the homeless shelter of Jerusalem Baptist Church, and runs a reading program at the local library.
"With a sense of appropriate pride, her son James tells her story in his best-selling book, The Color of Water. He relates that not only is she the mother of twelve grown children and the grandmother of twenty, but all of her children have earned college and graduate degrees and have distinguished themselves in their professions. That is an unusual track record for any parent, but it is all the more unusual because Ruth had reared her children during the tough years of the sixties in New York City, a time when racial unrest and lack of clear identity led many children to the streets and to far less stellar outcomes. Beyond that, the most amazing fact is that Ruth raised her children alone as a white Jewish woman in Harlem. Her husband, a black Baptist pastor, died early, leaving her with nothing but the resolve and motivation to do the best that she could in the midst of impossible circumstances.
"Against the backdrop of her childhood, her story becomes even more amazing.
"Ruth's father, a Polish immigrant, was an itinerant orthodox Jewish rabbi in Virginia. Her mother was a shy invalid who spoke little English and was often physically abused by her husband. Leaving the itinerant ministry, Tateh, as Ruth called her father, opened a general store in which Ruth was forced to work long hours. He treated her as a contribution to his economic success, and he also abused her sexually. Although she loved her mother deeply, she found little solace in her mother's frail and intimidated spirit.
"As a result, Ruth spent most of her adolescent years looking for love outside her family....She fell in love with a neighboring African-American boy who often shopped in the store. For the first time in her life she felt as though someone cared for her...She became pregnant and risked the wrath of the small town in which her dad's store was located. Her mom sent her to New York City to spend some time with her aunt so the problem could be 'dealt with.'
"Returning home, Ruth found that life would never again be the same. As soon as she finished high school, she ran back to New York...There she met Rocky and once again felt loved. She reveled in the warmth and affection of someone who cared for her--only to discover that he was a pimp, wooing her to become part of his harem.
"...Ruth met Dennis McBride. There was something authentic about his affections. This time she was wonderfully loved and was confident of it. Ruth felt safe and valued as he transferred a sense of dignity and worth to her lost and lonely soul.
"But the secret to her dramatic recovery from a disastrous history did not come from her husband's love, as wonderful as it was. He died, leaving her a penniless widow in a Harlem flat, overcrowded with kids.
"Her strength and resolve came from another man, a man Dennis had introduced her to.
"Years later, Ruth told her son James the secret--the secret that enabled her to rise like a phoenix out of the ashes of her dad's abuse. 'I was afraid of Tateh and had no love for him at all...It affected me in a lot of ways, what he did to me. I had very low self-esteem as a child, which I kept with me for many, many years; and even now I don't want to be around anyone who is domineering or pushing me around, because it makes me nervous.'
"Ruth reflected on the harsh and insensitive slurs of those who decried her marrying a black man. 'Well, I don't care. Your father changed my life. He taught me about God, who lifted me up and forgave me and made me new. I was lucky to meet him or I would've been a prostitute or dead. Who knows what would've happened to me? I was reborn in Christ. Had to be, after all I went through.'
"James writes that during one of her most difficult times, 'Ma was utterly confused about all but one thing: Jesus...Jesus gave Mommy hope. Jesus was Mommy's salvation. Jesus pressed her forward. Each and every Sunday, no matter how tired, depressed or broke, she got up early, dressed in her best, and headed for church...
"How do the Ruths of this world manage to come through with hands held high in victory? What is the secret to rising above the debilitating effects of brokenness, burdens, bondage, temptation, and all the other things that life so often inflicts upon us?...
"The answer is clear...and the answer holds our only hope. It is a love for Christ so compelling that it drives and defines all that we do--a love that is defined by the life-changing goodness that Christ brings to our existence. When our love for Christ moves beyond a mere mental assent to a living reality, it motivates us to deal with life in unique and powerful ways, regardless of our circumstances."
"Ruth McBride Jordan lives in a cozy home in a lovely part of New Jersey, near Trenton. At the ripe age of seventy-six, she graduated from Temple University with a degree in social work administration. She travels widely, serves in the homeless shelter of Jerusalem Baptist Church, and runs a reading program at the local library.
"With a sense of appropriate pride, her son James tells her story in his best-selling book, The Color of Water. He relates that not only is she the mother of twelve grown children and the grandmother of twenty, but all of her children have earned college and graduate degrees and have distinguished themselves in their professions. That is an unusual track record for any parent, but it is all the more unusual because Ruth had reared her children during the tough years of the sixties in New York City, a time when racial unrest and lack of clear identity led many children to the streets and to far less stellar outcomes. Beyond that, the most amazing fact is that Ruth raised her children alone as a white Jewish woman in Harlem. Her husband, a black Baptist pastor, died early, leaving her with nothing but the resolve and motivation to do the best that she could in the midst of impossible circumstances.
"Against the backdrop of her childhood, her story becomes even more amazing.
"Ruth's father, a Polish immigrant, was an itinerant orthodox Jewish rabbi in Virginia. Her mother was a shy invalid who spoke little English and was often physically abused by her husband. Leaving the itinerant ministry, Tateh, as Ruth called her father, opened a general store in which Ruth was forced to work long hours. He treated her as a contribution to his economic success, and he also abused her sexually. Although she loved her mother deeply, she found little solace in her mother's frail and intimidated spirit.
"As a result, Ruth spent most of her adolescent years looking for love outside her family....She fell in love with a neighboring African-American boy who often shopped in the store. For the first time in her life she felt as though someone cared for her...She became pregnant and risked the wrath of the small town in which her dad's store was located. Her mom sent her to New York City to spend some time with her aunt so the problem could be 'dealt with.'
"Returning home, Ruth found that life would never again be the same. As soon as she finished high school, she ran back to New York...There she met Rocky and once again felt loved. She reveled in the warmth and affection of someone who cared for her--only to discover that he was a pimp, wooing her to become part of his harem.
"...Ruth met Dennis McBride. There was something authentic about his affections. This time she was wonderfully loved and was confident of it. Ruth felt safe and valued as he transferred a sense of dignity and worth to her lost and lonely soul.
"But the secret to her dramatic recovery from a disastrous history did not come from her husband's love, as wonderful as it was. He died, leaving her a penniless widow in a Harlem flat, overcrowded with kids.
"Her strength and resolve came from another man, a man Dennis had introduced her to.
"Years later, Ruth told her son James the secret--the secret that enabled her to rise like a phoenix out of the ashes of her dad's abuse. 'I was afraid of Tateh and had no love for him at all...It affected me in a lot of ways, what he did to me. I had very low self-esteem as a child, which I kept with me for many, many years; and even now I don't want to be around anyone who is domineering or pushing me around, because it makes me nervous.'
"Ruth reflected on the harsh and insensitive slurs of those who decried her marrying a black man. 'Well, I don't care. Your father changed my life. He taught me about God, who lifted me up and forgave me and made me new. I was lucky to meet him or I would've been a prostitute or dead. Who knows what would've happened to me? I was reborn in Christ. Had to be, after all I went through.'
"James writes that during one of her most difficult times, 'Ma was utterly confused about all but one thing: Jesus...Jesus gave Mommy hope. Jesus was Mommy's salvation. Jesus pressed her forward. Each and every Sunday, no matter how tired, depressed or broke, she got up early, dressed in her best, and headed for church...
"How do the Ruths of this world manage to come through with hands held high in victory? What is the secret to rising above the debilitating effects of brokenness, burdens, bondage, temptation, and all the other things that life so often inflicts upon us?...
"The answer is clear...and the answer holds our only hope. It is a love for Christ so compelling that it drives and defines all that we do--a love that is defined by the life-changing goodness that Christ brings to our existence. When our love for Christ moves beyond a mere mental assent to a living reality, it motivates us to deal with life in unique and powerful ways, regardless of our circumstances."
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Worldwide Violence Against Women
Author and filmmaker Carolyn McCulley has an excellent post on her blog concerning worldwide oppression and violence against women and the Christian response to it. The post can be found at http://solofemininity.blogs.com/posts/2009/08/half-the-sky.html.
"Learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:18).
"But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream" (Amos 5:24).
"Learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:18).
"But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream" (Amos 5:24).
Saturday, July 04, 2009
The Time for Beating Your Wife is Past (The Importance of Bible Translation)
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17, English Standard Version).
A few weeks ago, Greg Pruett of Pioneer Bible Translators (www.pioneerbible.org) wrote a good article about translating the Bible into the languages of people who do not have access to the Bible at www.christianstandard.com/articledisplay.asp?id=1261. Here is an excerpt from the article:
"A few years back, I was privileged to present my Christian neighbor Mr. Camara with the first translation we did of the New Testament in his language. Not long after that, he brought a young couple to my front porch to get the wife's swollen eye treated. I was upset, seeing that the man had beaten his wife.
"Mr. Camara gently explained my reaction to the man, saying, 'The time for beating your wife is past.'
"Stunned, the man countered, 'If you can't beat your wife anymore, how can you keep her from doing bad things?'
"Mr. Camara's weathered face glowed with joy as he elaborated, 'The thing that tells us not to beat our wives is the same thing that tells them not to do bad things.' That 'thing' is the Bible in their language.
"When Mr. Camara said, 'The time for beating your wife is past,' that was his way of saying, 'The kingdom of God has come among our people.' The Bible in our language has brought a new era in our history, a time when husbands love their wives, when parents care for their children, a time when Jesus is King.
"I watched God's Word in their language transform their hearts! It's worth it to give our lives to get God's Word to the Bible-less peoples of the world."
A few weeks ago, Greg Pruett of Pioneer Bible Translators (www.pioneerbible.org) wrote a good article about translating the Bible into the languages of people who do not have access to the Bible at www.christianstandard.com/articledisplay.asp?id=1261. Here is an excerpt from the article:
"A few years back, I was privileged to present my Christian neighbor Mr. Camara with the first translation we did of the New Testament in his language. Not long after that, he brought a young couple to my front porch to get the wife's swollen eye treated. I was upset, seeing that the man had beaten his wife.
"Mr. Camara gently explained my reaction to the man, saying, 'The time for beating your wife is past.'
"Stunned, the man countered, 'If you can't beat your wife anymore, how can you keep her from doing bad things?'
"Mr. Camara's weathered face glowed with joy as he elaborated, 'The thing that tells us not to beat our wives is the same thing that tells them not to do bad things.' That 'thing' is the Bible in their language.
"When Mr. Camara said, 'The time for beating your wife is past,' that was his way of saying, 'The kingdom of God has come among our people.' The Bible in our language has brought a new era in our history, a time when husbands love their wives, when parents care for their children, a time when Jesus is King.
"I watched God's Word in their language transform their hearts! It's worth it to give our lives to get God's Word to the Bible-less peoples of the world."
Friday, May 22, 2009
The Contact Church's Response to Gang Violence
This is an excerpt from our senior minister Ron Babbit's newsletter to his supporters:
"The Reed Feed
"The Reed Community Center director called us at Contact and presented to us their problem--gang activity, fighting, profanity. He said, 'I have been called names I have never heard of.' We asked the director if we could show up and feed dogs and/or burgers to their clowns and darlins. He said, 'Whatever you want to do, we need help.' It's a joy to have so many opportunities to be in the community giving out a cup of lemonade, a musty donut, a slick hot dog placed inside a sometimes hard bun that has been refriged for a week or two. Muscles said, 'Those clowns and darlins don't care.' But when needed, Sarge says, "Throw them out." We buy fresh ones. Some of the clowns eat 2 to 3 dogs, 2 to 3 bags of chips, some healthy donuts, and a swaller or two of lemonade!
"The director has a team of himself and two ladies, with some volunteers who coach the gymnastics program. The Reed Feed Dream Team shows up every Monday afternoon from 3:15 until 5:00 p.m. Our mission is to bring joy, smiles, laughter, hugs, peace, and gifts of groceries for whoever shows up. The first week there were two Barney Fife, Mayberry security clowns sitting in their cars ready to run down the gang activity. They were sitting in their cars with motors running. I walked over and introduced myself. I asked if they were ready for some groceries. They were friendly, but refused the healthy grub. I asked them why they had the motors running in their cars. They said, 'So we can make a fast run toward the fights that will be happening here in a moment.' We continued feeding dogs/burgers and the Barney-boys never had an opportunity to chase after any gang activity--why?
"The next week we showed up with healthy groceries again. The Barney-boys were in their positions. We set up shop. The Barney-boys walked around stirring and inciting the clowns and darlins. It is sad to sit back and watch these grown men who don't know how to love people (and people wonder why many kids don't respect authority).
"During our third week at the Reed Feed, no Barney-boys were present--why? Every Monday afternoon since February, we haven't witnessed a fight. Some of the Reed Team spends time outside serving groceries and interacting with the outside clowns and darlins; and some of us are inside with some wanna-be basketball players. Big-Mac is inside with 10-12 darlins having fun doing crafts. When we show up for the Reed Feed, the clowns and darlins are ready for groceries. The word is out! People are asking, 'Why are you here?' 'Where are you from?' 'What church are you with?' 'Do you need help?' 'Can we help you with money?'
"It's a joy to touch hearts for eternity. Let me share some stories. Every week that we show up to feed, a 6th grade boy is always standing right where we park and set up to grill the dogs and burgers. He doesn't say much, but he is always following me around--like a shadow. Sometimes when I go inside to play basketball or visit with the workers with the Community Center, he follows. We showed up for the PFC (Panthers for CHRIST) at Clinton Middle School and guess who was there for a healthy donut? Our friend from the Reed Feed. He didn't say a word; he just smiled.
"Recently, one of the ladies who works with the Community Center said, 'You know, Ron, I have been going to church, and we started studying the book of Nehemiah.' She continued sharing that Nehemiah had a heart to make a difference by rebuilding, 'just like you and your team are doing by rebuilding lives here in this community.' She said, 'Thank you for showing up. I don't know how you do it.' Praise GOD! May HE receive the glory.
"A few weeks ago, I was inside the gym playing basketball against some clowns and a young couple showed up. I asked them if they wanted to play ball. He said, 'Me?' I said, 'Come on, you will be on my team. We are the ole folks.' He removed his shirt and he had more tattoos than the dudes have at the tattoo store. But that doesn't slow us from encouraging, smiling, sharing, loving, listening and playing team ball. We were able to visit, and he and his honey asked me how old I am. Seems to be a common question. I pray that my white curls don't slow down an opportunity with any of the clowns and darlins. The Reed Community Center director and his team of girls are very encouraged by our presence. GOD gave them an opportunity to call us and we were ready and willing to help.
"I pray for an apartment to be used for homeless teens--you talk about a much needed ministry. Keep praying about Reed Feed and reaching into the lives of homeless teens. Please pray for the start of a baseball and basketball ministry."
"The Reed Feed
"The Reed Community Center director called us at Contact and presented to us their problem--gang activity, fighting, profanity. He said, 'I have been called names I have never heard of.' We asked the director if we could show up and feed dogs and/or burgers to their clowns and darlins. He said, 'Whatever you want to do, we need help.' It's a joy to have so many opportunities to be in the community giving out a cup of lemonade, a musty donut, a slick hot dog placed inside a sometimes hard bun that has been refriged for a week or two. Muscles said, 'Those clowns and darlins don't care.' But when needed, Sarge says, "Throw them out." We buy fresh ones. Some of the clowns eat 2 to 3 dogs, 2 to 3 bags of chips, some healthy donuts, and a swaller or two of lemonade!
"The director has a team of himself and two ladies, with some volunteers who coach the gymnastics program. The Reed Feed Dream Team shows up every Monday afternoon from 3:15 until 5:00 p.m. Our mission is to bring joy, smiles, laughter, hugs, peace, and gifts of groceries for whoever shows up. The first week there were two Barney Fife, Mayberry security clowns sitting in their cars ready to run down the gang activity. They were sitting in their cars with motors running. I walked over and introduced myself. I asked if they were ready for some groceries. They were friendly, but refused the healthy grub. I asked them why they had the motors running in their cars. They said, 'So we can make a fast run toward the fights that will be happening here in a moment.' We continued feeding dogs/burgers and the Barney-boys never had an opportunity to chase after any gang activity--why?
"The next week we showed up with healthy groceries again. The Barney-boys were in their positions. We set up shop. The Barney-boys walked around stirring and inciting the clowns and darlins. It is sad to sit back and watch these grown men who don't know how to love people (and people wonder why many kids don't respect authority).
"During our third week at the Reed Feed, no Barney-boys were present--why? Every Monday afternoon since February, we haven't witnessed a fight. Some of the Reed Team spends time outside serving groceries and interacting with the outside clowns and darlins; and some of us are inside with some wanna-be basketball players. Big-Mac is inside with 10-12 darlins having fun doing crafts. When we show up for the Reed Feed, the clowns and darlins are ready for groceries. The word is out! People are asking, 'Why are you here?' 'Where are you from?' 'What church are you with?' 'Do you need help?' 'Can we help you with money?'
"It's a joy to touch hearts for eternity. Let me share some stories. Every week that we show up to feed, a 6th grade boy is always standing right where we park and set up to grill the dogs and burgers. He doesn't say much, but he is always following me around--like a shadow. Sometimes when I go inside to play basketball or visit with the workers with the Community Center, he follows. We showed up for the PFC (Panthers for CHRIST) at Clinton Middle School and guess who was there for a healthy donut? Our friend from the Reed Feed. He didn't say a word; he just smiled.
"Recently, one of the ladies who works with the Community Center said, 'You know, Ron, I have been going to church, and we started studying the book of Nehemiah.' She continued sharing that Nehemiah had a heart to make a difference by rebuilding, 'just like you and your team are doing by rebuilding lives here in this community.' She said, 'Thank you for showing up. I don't know how you do it.' Praise GOD! May HE receive the glory.
"A few weeks ago, I was inside the gym playing basketball against some clowns and a young couple showed up. I asked them if they wanted to play ball. He said, 'Me?' I said, 'Come on, you will be on my team. We are the ole folks.' He removed his shirt and he had more tattoos than the dudes have at the tattoo store. But that doesn't slow us from encouraging, smiling, sharing, loving, listening and playing team ball. We were able to visit, and he and his honey asked me how old I am. Seems to be a common question. I pray that my white curls don't slow down an opportunity with any of the clowns and darlins. The Reed Community Center director and his team of girls are very encouraged by our presence. GOD gave them an opportunity to call us and we were ready and willing to help.
"I pray for an apartment to be used for homeless teens--you talk about a much needed ministry. Keep praying about Reed Feed and reaching into the lives of homeless teens. Please pray for the start of a baseball and basketball ministry."
Monday, April 06, 2009
Devoted to Doing Good
"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives" (Titus 3:14).
Earlene could be easily overlooked in a church. She has been with the Contact Church since the congregation's first worship service on Easter morning of 2002. She does not teach a class. She does not speak up very often in the classes she attends. She does not stay for the meals after services (probably due to her strict diet as a diabetic).
However, Earlene is a woman who is devoted to doing what is good. She volunteers with the American Red Cross and the United Way. She is a devoted mother and grandmother. She faithfully attends the small group Bible study at the Normandy Apartments, always reading from her old King James Version of the Bible and encouraging the other participants.
Yesterday, she asked my wife Janet to be a character reference as she applies to be a volunteer with the local Domestic Violence Intervention Services (www.dvis.org). She is planning to retire from her factory job in July. She wants to be productive in her retirement. She wants to continue to help others who have been hurt in life, so she is planning to help victims of domestic violence in her spare time as a retiree.
Earlene does not have an official leadership position in the church, but like many others, she is leading by example. She is doing her part to help those who are in need. She is honoring God with a compassionate heart and a willingness to serve.
Earlene could be easily overlooked in a church. She has been with the Contact Church since the congregation's first worship service on Easter morning of 2002. She does not teach a class. She does not speak up very often in the classes she attends. She does not stay for the meals after services (probably due to her strict diet as a diabetic).
However, Earlene is a woman who is devoted to doing what is good. She volunteers with the American Red Cross and the United Way. She is a devoted mother and grandmother. She faithfully attends the small group Bible study at the Normandy Apartments, always reading from her old King James Version of the Bible and encouraging the other participants.
Yesterday, she asked my wife Janet to be a character reference as she applies to be a volunteer with the local Domestic Violence Intervention Services (www.dvis.org). She is planning to retire from her factory job in July. She wants to be productive in her retirement. She wants to continue to help others who have been hurt in life, so she is planning to help victims of domestic violence in her spare time as a retiree.
Earlene does not have an official leadership position in the church, but like many others, she is leading by example. She is doing her part to help those who are in need. She is honoring God with a compassionate heart and a willingness to serve.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
A Frightened Little Girl
"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven" (Matthew 18:10).
A co-worker approached me this morning with a prayer request. She was at work during the ice storm a couple of days ago. Since her husband had been laid off from his job, he was able to stay home with their 7-year old daughter. She assumed that they were safe and warm in their home.
However, in the middle of the day, a drunk (or high) man broke through their front door. He started to attack her husband. Thankfully, her husband was able to fight back. The assailant fled, but the husband had been bloodied during the unprovoked attack.
The police took a while to get to their house due to the ice storm. My co-worker's husband had protected their daughter from physical harm, but he could not find her after the attack. He did not know that he could not protect her from the emotional harm of seeing her father attacked by a crazed drug addict. With the help of the police, they finally found the daughter hiding with their dog in its shelter.
The police believe they know the identity of the criminal, so he should be in custody soon. However, the daughter cannot sleep. Her previously safe world has been violently shaken. In fact, the whole family has been shaken by the experience.
I don't know why these kinds of evil events happen to anyone, especially young and innocent children. If you are reading this, please pray for this little girl and her family. They feel vulnerable and scared.
A co-worker approached me this morning with a prayer request. She was at work during the ice storm a couple of days ago. Since her husband had been laid off from his job, he was able to stay home with their 7-year old daughter. She assumed that they were safe and warm in their home.
However, in the middle of the day, a drunk (or high) man broke through their front door. He started to attack her husband. Thankfully, her husband was able to fight back. The assailant fled, but the husband had been bloodied during the unprovoked attack.
The police took a while to get to their house due to the ice storm. My co-worker's husband had protected their daughter from physical harm, but he could not find her after the attack. He did not know that he could not protect her from the emotional harm of seeing her father attacked by a crazed drug addict. With the help of the police, they finally found the daughter hiding with their dog in its shelter.
The police believe they know the identity of the criminal, so he should be in custody soon. However, the daughter cannot sleep. Her previously safe world has been violently shaken. In fact, the whole family has been shaken by the experience.
I don't know why these kinds of evil events happen to anyone, especially young and innocent children. If you are reading this, please pray for this little girl and her family. They feel vulnerable and scared.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Poverty
"The poor you will always have with you..." (Matthew 26:11).
I have been thinking about Jesus' comment that we will always have the poor with us. Why would he say that?
I have come to believe that Jesus considered poverty a perpetual problem in this life because of its multifaceted and complex causes. This is a list of a few of the causes of poverty that I have observed over the years:
1. Disabilities. People with mental, physical, and emotional disabilities can have a difficult time finding and retaining jobs that pay living wages. Their disabilities may be congenital, or they may be due to injury. A mentally retarded man will not make good wages, no matter how hard he works. A wheelchair-bound woman with ALS will not be able to work. A man with schizophrenia will have great difficulty retaining his job. Furthermore, as much as they need it, those with disabilities will find it more difficult to find a job that offers health care benefits.
2. Dysfunctional Families/Divorce. Unstable families, divorce, and couples who live together outside of marriage create disadvantaged children. These children grow up dealing with issues of distrust and insecurity. Often, they deal with depression and the cultivation of unhealthy relationships. They look for love, but tend to find it in the wrong places. They can have emotional scars that hinder their ability to make wise choices in life. They are more likely to repeat the sins of their parents and repeat the cycle for the next generation. Since divorce and single parenthood disrupts family income, poverty often follows.
When a child grows up physically, sexually, or emotionally abused, the impact follows him or her throughout life. They will be prone to depression or to violence or to both. They will be haunted by their past. It will be terribly hard for them to make wise decisions about their future as they run from their past. Suicide is a strong temptation in their worldview. They do not have the strength to fight their battles alone. They were robbed of their dignity in childhood. They will face very difficult days as adults. Their finances are merely one of their problems.
3. Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Drug addicts and drunkards have very difficult lives. They do not enjoy healthy relationships. They have trouble finding and maintaining good jobs. Sometimes the drug and alcohol abuse starts as a result of the first two causes of poverty. They try to self-medicate in an effort to escape their problems of physical, emotional, or mental pain. Sometimes the addiction starts because of an effort to fit in with friends who are abusing drugs and alcohol. They make irrationally bad choices. In either case, drug and alcohol abuse does nothing but harm. Furthermore, if they become sober after spending time in jail or prison, the likelihood of ever finding a job paying above minimum wage is almost non-existent.
So do we give up on people in these kinds of situations? No. We come alongside them and become their friends. We share our time, resources, advice, and faith. They need true friends. They need the hope that comes from Christ. They need a new start to life, and the encouragement to persevere when the times get tough. Wealthier Christians do not need to passively shake their heads in sadness over their plights. Everyone can help in some way.
I have been thinking about Jesus' comment that we will always have the poor with us. Why would he say that?
I have come to believe that Jesus considered poverty a perpetual problem in this life because of its multifaceted and complex causes. This is a list of a few of the causes of poverty that I have observed over the years:
1. Disabilities. People with mental, physical, and emotional disabilities can have a difficult time finding and retaining jobs that pay living wages. Their disabilities may be congenital, or they may be due to injury. A mentally retarded man will not make good wages, no matter how hard he works. A wheelchair-bound woman with ALS will not be able to work. A man with schizophrenia will have great difficulty retaining his job. Furthermore, as much as they need it, those with disabilities will find it more difficult to find a job that offers health care benefits.
2. Dysfunctional Families/Divorce. Unstable families, divorce, and couples who live together outside of marriage create disadvantaged children. These children grow up dealing with issues of distrust and insecurity. Often, they deal with depression and the cultivation of unhealthy relationships. They look for love, but tend to find it in the wrong places. They can have emotional scars that hinder their ability to make wise choices in life. They are more likely to repeat the sins of their parents and repeat the cycle for the next generation. Since divorce and single parenthood disrupts family income, poverty often follows.
When a child grows up physically, sexually, or emotionally abused, the impact follows him or her throughout life. They will be prone to depression or to violence or to both. They will be haunted by their past. It will be terribly hard for them to make wise decisions about their future as they run from their past. Suicide is a strong temptation in their worldview. They do not have the strength to fight their battles alone. They were robbed of their dignity in childhood. They will face very difficult days as adults. Their finances are merely one of their problems.
3. Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Drug addicts and drunkards have very difficult lives. They do not enjoy healthy relationships. They have trouble finding and maintaining good jobs. Sometimes the drug and alcohol abuse starts as a result of the first two causes of poverty. They try to self-medicate in an effort to escape their problems of physical, emotional, or mental pain. Sometimes the addiction starts because of an effort to fit in with friends who are abusing drugs and alcohol. They make irrationally bad choices. In either case, drug and alcohol abuse does nothing but harm. Furthermore, if they become sober after spending time in jail or prison, the likelihood of ever finding a job paying above minimum wage is almost non-existent.
So do we give up on people in these kinds of situations? No. We come alongside them and become their friends. We share our time, resources, advice, and faith. They need true friends. They need the hope that comes from Christ. They need a new start to life, and the encouragement to persevere when the times get tough. Wealthier Christians do not need to passively shake their heads in sadness over their plights. Everyone can help in some way.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
The Little Girl
I listen to country music on the radio. For the past few months, I have been hearing The Little Girl, a beautiful song by John Michael Montgomery. Every day, the positive and negative aspects of this song are being played out in the lives of real people. These are the lyrics from www.cowboylyrics.com:
Her parents never took the young girl to church
Never spoke of His name
Never read her His word
Two non-believers walking lost in this world
Took their baby girl with them
What a sad little girl
Her daddy drank all day and mommy did drugs
Never wanted to play
Or give kisses and hugs
She'd watch the TV and sit there on the couch
While her mom fell asleep
And her daddy went out
And the drinking and the fighting
just got worse every night
Behind their couch she'd be hiding
Oh what a sad little life
And like it always does, the bad just got worse
With every slap and every curse
Until her daddy in a drunk rage one night
Used a gun on her mom and then took his life
And some people from the city took the girl far away
To a new mom and a new dad
kisses and hugs everyday
Her first day of Sunday school the teacher walked in
And a small little girl
Stared at a picture of Him
She said I know that man up there on that cross
I don't know His name
But I know He got off
Cause He was there in my old house
and held me close to His side
As I hid there behind our couch
The night that my parents died
Her parents never took the young girl to church
Never spoke of His name
Never read her His word
Two non-believers walking lost in this world
Took their baby girl with them
What a sad little girl
Her daddy drank all day and mommy did drugs
Never wanted to play
Or give kisses and hugs
She'd watch the TV and sit there on the couch
While her mom fell asleep
And her daddy went out
And the drinking and the fighting
just got worse every night
Behind their couch she'd be hiding
Oh what a sad little life
And like it always does, the bad just got worse
With every slap and every curse
Until her daddy in a drunk rage one night
Used a gun on her mom and then took his life
And some people from the city took the girl far away
To a new mom and a new dad
kisses and hugs everyday
Her first day of Sunday school the teacher walked in
And a small little girl
Stared at a picture of Him
She said I know that man up there on that cross
I don't know His name
But I know He got off
Cause He was there in my old house
and held me close to His side
As I hid there behind our couch
The night that my parents died
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