HOW TO START A MINISTRY TO THE POOR IN YOUR COMMUNITY - Part 5 of 5

by Keith Giles

This is the final installment in our series on how you can start a ministry to the poor in your community.

If you have any questions, comments or ideas youd like to share please feel free to email them to me directly at:elysiansky@hotmail.com
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MINISTRY TO THE HOMELESS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Ministry to the classically homeless is much more challenging than you might think.

Our family has centered mainly on ministry to families who live in motels or to individuals who find themselves suddenly in danger of becoming homeless, or to the elderly.

Ministry to those who have lived on the streets for long periods of time, those I call "Classically Homeless", can be difficult. Here's some of why that is and what can be done to provide assistance.

WHY ARE THEY HOMELESS?
Many of those who live in a state of long-term homelessness are there because of drugs, alcohol or mental illness issues.

ADDICTIONS
For those who are homeless because of addiction and substance abuse issues, you should keep in mind that they will do whatever it takes to get money from you in order to get their drug of choice. Don't be surprised or offended if they lie to you. Don't be afraid to tell them you know they are lying (if you suspect it to be so). Honesty can go a long way and it helps them to know you're not easily fooled.

HOW TO HELP
Usually the best course of action to take is to help them with the condition in place that they seek out help for their addiction. So, if you buy them something to eat or if you put them in a hotel, etc. you let them know that next time your helping them will depend on whether or not they have followed through with getting off the streets and addressing their greater need to escape addiction.

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
Many of those who are living on the streets for long periods of time are dealing with mental health issues. Local mental health hospitals have the unfortunate habit of releasing residents who are not dangerous to themselves or to others due to over-crowding and a lack of funding. This puts many homeless on the streets who are not taking their medications and are suffering (not just due to hunger but also the pain of their illness) without any hope of getting better.

Communication with them can be difficult, if not impossible. Some cannot carry on a coherent conversation while others can appear lucid at first and then drift off into delusional behavior and display wild mood swings and unexpected changes due to their illness.

HOW TO HELP
In these cases I usually refer them, if possible, to a local mental wellness organization or to a non-profit that is more adept at treating people like this since it's very far outside my area of expertise.

Of course, not all of those who are homeless are mentally ill or struggling with addictions. Some of them have emotional issues and others have simply fallen deeper into the pit of poverty due to a loss of employment or other unexpected event.

CHALLENGES
Ministry to the classically homeless is much more difficult to do as a family due to the erratic and sometimes frightening behavior which can be encountered. Our family has focused mainly on ministry to the elderly and to families living in motels or in low-income housing since its something we can do with our children. However, there is plenty of great ministry to be done with those who are living in long-term homelessness. This will usually involve a more specialized skill-set and typically requires a person have lots of patience and a high level of discernment.



MINISTRY TO PROSTITUTES – INTO THE REAL DARKNESS

I've only been out about four times to the streets here in Orange County to minister to women caught in prostitution. Most of what I've learned is based on research and several crushing episodes of utter, empty defeat and failure.

This ministry is easily the most challenging and "outside my comfort zone". It means entering a dark, dangerous world where you are an outsider and the level of commitment required is off the charts.

First, a little bit of background about the issue.

HARD TO QUIT
Most girls who are on the streets will either get off and back into a normal life in the first three months or it will be another ten years before they can escape this lifestyle. Why? Because the work is so repugnant and degrading, at first, that if they're ever going to escape it has to be in those first few months. Otherwise, they get trapped into this lifestyle through fear of their pimp and/or through dependence on the drugs their pimp supplies them with.

HOOKED BY FEAR AND ADDICTION
What keeps most girls on the streets is the fear of being abused or killed by their pimp, and/or their need to keep an expensive drug habit going. Their pimps usually get them hooked on drugs as quickly as they can in order to control them. They know that no other lifestyle would afford their girls the kind of money they need to keep the drugs flowing, so the girls are essentially trapped into this life of prostitution.

HUMAN SLAVERY
Another difficult and impossible situation is where you have forced prostitution through organized crime syndicates. Many girls are here from Russia, the Ukraine, Romania, Thailand, Cambodia, and other impoverished nations. Many were tricked into coming here and are kept here by the threat of harm to their families back in their home country. They cannot leave, even if they desperately want to escape, because to leave would mean the murder of their mother, father, siblings, etc.

It's very shocking to realize that human slavery is alive and well in the United States of America. Just about a year ago the Orange County Police Department broke up the largest human trafficking/forced prostitution ring in the history of this region. I remember it because it was just weeks before the Freedom Day on March 25th at Vanguard where hundreds gathered to protest slavery and bring attention to this very real problem.

America is the number one market for human sexual slavery. Anaheim, the home of Disneyland, is one of the largest markets for human trafficking in the Nation.

You can find out more information about this online at
STOPTHETRAFFIK.ORG

DIFFERENT TYPESYou'll encounter one of four different kinds of girls who work on the streets.

1)Street level- Normally these are homeless girls who have no pimp and work prostitution for the food and for drugs. It's purely survival and quick cash.
2)Weekenders- These girls come and work to support their children or save money for college or other reasons. They are healthy and generally wear clean, attractive clothing.
3)Circuit Girls- These girls work a circuit throughout California, Nevada, Florida, etc. They wear exaggerated clothing (very Hollywood-esque). These look the most like obvious prostitutes and are the easiest to spot.
4)Transvestite- A man who dresses like a woman to turn tricks. Some have had surgery and take hormones to round off the illusion. You think it would be easy to tell the difference. You would be wrong.

MINISTRY IDEAS
*Stay Up Late
Due to the nature of this ministry, to find the girls you need to be where they are, and that means on the streets between 12am and 4am. You're guaranteed to loose sleep over this ministry.

*Mixed Teams
If you go out you need to always stay in mixed teams of guys and girls. It's a bad idea for guys to go out alone, since they might be arrested for soliciting, and it's not safe for girls to go out alone either. Mixed groups of at least four people work best.

*Pray, Pray, Pray
Prayer is crucial since you are entering into the Enemy's camp. This is where the Kingdom of Darkness clashes with the Kingdom of God. Expect a lot of spiritual attack at home and during the ministry time.

*Bless Them
You mainly want to get to know these girls. As with other ministries weve discussed thus far, consistency is the key. Build a relationship. Buy them breakfast if they'll let you. Listen to their stories. Ask them what they need and try to meet practical needs.

*Gift Bags
One local ministry to prostitutes brings gift bags to the girls with make-up supplies, gift cards to shops and food stores, clothing stores, etc. It brings down their guard and allows you a chance to smile, bless them, find out their names and ask if you can pray for them.

*The Pimps
Believe it or not, getting to know these guys can be a significant part of the process. One ministry I know of actually spends a lot of time trying to help these guys change their lives and turn to Christ. If they do, the girls usually follow and the operation is shut down because the girls, and their pimp, have surrendered to Christ and are seeking to live a new life.

*Statistics
Sadly, 98% of the girls who are on the streets now will stay there, and die there. This means that out of every 100 girls you reach out to, only 2 of them will get off the streets and stay off.

For those who do get off the streets, the process means getting off the streets and then relapsing over and over again for a few years before finally, eventually, getting off the streets for life.

Of course, these statistics don't tell the whole story. Some girls get off and stay off in one shot, some leave after several years, others after only a few months. But you should know what you're getting into before you commit to such a challenging ministry.

GETTING THEM REAL HELP
If you encounter girls who are under 18 you should refer them to "Children of the Night" (if you have one in your area) or even the local police department. These are minors who need to be rescued from this lifestyle.

The challenge I've run into is the lack of resources for girls who are under 18, don't have a Driver's License, or a SS card. These are usually girls who are here illegally or runaways.

If the girl is over 18 you can send them to Teen Challenge and/or another drug and alcohol treatment center where their addictions can be addressed and they can receive spiritual guidance and emotional healing. Sadly, most non-profit groups will not accept a girl who is under 18. Go figure.

What is really needed to minister to these girls is a long list of resources:
*Trained counselors
*Free shelter
*Addiction treatment
*Job Training
*Free Child Care
*Healthcare access (for health checkups, STD's, etc.)

As I said before, the most challenging and overwhelming ministry I've ever known is ministry to prostitutes. Not for the faint of heart.

**
I know this series doesn't even come close to scratching the surface of this topic of serving the poor and the homeless and people in need. So, I do hope you will email me directly if you have further questions or response to this series of articles. Many of you have already asked me for permission to reprint them and use in your Church or ministry efforts. That's what these are for. I do appreciate knowing about where these are being used and how, but otherwise they're meant to help you to serve others more effectively.

Peace,
Keith

HOW TO START A MINISTRY TO THE POOR IN YOUR COMMUNITY - Part 4 of 5

by Keith Giles

In our fourth installment in this series I wanted to share some specific ideas and insights about the kinds of ministry to the poor that you can initiate in your community.

I want to stress that most of these do not require a large budget, or a team of thousands. Most of these can be done with families, including children of all ages, and two or three adults who are willing to listen, love and share what they have with people in need.

IDEAS FOR MINISTRY TO THE POOR
*Lower-income families (Housing projects, apartments, motels, etc.)
*Motel Ministry (especially for kids and families)
*Food/Grocery Distribution
*Homeless Ministry (Hot Dogs in the Park)
*Senior Home Visitation
*Prostitute Ministry
*Single Moms/Widows (Free oil changes, yardwork, grocery assistance, etc.)
DETAILS:
*Lower-income families (Housing projects, apartments, motels, etc.)
This ministry works best when you get to know the management of the apartment or motel, etc. Explain to them that you're not there to preach or to promote your church. Disarm them with the idea that you really just want to bless people. Explain to them that your ministry will involve giving away free groceries (if possible) or hosting game times for the children (or puppet shows, crafts, etc.). Help them to visualize a monthly or bi-weekly carnival that they get to help bring to their residents. It makes them look like heroes and it gives you an opportunity to express the love of Jesus in tangible ways.

*Motel Ministry (especially for kids and families)
Essentially the same as above. I'd only add that befriending people is the key here. Pray for them. Listen to their problems. Find ways to help them that are practical. This should not be about money. It should be about helping them discover resources in your community, hooking up with other ministries doing work to help with education, rent, health concerns, etc.

Also, ask God to highlight one or two people or families that He wants you to focus on and love them with all you've got. Invite them to your house for pizza and a movie. Hang out with them. Learn to love them. This is where you realize that the real ministry is being done to you, not by you.

*Food/Grocery Distribution
Find a food bank nearby. Second Harvest is a national food bank, but you may have another in your area. Our small house church can purchase a week's worth of groceries for twenty or thirty families for under $100 a month.

As I've said previously, don't distribute the food after you preach. Just give them the food up front and bless them. Ask them at the end of the food line if they want prayer. Most will say yes. If not, just smile and bless them as they go back into their rooms. Consistency is vital.


*Homeless Ministry (Hot Dogs in the Park)
Again, this is very cheap and it's more about getting to know people who happen to be homeless and less about throwing food at the poor and running home.

We found a park where a lot of homeless hang out that also had barbecue stations at each picnic table. Our group set up the grill, cooked the dogs, laid out the fixings and then fanned out to invite the homeless to join us for a picnic. We sat with them, ate with them, asked them their names, where they were from, etc. Even our kids enjoyed getting to know our new friends.

*Senior Home Visitation
You will not believe the treasures that are hidden away in the senior homes near your house. Former Generals in WW2, former actresses, singers, engineers, writers, and even regular people who have amazing stories to tell. All they need is someone to listen. Give it time and you will soon find yourself falling in love with these people.


*Prostitute Ministry
This one is waayyy outside my comfort zone, but I've been out around 3 times with small teams to try to connect and pray for these girls. I'll write in more detail about the challenges and dangers of this ministry next week. Not for the faint of heart.

*Single Moms/Widows (Free oil changes, yardwork, grocery assistance, etc.)
This is more of a Men's Ministry thing, but it can be awesome to bless single Moms and Widows who need assistance around the house, with the yard, the car, etc.
Oh, and it's Biblical too.


OTHER IDEAS FOR MINISTRY
*Local Newspaper/Community Response Ministry
This is one I've always wanted to do but have yet to attempt. Basically it involves reading the local paper and responding in compassion to people in your city who experience the death of a loved one, is the victim of abuse or rape or violence, tragedy, etc. This is one that I feel could have a huge impact on your community if your church or small group could consistently respond to people in need of comfort and prayer support.

*Community clean-up (graffitti cleaning, trash pick-up, etc.)
Steve Sjogren and Mike Pilavachi have championed this form of "no strings attached" service to the community. When I was at Soul Survivor I was involved with massive groups of teens taking to the streets and cleaning up parks, neighborhoods, etc. This may involve contacting city officials and cooperating with them to discover their needs and partner with their employees.

*Clean toilets for local businesses
Again, Steve Sjogren championed this one a long time ago. It's an amazing way to demonstrate the love of Jesus in practical ways to local business owners. Most will be blown away that you show up with a bucket and cleansers to do the ugly job that none of them wants to do. When you explain to them that you're doing it because Jesus washed feet and this is the closest thing in our modern society to that, you'll be amazed at the reactions you get. Worth it for the stories you get to tell later, if nothing else.

*Free Car Wash
Be careful. People will argue with you to take their money. They simply cannot bring themselves to receive a free blessing with no strings attached. Do it anyway.

NEXT WEEK: We'll finish off this series by looking at the specific challenges and dangers of working directly with the homeless and with prostitues.

[END OF PART 4]

HOW TO START A MINISTRY TO THE POOR IN YOUR COMMUNITY Part 3 of 5

This week's installment will continue to look at valuable lessons I've learned over the years. Next week we'll look at specific ideas for the types of ministry to the poor that can be done and a brief "How To" for each of them. After that I'll end off this series with more detailed discussions of what ministry to the homeless and to prostitutes looks like, and the specific challenges involved with each.

For now, here's the rest of the list we started last week:

A long list of valuable lessons

*You Will Get Back More Than You Give. Everytime. - I used to drive away from our various ministry sites feeling depressed. In my heart I always felt like we could have done more to help, or that I was desperately inadequate to meet the incredible needs of the people we were in relationship with. After awhile I began to understand that this is part of what it's all about. I also began to realize that the blessing I was taking home with me was always greater than the one I had just brought to the people we were in ministry to. No matter how massive or outrageous our ministry was, I always felt like it wasn't enough..and it never would be enough. Part of what I learned was how to be ok with this.

*You Can Only Help People Who Want Help - There's a great passage in the Gospel where Jesus comes upon a man who is laying beside the Pool of Siloam. He is lame and obviously in need of healing. However, Jesus looks at this man and asks him, "Do you want to be made well?" It seems, at first, like a very stupid question. However, in my years of ministry with the homeless and the addicted and the broken, I have been amazed at how many of them don't really want to be made well. For some of them, if I were to reach out my hand and take away their addiction, or their poverty, or their infirmity, they would hate me for it. Sometimes you have to ask people if they're really looking for healing or not.

*Some People Only Want Help Staying The Way They Are, Not Help Getting Better -Honestly, I'm a push-over. If someone asks me for food or money or assistance I have a hard time saying "No" and turning them away, especially if it's in my power or ability to do something. I think it has something to do about the Lord Jesus saying, "Give to anyone who asks of you expecting nothing in return" (Matthew 5:42). So, I will almost always help someone who comes to me for help...the first time. However, I've learned to help them further by saying, "Here's food/shelter/money/assistance for tonight, but what about tomorrow and next week? You need a long-term solution to your problem. Here's a few phone numbers to call. These people can help you make long-term changes and get off the street/off drugs/self sufficient/healing/counseling, etc."

The next time I see them, if they ask for help again, I will ask them, "Did you call those numbers I gave you last time?" and if they say "No" then I explain that the reason I'm not helping them today is because they didn't take any steps towards helping themselves in the long-term. Another response is to help someone financially with the understanding that they need to agree to sit down and allow us to help them create a budget to live on. If they agree, we help them. If they don't then we've established the terms under which were willing to help them out. However, sometimes I do just hand them food or money or pay their rent without any conditions attached. It depends on the person, the situation, and a bit of discernment.

*Be Prepared To Welcome The Poor Into Your Church, Your House, Your Family, and Your Life - I usually caution people who come to me asking how to start a compassion ministry with this statement: "If you're not willing to sit next to these people in Church on Sunday, or to have them play with your kids, or to invite them over for pizza afterwards, then don't start a compassion ministry." Nowadays I usually just let them get their feet wet and after they've been doing it a while I'll suggest that this ministry is more about loving people and less about an outreach. Outreach implies going out to accomplish something. It keeps the poor "Out There" and that's not what Jesus modeled for us. If we're going to step out and demonstrate to people that Jesus Loves Them it has be consistent. It has to mean "We love you too," otherwise what we're really saying is "Jesus loves you but we're not too comfortable around you. Stay out here and we'll come back next month and minister to you again." This isn't the Gospel and we can damage the true power of the Gospel if we say one thing and model another.

*Change Is Difficult - As you begin to minister to people who are homeless or living in poverty you'll no doubt come across a few people who just can't seem to get the courage to take that big step towards escaping poverty. I've seen people, more than once, come right up to the point of escaping poverty only to run as fast as they can in the other direction. Here's what I've learned: Holding their hand is good, but doing it for them is a big mistake. Sometimes the psychological leap is too great. It's much easier to remain in the world they know than to take a big step and risk failure. Some people will need you to be there with them every little step of the way. It can be frustrating, but when they finally do escape their situation the celebration will be well worth it. Others will just not ever be able to take that test or apply for that federal aid or drive down to that learning center or make that phone call to the counseling center, no matter how much you hold their hand and urge them to take the step. Taking that step for them will ease your frustration in the moment, but unless it's their idea and they're ready to follow through with things, they'll just back out of things eventually anyway. Prayer is really your best weapon usually.

*Don't Withhold The Blessing - This is one of my big pet peeves in compassion ministry. I understand that everyone does things their own way, but nothing makes me more angry than to watch Christians withhold the food or the assistance, etc. until after people have sat through an hour long sermon or church service. The Gospel is expressed just as much in showing love and compassion without cost or agenda…maybe moreso. People understand love. They understand compassion. They appreciate sincere giving done without an ulterior motive. Just try it. It's incredibly powerful. Maybe if you bless them without strings attached they will WANT to know more about why you love them, and why you love Jesus.

*Listening Is The Best Ministry Possible - File this under "Bigger is not Better." When you boil it all down, people just need to know you really care about them. Listening to people is the most powerful way you can demonstrate real love to them. Spending time with people and really paying attention to them is the best ministry you can ever do, and it doesn't cost you a thing.

*Don't Forget The Poor Among You - I'm embarrassed to say I needed someone from my compassion team to point this out to me. Our church was so busy knocking ourselves out to minister to the poor in the community that we were neglecting the poor and the orphan and the widow and the single Moms in our very own congregation. Let the blessing begin in the Family of God. There are those among us who are also poor and need the love and the compassion of the Body. Don't forget them.

*Don't Use This Ministry As A Way To Market Your Church - File this under "Things that make me very angry". I've noticed a disturbing trend among some churches lately where ministry to the poor is seen as being trendy and hip. They treat compassion ministry as a selling point for their church because it makes them look cool and it looks great on their website and in their bulletin each week. However, caring for people in need is typically not what they have foremost in mind. It's marketing their church. This really ticks me off. So, when we first started our Compassion Ministry I told our team members that, although I wasn't forbidding anyone else, I would never wear one of our church t-shirts to our ministry events. "Why not?" someone would always ask me. Because I don't want them to ever see that t-shirt and say "Oh…that's why they're being so nice to us." In fact, recently we've been joined by another large mega-church at the motel. Although we've been there for five years now, this mega-church has been serving breakfast every other Sunday and setting up tents and chairs and tables and having an on-site Church service. Beause their presence is quite large, many of those we minister to often assume that we're from this mega-church. They will even end their prayers by saying, "And God bless the good people of **** Church" to which I always say, "Amen!" I love it that our specific church is able to bring Glory to Jesus and even favor to another local Church by serving these people. It's a great reminder that our service to these people isn't about making our church famous or competing with other churches. It's simply about modelling the love of Jesus for people.

*Don't think of it as "Outreach" but as Loving People - After awhile the word Outreach becomes a dirty word. To me, the word carries the connotation of keeping people at arms length. I prefer to refer to what we do as Compassion Ministry or Service or simply "Being with our friends". Even to call them "The Poor" in some ways puts them into a classification that is demeaning and de-humanizing. Whenever possible think of them as your friends. They are people. They have the same needs as you and I. Love them as Jesus loves you.

-kg

[End Part 3]

HOW TO START A MINISTRY TO THE POOR IN YOUR COMMUNITY - Part 2

By Keith Giles

This week I want to share a long list of valuable lessons I've learned over the last few years when it comes to serving others. Keep in mind that a lot of what I learned here had to be experienced. Even as I share this with you I understand that reading about this is no substitute for actually experiencing it for yourself. Hopefully as you move forward in your own journey with serving people you'll discover the truth of these observations in your own heart.

A LONG LIST OF VALUABLE LESSONS
As you take your first tentative steps into compassion ministry, you'll need to know what to expect. Here are some basic things I've discovered in my journey serving others in our community:

*Consistency Is Vital - We started ministry at the motel in Santa Ana almost 8 years ago. Over time we've consistently come every month with a bounce house, games, snacks and a puppet show for the kids who live in this motel. For over four years we only blessed them. We never preached a sermon or passed out maps to our Church. (Although we weren't shy about sharing with them if they had need or if they asked us why were doing this for them.)

Recently, in our fifth year, we started passing out free groceries and asking them if we can pray with them about anything. Why? The goal of the ministry is to show the love of Jesus to them in tangible ways. Not to market our church or to get them to buy something. We have intentionally withheld a sermon or an evangelistic message so that we create the question in their minds- "Why?" We want people to respond to our compassion by asking "Why would you come out here and bless us like this every month?" When they ask us (and they eventually do) we then share with them the difference that Jesus has made in our hearts and lives.

Having no agenda disarms them and, more importantly, demonstrates that we really are only interested in loving them and blessing them in practical ways.

*You WILL Get Burned. It's Part Of The Process - A fellow compassion ministries pastor once suggested that we publish a guide to help local churches serve the poor. He wanted to include a section that would help prevent them from getting burned by some of the poor who take advantage of our goodwill. I protested against this quite vocally because the best lessons I've learned in loving the poor have come from the numerous times I've been played like a violin. Without those experiences of being lied to, taken advantage of and played for a fool I wouldn't have a shred of discernment regarding the poor. Getting burned is part of the process. Try to learn from it. The biggest challenge is to get burned and continue to love people and bless them, even knowing they might be playing you.

*Bigger Is Not better - For the longest time our ministry to the families in the motel was pretty much my wife, my two elementary-age sons and one other woman from our church. We still managed to put together great games for the kids, snacks, puppet shows and a meaningful ministry to the families who live in this motel. Sometimes having a massive ministry footprint means that the people you're ministering to get lost in the hype. I'd rather sit down and share a sandwich under a tree with one homeless guy than have a massive army of people running a huge event where the poor feel like outsiders.

*Don't Pet the Poor - Early on I was warned not to treat the poor as a project or an outreach. When we do this we end up treating them like people who are less than the rest of us. The goal in serving the poor is to make them feel like an equal human being. Look them in the eye. Laugh with them. Learn their story. Pray for them during the week. Get to know them. If you can think of your ministry as being more about making new friends (who happen to be living in poverty) and less about fixing these poor people you'll be fine.

*Don't Attempt To Cure Poverty In Your City - This is a common mistake for those who start off doing compassion ministry. In their zeal to bring justice to the poor they get off target and begin to see their ministry as a grandiose scheme to end poverty forever in their city. The sad thing is that when we do this we stop caring for the actual people who are in need. If our focus can remain on finding a few people and learning how to love them we'll be closer to the heart of Jesus. One of my early mentors, David Ruis, used to communicate it this way: "What do you see and what do you have?" Meaning, start with the people in front of you who have a need. Ask yourself what you have that you could share with them. Befriend people and learn to love them.

*It's About Sharing, Not Giving - Giving to the poor, although important is not what we're necessarily called to as followers of Jesus. We're called to share. Giving means writing a check and walking away (and taking the tax break on our IRS return). Sharing means taking something that is mine and giving it away to someone who needs it more than I do. That's an investment. That's also about friendship and relationship, not compassion from a distance.

*Befriend A Few and Learn To Love Them Deeply - When we first started our Motel Ministry I had grand visions of leading huge outreach teams to lead worship and preach the Gospel and rescue hundreds from the despair of poverty. God quickly corrected my vision and showed me one small family living in the motel. Love them, He said. Get to know them. Invite them to your house for lunch.

For the first two years or so that was the main focus of our ministry in that motel. The difference was that this ministry soon became less about ending poverty in that motel and more about the struggles of my new friends, Mike and Pam and their two children.

*You Will Learn More From Them Than You Teach - My relationship with the families at the motel has taught me more about courage and forgiveness and humility than I could have ever learned from reading a book or a blog or listening to a sermon. The things I've heard and seen and experienced by being in relationship with these wonderful people has impacted me greatly.

[END PART 2]

[SUBVERSIVE INTERVIEWS] - cover art

My next book, [Subversive Interviews] is a collection of conversations with Dallas Willard, Todd Hunter, Neil Cole, Walter Kirn, Frank Viola, Jim Wallis, Matt Redman, John Fischer, Dr.Scott Bartchy and Dr.G.K.Beale, among others.

Hopefully it will be available in the next week or so on my blog.

Next: My book "This Is My Body" (with a forward by Jon Zens) should be published in about another month or so. Keep watching this space for more details.
-kg

HOW TO START A MINISTRY TO THE POOR IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Part 1 of 5

Over the last several years I have been involved in serving the poor here in Orange County, California. During this time I have learned a lot about what to do, and what not to do, when it comes to serving the least and the forgotten.

In the upcoming series of articles I will do my best to provide practical insights and information about what serving the poor looks like. I hope to inspire many of you to step outside your comfort zones and begin to serve the poor in your own community.

Whether you volunteer at a local soup kitchen or if you lead a small group or a church team to go out and minister to the poor I hope you can benefit from these articles and catch a vision for serving others.

I am very excited about this new series of articles. My prayer is that this will inspire many of you to take first steps into an outward expression of God's love for others. I welcome your feedback and your questions as we take a few weeks to explore this subject and wrestle with these ideas.

BEFORE WE START
This series will not be about building a case for the "Why" we serve the poor, instead I will assume that most of you reading this have already come to terms with the overwhelming Biblical evidence regarding God's command to care for the poor and the example of our Lord Jesus towards the sick, the broken and the outcast.

It is my firm belief that, as a follower of Jesus, serving the least and the forgotten in our culture is expected of us. Jesus was our blueprint for living the Kingdom life. His example to us compels us to leave our comfort zones and to seek out the lonely, the forgotten, the least and the lost in our society. Jesus himself made it very clear that those who sincerely love him will be found caring for the hungry, the poor, the lonely and the imprisoned (see Matthew 25).

For more on the Believers Biblical mandate to care for the poor please refer to the numerous Scriptural references (over 2,000) concerning Gods heart for the poor and His expectation of compassion and obedience from us.

CATCHING THE VISION
So, with the assumption of an understanding regarding our personal calling to serve the poor and to love them as we love Jesus, (and as Jesus has loved us), I will try to share some of what I've learned over the last few years regarding God's heart for the poor and how we can step forward in obedience to care for them.

HOW DO WE BEGIN?
One of the first things I did when I realized that God was calling me to lead a ministry to the poor, (or Compassion Ministry), was to seek out other leaders who were already caring for the poor around me. There was a church in my neighborhood that hosted a weekly luncheon for the poor in their parking lot. I was also aware that they had started a Men's Shelter and opened a local Thrift Store to fund the ministry. After a few phone calls I got in touch with the pastor in charge of this ministry and took him to lunch.

Over a cheeseburger I took notes and asked a lot of questions. From there I took this pastor's advice and got in touch with the chaplain of our local rescue mission. A meeting with this amazing gentleman proved very insightful and provided further understanding of what poverty in our community looked like and how best to help.

FIRST STEPS
If you feel called to start a ministry to the poor through your church, or small group, or just want to get involved in some way, here's what I recommend:

*Understand that this is a Spiritual Battle - Some of the people you are about to minister to are trapped in the most unbelievable darkness you can possibly imagine. They are bound by drug addictions, sexual perversion, demonic possession, mental illness, physical sickness and more. You will need to recognize that you are not enough. You are perfectly inadequate in every way. You will need the power of the Holy Spirit. You will require a complete dependence upon God for help. You will not last a second without Jesus as your example, friend and constant strength. Pray.

*Don't reinvent the wheel - If there's already a dozen ministries in your area who are serving the homeless there’s no point in starting another one. Partner with them and work together.

*Find out what causes poverty in your community - In Orange County there are several non-profit organizations who conduct annual surveys and publish community index reports on everything from education and crime to employment rates and homelessness. A call to your local Rescue Mission and/or the area Salvation Army office can probably put these reports into your hands. Learning what the specific causes of poverty and homelessness in your community are goes a long way to providing
your next step. NOTE: If you live in Orange County, California you can visit www.PovertyInTheOC.com to find more resources and info to help you understand poverty in the OC.

*Become an expert in what causes poverty in your city - Soon you'll be teaching others about the problem, and the solutions. Because I've taken the time to study the causes of poverty in Orange County, I've had numerous invitations from local churches to come and share what I've learned. Part of my personal mission is to help others to see what I see and to catch a vision for serving the poor. This is a great way to do that.

*Piggy-back with others who have more experience and learn from them - When our group wanted to minister to prostitutes we did our best to find others who were experienced in dealing with this issue. When we felt called to minister in motels we partnered with the local Rescue Mission who was already organizing church groups to address the issue. Don't assume you know the needs, or the best methods for helping the poor. Every city is different. Every category of ministry (homeless, elderly,
veterans, prostitutes, drug addicts, battered women, etc.) is unique. Learn before you step out.

*Build a team who can serve with you - Don't start out alone.
Even if it's only one other person, you need to have a partner in this adventure. Pray together. Research the needs and brainstorm your approach to ministry.

*Don't blindly copy what someone else is doing - Every community is different, and I believe we need to begin caring for "our poor" first. The homeless or the low-income family in your area is not the same as the homeless or the poor in San Francisco, or New York or Chicago, etc. Take cues from others, but don't assume you can "cut and paste" what one ministry does into your community and be
successful.

*Start close to home - The poor who live within ten miles of you are "your poor" and getting to know them, and understanding their needs and what keeps them in poverty is crucial. Try not to do long distance ministry to the poor. Find ways to be in fellowship with those you are serving.

[END PART 1]

REMEMBER THE POOR

"All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along." - (Galatians 2:10)

A few years ago I threw a small party at my house. One of my friends wanted to make something for everyone but we were out of a few special ingredients. So, my friend hopped in the car to go and buy what we needed at a nearby grocery store.

When my friend returned I met him at the door. "What took you so long?" I asked, and then I noticed that my friend wasn't wearing any shoes.

"Did you run out of here and forget your shoes?"

My friend came into the house and set the grocery bags on the floor. "No," he said.

I was confused. "How did you end up losing your shoes at the grocery store?"

My friend explained, "When I came out of the store I saw a homeless man digging through the trash outside in the parking lot, but I was in a hurry because I knew everyone was waiting for me to get back. I jumped in the car and made it almost to the street before I heard the Lord tell me to turn around. So, I backed up and parked the car and walked over to the man. I asked him if he was hungry and if he wanted me to buy him some food. He said, no thanks. So, I asked him why he was digging through the trash and he said he was looking for some shoes. I looked down at his feet and his shoes were ragged and torn. That's when I noticed, standing there beside him, that my feet were the same size as his. So, I took off my shoes and gave them to the man."

As my friend told this story to me, my eyes filled with tears of amazement. I couldn't help but wonder, "Would I have done that? Would I have taken off my shoes and given them to a stranger?"

The followers of Jesus are held to a higher standard of love than others. We're commanded not only to love God, and to love our neighbors, but to love those who don't love us, and to care for the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the stranger all the same.

My family has been reading through the book of Acts together in the morning before we start our day. It's been fascinating to see how people who were filled with the Holy Spirit of God and overjoyed about the coming of the Messiah couldn't help but share all that they had with one another out of love. When the scriptures tell us, that "...there was no needy person among them" (Acts 4:33-34) it doesn't mean that they didn't have any poor people in their church. Can we say the same of our churches today?

The word "Compassion" means "to suffer with". It means that when we see the pain of others, we are also in pain. We must care for them as we would care for ourselves.

This is why Jesus warns us that, at the Judgment seat of Christ, our love will be measured by how we responded to the poor God placed in our path. If we gave them food when they were hungry, or water when they were thirsty, or clothing when they were naked, or love when they were lonely, then it is counted as if we had done it unto our Lord Jesus Himself.

I've never given away my shoes to a homeless person. But, one day, I do hope that the Lord gives me an opportunity to put my shoes on His feet like this. Or perhaps, soon, I can buy him a cheeseburger, or something cool to drink the next time I see one of His representatives in the streets.

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' - (Matthew 25:37-40)

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What is "a sin unto death"?

"If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death." - 1 John 5:16-17


This is probably one of the most misunderstood passages of scripture in the New Testament. A dear sister in Christ asked me recently what to make of this verse and I thought I'd share my response to her here since many of us are likely curious about this same topic.

So, what is meant by a sin unto death? Unless we know what “a sin unto death” is, how can we know whether to pray for the person or not? This is the basic question.

Most commentaries will suggest that it’s referring to suicide and that the "sin unto death" is the act of taking ones' own life. This could be a valid interpretation since suicide does result in the death of the person, but it doesn't necessarily make clear the rest of the passage where John suggests that "there is sin that does not lead to death." If the sin that leads to death is suicide, it seems strange to refer to other sins this way.

Others suggest that John is speaking of the "unforgivable sin" or blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Still others believe it means “a sin that leads to the death penalty” such as murder, blasphemy, rape, incest, etc.

Some believe that it’s referring to someone who turns away from their faith in Christ. Those who believe this cite Hebrews 6: 4-6 which says, “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”

However, this passage in Hebrews can also be understood to be saying that it is impossible for a Christian who has tasted the heavenly gift to fall away in the first place. If this is the case, then it's probably not what John was talking about in his passage.

Still another passage in Hebrews seems to suggest that what John might be talking about is a continual, persistent practice of sin in the life of the Christian. In Hebrews 10:26-29 it says – “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

This may be closer to what John is talking about. It does seem to fit with the tone and the logical flow of the passage. Any sin, therefore, can be the kind that leads to death if we do not resist and repent and cease our practice of sin. Maybe that's why John doesn't name the sin ("lust" for example) because for you it may be lust, but for another it might be pride or drunkenness. What may be "a sin unto death" for you may not be much of a struggle for me, but my sin unto death may have no hold over you.

For what it’s worth, it seems that John is suggesting that “a sin unto death” is something that you and I can see or observe. I think it would be difficult for you and I to know if someone has actually blasphemed the Holy Spirit, or if they have truly left the faith for good. (And the scriptures do suggest that we can be restored to the faith if we repent and return to Christ).

So, maybe there’s a much simpler understanding for this passage? What if it simply means to “sin until you die”. In Revelation 2:10 Jesus urges the Church to “be faithful unto death” which means to continue being faithful until we die. So, “unto death” may just simply mean “until you die”.

If this is what John means, then what he’s really saying is that we shouldn’t pray for someone who is already dead. The early church did sometimes practice prayer for, and even baptism for, those who had already died. It could be that John is teaching that, while someone is still alive, there is still hope for the person to repent and to receive life from Jesus. Once they are dead, it’s too late to pray for them.

The truth is, there are many different ways to understand this passage and I think the best any of us can do is to take our best guess and leave room for interpretation since it's not such a clear passage to begin with.

-kg

GUEST BLOG: JON ZENS "The New Testament Is Plural (Us) Not Singular (Me)"

As folks listen to local and media Bible teachers, most miss the fact that Christ’s body is missing from their use of the New Testament. More often than not the approach taken is individualistic – “how can Christ help me live the Christian life?” However, the NT was not written to individuals but to groups of believing people in various cities and regions. This does not come across in English translations for the most part because the word “you” in the Greek can be singular or plural. For example, the “you” in “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” is plural, and has in view the Body of Christ.

Think about it. The NT letters were sent to ekklesias (assemblies) – “when you come together as an ekklesia.” Even the letter sent to an individual – Philemon – still has a corporate (body) dimension to it – “to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the ekklesia in your house.”

This is the crucial missing element in the bulk of today’s Bible teaching. The Lord intended the life of Christ to be lived out among the disciples in community, not in isolation. Consider how upside-down we are in our practice. The NT has at least 58 “one-another’s” that are meaningless without the reality of close, deep local relationships. The call to be longsuffering and forbearing with others implies day-to-day involvement that simply cannot take place by seeing people a few hours a week at controlled religious meetings.

But where do we put the emphasis in what people call “church”? It pretty much revolves around “the pastor.” He is the one with the ordination, the school training, the vision, and the sermons. Without a “pastor” people would generally conclude that you don’t have a church yet. No church is seen as complete unless it has a “pastor.” If a “pastor” leaves a church, then you have to quick find another one.

What have we done? We have elevated that for which there is not a shred of evidence in the NT – that there must be a “pastor” to lead the church – and by doing this most church structures then suppress the life of Jesus coming to expression through the 58 “one-another’s” that are clearly in the NT.

Since the “one-another” perspectives are pushed into the background, the “pastor” must then spend a lot of his time helping the flock live the Christian life as individuals.

In the NT we see the life of Christ in each believer come to expression as they gather in an open meeting and edify each other (1 Cor.14:26). The NT knows nothing of “worship services.” In the gatherings of the early church there was no one, or no group, “up-front” leading the time together. It was a body meeting led by the Holy Spirit to be an expression of Jesus Christ.

But what have we done? We bring individuals together who haven’t seen each other since last Sunday to sing a few songs, put some money in a plate, listen to a pastoral prayer, hear a sermon, and go home to their roast in the oven and afternoon football. “Church services” climax with the sermon and perhaps an altar call. People can go through what is ordained in a church bulletin, and not have an ounce of loving commitment to anyone. Families can be sitting in the pews week after week that are about to explode or end in divorce and their needs fall through the cracks of church machinery. Oversimplification? I think you know in your heart that the essence of what I’m describing is reality for most people in “church.”

The early church came together in a way in which all the parts could be an expression of Christ on earth. For the most part we now come to “church” to see one person function and hear a sermon that is supposed to help us live better lives in a fallen world. Can you see the disconnect? The former is Christ flowing like living water out of his people in a life of interdependence; the latter is institutional and fosters dependence on one part – “the pastor.”

Consider the matter of repentance. Generally this subject is approached individualistically – “What do I need to repent of in my Christian life?” But in Christ’s words to the ekklesias in Revelation 2-3 we see that he called the whole body of believers in a city to repent of various sins. This is we-repentance not me-repentance. When have you ever heard of a body of believers repenting for anything?

This illustrates how we have completely missed the fundamental body dimension of the NT. One of the key reasons why the “us” has been replaced by “me” is because of all the human traditions that have buried the living Christ and exalted “churchy” stuff.

Indeed, the ekklesia consists of unique individuals. But in the Lord’s building of his ekklesia these individuals only find meaningful existence together, not apart. He wills for his vine-life to be fruitful in each and every branch, for the health and growth of the whole plant.

Our life is just a vapor. Are we going to expend our energies oiling religious machines or pursuing life – “Christ in us the hope of glory.”

-Jon Zens
(For further reflection on this theme and related ones see the author’s A Church Building Every ½ Mile: What Makes American Christianity Tick?)

Visit Jon at www.JonZens.com

AGREEMENT OR ACCEPTANCE?

The Church is made up of a diverse set of people. We come from all backgrounds, cultures, experiences and nationalities. We are all unique individuals who are learning to love one another and to be a family together with Christ as our Head.

It doesn't matter if you fellowship in a denominational church, a non-denominational church, or an organic house church, the reality is the same: you fellowship regularly with people who are different and who do not agree with you on everything.

There are two ways you can respond to this fact: First, you can make sure that as many people as possible agree on as many doctrines and practices as possible. This will involve writing down all your doctrines and practices, teaching them to the people and enforcing your will upon them. If they do not conform to your beliefs and practices you must invite them to leave and find others who agree with their strange brand of Christianity.

Or, you can love them in spite of the fact that they disagree with you on one thing or the other.

The funny thing is, even if you go with the first option, I guarantee you that there will still be plenty of people in your church who do not agree with you on everything. Either they will pretend to agree with you in order to remain in the fellowship, or they will keep silent, or you just haven't discovered what area or doctrine where they disagree with you.

Our house church family is full of a wide array of people from a broad spectrum of backgrounds. Some of us were baptists, or pentecostals, or charismatics, or presbyterians. Some of us are dispensationalists, some of us are not. Some of us are armenian and some of us have no idea what that word means. It doesn't really matter to us. Why? Because we've made a decision that it matters more to us to pursue following Jesus together and learning to love one another than it does to agree on every point of doctrine.

Do you really want to be in a church where everyone is just like you? Perhaps that is your idea of perfection, but it's my nightmare. The last thing I want is to be surrounded by people who think like me, agree with me on everything and insulate me from new ideas. Over the years I've learned so much from these dear people. We all love Jesus and we're all committed to helping one another to follow Him in our daily lives. This is all that matters to us. If you love Jesus and if you're committed to following Him and putting His words into practice in your actual, daily life - you're in!

Your mileage may vary.

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MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER

Christians pride themselves on being people of the Book. By this we mean that we love the Bible and we strive to follow what’s written in the Word of God as closely as possible.

However, in practice we quite often fall very short of that mark. Strangely, one of the areas where we stray from the clearly written instructions of the New Testament is the practice of gathering as a Church.

Hear me out.

If we read the letters of Paul, Peter and James we'll see what they considered to be essential for the life and growth of the Church. Therefore, there's no reason for us to do anything other than exactly what the Apostles say when it comes to gathering together. In fact, the very word for "church" in the New Testament is "ekklesia" which means "sent ones" or "a gathering together".

In other words, it should go without saying that if Paul were to enter one of our Church buildings today he should expect to see us participating in the ways that he and the other Apostles commanded.

Let's look at what the Apostles considered normative ekklesia:

“What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:26

According to this verse, Paul considers the following things to be essential to the health of every Church:

Coming together (“When you come together”)
Open participation (“Everyone”)
People-led worship (“Everyone has a hymn”)
People-led teaching (“Everyone has...a word of instruction”)
People exercising their spiritual gifts freely(“Everyone has...a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation”)

How do we know that Paul considers these activities to be important and essential? Because he tells us: “ALL of these MUST BE DONE for the STRENGTHENING of the Church.”

If we ask Paul's opinion about church growth, he would tell us that it's vital that every believe participate in the leading of worship, the teaching of God's Word, and the sharing of the gifts of the spirit. Do we care what Paul's opinion is on this subject? Is it up to us to just decide for ourselves to dismiss Paul's instruction as mere suggestion and go with what we prefer?

Notice also that Paul's concern is for the Church to be "strengthened". His priority is for the believers to grow deeper, not larger in number. It's quality, not quantity that he is concerned with here.

But this isn't the only place where we find the Apostle's instruction regarding the activities of the Church.

According to the New Testament:

We should confess our sins to one another and pray for one another when we gather together: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

We should instruct one another when we gather together: “I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.” Romans 15:14

We should teach and admonish (gently correct and encourage) one another and sing together: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16

We should comfort and build up one another: “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

We should urgently warn one another to follow Christ: “But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25

We should encourage good works in one another: "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works" Hebrews 10:24

We should use our spiritual gifts to bless others: "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10

Notice all the "one another's" here? The ongoing ministry of the members to one another was one of the fundamental elements of church in the New Testament.

There are 58 "one another's" in the New Testament. Twenty one of these verses (the vast majority) command us to love one another. Four of them command us to encourage one another. Three of them command us to serve one another and two of them remind us to forgive one another. The rest speak of instructing one another, being patient and kind to one another, submitting to one another, singing to one another, or putting the needs of others above our own.

Taken all together, these "one another's" remind us that we are responsible for one another spiritually. Helping our brothers and sisters move towards greater Christ-likeness is dependent upon our active participation as contributing members of the Body of Christ.

This means we cannot do it alone. We need one another. And that also means that you are an important part of this process. You are necessary. You matter. We cannot grow as the Lord Jesus intends us to grow without your willing obedience to God's command to love, serve, and encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ.

My prayer has been that the Lord would help me to invest more of myself in the community of believers I find myself in today. Honestly, I've been holding back a little too much lately, and I know that I can only get out of the experience what I pour into it.

We are given as a gift to the Body and the Body is God's gift to us. Let us practice these "one another's" with all that is within us and trust Jesus to build His Church, just as He promised He would.

"But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." (1 Corinthians 12:18)

"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one another." (Ephesians 4:25)

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WHERE ARE THE PEACEMAKERS?

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Last month most everyone who follows Jesus took the time to remember the birth of the Prince of Peace. We sang songs that announced the incarnation of Christ and we re-read the scriptures that reminded us of the angels who sang of peace on earth and goodwill towards Men.

Jesus was a man of peace. He said that the peace makers would be called the Sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

To be someone who loves peace and brings peace and makes peace is to be like the Son of God...it's to be like Jesus.

Never mind that the American Church today is alligned with a political machine that is pro-war. Never mind that Christians today are more notorious for their hatred of sinners than they are for their love of people who sin.

If you want to be a follower of Jesus, be one who makes peace - in your community, in your workplace, in your family and in your church. Promote peace. Stand up for peace. Become someone who brings the peace of God into the room with you.

As followers of Jesus we need to be experts on the subject of peace. We need to be known as people of peace.

If we cannot love another human being because they disagree with us on doctrine, or because they are from another race, or because they embrace a different faith, or because they choose a different lifestyle than us, we must seriously question whether or not the love of God is in us at all.

Our calling as followers of Jesus is to love people. Freely we have received His love, and freely we are commanded to give it away. The love He gives us is not for us to bury in the ground. It's not for keeping to ourselves. It's for sharing with a world who has never truly known what His love is all about.

In this world we will have trouble. That's one of the promises that Jesus made to us. Trouble will come. And people who dislike us will bring that trouble to our door. How then should we respond? Should we call down fire on them from heaven to consume them? Should we pray for God's judgment to fall on them? Hardly. Jesus condemned such responses in his own disciples. (Luke 9:54)

Instead, our response to this trouble and to hardship and to persecution and disagreement should be love and we should work for peace if at all possible.

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." (Romans 12:18)

"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." (1 Peter 3:9)

"Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." (1 Thessalonians 5:15)

Start today. Let the love of Christ dwell in your heart. Pray for those who persecute you. Ask the Lord Jesus to fill you with His love for people. Learn to walk humbly with your God and to serve others, even (and especially) if they hate you.

How great would it be if a year from now people could see how your life has reflected the love of Christ?

That's my prayer for each of you, and for myself as well.

"Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14)

Peace,
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THOUGHTS ON THE OLD AND NEW COVENANT FROM LUKE

Over the Christmas season, our church family took some time to read and discuss the birth of Christ as reported in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew.

Early yesterday morning as I was barely coming out of the cobwebs the following thoughts bubbled up out of my subconscious:

Joseph represents an Old Covenant form of righteousness. Mary represents the New Covenant form.

Example: Joseph is called a righteous man and according to the letter of the Law, he seeks to “put her away privately” when he learns she is pregnant.

Mary is filled with true righteousness because she simply submits to the will of God and is filled with the Holy Spirit and with Christ Himself.

ALSO: Zechariah and Elizabeth are examples of the Old Temple and the New Temple.

Zechariah is a descendant of Levi and a member of the Levitical priesthood. He enters the old temple which is a shadow of the real and true temple of God. An Angel speaks to him and he does not believe or demonstrate faith.

Elizabeth is a descendant of Aaron and of the bloodline of the Aaronic priesthood. In the temple of her body the Elijah that was prophesied to come dwells, and is filled with the Holy Spirit while still in her womb. She and her unborn son both recognize the Messiah (the Son of God) without the need for a miracle or a sign of God to convince them. The promise of God is conceived and matures in the temple of her body and she is filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

Mary also represents the New Temple of God: She allows the Messiah to come alive inside of her and her life and His life become forever intertwined.


Thoughts? Comments?

I also think it's interesting that John the Baptist was in line to take his father's place as a priest in the Old Temple system, and yet he forsakes this and preaches repentance and baptizes people outside the city gates. This is also a sign of the New Covenant where God pours out His Spirit and Mercy on all flesh - young, old, men, women, and it all starts outside the Old Temple, where everyday people live and breathe.

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GOD WITH US

If I'm aware of anything today, it's how much I still need Jesus to come and change my heart.

After all these years, I am still at square one. Learning to love others more than I love myself is my greatest challenge. Putting the needs of others above my own is still impossible for me.

In my heart of hearts I am still a petty, selfish, judgemental, impatient mess. I long for Jesus to come and live in me today just as desperately as I did when I first asked Him into my heart at the age of 9.

Without Him I can do nothing. He is my life. He is my only hope. Nothing good lives in me apart from Jesus. He is my Messiah. I am utterly and hopelessly lost without Jesus.

This is why I find joy in this season. Because Jesus humbled Himself and left the splendor of Heaven to become a baby born to poor parents. He became nothing and made himself a servant. Why? Because, for some reason, he loves me. He loves all mankind enough to let go of everything to win us back and make a way for us to be with Him forever.

Jesus is Emmanuel, which means "God with us", and I am so grateful today that God is with me, and for me, even when I am so totally hopeless and lost.

Today our family read Isaiah 53 together. It's a prophecy from roughly 600 years or more before Christ, and yet it speaks so specifically about Jesus as our suffering Messiah. It tells us that he will be pierced for us, and bruised in our place, and that by his stripes we are healed.

One thing I noticed today that I have not noticed before is how Isaiah's prophecy is written in the past tense. As if all of these things had already happened when Isaiah penned them over 600 years before they actually occured. Perhaps that's why John tells us in Revelation that Christ is "the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8)

In God's heart, in His eternal plan, the sacrificial death of Christ was a done deal before the creation of the universe. It was certain. It was sure. Even as a future event, it was appropriate to speak of it as if it had already taken place.

This is how we should approach all of the promises of God. All of them are as good as done, because He has said so. He does not lie. He can not fail. He will not let us down. Ever.

Somehow, God will make you and I - the followers of Christ - into the exact image of His Son. This miracle will happen. He will accomplish it. It is as good as done, even though at this moment we are anything but the Christ-like people He is making us into.

"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure."
(1 John 3:2-3)

TOP 10 BLOG ARTICLES OF 2010

The Top 10 Most Read Articles on my Blog in 2010

1 What Is Organic Church? (Neil Cole & Frank Viola Interview)
2 Contentment VS Complacency
3 Response to Mark Driscoll's "Review" of Pagan Christianity
4 God Does Not "Use" People
5 What I'm Really Good At
6 Hearing the Voice of Jesus
7 Where Oh Where Does My Tithe Go?
8 Why Oh Why Does the Church Tithe?
9 Jesus Is Trying to Kill Me
10 The Disciples on Leadership and Hierarchy

Thoughts on the End of a Year

My house is full of family for the next two weeks. The rain is falling, non-stop from a steel gray sky. We haven't seen the sky or the sun for days now.

Here at the end of the year, I am unsure of how to summarize all of it. Losing my friend Robert Higgins to bone cancer eclipses nearly everything else.

My youngest son will turn 13 at the end of this month. I'm afraid I've not done all that I should to disciple my two boys. I only have six or seven more years with them before they graduate high school and enter college. Can I redeem the time?

There are people in my life that I hope to encourage more: Angelica, our Easter Angel, is planning to be baptized this week as a Mormon. Hopefully we can convince her otherwise. Our neighbors are struggling to get their lives together. How do we help them without enabling them in their addictions? What's best for their children? How do we cooperate with what God is doing in their lives without interfering in the process?

My passport came in the mail yesterday. Where will God take me in the year to come? Mexico? India? The Phillipines? Nowhere? I'm not sure.

We've partnered with Saddleback church to plant a discipleship-based organic church at the motel in Santa Ana. This Sunday will be their third gathering. A year from now I hope they are stronger, more mature followers of Christ who are empowered to make new disciples.

We've formed a loose co-op of local house churches to provide connection points and resources for those in the Orange County area interested in forming or joining house churches.

We've seen miraculous answers to prayer this year: A lost brother was found walking along the sidewalk where his car had broken down. A marriage that seemed forever broken was healed and mended. A mom who was counting her days before the cancer took her life was miraculously and absolutely healed completely. A son was reunited with his long-lost father.

But what does God hold in store for us in 2011? Of course, we cannot know. Sitting here now I can only guess, and make plans and pray.

I hope to finish my third book, "This Is My Body" and publish it soon. I hope to publish a collection of my interviews, too. I hope to see God do something amazing in our house church family. I hope to go deeper with Christ in my personal life, and to seek Him more with my wife and my sons.

In a general sense, I hope to really understand more about who I am as a person; what I have to offer as a father, a husband, a follower of Jesus, and a friend. I hope to let go of things that do not matter and I hope to take hold of Christ who has taken hold of me.

There are these separate ideals that I click through like some sort of internal Viewmaster reel: God's heart for the poor, the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Priesthood of all Believers, the New Testament model of ecclesia, the separation of Christ and State, following Jesus in my daily life, and loving others as Christ has loved me.

What I hope to experience more this year is the integration of all of these things into my life as a single, cohesive reality.

Beyond these ideas themselves, I know that the key is to be filled with the Holy Spirit and the presence of Christ Himself. Each of these things is found and embodied in Christ, Jesus.

He must increase. I must decrease.

This is my prayer for 2011.

Peace,
Keith

Baby Emme Loves Me

My friend Jason Herring sent me this photo today of his infant daughter Emme. Perhaps she loves my book so much because her Daddy was reading this in the waiting room the day she was born?

Seriously, Jason is a very gifted musician and I'm blessed to know him.

Here's the note he sent along with the photo:

Hey Keith...

So my "almost 1 year old" daughter decided she wanted to ransack my nightstand this morning. Looks like she wanted to catch up a little reading. I suppose she wanted the Maglite in case she ended up in poor lighting somewhere and hadn't yet finished her devotion.

:)

Your pal,
Jason Herring

STATEMENTS OF FAITH

Here are two quotes from two different people concerning their personal faith in Christ to consider.

Person A: "I was humbled to learn that God sent His Son to die for a sinner like me. I was comforted to know that through the Son, I could find God's amazing grace, a grace that crosses every border, every barrier and is open to everyone. Through the love of Christ's life, I could understand the life changing powers of faith."

Person B: "Jesus Christ dying for my sins spoke to the humility we all have to have as human beings - that we're sinful and we're flawed and we make mistakes, and that we achieve salvation through the grace of God."

After reading these two quotes which of them do you think is pretending? Do either of these quotes strike you as doubtful? What if I told you that both of these quotes were from the same person? Would these statements feel consistent to you?

What if I told you that both of these quotes were from death row inmates? Each of them was guilty of murder, and one of them of rape. Can you guess which one of them was guilty of rape?

Now, what if I said that both of these quotes were from two different Presidents? (They are). Can you guess which of them is the Republican and which one is the Democrat? Unless you're already familiar with the quotation, I'm betting you couldn't do more than guess which one was conservative and which one was a liberal. (And it would only be a wild guess at that).

The fact is that, without knowing who said something, we cannot judge any further than the words themselves. We can only read the words apart from our bias and take the words at face value.

Are these men speaking truthfully? We don't really know. We can only take their word for it, honestly. In fact, we really can't even judge their statement of faith based on their behavior because all of us who follow Christ are sinners.

I think this is partly why Jesus commands us not to judge one another in this way. It's simply not our place to determine whether or not someone is saved. Not only that, we're also not very good at it. For example, let's say that you had two neighbors. One of them is always getting in trouble with the law. He was recently arrested and is sitting on death row. You'd probably judge that this guy is bound for hell. Now let's say the other neighbor is always at church. He leads Bible Studies, he’s on staff at the church, and he has practically memorized the Bible. You’d probably judge that this guy is bound for heaven. However, the first neighbor corresponds to the thief on the cross. He lived a life of crime and was punished for his evil actions, but at just the last moment he put his faith in Christ and Jesus welcomed him into paradise that same day. The second neighbor corresponds to the rich young ruler. He was righteous according to the people of his day, and he was wealthy (a sign of God’s favor) and he kept the law. Yet when Jesus offers him a place on his executive leadership staff, the man walks away and stops short of surrendering his life to Christ. In each case, if you and I were the ones judging these two men we would have been dead wrong.

Only God is equipped to judge the eternal destiny of men and women, not us. We are commanded not to judge others and put them into a box labeled righteous or evil because we do not know the heart of man. We can barely know our own heart, much less the heart of someone else.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." He also told them this parable: "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. (Luke 6:37-40)

I can already hear the partisan response to my article brewing as I write this. "But how can this President call himself a Christian if he believes in a woman's right to choose abortion?" Or perhaps, "This President is a liar, a murderer, and war monger who has no compassion for minorities or the poor. How can he call himself a follower of Christ?" But if we allow ourselves to judge one person's salvation based on how much they agree with our politics, we're still placing ourselves in the seat of the One True Judge of all mankind, and this is not our place.

At bare minimum, we should be able to give our brothers and sisters the benefit of the doubt and believe the best of them before we outright dismiss their statement of faith. Especially if our only basis for doing so is that they disagree with us on politics.

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." (Luke 6:41-42)

When we judge others we forget that we are also sinners saved by Grace who fail often, miss the mark daily and are in constant need of mercy and forgiveness from both God Almighty, and our friends and family.

Everyone you meet in life is decidedly "in process". We are not yet the people we hope to be, and we are no longer the people we once were. This fact should help us to find grace for each other as we go through this life together.

Our main calling is to become experts at loving one another, and loving those who need it most. If someone disagrees with you on a major issue, and if that person identifies themselves as your brother or sister in Christ, then your duty is to pray for them and to love them, not to doubt their eternal salvation or their faith in our Lord Jesus.

-kg

*Note: Quote A was from George W. Bush and Quote B was Barack Obama.

THOUGHTS ON DISCIPLESHIP FROM THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

If the Gospel is just about saying a prayer so that you can go to heaven when you die, then what's the point or purpose of discipleship?

The New Testament defines a disciple as someone who is with Jesus learning how to be more like him.

If you take the attitude that the Gospel is only about going to heaven when you die, then following Jesus in your everyday life becomes an optional, extra credit activity. But this isn't the Gospel. And for Jesus the idea of discipleship isn't an "extra credit" assignment, it's the only assignment.

Jesus only ever talked about the Kingdom of God. It was, in fact, the Gospel (Good News) of the Kingdom that he came to preach. The Good News of the Kingdom was that it was here and now and that you and I could enter it today.

The Kingdom of God is simply the reality that we experience when Jesus is our actual King. When He is the King or Lord of our life, then we are living in the Kingdom and He is our King.

The Sermon on the Mount is what life in the Kingdom of God looks like. He gives us a snapshot of what it might be like for Jesus to be our King and for us to submit our lives to His rule and reign.

One thing we notice right off the bat is that the reality that Jesus begins describing doesn't resemble anything close to the world you and I live in right now. Otherwise we might expect them to read, "Blessed are the rich for they will be comfortable. Blessed are the famous for they will be loved by millions. Blessed are the employed for they shall not need to worry about how to pay their bills, etc."

This is the reality we live in and were born into. All of us. But Jesus describes something that appears upside down to us. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us about a Kingdom where the poor are blessed. The meek inherit the Earth. The losers of this world become the winners in the Kingdom. Those who cry now will be filled with joy in the Kingom.

Here's a little nugget to keep in mind: The Kingdom of God is right side up. The Kingdom is God's reality. It's our world that is upside down and Jesus is coming to set things right.

What blesses us is not the condition we find ourselve in (meekness, mourning, poor in spirit, etc.) but the King Himself. We are blessed in spite of our low condition, not because of it. We are loved by the King and He welcomes everyone into His Kingdom, starting with those most of us overlook and avoid.

God loves to work through the least among us. He's always looking over the head of the tallest to see the shortest. He's always on the lookout for ways to include the people who are on the outside looking in.

This is why He chose Gideon, who was the least of his family, who was the least among his tribe, which was the least tribe of all the other tribes. It's why God chose David as King, even when his own father made a point to leave him out in the field with the sheep. It's why Jesus made it a priority to visit a well at noon to talk to a woman who was an outcast even among the Samaritans. It's why right now He's looking at you and welcoming you to enter into His Kingdom and follow Him.

You matter to God. You are not an outcast to Him. You are blessed. You are loved. You are significant. You're worth dieing for, and He's worth living for.

WHAT I'M REALLY GOOD AT

Sometimes God hits you with something profound when you least expect it. For instance, the other day our marketing department spent 3 hours in a mandatory Creative Collaboration session. Right off the bat everyone was handed one of these name tags and asked to write one thing we’re really good at. Some people wrote “Making Cookies” or “Herding Cats” or “Keeping Things in Perspective” but I sat there holding my sharpie marker with a blank name tag. What am I really good at? I wondered.

In these situations you can’t help but wonder what will happen based on what you write on one of these tags. If I write “Singing” then what if she asks me to sing something for everyone? I didn’t want to write something boring like “Blogging” because it’s no big deal to be good at that. Plus, it’s pretty close to what I already do in my job as a writer anyway. The goal was to find something you’re really good at outside of work that most people wouldn’t know about necessarily.

I turned to the person next to me and said, “I don’t know what to write.” He said, “You’re a good writer.” Yeah, I said, but that’s what I do here. Someone next to him said, “You’re a good blogger.” That sucks, I said. Another person said, “You save people” because he knows I used to be a pastor. I’ve never saved anyone in my life, I said. Then another person said, “You enable people.” I’m an enabler? That sounds pretty negative. Then someone said, “You’re really good at helping people.” So, I wrote that down and put the label on my shirt. That’s when God really started to deal with me.

“This is who you are,” He said. “I made you to help people.” Immediately I remembered Robert Higgins. My heart started to break again and I nearly started to cry in the middle of this workshop.

The more I thought about this, the more it continued to bless me. Not only had God spoken to me in this silly exercise, but he did it through four of my co-workers. In fact, He could only have done it through the four of them because on my own I honestly didn’t know what to write. They were able to tell me that I was really good at helping people when I was immersed in my own self doubt. “Am I really good at anything?” I wondered. And God nudged these four co-workers to say, “You’re really good at helping people.” And then I wrote that on a sticker and this defined me for the rest of the day.

As the day progressed, I got to watch this woman Dyana Valentine, facilitate our motley group of creative professionals through a process of collaborative thinking. This woman quit her job and started her own business so she could spend her time standing in front of a group of people and help them to think through creative problem solving techniques. As I listened to her talk and watched her draw the solutions out of us, I knew what I wanted to do when I grow up. I want to do what she does. One day I am going to start my own business. I am going to find a way to get in front of groups of people and I am going to help them learn how to work together and collaborate and find solutions creatively.

I’ve always loved teaching and facilitating groups of people. There’s something in me that’s been part of my identity since I was a very young boy that comes alive when I’m in front of people. It’s why I used to do impressions of famous people at age 9. It’s why I starred in school plays in elementary school. It’s why I started a rock band in college. It’s why I love to preach and teach in Church settings. I love being in front of people. I love interacting with people. I love helping them to learn and to grow and to see things they couldn’t see before.

All of this happened in one three hour workshop. None of it was what I ever expected. But now I know two very important things: What I want to be when I grow up, and what I’m really good at.

What is it that you are really good at? If I handed you one of these name tags, what would you write? Do you know what you're made for? Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? Knowing this and doing this are two of the most important things you can ever experience in your life.

I can't wait to help people and to find ways to show people things they've never seen before.

-kg

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

"I've given like a beggar but lived like the rich
And crafted myself a more comfortable cross,
Yet what I am called to is deeper than this,
It's time You had my whole life;
You can have it all." – Matt Redman (The Way of the Cross)

Someone once said, "When we consider our love for others we measure how much we give. When God measures, He considers how much we hold on to."

As the Christmas season approaches I can't help but feel excitement at all I can give to those in need around me. I have been blessed beyond measure. I am rich in all the things that matter and my family has everything we need to survive (and a whole lot extra we don’t need, too).

When we consider how much we have been blessed (and if we live in America we are among the richest people living on the planet today), it’s easy to let go of what we own and share it with those who have little.

I don't care how poor you think you are, I can probably show you someone who is much worse off than you are living right down the street from you. And joy comes from giving to others, helping people in need, and bringing a smile to someone else's face. Joy is never about what you give to yourself, or even what someone gives to you. That might make you feel thankful, or happy for a moment, but real Joy is something deeper and lasting. It is always about what you give away to others. Making a noticeable difference in another person's life and knowing that something you did, or something you gave away meant something to another human being is what fuels real joy.

For the last few years now our family has been moving away from buying gifts for one another and focusing instead on bringing joy to others around us. So, we take the money we would normally spend on gifts for each other and we buy gifts for children at the motel where we've been serving for over 8 years now. Or we take the time to go caroling at a local senior home and bring joy to people who are desperately lonely and empty. Or we find ways to creatively bless people on our street, or to see the person on the fringes who most people ignore and buy them a meal, or engage them in a friendly conversation.

What changed my mind about Christmas was when we partnered with a few others to bring a Christmas blessing to a woman and her son who were desperately poor a few years ago. She had just recovered from brain surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. Her son had asked if they could have a Christmas tree because they had never had a tree or gifts to put under it before. After we set up the tree and laid all the gifts under it and hung up the stockings which were jam-packed with blessings, we sat down to pray over her. When we were done she looked up and said, "Can I pray for you?" That's the moment when my heart broke forever. As this dear, humble sister in Christ lifted up our family in prayer I silently wept. Huge, wet, hot tears dropped into my hands as she called us each by name and gave thanks to God for these blessings.

On my way out to our car to go home I told my family, "That was my Christmas gift. I don't want or need anything else but that." And I decided right there and then that from now on I only wanted my Christmas to be about doing all that I could to bless others.

Really, it's a very selfish decision on my part. I get so much out of this. It's not really fair because no matter how much I try to bless others, I always come away with a bigger blessing than I brought with me.

Listen to what Paul the Apostle said about serving and giving to others:

"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:32-35)

So, what will you give away this Christmas? I promise you, the more you give away, the more joy you'll receive in return.

I dare you to test me on this one.

Peace,
kg

MY BOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE IN FRENCH

Thanks to the selfless efforts of Tommy Ab, my book "The Gospel:For Here or To Go?" is now available on PDF and in print for anyone who speaks French.

The book is now available at my bookstore link
HERE

FRENCH TITLE: "L'Evangile:Pour ici ou pour emporter?"
$12.99 Print
1.99 PDF Download

As before, the book features a forward written by Neil Cole, author of "Organic Church" and the cover artwork of Scott Laumann (www.scottlaumann.com) whose work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Spin Magazine, and at fine art galleries in Los Angeles and beyond.

I am a very blessed man.


-kg