April 27th, 2007 — Posted in Being Jesus, Announcements, Miscellaneous
On Saturday, May 12th you can help end hunger in your community! All you have to do is place non-perishable items in a bag beside your mailbox and your letter carrier will pick up the items and deliver them to local food banks! What a great opportunity to extend the love of Christ to those who are in need.
Visit www.helpstampouthunger.com to find out:
• if your post office will be participating
• what items are recommended to donate
• how you can spread the word
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
the words of Jesus from Matthew 25:35-36
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April 20th, 2007 — Posted in Stories
Jen Lenting is a youth volunteer at Temple Baptist Church in Sarnia, Canada. This year, under the leadership of Dave Lane, their group has been exploring the story of God—his interaction with humankind from Genesis through the New Testament. In the midst of this, only three months ago, she lost her 31-year-old husband to cancer. Listen to what she has to say about her experience exploring the story of God:
What I find truly amazing is that the God story was introduced into my life when I needed it most. Never before have I so desperately needed to know and understand God’s teachings than I do right now, and I feel truly blessed to be a part of a group who is studying the bible in this way. I am seeking to lead a life that entails being real with God, and ‘the God story’ is about as real as it gets, if you ask me.
I am a youth leader who, quite honestly, is ignorant of most things biblical. I have heard all of the common stories and can tell you roughly what they mean, but my memory is weak at best and details are lost on me, meanings forgotten, and my ability to have any sort of meaningful conversation about any story in the bible is limited. In the past, that hasn’t really mattered since nobody really asked any questions. The teens listened to the sermons and heard the stories, and then we moved on to socializing and game playing.
Then we started ‘the God story’. For the first time ever, I am hearing the stories and they are taking on a life of their own. The people involved are taking on real meaning to me. For the first time, Noah, Cain & Abel, Adam & Eve, etc., are seeming relevant to me, and I am relating to them in all sorts of ways. I am actually excited to go to our youth events, not just to socialize with the teens, but to also hear more and revisit all those stories that I thought I knew in the past, but have so much to learn about. I think the excitement is contagious and for the first time since I’ve begun volunteering with this group, I am hearing some really amazing questions being asked. Not questions asked out of obligation, but out of true curiosity and the desire to learn more.
I have begun to develop some truly spiritual relationships between myself and the teens that were not there before. I have witnessed them praying more fervently, more honestly, and more desperately in search of a God that some of them are just now wanting to believe exists.
How exciting to hear how God is meeting his people where they are…revealing himself to them in ways that change their lives!
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April 13th, 2007 — Posted in Being Jesus, Media
I recently read an article about a new book. I haven’t had the chance to read it yet, but I’m excited to get my hands on it! From what I can tell, it has the potential to stir the hearts and move the hands of Christians across America. Ron Sider, president of Evangelicals for Social Action, and professor at Palmer Theological Seminary, has published a second edition of his book, Just Generosity: A New Vision for Overcoming Poverty in America (Baker Books).
His book challenges Christians in America to take it upon themselves to put an end to poverty by doing more than just donating money, clothes or food. Ron’s vision is for faith-based groups to collaborate with businesses, the media, and the government to defeat poverty in our nation. For those of us less familiar with the issue, Ron provides a great background on the current state of poverty in America—with statistics, a review of current policies, as well as policy suggestions for the future.
Take a look at this compelling issue and find out how you can be an agent whom God uses to bring restoration to the poor and broken!
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the issue of poverty and how Christians can make a difference—maybe you have a story of how some are already making a difference. Or, if you’ve read this book or others like it, we’d love to hear your feedback!
Vanessa
Student Event Support
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April 4th, 2007 — Posted in Stories
Last weekend, a group of students and a few adults from Geneva Lutheran Church in Geneva, IL spent a couple of days learning about restoration….
The team spent the weekend in Chicago serving with the Center for Student Missions. Among other things, they had the opportunity to take a prayer tour around Chicago, help rehabilitate a house for a family with seven children, serve a meal at soup kitchen, experience community in a diverse and welcoming church, and meet some very practical needs in the city.
Restoration can be defined as bringing something back to its original condition or re-establishing something that was once but is no longer. God’s mission is a great plan of restoration…to bring the relationship he once had with humanity back to its original condition and intent. Nate Jarot, one of the adult leaders, felt connected to this mission of restoring people by “listening to them, feeding them, and helping them with their burdens.” As Nate put it, we were able to “listen to people who have stories but no audience.”
Jesus was very intentional about bringing restoration to people who were seen as unimportant or lowly. He listened to their stories. He gave them an audience. And, he met real needs in their lives. In Matthew 25:31-46, he makes it very clear as to how we should treat “the least” of society—as if that person was Jesus himself. Billy Moser, a freshman in the group, embraced this idea during the weekend. He said, “They were homeless. In society, they are looked at as outcasts, rejects and dirty…Jesus hung out with the outcasts, rejects and dirty.”
As Christians, we have the amazing privilege to be agents of restoration. One of the first steps in bringing God’s restoration to another person is to see that person as God sees them. EB Moritz, a freshman, commented, “Just because someone is different doesn’t mean they should be treated differently. Everyone is a human being and everyone deserves the same respect, no matter what their situation.” Brianne Simmons, a junior, said, “We met so many people this weekend—old, young, homeless, smelly—but the thing you had to remember was that they were children of God.” It makes you think about the fact that we were created in the image of God, and that concept is so profound. The youth intern at Geneva Lutheran, Ali Rivera, said that they were learning to look at each person “with respect, dignity and value, as one of God’s most prized creations.”
As they helped restore a house for a family in need, the students saw the connection between this building and the lives of so many broken people.
Restoration can be messy, and it isn’t easy. It often takes a really long time. You have to be patient and willing to get your hands dirty. But, as Brianne said, we should “do all (we) can to fix those places, faces, and hearts of brokenness by showing God’s light…”
When asked what the students learned about themselves, several said that they realized how selfish they were. One confessed that she judges people without even realizing it, and another said, “I am not very good at giving grace to people.” Confession is a pretty powerful thing. And, isn’t it part of being an agent of restoration? We must constantly be restored and changed by God, even as he sends us out to contribute to his mission in this world.
Though the weekend ended, these students have a growing desire to impact their generation with God’s message of restoration. Even as high school students, they have many aspirations for contributing to this mission—from leading small groups at their church, to getting involved at a local orphanage, to petitioning the government to do more to help the homeless. Jono Craig, a junior in the group, said, “I hope that I can just show (my generation) what’s really going on out there, and I hope to motivate them to do something about it…every little bit counts.” Yes, it does. And, every person—no matter who you are—can play a part in God’s great mission of restoration.
Please keep the students at Geneva Lutheran Church in your prayers, as they seek after God. To help high school students merge with this mission, check out Sonlife’s Merge experience.
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