April Night: Steak on a Plate While You Wait

The right theology is crucial when it comes to sharing the Gospel.

Last week I, along with several others from our church, were able to go to downtown Oklahoma City and serve the homeless and those less fortunate. I know, because of the ones that I serve with who are much more seasoned than I am, we always show up prepared. We provide to them food, clothing, toiletries, water, punch, coffee, hot chocolate, blankets, and many other things that one might need as part of daily living.

The ones that we team up with from another local church are an outstanding group of people. They are Gods blessed few that go week in, and week out at all costs. They don't miss a week to serve. And they are always prepared.

Preparation is key.

But was I prepared?

Upon arriving, I got my soapbox out, got it all set up, and prayed up asking God to give me the words to say and that I may speak boldly, straight, strong, and true.





Once I got done with my open-air, I was able to walk around and distribute Gospel Tracts to all those standing around and in lines to get items. As I was walking up to each individual, one man stopped me and told me "The Christian way is about doing what the Bible says so that when you are resurrected you will go up to Heaven and be there forever."

"Oh, really?" I responded.

"Yeah. It's as simple as that" he said.

"Okay good. Let's see if you've done that. How many lies do you think you've told in your entire life?" I asked.

"I know I've lied" he replied "but we've all done that".

"You're right. So therefore you've not done what the Bible says so therefore you have a problem. That's exactly what I just preached about. You can't match up to Gods standard and thus, can't even back up your own belief about "doin what the Bible says"."

As moments went on, I was able to walk him through two or three more of the Ten Commandments and he realized at that point that he couldn't even do what the statement he said, he could do.

I think his statement is terribly wrong. Here's why I think that and this is what I explained to him.

The Christian way is not about doing anything so that something might happen. The Christian way is about doing something because something HAS happened--- because Christ has died and risen and promised resurrection in God's grace. The Christian life is a life lived in grateful response, and not in an attempt to earn or prove anything, because there is nothing for us to earn or prove. Remember, we are nothing in Gods sight because of our sin debt that we owe. So it's not about "Doing" at all. The Christian walk is not about works and what we do.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

So it's about nothing we can do. It's about what has been done for us and in spite of us.

I think this point cannot be overstated, because the call of the Christian life is one of the selflessness of Jesus, and one cannot live selflessly as Christ did if one is trying to earn something for themselves. The only way one can truly empty themselves and live for God and others is in grateful response to what God has already given.

 This is Joy. Joy has been serving for this ministry for over ten years and is faithful to the call of serving others. She's a wonderful lady and we thank God for her constant attitude of "Joy" and dedication to serving others.

We have workers that sit in the van all night that give out clothes, blankets,  and toiletries that we have to offer.










Out of the back of that van is where we set up the line to serve food items and drinks. The items sometimes differ depending on the weather/temperature. It makes the difference between fruit punch or hot chocolate.

The area in which we serve is in a large parking lot behind an old Nazarene church. For so long we served on the front side of the church but have recently been moved to the back. A new pastor has since taken over this church and felt it necessary to move us because of the particular crowds that we draw.


80% of the groups we serve are on very low income and most are homeless.


The whole purpose, I believe, for the Christian life is to evangelize the lost and serve the needy. Nothing more. Nothing less. If as a Christian, you're not doing these things, then might I encourage you to take to heart the words of Jesus when He said:

"If anyone be first he must be last of all and a servant to all." ~Mark 9:35b

Who is the greatest? Well, if you're born again then it is certainly not you. And its only pride that keeps you from evangelizing the lost...and serving the needy.

Check yourself. Serve others.

Serve God with all you have and in every aspect in life, and you will not be disappointed. 

Live life in the background,

Chris

"Then Comes Marriage"

       I always count it a privilege to be able to serve in any capacity that I can within my local church. We're called to do so and when we get called upon, we should be grateful.

So each Sunday morning, I do my best to be most prepared for when my time comes to teach my junior high school guys. I think it's important due to the overbearing statistic of kids being done with religion at the age of eighteen and not looking back. So I firmly believe that now is the time to teach and to teach well when it comes to them being 13, 14, and 15. 

Recently, like the last three Sunday's, my audience has changed from not just my jr high guys but my high school guys too. 

For the last three Sundays, we've been making our way through the series of The Adventures of Roman and Jorge. Its put by Last Words Ministry.

It's a cheesy little comedy bit spread out of four episodes that takes you through modern day struggles that we see in the church and in typical evangelical Christianity.

"Lifelong friends become bungling partners in an adventure toward deeper Christianity that you won't soon forget. After the gangly, socially-awkward Roman decides to actually put into practice some teaching he heard on evangelism, comedy ensues as his street-wise, church-going, co-worker, Jorge, tried to get him to settle down and stop taking the Bible so literally."

The whole series is great because it focuses on the things that we think and do not say. Such things like evangelism, and what Biblical evangelism is, modern day Christian lingo and phrases like "Ask Jesus into your heart" and "Pray the Sinners prayer" among other sayings. It's been a great little series. We have yet to complete it as we will finish the 4th episode this coming Sunday.





Yesterday, we watched episode 3 entitled "Then Comes Marriage". This one hits home to me because it's something that I've gone through in recent years. It's about finding a balance in ministry. It's about making sure your house is in order and not falling apart as you go out and serve others, and evangelize the lost. A healthy home is a God honoring home. I brought up the verse from 1 Timothy 5:8 that reads:
     
   "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

I brought this up because it's something I was a victim of in recent years. Those days are since over but the point that I really wanted to drive home to my guys in my class was if your life is in turmoil, if its falling apart, if you have relationships in jeopardy, then you should NOT be out evangelizing the lost. Why? Because if any of the above are happening, then you are WORSE than the one you're out evangelizing! Think about that for a moment.....because if you reject reality, and just sweep things under rugs, eventually, the rug will trip you up. And that's what happened to me. Back in the days of 2009-2011 I was going through multiple problems on the home front with my then wife and kids. I wanted go deep into details but as my then wife would agree, I pushed aside so many things and took charge of just evangelism. My only focus back then was being a "Superman of Salvation". A "Look what I'm doing for Jesus" looking for the praise and accolades of man. Meanwhile, my then wife was at home with our kids suffering from the damage that I had caused and trying to put out fires that I had started in every room of my house.

Oh how horribly wrong I was.


To be continued...

March Night: I Would Let You Die

A group that I serve from our local church had the opportunity to go and serve the people of OKC again last week. It's always a privilege to serve others. Especially when you know you're meeting the real life needs of others. Even the most basic of needs of food, water, clothing make a difference in the lives of others.

The reality is that the people that we serve, those that we help, they can go anywhere and get food. There are fine people that work at Rescue Missions, Jesus Houses, government agencies and food kitchens that can make themselves available to help others. But there is a difference in government agencies and the local church. There is something that we can give that the government agency can not.

The Gospel.



The life saving, bread giving, thirst quenching message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The message that God saves sinners. And anytime you're dealing with a human being, you're dealing with a sinner.

So when Christians have the opportunity to go and serve others, and in this case, serve those that are extremely less fortunate and most of them actually homeless and car-less, you better be jumping at the chance to take action. The bad news is when you DON'T jump at the chance help serve others.

Jesus said "Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me."

Did you see that? If you don't do it for those around you and those who are in need, then it's just as if you're not doing it for Jesus Himself.

So whats the solution? Just be a Christian. Because serving others IS what Christianity is all about. The greatest need in the world today is for Christians to live like Christians. Nothing more, nothing less. And here's what's exciting. It's not guess work. It's not about trying hard. It's not about being religious. God gives us a very clear picture of what He wants for our lives in Romans 12. Once we understand that chapter and how it correlates to our own lives, then we'll understand the big picture, that of serving others.

We can give people what they need. We can house them. Feed them. Cloth them. But its the Gospel that is important. That's the one thing that we can give them that government agencies can't.

That's why Christians should jump at the chance to serve others.

My prayer is that others will get involved with their own local church ministry teams of service.

You wanna see a changed world? It starts with us, Christian.

Get up. Get out. Share your faith.

Time is, oh, such a precious commodity. A very precious commodity.

"Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away."  ~James 4:14

James 4:14 is reality and not a game. Do not forget that.

It's the ONLY reason why we're here.

Chris

Febuary Night: No Strings Attached

I'm thankful to be a part of a church that has the desire to serve other people. I've always believed that real Christianity is characterized by our service to other people. 

 I think about Isaiah 58 where it reads:
    "Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?' (Isaiah 58:7 ESV)

 
 That whole section, specifically vs. 6-14, talks about several different things that are types of service we are to do for others. 

• Loose chains of injustice
• Share food with the hungry
• Provide the poor wanderer with shelter
• Clothe the naked
• Not turn away from your own flesh and blood

 However, our service to others shouldn't be just doing religious things so that we can look good in the eyes of God. It's about denying ourselves and in a way, washing the feet, the dirty, nasty feet of the one who hasn't in days, weeks, or even months. I know one things for sure; it takes a lot of humility to do such a thing. Let's go back to Isaiah for a moment.

   Is such the fast that I choose,

a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD? (Isaiah 58:5 ESV)

 


Service to others is a wonderful way to spend a Monday night. Sure it cuts into my time, which even that statement itself is a statement of arrogance because everything I have, including what might be precious time to me, belongs to God anyway. 

Isaiah 58 has really impressed on me that true Christianity is evidenced, not by good words but by good deeds. James echoed this when he wrote: 

 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. 
    (James 1:27)


True service goes beyond mere physical needs and also cares for the person’s eternal soul. That's the only reason why we're here as Christians. This is a very important point. One day when Peter and John were going to the temple for their habitual afternoon prayer time, they met a man who had been crippled from birth. He had loving friends who carried him to the temple courts so that he could beg for money. God-fearing Jews would have happily helped this man financially, since God’s law taught that they should care for the poor.

However, on this day, neither Peter nor John had any money to help this poor man. Did they just sigh and keep walking? No, they stopped and healed him, in the name of Jesus. They then used this opportunity to share their Messiah with all who would listen.

James tells us,

"If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." (James 2:15-17)

If we merely share the gospel with people, never taking time to help them with their physical needs, we are wrong. If we merely help them with their physical needs, however, never taking time to help them with their eternal sin condition, we are also wrong. I think this principle will help us as we choose to partner with various relief organizations. We need to ask, “Will I be helping both this person’s physical and spiritual needs?”

It's a blessed time to be able to stand on a box and share the Gospel via the open air to all who hears on these nights. Our goal is to feed their belly, plant the seed of the Gospel and let God bring the increase. 

My apologies as this video went blurry on me however the message of this Gospel is still the same.

January Night: Perspective of Perfection

Another time had come upon us for go into the streets of our great city and proclaim the Gospel to all who would hear. On this night, I was privileged to have several conversations with people. I was also able to stand atop my box and proclaim Gods truths. This is the video of that portion.

Stomachs were fed. Gospel was given. Our prayer is that it doesn't fall on deaf ears and fruit comes from it.

December Night: Reconciled

December Greetings!

It's always a privilege to go and to serve on Monday nights with my church family. Getting to go serve the homeless and those less fortunate is always a tremendous blessing and its also humbling as well. It's humbling because I am always worried that we're not doing enough for our kids. Don't get me wrong, all of our kids get more than what they deserve at Christmas time. But when mid December, I wonder, as does my precious wife, is this enough? It's a struggle. We go and we serve those that get nothing. The wonderful people we serve are excited about things such as blankets, chap stick, toiletries. My problems are those of "Will the iPhone I'm buying her be enough storage?" or "Will she be happy with the color choice?" and so many other non importance details. Then, I go and serve those who have nothing, and it causes me to think more and more about those that are in TRUE need. It causes me to remember such verses like:

Deuteronomy 16:17:
“Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.”

Proverbs 3:27:
“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.”

Luke 6:38:
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

2 Corinthians 9:7:
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

It causes me to evaluate my own giving and sharing with others. I'm a pretty stingy guy. I like to get cool, shiny, happy, techy toys. But I don't ever pay for someones meal at the restaurant that I'm eating at. I've never offered to fill the gas tank of someone else at the gas station while getting my own. It's about $20 to fill my tank right now. That's AWESOME! Why can't I fill another? It's just money, right? It all belongs to God, right? I shouldn't be so stingy with it.

God calls us to lay down our lives for the cause of the Gospel if the Gospel calls for us to do so. We get upset when we get a bad parking space at church on a Sunday morning......in the rain. Forget that, it's raining? No way, I'll just stay home.

I have no idea where I'm going with this. However, I'll say this....there are needs all around us. People are broken, bogged down, destitute, in need of so many things that I take for granted. Things that I might have two or three of. Things that I could most likely do without. But, I'm stingy.

Serving these people are a blessing. It's wonderful to do so. But more than that, it's imperative that we share the Gospel. We can give them sweaters, blankets, chap stick and turkey dinners, but if we fail to share with them the life saving message of the Gospel, then as Christians, we've failed.

So, don't fail. By all means, give of yourself, but also share the Gospel. Whether that be one to one, open air, pulpit, or social media, just share. Do it. Do it today.

One of my favorite evangelists, one that proclaims on the streets, lives in southern California. His name is Tony Miano (for more information on his ministry go to Cross Encounters ministry page.

I am reminded of one of his quotes he gave. It's something that I'll never forget. It reads:

"If you feed a lost person, give him something cool to drink, put a roof over his head and five him the shirt off your back, but you fail to share the gospel with him, know this. If he dies after you've lovingly served him, having never heard the gospel from your lips, he I will be warmed and filled as he faces God's judgement and eternity in hell. Serve people? Yes. But please share the gospel."


Please remember what's at stake here. Souls.

Merry Christmas to all that read this. Happy New Year and may 2016 be a new year of new beginnings of things you've not done before. If that's sharing your faith, I encourage you to do so. May this year reflect more of Christ in your life than ever before. People are watching.

To all my readers, God bless you and your families.

Chris

November Night: Center of The Universe

This past Monday night, I had the opportunity to be able to go and serve alongside those of my church, the homeless of Oklahoma City. This opportunity is usually not taken lightly. It comes as a privilege. Some would argue "It's just handing out food and clothes" as some have said before. However, it's much more than that.



What does "Serve" mean? For you and I, it is that. It's just doing something nice for someone or meeting a need somewhere or in someones life. We would meet that need and chalk that up as "Okay, I served. I've done my good deed for the week." and simply walk away. Should we serve the needy? Should we take care of the poor and less fortunate? Absolutely. I believe that this is the soul mission of the church of Jesus Christ. Well, three missions.

1. Soul winning (evangelism)
2. Taking care of poor people (Serving)
3. See first two missions (rinse and repeat)

Outside of those three things, our purpose is fulfilled. That's the only reason why we're here. The lost. Poor people. The work of the church.

What was the purpose of the life of Christ here on earth? Well, you may quickly answer "To die on the cross for our sins, of course!" Are you sure? Yes we, as Christians, know that the reason Christ came to this earth was to be the sinless, perfect, lamb (Isa. 53), redemptive plan for all humanity. That's an easy answer. But isn't there more to that?

During the Last Supper, before Jesus was arrested and taken to the cross, He prayed with His disciples. In His prayer, Jesus says, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4). How could He say that He had completed the work God had given Him to do when He had not yet died on the cross and risen from the dead?

The answer? In His prayer, Jesus said that He had completed the work of making disciples. The disciples were ready to go and make disciples themselves; all they needed was the Holy Spirit. If Jesus had died on the cross for our sins but had not made disciples who could deliver the message, none of us would have heard the good news. Jesus completed the message: He died for us and rose from the grave. He also created a way for people even today to hear that message: by releasing His disciples to go and make disciples, who in turn were released to go and make disciples, and so on.

 How are you doing in that area? Do you live your life in such a way that you are so caught up with yourself, meaning you are the center of your own universe, and there just isn't enough room for anyone or anything else? When you're out and about in your daily routine, commute, and see someone you could reach out to, but choose to ignore it because you're just to busy? To much going on? Afraid you don't know what to do or say? Then that would mean that you're basically, so full of yourself that there's just no enough room for anything else.

My encouragement to you would be to get out of your comfort zone. This world is yours for the taking. Take it for the Gospel. Take it for Gods kingdom.

When it comes to serving, I am reminded of the quote from one of my favorite evangelists, Tony Miano:

If you feed a lost person, give him something cool to drink, put a roof over his head and give him the shirt off your back, but you fail to share the gospel with him, know this. If he dies after you’ve loving- ly served him, having never heard the gospel from your lips, he will be warmed and filled as he faces God’s judgment and eternity in hell. Serve people? Yes. But please share the gospel.

So when you "Serve" are you serving men or serving yourself? Let's focus on the task at hand, the Great Commission. There are souls on the line.

Light the darkness,
Chris