Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 4/26/2011
Having just come through the Easter season, it seems that the topic of fasting was on the mind of many. I'm sure many of you are rejoicing in the ending of Lent and the breaking of your chosen fast.
It's is a celebration for sure that Jesus was obedient to the will of His Father, taking our sins to the cross. There is no doubt that we should indeed celebrate the defeat of death by the ressurection of Jesus and His ascention to the throne. There is much to celebrate.
My question is, where do we go from there? Does it end there? Do we break our fast with an Easter feast and then forget about it again until next year?
As I read my email today, I got this post from an amazing young woman I met in Thailand almost four years ago. I've written about her before (click here). As I read her petition, I was reminded of Isaiah 58. It is a chapter that I believe God has given me as a personal call, but it speaks to all of us. "Is this not the fast that I have chosen?"
How do we respond today? Will we take up the fast that He has chosen?
Isaiah 58:
6 " Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Fern's post:
Recently, a close of friend of mine was involved in a landslide caused by flooding in southern Thailand. His house was destroyed, killing his sister and her daughter in the process. His sister was the main provider of the family and now this family is grieving the deaths of their family members, while trying to build their life again. They lost all of their possessions and rubber farm (their main source of income) in the floo...d and have sought help from the Thai government, who after 4 months have still not provided any support. His sister also had a 6 year old son who doesn't understand the full extent of what has happened, asking about his mom every day. My friend, who has been attending a university in Bangkok this past year, wants to leave in order to help his family in southern Thailand. I can't support them by myself but I want to help this friend in his time of need and I believe that all of us as a witnessing family of Christ are called to help people like my friend who are in desperate need. They need every day things like money for a new home and food, secondhand furniture and kitchen items, electronics like fans, toys for the 6 year old and clothing. They literally have nothing, so any kind of donation would make a world of difference in their lives.
I will be taking up a collection to send to Thailand to help this family out. Click here to contact me if you would like to make a donation of any kind.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 12/7/2010
If you followed me during the World Race in 2007, you may recognize this family. I served under Fhonkie and Haya in Siem Reap, Cambodia as a teacher at their free school. They are and incredible family, and I have been amazed to see how God has grown their ministry over the past few years.
It was maybe a 100 kids attending a few classes run by Fhonkie and Haya and two other staff when we volunteered with them. Now I am amazed at how many they are teaching and how developed the classes have become. I have read many testimonies of the students who accepted Jesus as Lord through the school, and have gone on to share the Gospel with their neighbors or have joined the staff at the school.
It is very exciting to see fruit bearing fruit in the darkest land I've ever been to. There are some really great ways that you can get involved and be a blessing to this ministry and join with them in building God's Kingdom in Cambodia.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 12/7/2010
I found this story while searching for testimonies to share with a discipleship group I lead. It is disturbing to say the least. A few months ago, I heard the story of how the author of the Twilight series had received visitations from her "characters" and she was simply retelling the story that she had been given by these "friends". It really makes me think about the influences around us and what we accept blindly without any consideration of it's origins. I think we need to start excercising wisdom and discernment in more areas of our lives. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour".
Former Witch - Delivered from the Grips of Satan
I am writing this urgent message because I was once a witch. I lived by the stars as an astrologer and numerologist casting horoscopes and spells. I lived in the mysterious and shadowy realm of the occult. By means of spells and magic, I was able to invoke the powers of the "controlling unknown" and fly upon the night winds transcending the astral plane.
Halloween was my favorite time of the year and I was intrigued and absorbed in the realm of Wiccan witchcraft. All of this was happening in the decade of the 1960's when witchcraft was just starting to come out of the broom closet.
It was during that decade of the 1960's, in the year 1966, that a woman named J.K. Rowling was born. This is the woman who has captivated the world in this year of 2000 with four books known as the "Harry Potter Series." These books are orientational and instructional manuals of witchcraft woven into the format of entertainment.
These four books by J.K. Rowling teach witchcraft ! I know this because I was once very much a part of that world. Witchcraft was very different in the 1960's. There were a lot fewer witches, and the craft was far more secretive. At the end of that spiritually troubled decade, I was miraculously saved by the power of Jesus Christ and His saving blood.
I was also delivered from every evil spirit that lived in me and was set free. However, as I began to attend fundamental Christian churches, I realized that even there witchcraft had left its mark. As time went on, I watched the so-called "Christian" churches compromising and unifying. I also watched with amazement as teachings from Eastern religions and "New Age" doctrine began to captivate congregations. It was a satanic set-up, and I saw it coming.
Illuministic conspirators were bringing forth a one-world religion with a cleverly concealed element of occultism interwoven in its teachings. In order to succeed in bringing witchcraft to the world and thus complete satanic control, an entire generation would have to be induced and taught to think like witches, talk like witches, dress like witches, and act like witches. The occult songs of the 1960's launched the Luciferian project of capturing the minds of an entire generation.
In the song "Sound Of Silence" by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, we were told of seeds that were left while an entire generation was sleeping, and that the "vision that was planted in my brain still remains." Now it is the year 2000. All of the foundations for occultism and witchcraft are in place. The Illuminists have to move quickly, because time is running out.
It was the Communist revolutionary Lenin who said, "Give me one generation of youth, and I will transform the entire world." Now an entire generation of youth has been given to a woman named J.K. Rowling and her four books on witchcraft, known as the Harry Potter Series. As a former witch, I can speak with authority when I say that I have examined the works of Rowling and that the Harry Potter books are training manuals for the occult.
Untold millions of young people are being taught to think, speak, dress and act like witches by filling their heads with the contents of these books. Children are obsessed with the Harry Potter books that they have left television and video games to read these witchcraft manuals.
The first book of the series, entitled "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," finds the orphan, Harry Potter, embarking into a new realm when he is taken to "Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." At this occult school, Harry Potter learns how to obtain and use witchcraft equipment. Harry also learns a new vocabulary, including words such as "Azkaban," "Circe," "Draco," "Erised," "Hermes," and "Slytherin"; all of which are names of real devils or demons. These are not characters of fiction!
How serious is this? By reading these materials, many millions of young people are learning how to work with demon spirits. They are getting to know them by name. Vast numbers of children professing to be Christians are also filling their hearts and minds, while willingly ignorant parents look the other way.
The titles of the books should be warning enough to make us realize how satanic and anti-christ these books are. The afore mentioned title of the first book, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," was a real give away. The second book was called "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," while the third book was entitled "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."
Sadly enough, this blatant witchcraft has been endorsed by well-known and respected "Christian" leaders. Nothing could be more obvious than that Harry Potter books are pure witchcraft and of the devil. The "Christian" leaders, however, defend them by saying that good magic always wins and overcomes evil magic. This is the oldest con game ever hatched out of hell. As a real witch, I learned about the two sides of "the force."
Apparently, so do many "Christian" leaders. When real witches have sabats and esbats and meet as a coven, they greet each other by saying "Blessed be," and when they part, they say "The Force be with you." Both sides of this "Force" are Satan. It is not a good side of the force that overcomes the bad side of the force, but rather it's the blood of Jesus Christ that destroys both supposed sides of the satanic "Force."
High level witches believe that there are seven satanic princes and that the seventh, which is assigned to Christians, has no name. In coven meetings, he is called "the nameless one." In the Harry Potter books, there is a character called "Voldemort." The pronunciation guide says of this being "He who must not be named."
On July 8 at midnight, bookstores everywhere were stormed by millions of children to obtain the latest and fourth book of the series known as "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." These books were taken into homes everywhere with a real evil spirit following each copy to curse those homes. July 8th was also the 18th day (three sixes in numerology) from the witches' sabat of midsummer. July 8th was also the 13th day from the signing of the United Religions Charter in San Francisco. Now we have learned that the public school system is planning to use the magic of Harry Potter in the classrooms making the public schools centers of witchcraft training.
What does God have to say about such books as the Harry Potter series? In the Bible in the book of Acts, we read the following in the 19th chapter, verses 18 - 20: "And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed."
As parents, we will answer to God if we allow our children to read witchcraft books. The Word of God will prevail mightily in your life only if such things of Satan are destroyed.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 12/2/2010
SHOP ONLINE
Each Timbali product is created with a unique combination of African fabrics. While
we are unable to post photos of every item at this time, we do our best to meet any
special requests you may have for colors or patterns.
HOST A TIMBALI CRAFT SALE
Get yourself, your group, or your family involved in meeting the needs of people on the other
side of the world! Here's how it works:
- Contact Timbali through the website to get started.
- Order 20 or more bags and receive them on consignment.
- Promote your sale with materials available on our website, and on the promotional
CD-ROM included with your order.
- Return full payment within one month of receiving your shipment.
ABOUT TIMBALI CRAFTS
Timbali means "flowers" in the local language, Siswatti. It is also the word used to
translate "lilies" in Matthew 6, when Jesus talked about his loving care and provision for
His children. Our hope is that God will use Timbali Crafts to help meet the needs of these
hardworking women and that it will be a tangible demonstration of His love.
The women who create Timbali Crafts are all volunteer cooks at care points for orphans
and vulnerable children in the rural Swaziland communities of Engculwini and Nsoko. The
90 women of Timbali Crafts help feed more than 2600 children each day at 14 different
care points.
The women themselves face many hardships: most are either widowed or abandoned,
many are single mothers, or grandmothers raising their orphaned grandchildren. Timbali
Crafts was started in 2006 to help reach out to the physical and spiritual needs of these
hard-working women and their families who would otherwise have little or none.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 12/2/2010
Tim Schmoyer is a top-rated youth ministry blogger. He just wrote this blog post after a trip with AIM to Haiti.
When I felt like I needed to return to Haiti, I announced I was willing to take whoever wanted to come with me. I worked with Adventures In Missions and together we put together a custom trip and soon teens, parents, single adults, my brother, and a bunch of "random people" all jumped on board. That intergenerational mix turned out to be so healthy - I never would've imagined it to be so incredible. In fact, our summer Mexico trip and then this past Haiti trip we did just last month were also family-based, intergenerational trips. I'm convinced that is absolutely the best way to do short-term missions. Every student and parent who participated will tell you the exact same thing, even the ones who were skeptical.
While I have nothing against youth missions trips, we may never do one again.
Why?
Here are just a couple reasons why the intergenerational trips seem to be so much more effective both on the mission field and at home.
- There's built-in accountability for both the kids and the parents when they return home.
- The spiritual high doesn't wear off nearly as quickly when both the parent and the student are living with someone who knows what the other just went through..
- They return to a home to live with someone who "gets it." There's no conversations like, "How was your trip?" "Good." "What did you do?" "Nothing."
- The perception of missions in the church moves away from "something cute the youth do" and becomes something the church takes ownership over.
- The shared experience is something the teens and parents will have in common for the rest of their lives. It's fun to watch that special bond form. The "remember when" stories will never end.
- When both the student and parent are uncomfortable and stretched physically, spiritually, and emotionally, they tend to cling to each other while depending on God. That dynamic is absolutely invaluable.
- Every teen needs to see their parent stretched and vulnerable. Missions (when done well) has a tendency to do that. When the kid sees that vulnerability in their parent, a connection takes place that is amazing to watch.
- It's a significant opportunity to integrate teens into the life of the church body as a whole. It helps break down the youth ministry silo.
- Parents develop a deep respect for their kids when they watch them serving so selflessly.
- And so much more, like relationships between parents and single young adults, young adults on the teens, and more. I even gained some committed youth leaders who normally would never have attended a trip except that it was a church trip and not a youth trip.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 9/15/2010
Seth Barnes shared this on his blog recently, and I'm going to borrow it too. I don't think I can say that all of these points define me yet, but they are certainly what I am aiming for. Reading this inspired me to aim a little higher than what I've settled for lately. I hope it inspires you too.
Decisions that Define Us - Graham Cooke
We've decided that teaching the Gospel without demonstrating the gospel in not enough. Good preaching, good doctrine, being good people is not enough.
We've decided that having a good church club is not enough. Good fellowship is not enough. And just being a member of that club is not enough.
We've decided that having good Bible studies is good, but not good enough. That just making it to heaven is not our goal, and that knowing about God without truly knowing and experiencing God is meaningless.
We've decided that having good programs is not enough; that change without transformation is intolerable. And that staying the same is not an option.
We've decided that gifting without character is futile.
We've decided that singing songs without worshiping is hollow and having meetings without God showing up is pointless.
We've decided that having faith without works is not enough and having works without love is not acceptable - that our function comes out of our relationship first with the Father and second with each other.
We've decided that reading about the book of Acts without living the book of Acts is unthinkable.
We've decided that confident faith is good.....bold faith is better.
We've decided that hearing about the Holy Spirit without experiencing Him..... is silly. That believing in His presence without seeing it manifested in signs and wonders......is hypocrisy. That believing in healing without seeing people healed......is absurd. And that believing in deliverance without people being delivered.........is absolutely ridiculous.
We've decided to be Holy Spirit filled, Holy Spirit led, and Holy Spirit empowered - anything less doesn't work for us.
We've decided to be the ones telling the stories of God's power - not the ones hearing about them.
We've decided that living saved, but not supernatural is living below our privilege and short of what Christ died for.
We've decided we're a battleship not a cruise-ship! An Army not an audience! Special Forces not spectators! Missionaries not club members!
We've decided to value both pioneers and settlers - pioneers to expand our territory and settlers to build on those territories - but we are not people who take up space others have fought for without improving it ... we are not squatters.
We've decided to be infectious instead of innocuous. Contagious instead of quarantined! Deadly instead of benign!
We've decided to be radical lovers and outrageous givers.
We've decided that we are a mission station not a museum.
Therefore:
We honor the past but we don't live in it.
We live in the present with our eyes on the future.
We see past events - the successes and failures - as stepping stones not stop signs.
We pursue learning in order to be transformed, not learning in order to know.
We are people of engagement not observation.
We focus on what could be - not on what is or has been.
We are not limited to the four walls of this building - our influence is not restricted by location. Not even the nations are out of bounds.
We are more concerned about how many we send out into the world then how many we convince to come into the building. This building is meant to be filled and it will be - but it will NOT be the measure of who we are or the measure of our effectiveness.
We raise-up world changers, not tour guides. We train commandos, not committees.
We are a people of our destiny, not our history.
We've decided that it is better to fail while reaching for the impossible that God has planned for us than succeed in settling for less.
We've decided that nothing short of His Kingdom come and His will be done, in our world as it is in Heaven, will satisfy.
We've decided that we will not be satisfied until our world freaks out and cries out, "Those who have turned the world upside down have come here too."
These are some of the decisions that define who we are as a community and how we live our lives.
These decisions are not destinations - but rather a journey - a journey along an ancient path - we've not found some new way - but rather rediscovered the path as old as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The same path followed by Moses, Joshua and Caleb - Paul, John and Peter.
The path followed by the first century church - a church that revolutionized the culture of the first century and beyond.
It's a path that will impact the world we live in today. It's a path of Bold Faith - believing that what God says is really true and acting on it.
It's a path of Outrageous Generosity - giving our life away in order to demonstrate His Kingdom.
It's a path of Radical Love - loving God with EVERYTHING in us and our neighbor as ourselves.
This is a path of liberty, freedom and healing.
On this path - you will find significance, purpose, and destiny.
It is a path less traveled however - it's not a path only available to a select few - but to whosoever will ... they may come.
It's for people of EVERY nation, tribe and tongue - for those in any occupation or vocation.
No matter where you are in your journey - there's room on this path for you.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 8/22/2010
This morning as I prepare to go to church, I have a few thoughts about love running through my head.
The first thing that came to mind was the origins of love. I've often said that God created love, but this morning it occurred to me that He could not have created love. The Bible says that God is love. God is not a created being. He has always been in existence and always will be. God has no beginning and no end. He is infinite. Therefore, if God is love, than love has always been and love will always be.
With that in mind, I began to think about sin. If love has always been, than what about sin? Did Satan create sin? It certainly sounds like he did.
So what does that mean for us? I thought about how man was created and placed in the garden where they were with God. Man was created in love. Adam and Eve were "born" into love, but Satan came offering something else.
Isn't it true that we always want what we don't have? God gave us love from the beginning, but Satan came and offered a different kind of "love" and we wanted it. We traded God's love for cheap lust, and we do it everyday.
Praise God that love will never end. It will always be there because God will always be there. And God promises that if we turn back to Him, he will restore and redeem our hearts. He will remove the effects of sin and return us to love. Do not choose then to return to cheap lust disguised as new things. If you already have the diamond, why would you want the rhinestone?
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 8/15/2010
Luke 5 30But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
31Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
I've had some opportunities lately to really evaluate my attitude about ministry. It's really easy to be with groups of like-minded people and enjoy the company of others who think like me and have similar interests as me. It can feel really good to encourage each other in the Lord, and pray together, and study together. Sometimes it seems like that is what this Christian life is all about. The Church is after all our true family.
Then, out of nowhere, there comes and interruption. All of a sudden we are faced with somebody who doesn't think like us; who doesn't act like us or look like us. Somebody comes in and challanges the safety and security of our group. Somebody disrupts the pleasantries of our fellowship. Then we are faced with a dilema; how do we respond to somebody that we just can't relate to? What if we don't understand them, don't agree with them, or just plain don't like them? What if this person doesn't meet our criteria; doesn't measure up to our standard? What if this person is... a sinner?
In working with people caught up in addictions, I meet a lot of messed up people. Some of it I could say is not their fault. Often, trauma, abuse, or neglect where a part of their life. But if we are completely honest, a lot of why we are so messed up is our fault. I include myself in that because in a lot of ways, I'm messed up. My thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors are often twisted and out of whack. If God's wisdom is the standard for functionality, I'm pretty disfunctional a lot of the time and most of that is because of my own choices.
I may be getting a little off track here, but it is relevant. We need to know and admit that we're all a few cookies short of a batch. We cannot possibly have compassion and grace for others if we don't realize that we need it ourselves.
Anyhow, sometimes I meet people that I just don't understand. I just can't figure out why they do the things they do and the logic and reasoning they use to justify it. Then there are others who just make my head spin. Some may even make me a little uncomfortable in a creepy or needy kind of way. But what can I do? If Jesus loves them, I can do no less if I call myself His disciple.
In fact, when I read about Jesus' life it is clear that these are the very people that Jesus was drawn to. He knew that this was not the life that God had planned for them and He had compassion for them. He wanted more for them. Each one of them has a destiny, and He made it His personal agenda to offer them redemption - the purchase back of something that had been lost, by the payment of a ransom.
This story is an excellent example of Jesus response.
Mark 5 1They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 4For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
How would we respond if this man was in our neighborhood, or in our church? Maybe we've seen someone like him already.
6When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.
Are people running to us because they see Jesus?
15When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
Jesus had compassion on this man, and did not focus on what he had become, but rather on who God created him to be. Jesus restored the man to his potential, to his destiny.
16Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man-and told about the pigs as well.
People had seen the man how he was, and then they saw him restored. What a testimony. Why do you think they were scared? I have to ask myself, am I confident in the power of Jesus' redemption for myself and others, or am I running scared and avoiding the confrontation? What are others seeing when they look at how I respond to the "unloveable", "unapproachable", "unacceptable", "untouchable", "unclean", "unredeemed" people in my neighborhood? Am I using the power and authority that Jesus has given me to lead others to redemption?
18As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." 20So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
Am I asking people to follow me, to be like me, to think like me, to live like me... or am I exhorting them to fulfill the plans that God has for thier lives?
I'm not building my own kingdom, I am building the Kingdom of God. I've got to remember that it is not about what I want or what I think is best, it's about God's will for each person's life. They have their own destiny just like I have mine. Once they have Jesus, they have the same power and the same authority as I do. They have a purpose and a calling in this Kingdom and the equipment to accomplish it.
It's not about me, and it never can be. My job, my duty, my responsability, and my calling is to love them and show them Jesus and to learn every bit of truth I can from them along the way. If I think I'm above those I serve, I can miss out on some of the best revelations of truth right in front of my face. Even the demon-possessed man ran to Jesus and bowed in front of Him. The disciples who were with Jesus often doubted, questioned, or just forgot who He was, but this man had no doubt and submitted immediately with reverence and respect. That is a lesson we could all learn from.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 8/10/2010
Seth is the founder of Adventures In Missions, and has been a huge influence on my spiritual growth. As I read his daily blog today (included below), this question really made me pause. Not that I question my salvation, or even my devotion, but there is that issue of surrender. A few years ago I quit my job, turned my back on the American idea of success, gave up many of my possessions, and headed off for a new direction in missions. Compared to my former lifestyle, I can say that I've surrendered a lot; but what have I held onto?
As I get to know my Father better, and get to know Jesus better, I have learned that it is not the outward sacrifices that they are concerned with. Surely, those things matter. Even Jesus told the rich young ruler to give all that he had to the poor. More than giving up those things, I think what really matters is what they represent internally. So often our sense of security and value are based on the stuff we possess. So getting rid of that stuff allows us to find real value and security in our creator; in Christ.
I've given up many things, and those things did represent false securities and identities in my life. I am better for having let them go. Though as I read this blog, I cannot help but evaluate the ideas, thoughts and beliefs that I have held onto, that I have not surrendered in obedience to Christ. If Jesus truely is my Lord, if I have chosen to follow Him as the authority in my life, then it is to my own detriment and my own harm that I allow my ideas, thoughts, and beliefs to continue in contrast to His. Only a fool would declare someone as greater than himself/herself and then choose to fight against Him.
You can tell the Christians who haven't made Jesus Lord yet from a distance. You'll see a number of telltale signs:
- Chaos in their personal life
- They play the victim card
- They struggle to maintain control
- They get their feelings hurt and hurt people's feelings
- They tend to make the same mistakes repeatedly
- Life tends to revolve around their needs
That's what happens when you give Lordship lip service. And then we rail against God and blame him for our mess. We want the benefits of Lordship without the costs. We want him to protect us, guide us and comfort us. But, are we prepared to pay the price? What about having to actually do what somebody else tells you to do without even a vote in the matter?
We moderns struggle mightily with the concept of Lordship. We don't have much experience with authority outside of perhaps, our jobs. What does it mean to fully submit yourself to the will and agenda of someone else? Many parents seem to believe in options more than they do in submitting. So if your child disagrees with you in the grocery store when you say "NO," they have the option of crying and even creating a scene. When that child grows into an ornery adolescent, they have the option of assuming the posture of an aggrieved victim and inflicting a bad attitude on the entire household.
This was not Jesus' way. Following him was voluntary, but once you committed, you were committed. All rabbis trained their followers that way. They didn't have time for a contest of wills. When Jesus led, he had a definite end in mind. ""Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"(Luke 6:46) He asked his followers.
We'd like to change the rules or at least make them a little more seeker-sensitive. We'd like to move the church in the direction of the nonbelievers. But Jesus wasn't looking for fans, he was looking for followers. We want to reduce it down to saying a prayer. Say the prayer and you're a Christian. Being a Christian is the same as being a follower of Jesus, right?
Well, not exactly.
You can tell when someone is a Christian but not a follower of Jesus when style supersedes substance. When what you wear to church matters more than the character you display. When your concern for people's opinions is more important than your concern for widows and orphans. When you are known for your judgments more than you are your grace.
A lot of people are broken, but haven't gotten to brokenness. And many followers of Jesus have stopped at the gate to the narrow road, but won't go further on the journey. Jesus asks them for surrender, and they prefer to call their own shots.
There's a better way to live.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 4/13/2010
Last week, I had the amazing priviledge of leading a Short Term Mission trip in Philadelphia. I had a team of 9th and 10th grade youth from 12Stone church in Georgia. I was excited when I found out who my team was because I had actually been to that church twice while I was living in Georgia.
With this being only my third STM trip, and only my second trip as the primary leader, I was a little nervous about how the week was going to go. Thankfully, Dave Seafort volunteered to come and help out with this trip. It was a real blessing and a tremendous help to have somebody else on-site to help coordinate and manage the activities, as well as helping to teach the kids. Just having him along to help with the grocery shopping saved me a few hours of time and a whole lot of stress. Thanks Dave for all your help. I am so glad that you came along.
Monday
This trip was shorter than usual because of Easter. The team left Georgia Monday morning and drove all day, arriving around 10:30pm. Yikes! That's a rough way to start off a busy week, but they were all troopers. Fortunately, we were able to rearrange the schedule a little to give them some extra sleep Tuesday morning.
Tuesday
After settling in and catching a few winks, we started Tuesday off with some devotional time and worship as well as an introduction to the objectives of AIM mission trips. We had to postpone the rest of the training until later that night, because we were scheduled to meet with a local church to do some work at their Thrift Store and Urban Garden. We split the group up by volunteers, and tackled the projects they had for us.
Circle Thrift
I never realised how much work goes into running a Thrift Store. The whole back room was piled high with garbage bags full of donations heaped far above our heads. They estimated that they receive around 150 bags per week of donated clothing and goods. They have people working full time just to sort through the clothes and pick out what will go on the racks and what will be sent to other locations or thrown away. She admitted that the bags on the bottom of the pile have been there for a very long time because they rarely get through the pile before the next load comes in. I'm glad out students were able to help out with the sorting, even if it only gave their staff a break for a week.
In addition to sorting through the donations, clothes had to be hung, tagged, and organized on the racks. The older clothes that have been in the store for a while also had to be removed to make room for new stuff coming in. They have a pretty good system in place for keeping track of how long things have been around, and marking down older items or putting them on a free pile.
Urban Farming
The students that went to the garden project spent a lot of time pullin weeds and cleaning up the garden to prepare it for a summer of productivity. After lying untouched for most of the winter, there was a lot of work to do to get it in shape. After clearing out weeds, they also did some tilling and mulching. Many of the kids really enjoyed being outside and working in the dirt, even to their surprise. It was a new experience for some, and hopefully one they will continue to explore.
The plot is owned by the church, and the garden run by volunteers from the church and community as well as teams that come in over the summer. Those who volunteer in the garden are able to use some of the produce for themselves, but most of it goes toward the community. The harvest is brought to the church where people can purchase it for a small donation. I think gardens like this one bring hope and life back into a community as well as providing an affordable healthy food source for those in need. Perhaps one of the students will be inspired to start a community garden back in Georgia.
Community Outreach
After lunch, we had arrangements to use the showers at another church. While the kids were taking turns with the showers, we took advantage of the time to offer our services to the pastor of that church. He asked if we would be willing to pass out some flyers around the neighborhood. So the students split into ministry groups and canvased the neighborhood passing out invitations to the church. It was a good opportunity to serve this church as well as beign present in the neighborhood.
Kid's Club
The Salvation Army, where we were staying, does a kid's club after school once a week. After discussing ministry opportunities with Josh, we decided to extend the kids club for the four days that we would be in town. Not only does the kids' club provide a safe place for the kids to go after school, but they also learn about God and are fed a good dinner.
I was very impressed with how well the students did with the kid's club. They were divided into groups for lesson, games, craft, and kitchen. The youth leaders provided the curriculem for the week, but it was the students who sat together and worked out how they were going to teach the lesson and lead the games and crafts. They all rotated assignments so that everybody got a turn to do each part.
The students read the Bible story to the kids and did a short skit to demonstrate the story, and then took a few minutes to explain the lesson and how it applies to our lives. They did a great job. The games and crafts were also very creative and well executed.
The thing that impressed me the most was how the students really did this program by themselves. They stepped up and took ownership or it, planned it, and lead it. All of us leaders really just sat back and watched them do it. I struggle with having that kind of confidence in myself, so I was really blown away by how naturally they took the lead and ran the program. And they really connected with the kids, building relationships that impacted both kids and students - as well as leaders.
Wednesday
We had a whole different focus on Wednesday. This was our day to reach out to people on Kensington Avenue, which is one of the roughest streets in the neighborhood. We worked with a long-time AIM partner, Cast Your Cares, who runs a food pantry to assist in providing food to those in need. Along with providing groceries, they also do a lot of outreach and have built lasting relationships with people in the neighborhood.
Pancake Breakfast
We started Wednesday off by hosting a pancake breakfast at Cast Your Cares, for the community in Kensington. We provided pancakes and coffee to anyone who stopped by, and just sat and talked with them. One of the biggest challanges in American culture right now is lonliness. People are so busy and disconnected from eachother that they often have nobody totalk to and nobody who will just listen.
Some of the students got the opportunity to cook and serve, while others got to sit and listen and even share parts of their testimony. It was a stretch for some of the students that have never done this kind of ministry before, but they again stepped up to the challange and found that God is faithful in giving them what they need to minister in the moment. Although some were uncomfortable at first with the idea of talking to complete strangers, those concerns melted away as they found that it was just another person sittign in front of them. Somebody not so different from themselves, and someone very eager to listen and be heard.
Community Outreach
On Tuesday, we had noticed how dirty the park next to the church was. We decided that in between the showers, we would take gloves and trash bags and clean up the park. There wasn't really anybody around the park the first day we were there, but as we walked around cleaning up trash people began to emerge. I think they were mostly curious, but it seemed to open a door for interaction in the neighborhood.
Soon, a little boy came to help pick up trash. He was excited to help, and we had to keep telling him to be careful what he touched because he didn't have gloves on. We tried to give hime some of ours, but they were much to big for him to use. After a little while, a young man came out to see what was going on. He was apparently the guardian of the young boy. Some of the guys sat on a bench and talked with him for a long time. I could see that the conversation was deep by the way he was hunched over. I found out later that they guys were able to help him thorugh some very personal and difficult issues that he was facing. It was great to see how our presense, and God's presense in that park changed the whole atmosphere.
Kid's Club
The students had another great day of kid's club, continuing the Bible lessons and connecting with those kids. The kids were lined up at the door waiting to get in before it was even time to start. It was obvious how this program is impacting the neighborhood. I'm glad that we got to be a part of it for a week.
Coffee House
After feeding the kids's at kid's club and cleaning up, we headed back to Kensington Avenue to do another outreach at Cast Your Cares. This time we were doing a coffee house setting. The event was again open to anybody who stopped by. They came and found a seat at one of the tables, as students came to join them bringing coffee and cookies, and conversation.
For this event, we also provided a little entertainment. One of the students was the MC for the night, introducing others as they came to share stories and testimonies, and telling a few jokes in between. One of the men sitting at a table with some of the students, had shared how he was recently comtemplating overdosing on cocaine. After talking to the students for a while, and listening to one of the girls get up and share her testimony, he asked if it would be okay for him to get up and share something with the crowd. We gave him the mic, and he stood before the whole group and shared a testimony of how God had used these students to meet him in the darkness and give him hope. I'm not sure about all of the details, but hopefully I have relayed this story with some accuracey. I know that several of the students and this man were very impacted that night.
I also had my impact moment that night on the way to Coffee House. As Dave and I were driving down Kensington Avenue, I noticed a girl stumbling down the street, hunched over and clutching her stomache. I asked Dave to pull over, and I called to her out the window asking if she needed help. She didn't answer, but just kept walking. Dave pulled up a little farther and stopped again. I asked him to wait as I jumped out of the car and walked over to her. I tried to talk to her as she kept walking, but I could barely understand through her mumbles. I know she was in pain and needed to get to the hospital, but she wouldn't let us help. I did manage to get her to stop long enough for me to embrace her and pray for her, but she soon pushed me away and keep walking. It broke my heart to leave her, but she wouldn't accept my help. When I got to Cast Your Cares, the students were already there waiting for me. I gathered them around and explained why we were delayed, and we prayed for her. That was one of the hardest moments of the week for me, but it also gave me an opportunity to talk about the need to let go of burdens. In debrief, I explained how God allows our hearts to be burdned for others so that we respond with love and compassion, but that we cannot try to carry those burdens ourselves. Ultimately, it is an invitation to share God's heart for somebody and hand them over to His care. We can only do what He gives us to do, and the rest we need to turn back to Him to carry. My heart is still aching for her, but I know that she is in His hands and that He cares for her even more.
Thursday
Prayer Walk
We had an extra hour this morning before going to our ministries, so we decided to use the time to do a prayer walk in the neighborhood. We divided into teams and walked around asking God to show us Kensington with His eyes. We saw a lot of brokeness and filth. A lot of decay and trash that seemed to be a physical representation of the spiritual state of the neighborhood. We prayed for new life and new hope to spring up in Kensington, and for God's light to shine through the darkness. We also met some great people and had more opportunities to listen and pray with people along the way.
Circle Thrift / Urban Farming
Thursday morning, we returned to Circle Thrift and the urban garden. The students enjoyed more opportunities to serve as well as connecting with customers and the community.
Community Lunch
The Salvation Army began a new community lunch on this Thursday, so we were able to join them and help lead some worship and serve lunch to the community. It was another good opportunity to see how the Salvation Army is reaching out to this neighborhood and providing a place of refuge and help.
Kid's Club
The students and kids had another great day at kid's club, building on the foundation of the previous days.
Basketball
On Thursday nights, Josh opens up the gym at the Salvation Army to the guys in the community to play basketball. The male students and leaders opted to spend the night hanging out in the gym with the guys. The games turned out to be pretty intense, and only one student was chosen to play on a team, but the rest of the guys had a lot of time to hang out on the sidelines and connect with others who weren't playing. It wasn't exactly what they were expecting, but I think the guys still enjoyed being present and getting to meet another group of people from the neighborhood.
Ladies Night
As I was planning for this week, and as we began to minister in the community, it became evident that most of the ministry in the area was either co-ed or directed toward men. There really didn't seem to be any woman focased ministry, so all of us ladies got together and discussed what we might be able to do while the guys were playing basketball. We had originally discussed doing a movie night, but later decided that we wanted something that had the potential of being sustained after we were gone. Since there isn't many woman doing ministry at the Salvation Army, we talked to our ministry partners at Cast Your Cares about using their space to do a ladies night. Since they have teams coming all summer, we hoped that if it went well it may be something other teams could continue.
We ran it pretty much like the coffee house, except that we decorrated the tables with fresh flowers and candles. We brought our worship leader along so that we would have a least on guy for safety and some acoustic music for the night. Since it was a last minute idea, we didn't have any time to promote it, so we just went hoping that somebody would show up. One of the ladies from the coffee house was there waiting before we had even gotten there, and we invited the cook from Salvation Army to join us for the night. Asside from that, it was pretty empty for a while.
We recruited a guy from the AA/NA group next door to invite some ladies for us since it wasn't safe for us to walk down the streets at night. He eventually found a few to send our way. It was a small group of ladies, but it soon became very evident that God had brought them for a reason.
We held a raffle to give away a few simple gifts that we had purchased. We also raffles off the flowers and candles just so that everybody would get something. We served coffee and cake and had chocolates on the tables.
Without going into long details, I know that these women were impacted in very personal ways. They came in very skeptical, especially when they saw that there wasn't many people, but they left feeling very special and loved. I think the night was a huge success, and one that Cast Your Cares will likely try to do again sometime.
Friday
Center City Tour
Friday morning was our tourist time. We all loaded up and drove into center city to see the sights. First we went to the Art Museum so everybody could run up the steps like Rocky. The we drove to Penn's Landing and paked there for the rest of the morning. From there, we divided into teams and set out to explore Old City where Independence Hall, Constitution Hall, and the Liberty Bell are located amoung many other historic sites. Most of us had a good ol' Philly Cheese Steak for lunch to complete the experience. I also decided to treat the team to Shoofly Pie fromone of the Amish stands at Reading Terminal Market, just to give them a taste of the local culture where I'm from in Lancaster. We had a good time, and took a lot of pictures. It was a great way to relax, celebrate a good week, and enjoy eachother's company for a few hours.
Kid's Club
Friday was the wrap up for the kid's club. It mostly went off without a hitch, as a great end to a great week. The students got to say their final goodbye's to their new friends and pray for what God is doing in their lives.
We did run into a little bump when one of the kids was caught getting into some trouble. Again, the students did a great job of staying on task and running the program while the leaders handled the situation. The students also rallied around and prayed for God's wisdom and grace in the situation. The demonstrated great maturity, both naturally and spritually throughout the week, and made all of us leaders very proud.
Cleanup
Friday night was spent mostly cleaning up the building and debriefing the week. We had a lot of great discussions about all that God did throughout the week, and what was learned. Some of the students shared ideas about how they can apply what they learned and beging ministering in their own community. We had a great time of worship with Jonerik to close out the week, and praise God for all that He is doing in Philadelphia and in us. Another great end to a great week.
Saturday
Saturday was another early morning. The team got up and loaded up the vans in time to leave arund 5am. Another long day of driving for them. I finished packing up my things, locked up the guilding and made my 2hr drive home. I spent the rest of Saturday sprawled out on the couch sleeping on and off, all the while thinking of my new friends who were still on the road, praying that God would keep them awake after a long and exhausting week. I got the notice that they arrived home somewhere around 9pm, when I started seeing comments on Facebook. : ) You gotta love technology.
All in all, I would say that it was a very blessed week for all involved. God is good.
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