Rubber meets the road ministries

My church has been focusing on North American Missions recently. In church they've shown some videos up on the big screens of missionaries in North America. The last missionary they showed was about a ministry in Atlanta called something like, "Set Free Church Memorial Street Ministries and Shelter". Something like that. It was a very long name for the sake of inclusivity. It is headed up by a black pastor/missionary. He and his wife have been serving there for about 28 years. It is "in da hood, fo real". They deal with the homeless, crack addicts, prostitutes, the down and out, etc.

Anyway, the guy came to our church tonight and spoke to the Wednesday crowd. I knew back when the pastor said he was coming, it would be good. Sure enough, it was very encouraging and inspiring. It was also challenging. This man and his family are in the middle of a hard core ministry where the rubber meets the road. He is one of those guys who has given up many comforts in order to minister to those in dire need. He preached some from Matthew where Jesus looks out on the multitude, and he had compassion for them. He spoke about the difference between sympathy, and compassion. How compassion is more than just "I'll pray that somebody will help you", but it is "I will help you."

He gave several specific stories of people who have come in through the ministry, hard core, dirty drug addics; who accepted Christ and became disciples. It was a very inspiring message. For some reason, I have a hard time not getting choked up with I hear stories like that. Something about it just rings true in my heart.

Anyway, at the end, a bunch of us laid hands on him and prayed for him. It was a privilege. I hope that I have that same commitment. That whatever, wherever, whenever, when God says go and do, that I go and do.