September 2019 Report

Here are just a few of the activities for the month -

Highlights:

• More professions of faith
• Chaplain’s Training
• Additional evangelism training
• Continuation of discipleship

Chris’s Monthly Report:

When Jesus preached His first sermon in his hometown, I think it’s interesting what scripture He chose from Isaiah 61:

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the LORD.” (Quoted by Jesus in Luke 4:18-19)

His exposition of the scripture was short and to the point: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”

If you remember the rest of the story, because of the unbelief, blindness, and hardness of heart, they were unable recognize who was in their midst, one thing led to another, and they tried to throw him off a cliff!

But the priority of Jesus’s ministry remains – preaching the gospel to the poor, the brokenhearted, the captive, the blind, the bruised.

Recently, our church has been allowed to follow in the footsteps of Jesus in our relationship with a man named Dan. Dan has been homeless for several years, even sleeping on the concrete behind the train depot! Although he has had his struggles, Dan is a believer in our LORD Jesus. Recently however, because of falling into temptation with alcohol and because of an altercation with another homeless man, Dan woke up one morning with two black eyes, a broken arm, and a fractured face. He called me the next day and said – “Chris, I think the LORD has given me a big wake up call.” No doubt about that!! Dan has been living with me for the last two weeks so that he can get healed up and hopefully find a way to get off the streets.

I share this story not to boast about caring for the poor, but to share a testimony about God’s grace at work. The LORD put in on my heart to willingly care for Dan’s needs, and as a result, I am the one who has been blessed! Dan has been a dear brother in Christ to me! During the last two weeks we have enjoyed rich Christian fellowship, bible study together, and prayer. Dan has also been attending all of the Sunday services and our evangelism training on Monday mornings at Food and Shelter for Friends.

If we will follow the heart of the LORD in serving the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ, we might just discover that we are the ones that are blessed as a result, rather than the other way around!

“Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” James 2:5

Please continue to pray for us! We appreciate your support both prayerfully and financially.