“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 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.’” (Matthew 25:34-36)

On the second Sunday of this year, Peter Dewberry preached at NewLife Christian Fellowship, and I thought that as a follow-up, it would be useful to mention to the congregation that two members of NewLife are prison volunteers with Free Inside: Michael McCoy and me. Michael volunteers at Cybulski Prison in Enfield on Thursday evenings, and I volunteer at Gates Prison in Niantic on Thursday afternoons. Both of us can testify as to how much this has been a blessing to us, quite apart from how it might have benefited inmates.

My own experience over the last few months has been very encouraging. Some of you were praying for us at Gates, because the session that was completed in the summer of 2010 seemed such a disaster; all prison inmates ceased to attend before the end of the session. The three of us who were volunteers were obviously discouraged; however, from the outset of the next program that was completed at the end of 2010, attendance was good, and by the end we were averaging over twenty prison inmates each week, many of whom were very keen to be there. We thank God for all who attended, some of whom showed real promise in going on in the Christian life. We will be restarting at Gates at the end of January, with a study on the Sermon on the Mount. Please pray that many will want to attend, and for special grace and wisdom for those of us who are volunteers, for we found that many who came to the last session were Spanish speakers, some with very little English ability. We have Spanish handouts, but the equipment at this prison facility does not permit us to use a DVD with Spanish subtitles.

Free Inside has volunteer groups in seven Connecticut Prisons, with usually 7 to 10 programs running for most of the year, and therefore we have the potential to make contact with many prison inmates. Believers in Jesus are encouraged to visit those who are in prison, firstly to show our love for them; but also to rescue them from lives heading for disaster. Many prison inmates have a history of drug and alcohol abuse, many are from difficult neighborhoods, and others have fallen through the cracks in the legal system; but for all, irrespective of their background, they need to hear that there are those who care for them and most of all, they are of value to Jesus.

From the inception of Free Inside, NewLife Christian Fellowship has been a significant supporter of the Ministry. 2011 will be a challenging year; and we would be encouraged by your help in either keeping the ministry in your prayers, by becoming a volunteer, or by giving financially.

Financial needs: Our total budget is quite small, but over the last two years many faithful supporters have had to cut back, and the foundation that has assisted in the past is unlikely to do so again. This year we will not meet our financial needs without additional support. Please consider if you should become a regular contributor, or could make a onetime gift.

Volunteers: We have a constant need for volunteers, but all who volunteer will need patience and a commitment to the long term. Beyond the ministry’s own requirement for training and orientation, usually 6 to 7 hours on a Saturday, approval is required from the Department of Corrections. Prospective volunteers will work to a Department of Corrections timetable, and we have found that volunteers can wait for many months before they are called for an interview and orientation by the Department.

Prayer: Please keep us in your prayers, particularly Peter Dewberry, Michael McCoy and myself. Prison work can be frustrating, as we are understandably bound by the rules of the Department of Corrections and their need for security. We cannot let our frustrations get the better of us even if we have driven to a prison facility only to find that there is a lockdown that day, and no visitors will be allowed inside (this incidentally is part of the frustration that relatives of prison inmates also experience. In a sense when one family member is in prison, all are in prison).

If you are interested in participating in the ministry in any way, please contact me at AGLDEL@cox.net, or Peter Dewberry at FreeInside@cox.net. With regard to being a volunteer, if you give us your name, we can contact you when there will be an orientation session, which would enable you to learn more about what is involved, prior to an application to the Department of Corrections. Thank you for your interest.

 This past Sunday, Rex Fowler of Hartford City Mission shared with us about God’s love for the poor and oppressed and the fact that we all have resources to share with those in need, even if we do not have much money.  One of the things Rex said is that they teach the kids in their ministry that everyone has something to give, no matter how poor you feel you are. As he said, the greatest poverty is thinking that you have nothing to offer. This truth reminded me of one of my favorite stories of this past year, which I read on the author Donald Miller’s blog.  I’ve reprinted the blog post below, so please enjoy, and I hope you are challenged by what you read:

My friend Bob Goff started a school in Uganda where he provides an education for children who come from what any American would consider extreme poverty. But you best not call Restore International a charity. Bob won’t have it for a second. Instead of taking funds from wealthy Americans, the kids at Restore are actually growing crops and selling them in order to donate the money to American charities! Why? Because Bob Goff wants to instill dignity and purpose in the lives of his students.

Here’s a guest blog from Justin Zoradi, the Marketing Director for The Mentoring Project, the non-profit I started three years ago. Justin reflects on his interaction with Bob and the unusual emotions involved in accepting money from children a half world away:

Bob Goff, founder of Restore International, called me last week to let us know young men from The Restore Leadership Academy have decided to make a donation to The Mentoring Project to provide mentors for kids in Portland, Oregon.
Apparently, with the help of Restore, a number of these young men have started growing & selling their own crops.

After hearing about The Mentoring Project, they wanted to give a small portion of their profits to our work. 
When we heard this news we were shocked, and a little unnerved. What were these young men thinking? Are we seriously going to accept donations from kids in Uganda? Many of these students were former child soldiers, their lives upended by poverty, conflict, and civil unrest, and now they want to give to The Mentoring Project?
It’s easy to be cynical about something like this and assume it’s not in the best interest of The Mentoring Project to accept donations from young people who are,  for the most part, in a much harder situation than the fatherless boys in Portland.

But in talking to Bob about it, we realized that accepting the contributions and allowing Ugandan youth the opportunity to give generously is the most empowering thing we can do.

Bob described these students as the future leaders of Uganda and how this donation is a powerful incentive for the development of their country. The gift is a boost for us, but also an act of nation-building for them.

Due to an eclectic mix of colonialism, foreign investment, and resource allocation, the world of international aid and development is dominated by 1st world countries supporting the livelihoods of 3rd world countries. Rarely, is it the other way around.

Coincidentally, alongside my work with The Mentoring Project, I run an international education organization called These Numbers Have Faces. As both organizations solicit support through various means, it’s exciting, and also inspiring, to see ordinary Americans, Canadians, and Europeans feeling empowered and overjoyed to give to our work in America and South Africa.

We’ve learned that there is something meaningful and deeply enriching in the act of giving itself, regardless of the amount.

Remember the parable Jesus told about the widow who gave her last coin to the poor in Mark 12? In the same vein, let’s not take away the opportunity for the boys from Uganda to be blessed by God and experience the joy of giving.
We wanted the students in Uganda to know how much we appreciate their donations, so we mailed them a few copies of this thank you page showing one of the mentees they are helping us support here in Portland.

Basically, Restore International is turning charity on its head. They are saying that the privilege of financial progress and the joy of financial generosity shouldn’t be reserved exclusively for the global north. And, maybe if we gave the global south more opportunities to experience the joys of giving, they’d be more likely to pull their own countries out of poverty.

Needless to say, we’re just thrilled to be along for the ride.
- Justin Zoradi, Marketing Director, The Mentoring Project
justin@thementoringproject.org 

This post is reprinted from http://donmilleris.com/2010/06/04/bob-goff-turns-the-idea-of-charity-upside-down/.  If you have any thoughts to share, please post a comment!

Is there a crazier juxtaposition in the calendar year than Thanksgiving and Black Friday?  On the former day, we are encouraged to reflect on what we are thankful for, to enjoy what we have, and to develop an attitude of gratitude.  And then, millions of people set their alarms for some ridiculous hour so that they can push through the crowds the next morning in order to get the best deals on toys and goods for the holiday season.  In the blink of an eye, gratitude turns to covetousness; thanksgiving to full-blown consumerism. 

Now, I’m not saying that it’s necessarily a bad thing to go out on Black Friday and save money on gifts for the loved ones in your life.  After all, I’ve done it myself!  I am saying, of course, what most of us know to be true, that the Christmas season has the frightening ability to inspire the worst in us – greed, the lust for that which we do not have, dissatisfaction with what we do have, impatience and anger with the traffic and crowds (and sometimes family), and a general stress with the busyness of the season.  Thanksgiving may be a beautiful day, but the feelings of gratitude can fade quickly in the bright lights of the holiday season.

So why not decide to take a different path this year?  Why not decide as an individual or as a family that some of the money you would spend on others could be put to better use this year, perhaps to bless someone who truly has needs rather than wants?  If you have children, why not take this opportunity to educate them on what life is like for children in other parts of the world, whose biggest concern is not whether or not they will get an XBox, but whether or not they will have clean water to drink?  You may just find that, as Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than receive” (Acts 20:35).

There are countless worthy possibilities out there, but one to consider this Christmas season might be the World Vision Gift Catalog (http://www.worldvisiongifts.org/).  World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.  They serve close to 100 million people in nearly 100 countries around the world, truly living out the heart of God for the poor and oppressed.

When you visit www.worldvisiongifts.org, you will see many ways that your money can be used to bless a child or family in need.  For example, $200 will buy a water pump to deliver irrigation to farming families in Africa; $35 will send a girl in Cambodia to school for a year; and for just $25, you can buy two chickens for a family in need.  One of the best things about World Vision is that many of your gifts are multiplied; for example, a donation of $25 to World Vision will deliver $150 worth of supplies to American children in poverty because of corporations who partner with World Vision to donate clothing, shoes, diapers, and other products. 

Do yourself, and the world, a favor and check out www.worldvisiongifts.org.  If nothing else, it will be an education as to the challenges faced by many people around the world, and a reality check as to what you and your family really have, and really need, this Christmas season. 

And if you have other favorite organizations or causes to donate or support this Christmas season, feel free to post a comment.

 Wouldn’t you know it, on that very day I was preaching came a modern day example that was really intriguing.  It comes out of North Columbus, Ohio, where a church called New Beginnings Ministries exists in the same town as a strip club called the Fox Hole.  According to the local news, the pastor and many from his church have for the past four years been rallying outside the strip club to try to shut it down, preaching at patrons with bullhorns and even taking pictures of license plates in the parking lot and posting them on the church website (you can read about it here). 

On August 8th, however, the strip club turned the tables.  As people showed up for the morning service on Sundays, they were greeted by strippers from the Fox Hole, who set up on the lawn outside the church with their own homemade signs, protesting the way the church has been treating them (you can see the news report here).  Needless to say, the reverse protest only served to raise the levels of hostility between the church and the strip club.  The pastor and his congregants were no closer to embracing the women of this strip club, nor was the strip club any closer to embracing the God of New Beginnings Ministries.

What do you think?  Is the behavior of New Beginnings Ministries really the way Jesus would want His church to handle the situation?  Their goal has been to shut down the strip club, since it is not a place that is glorifying to God.  Nothing wrong with a church having that goal.  But their methods – protests, shaming patrons, disparaging those who work there – has only served to communicate to the people associated with the Fox Hole that the Christian God is a God of judgment and condemnation.  In doing so, they bring to mind Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:13 - “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.”  What would have happened if, instead, the church sought to shut down the club through loving the women into the Kingdom, through showing them a God who is better than anything they could find in the world of adult entertainment?

Well, maybe this would happen:  One woman – Sherri Brown from The Rock Church in San Diego, heard about this story and decided to do just that.  Together with a friend who God had saved out of the adult entertainment industry, they went to Ohio to visit the women of the Fox Hole.  This is what they had to share (courtesy of xxxchurch.com):

DAY ONE

Just wanted to send an update on the Ohio strip club outreach. After much prayer, we felt the Lord calling us to spend all weekend with the girls. We arrived at the club at 12:30am and were met outside by the local church protesters. We said, “hi” as we passed them to enter the club, but didn’t communicate any further. We were greeted at the door by the girls and they welcomed us in with open arms! There are a total of 7 girls who work there (but only 6 were present). They brought us into the dressing room where we spent the next 2 hours sharing Jesus’ Love with them!!! They were sharing the pain they were experiencing through this church and telling us disappointing things that have been said to them.

We continued to let them know that God loves them and that is not the heart of Jesus. Surprisingly enough, they were totally open to hearing and receiving all we had to say. We thought that they were probably so turned off by the church that they might cringe at the very mention of Jesus…. but it was quite the opposite. These precious women were hungry and told us that all of the hateful things said to them didn’t seem like something God “who is suppose to Love them” would say. The girls thanked us repeatedly for coming and were very touched by the gifts, love, & gesture…. this outreach was MORE than amazing!! It was a total God-thing!

We established great new friendships with the girls and they realized that the Love of Jesus was a gift for them! Tomorrow night we will be returning with dinner for the girls. We are planning on being there from 7:30-9:30pm Eastern time (4:30-6:30pm Pacific time). Please pray during this time because we are certain something even bigger is going to happen!! After leaving the club, God pressed upon our hearts to offer them the free gift of salvation (now that they have received His Love). We are so excited to see what God is going to do; we can’t wait to go back!!

DAY 2

We do believe that we are suppose to talk to the pastor (as of now) because God can change things around through Love. Please pray for wisdom and discernment and that every word spoken out of our mouths is only from the Lord and not our flesh. We want to bring the heart of Jesus to this pastor and to the church as well. I thought that we were here for the girls, but maybe God wants to use us to help bring His Love to the church as well. Thank you very much, as always, for your prayers and support!!

Tonight is one of the greatest nights in our lives!!!! We brought pizza to the Foxhole for the girls and also brought some for the church protesters too. The church was not there when we arrived so we left their pizza in the car. We went into the club and were blessed by flowers & cards from the girls!!! We had such a wonderful night with them. God spoke into us and then we spoke into them. It was so not us, which made it very supernatural. Two of the precious girls gave their lives to the Lord and a few rededicated their relationship with Him!!! Yea God!!! We just LOVE these beautiful girls with ALL of our hearts and pray a special blessing on them and their families.

When we left the club, Pastor Bill and some of the men from the church were there. We were so happy to see them and give them the pizza that we had brought for them. We were able to share with them a little about our ministry and the heart God has given us for HIS precious daughters. They were excited about us being there and the Lord gave us a really special heart for these men… it was the same heart He gives us for the girls!!! We just loved them! He gave us a chance to pray together and pray for Pastor Bill which was a huge blessing! Pastor Bill invited us to their church tomorrow and is going to allow us to share what God can do through HIS LOVE and AMAZING GRACE for the entire service!!!

We are so excited!!! We invited the girls from the club into the church to be there as well, and prayerfully they will accept and the heart and LOVE of Jesus will not only transform the church & the girls, but the community as well! Praise God for what HE is doing and continues to do!!!

DAY 3

Praise, Honor, and Glory to God for what HE DID IN WARSAW OHIO TODAY!! Anny & I were invited to speak to the church this Sunday at The New Life Ministries Church. We were met by our beautiful new friends from the Foxhole Strip Club. We exchanged huge hugs and were so excited to see them again. We also got a chance to meet the strip club owner Tommy and give him a gift! We invited the girls into the church to listen to the message God had given us to give to the church, but said that they did not feel welcomed in and as much as they wanted to go inside, they didn’t.

Anny and I showed up with nothing but the Holy Spirit and the Love of Jesus and were able to share our testimony, stories, and hearts with this beautiful church. God Rocked the House!! Tears were flowing, repentance, grace, and forgiveness was taken place, and the Heart of the Father and His Love was being released to His Church. After Anny prayed an amazing prayer, we invited the church to help CHANGE THE FACE OF CHRISTIANITY by standing with us and truly LOVING God’s Beautiful Girls just as Jesus would. The entire church stood with us and God was PLEASED!!!! There was an overflow of the Love of Jesus onto His people, who were now ready to take that same Love and pour it into their community beginning with the precious dancers.

As the church left the building, they became Jesus in Flesh and the Love of the Father poured out all over these girls as they began to Love them, hug them, and seek forgiveness from them!!! Our Sweet Lola was broken and afraid to trust the church. Pastor Bill Hugged her and held her and promised with all his heart he was not gonna fail her. He prayed for her and it was AMAZING!! I saw my beautiful Lola Smile from ear to ear for the very first time!!!

This whole community was touched and reached today because they received the message Jesus had for them, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Pastor Bill and Strip Club Owner Tommy allowed the Love and Grace of Jesus to heal their relationship and they made peace with one another! They are going to have lunch on Wednesday! Praise be to God and we give Him all Honor and Praise for what HE DID here in Warsaw Ohio this weekend!!! The VICTORY HAS BEEN WON!!! THE WAR IS OVER!! PRAISE OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!

The above testimony only represents the perspective of one woman in the situation, but even if 75% of it is true, then it is a beautiful reminder of how much more powerful love and compassion are than judgment and condemnation in overcoming evil and bringing people to God.  Now go and do likewise in the name of Jesus.

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:  “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:35-40)

My family moved to our current home back in October of 2000. We purchased our home with great hopes and expectations that God wanted to use us to reach out to our new neighbors, even though we didn’t know a single one of them. We didn’t know how or when we would be used, but we knew we would be used.

The very first day we moved in, move-in day was rather hectic, as they usually are. It was just my husband and me and our six young children moving things in. In the midst of unpacking, it suddenly occurred to me that we had an empty refrigerator and empty cupboards. Knowing there was a small convenience store about two minutes away, I told my husband I was going to drive down the road and pick up something to bring back for lunch. I asked him to watch all the kids.

As I was leaving, our daughter, a toddler at the time and who loved to be stuck to me like Velcro, began to cry that she wanted to come. Since I was only going to be gone about 10 minutes, I asked my husband to keep her with him. There was just so much confusion going on with the move-in that I thought it would be best for her to stay home during my brief trip.

I returned home about 10 minutes later. My husband informed me that our daughter had sat on the front steps crying and screaming for the first few minutes, then went in her room and fell asleep on her bed. She had been fast asleep for several minutes.  I thought, “Well, at least maybe I can make some progress with unpacking now that my Velcro has been removed.”

My husband told me he needed to go to Home Depot to pick up some things for the house, and so off he went.  A couple minutes after he left, I was inside unpacking when I received a knock on the front door.  I thought to myself, “Oh, I wonder if one of our new neighbors is stopping by to say hello?!”

I opened the door. My jaw just about fell to the floor when I saw it was a uniformed police officer with his cruiser in our driveway.  I stumbled through, “Hello, how may I help you?”

The officer said, “We received an anonymous phone call that there was a crying and screaming child at your house. I am here to investigate the call.”

I wanted to throw up. I again stumbled through, “Well, yes, apparently there was.” I then told him what my husband shared with me and volunteered to let him come in and see my sleeping daughter.

He politely declined, then said, “I see the ‘SOLD’ sign on your front lawn and the moving truck. Are you just moving in today?”

On the verge of tears, I responded, “Yes we are.”

He shook his head and said, “Wow. I sure hope your neighbors don’t continue to give you a hard time. This wasn’t a very nice welcome to the neighborhood.”

I thanked him for his kindness before he left.  Needless to say, when the officer pulled out of the driveway, I began bawling like a baby. I hated our new house, our new neighbors, our new neighborhood, everything. All my hopes and expectations for reaching out to our new neighbors went straight down the toilet.

I had a full-blown pity party for myself that lasted for several days. Finally, when I stopped crying long enough to hear God’s still, small voice, I heard Him say, “Are you finally done? Now let’s get to work on reaching out to your neighbors.”

I asked God how. The first thing He laid on my heart to do was bake some homemade carrot cake for my three closest neighbors and to bring the cake and my children to introduce my family to them. Perhaps our neighbors had heard we have a large family and were intimidated by our size. A warm introduction might help break the ice and show them we are really a friendly family.

After this initial ice-breaker, the Lord then laid it on my heart to have an open house and invite our neighbors to come over for a harvest party (remember, we moved in during October). We had the party and laid out several Christian tracts on the goodies table (a gentle hint at our Christian faith).

The following April, the Lord laid it on my heart to host a neighborhood Easter children’s party at our house the day before Easter. This event included a more obvious sharing of our Christian faith. A couple neighbors came.
Following those two events, the Lord laid it on my heart to begin a more widespread neighborhood outreach. He gave me the idea of putting together baskets of three items: (1) a jar candle with a handmade tag saying the Bible verse that Jesus is the Light of the world; (2) a bottle of sparkling water with a handmade tag saying the Bible verse that Jesus is the Living Water; and (3) a plate of my homemade cinnamon rolls with a handmade tag saying the Bible verse that Jesus is the Bread of Life. Over the course of several weeks, the Lord laid it on my heart for whom to make the gift baskets and when to make them and have my children come along with me to deliver them. They were always very well received by our neighbors.

Several years ago during Christmas time, the Lord then laid it on my heart to have my children make a couple gingerbread houses with a handmade gift tag saying the Bible verse that we are to build our house upon the Rock.  I then had my daughter, who by this time was older and ready to learn the art of neighborhood outreach, deliver them herself to a couple of our neighbors (one familiar and one new to the neighborhood). Again, the gifts were very well received.

I continue to pray about ways to reach out to our neighbors.

I hope my testimony inspires others to think outside the box when sharing the gospel with neighbors. God is a very creative God and is ready and willing to give us ideas if we are willing to do the legwork.

Is there a crazier juxtaposition in the world than Thanksgiving and Black Friday?  On the former day, we are encouraged to reflect on what we are thankful for, to enjoy what we have, and to develop an attitude of gratitude.  And then, millions of people set their alarms for some ridiculous hour so that they can push through the crowds the next morning in order to get the best deals on toys and goods for the holiday season.  In the blink of an eye, gratitude turns to covetousness; thanksgiving to full-blown consumerism. 

Now, I’m not saying that it’s necessarily a bad thing to go out this Friday and save money on gifts for the loved ones in your life.  I am saying, of course, what most of us know to be true, that the Christmas season has the frightening ability to inspire the worst in us – greed, the lust for that which we do not have, impatience with the traffic and crowds, and a general stress with the busyness of the season.  Thanksgiving may last for a day, but the feelings of gratitude can fade quickly in the bright lights of the holiday season.

So why not decide to take a different path this year?  Why not decide as an individual or as a family that the money you would spend on others could be put to better use this year, perhaps to meet the needs of someone who truly has needs?  There are countless worthy possibilities out there, and you may just find that, as Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than receive” (Acts 20:35).  Here are just a few worthy causes to consider this Christmas season:

1) Check out www.donate.worldvision.org and click on the “Gift Catalog.”  There you’ll find a long list of ways you can meet the basic needs of impoverished people around the world.  $75 will buy a goat that would nourish a family in Kenya; $100 would buy a well with a hand pump that would help provide clean water to a village; and for just $25, you can buy two chickens for a family in need.

2) At www.kiva.org, you can help support third-world entrepreneurs through microloans that could finance fledgling construction, food service, photography, or other businesses that can help an individual or family work their way out of poverty. 

3) Go to www.tradeasone.com to buy items from artisans around the world fairly and directly instead of buying everything through your local big box chain stores.  Once again, you help people pull themselves out of poverty without just donating money.

4) Check out www.globalgiving.com and consider giving money to community-based projects that need support.  Invest in education, health care, and other vital services in parts of the world that don’t have the resources we have.

5) Or, visit www.adventconspiracy.org and use the money you would have spent on presents you don’t need to provide fresh water wells through an organization called Living Water.

Maybe you’re ready to change up the way you do Christmas.  Or maybe you can start small, by picking one of these options and putting some money towards good use.  Or, maybe you aren’t ready this year to make such a radical change.  Whatever the case, I would encourage you to check out some of these sites, and to begin a conversation with your family and friends on how you might reject the consumerism of Christmas and instead make it about freely giving to others in the same way that our Father freely gave His Son to us so many Christmases ago. 

And if you have other ideas of worthy places to which to donate, please post a comment.

Matt and I have been working the past couple of months on a redesign of the website, and this Sunday we launched the new site.  I would encourage you to check it out, and would love to share with you some of the new features we have added:

1) Pictures, pictures, pictures – we’ve added many more pictures to the site to help tell the story of our church and the people who make it up.  We’ve been blessed with talented photographers like Sarah McCoy, Heather Lanier, and Ali Durbois, and their work has really helped us give people a window into our church life.  And of course, we’ve been blessed with some beautiful people!

2) More information on children’s ministry and home fellowships – many people looking for a church do so mainly for their children, and for that reason we wanted to make sure we gave our children’s ministry a more prominent place.  And since we believe that our home fellowships are an important way that people can connect on a deeper level, we wanted to highlight them as well.

3) Prayer Center – we often receive prayer requests from people who find our website, and so we have added a Prayer Center where people can share requests or praise reports.  There is also a feature that allows anyone to add their email address to an online prayer chain, so that when a new request comes in, an email will be sent out letting you know that someone needs prayer.

4) Better organized sermon archive – on our old site, every sermon was listed by title; on the new one, we’ve grouped them by sermon series, so that you can look back and see what has been preached on over the last three years. 

In addition to the updated site, we have also added a presence on Facebook, the social networking site.  Our page includes pictures of past events, information on upcoming events, and links to the profiles of some of the people in our church who are on Facebook.  With an increasing number of people having profiles on the site, this presence allows us to introduce our church to a whole other population.

While our website has been instrumental in introducing people to our church, the best way to connect people to God and to our church will always be through friendship and personal invitation.  We should be like Andrew in John 1:40-41, who when he heard about Jesus, “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).”  The Easter season is a great time to invite people to church – many people are more open to attending church on Easter, and of course the weather is no longer a hindrance.  And if you know a family who may not come on a Sunday to visit our church, invite them to our upcoming Family Fun Day on April 4th, where they will have the chance to see our church and hear the Easter story.  Please prayerfully consider who God might be putting on your heart to share the gospel with this Easter season.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter– when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” (Isaiah 58:6-7)

The ironic thing about the Courant coverage was that the New Britain public health department read about this ragtag bunch of believers feeding the hungry right under their noses for 18 years, and told Ray he could no longer serve hot soup unless it was prepared in an approved kitchen.  The soup was the center of the meal – a glorious and healthy collection of fresh vegetables, meats, and broth, a perfect meal for cold street living.  But after being “outed” by the Courant, Ray was forced to stop serving the soup, replacing it with simple Cup-a-Soup instead.  So much for all press being good press.

And so, the past few months, Ray had been spending more time making his ministry “legitimate” in the eyes of the world.  He was trying to find a way to continue serving soup on the streets, and was pursuing a non-profit status for the ministry.  But last Tuesday, Ray Labbe fell asleep on his couch and never woke up.  By the time his wife Linda found him, Ray had left this world and woken up in the presence of His Lord.  And can there be any doubt that the first words he heard were those glorious words of Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant”. 

Anyone who knew Ray certainly has many treasured memories.  I brought a number of youth groups to New Britain over the years to serve alongside Ray’s team, and he always encouraged our kids that every cup of soup, every hot dog, every donut, every bag of apples was given “in the name of Jesus.”  We weren’t just there just to give food, but because of Jesus and His love.  I know that as our kids served hot food across the table and sang songs of worship in that parking lot, that the name of Jesus was being lifted up, and that was what mattered most.

My most treasured memory of Ray was how every time I called him and asked how he was doing, he always answered, “Is Jesus on the throne?  Well, then, I must be okay.”  Ray had gone through two bouts with cancer that almost took his life – I still remember being a college student attending his church and seeing the “Pray for Ray” bumper stickers – and had come away knowing that no matter how bad things got, as long as Jesus was still Lord, he was going to be all right.  Just like the Apostle Paul, Ray had learned the secret of being content in all situations:  “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:12-13).  He would never be guaranteed health or wealth, but he would always be guaranteed that His Lord was in charge of his life, and that was enough for Ray.

I miss Ray already.  I don’t yet know what will become of Isaiah 58 ministry.  I don’t know if the people were lined up last Saturday, waiting for a blue van that never showed, or whether the volunteers are carrying on the ministry in Ray’s absence.  I suppose this is still a question to be figured out.  But whatever happens with the ministry, I know that we will all miss Ray so much.  I loved it whenever he and Linda showed up at NewLife, and was always happy to give him a few minutes to share what God was doing “on the street.”  He always had a twinkle in his eye and joy in his heart as he shared excitedly about how God was transforming lives.

I’m not sure what the future will hold for the ministry, and I’m sure that Linda and his daughters Robin & Jillian have even more questions.  But no matter what the future holds, I thank God that I can still hear Ray’s words echoing in my ears – “Is Jesus still on the throne?  Well, then, I must be okay.”

We would love for you to help us remember Ray and bless Linda and her daughters.  We will be collecting stories and pictures that you may have from the years you have known him, and compiling them into a little memory book for Linda.  If you have a story to share, please send it to me, post a comment on the blog, or both.  Also, Linda is planning a Celebration of Life service for Ray that will happen in either March or April but has not been planned yet.  As soon as I know the date, I will pass it along.  Praise God for sharing with us His servant, Ray Labbe.

Christmas is just around the corner, which means that sometime this weekend you will be standing in the mall trying to decide what your mother-in-law or 22 year-old son might want for Christmas, and you will ask yourself that annual question, “wait, why I am doing this again?”  So, for those who resonate with that question, or who are thinking of ways to do it differently next year, might I offer a few suggestions on how your family might collectively decide to use your money to achieve a nobler purpose than procuring the latest Wii game or a newer flat screen TV?

1) Check out www.donate.worldvision.org and click on the “Gift Catalog.”  There you’ll find a long list of ways you can meet the basic needs of impoverished people around the world.  $75 will buy a goat that would nourish a family in Kenya; $100 would buy a well with a hand pump that would help provide clean water to a village; and for just $25, you can buy two chickens for a family in need.

2) At www.kiva.org, you can help support third-world entrepreneurs through microloans that could finance fledgling construction, food service, photography, or other businesses that can help an individual or family work their way out of poverty. 

3) Go to www.tradeasone.com to buy items from artisans around the world fairly and directly instead of buying everything through your local big box chain stores.  Once again, you help people pull themselves out of poverty without just donating money.

4) Check out www.globalgiving.com and consider giving money to community-based projects that need support.  Invest in education, health care, and other vital services in parts of the world that don’t have the resources we have.

5) Or, visit www.adventconspiracy.org and use the money you would have spent on presents you don’t need to provide fresh water wells through an organization called Living Water (thanks to St. Paul’s Collegiate Church for these suggestions).

Maybe it’s too late to reverse course this year.  But I would encourage you to check out some of these sites, and begin a conversation with your family and friends on how you might reject the consumerism of Christmas and instead make it about freely giving to others in the same way that our Father freely gave His Son to us so many Christmases ago.

I spoke with Ray today to hear more about the article and to let him know that some churches have contacted us about getting involved with the ministry.  I was shocked to hear him tell me that not all of the response to their ministry has been good.  Apparently, the health department read the article and wasn’t pleased about this little soup kitchen on wheels that has been operating under their noses for over 15 years, and consequently Ray has a meeting lined up tomorrow with a health inspector, where he will learn whether or not Isaiah 58 can even continue serving hot food to the hungry and homeless (how dare they try to give food away for free!)  Please pray for Ray and for Isaiah 58, and he’ll give us an update when he is in church on December 14th. 

In the light of my current sermon series on Death and the Life after that, I thought it would be worth reflecting a bit on the motivation behind Isaiah 58 and similar service ministries.  There is often a belief in evangelical churches that the only thing that matters is saving individual souls.  This line of thinking goes that everyone will die and go to either heaven or hell, and so therefore all that really matters is making sure that people are going to heaven.  If this is true, then there are two ways of viewing the work that the Labbes do.  The first way is to consider it a waste of time.  Sure, Ray tries to share the gospel every time he is there, but considering all the time and effort given towards giving people food, surely that could be better used to save the souls of men and women.  It’s like Stephen Baldwin, the Baldwin brother-turned-Christian, who said in his autobiography about Bono’s work with world leaders trying to eliminate third world debt:  “You would do far more good if you just preached the gospel of Jesus rather than trying to get rid of Third World debt relief.”

The second way of viewing the work they do is that by feeding hungry people, the Labbes and their ministry are plowing the ground of men’s hearts in order to make it fertile ground for the gospel.  In other words, feeding hungry people in and of itself is of no value, since both hungry and well-fed people who do not know Jesus will go to Hell, but at least feeding people can gain you a hearing for the gospel. 

 But is there any good in simply feeding hungry people because they are hungry?  Is that act by itself worship to God and a redeeming use of one’s time? 

 I would argue that there is overwhelming Biblical evidence to support the argument that feeding hungry people is in itself worship to God.  The second greatest commandment, of course, is to love your neighbor as yourself, and most people I know take care of their food needs regularly.  There is also Jesus’ parable about the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25, where he tells his disciples that whatever they have done to the least of these (including giving the hungry something to eat), they have done to him, and that this fact will be a pretty important detail come the final judgment.  And the Old Testament prophetical books are filled with admonitions from God that His people care for the poor and hungry among them instead of trampling on them.  Exhibit A, naturally, is Isaiah 58 itself:

Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter– when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? (Isaiah 58:5-7)

True fasting, according to this passage, is not just about going without food.  It is working for justice, providing shelter for the wanderer, and – yes – sharing your food with the hungry.  Not so they might be converted, but because this act is itself worship unto God.  Why?  Because God is a God of justice and righteousness, and it is RIGHT and JUST in God’s kingdom for people to have food and WRONG and UNJUST in God’s kingdom for the rich to hoard food and the poor to go without.  To share your food with the hungry is to provide a witness to the way God intends for the world to be.  The ministry of Isaiah 58, and all food ministries like it, declare that in God’s kingdom, when God reigns and His servant are following the King, no one goes hungry.  And as we read in Revelation 22:2, the tree of life will stand in the new heavens and new earth, yielding its fruit every month for the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem.  No one will ever go hungry when God’s kingdom finally comes on earth as it is in heaven.  To feed the hungry today is to provide a window into the world as God intends for it to be, the world that will be on that final day.

So pray for Ray & Linda Labbe and the ministry of Isaiah 58, and be encouraged that, as Jesus said in Matthew 10:41-42:  “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”

All of a sudden prison just got a lot less frightening, a lot less lonely.

Incredibly, the above story is basically true.  You see, every week, a team of Christians from around Connecticut spends time ministering in state prisons with a ministry called Free Inside.  Led by Peter Dewberry, the first pastor of our church and now one of the missionaries we support, the Free Inside teams use an effective video series called “Alpha” that goes through the basic theological doctrines of the Christian faith over a 15 week period.  The Alpha program as done in the prisons consists of two main parts – the video and a small group discussion component where participants are encouraged to talk freely about their reactions to what has been presented in the video. 

Recently in a Free Inside program at a minimum security prison in Enfield, one small group was discussing the concept of Christian service and giving to others, drawing on Philippians 2:1-11 and how Jesus, despite being equal to God, emptied himself and took the form of a servant here on earth.  The group was challenged to find ways to serve right where they were in order to imitate Christ.  A few men in the group took the challenge to heart, and instituted a “Welcome Wagon” ministry in their prison.  Whenever a new person would enter the prison, the Christians in the group would take up a collection for the new guy of stuff he might need, including a spare Bible if anyone had one.  Along with the care package, someone from the group would make sure that the new man was personally welcomed.  Two of the men decided to go even further by regularly collecting things for guys who needed various things. 

What an incredible example of Christ-like giving!  What a real-life example of the widow’s mite – people giving generously and sacrificially out of the little they have.  Apparently, the inmates in this minimum security prison are allowed to have a certain amount of money sent in from families every month, which can be used to purchase some extra necessities or edible goodies.  They are also able to earn money through jobs that are available – $1.50 a day, to be exact – for doing things like cleaning trash off the side of the highway.   Can you imagine putting in a hard day of work and earning only $1.50?  And out of all that these men collect, they use what they can to welcome those who are new to prison.  What an incredible example of Christ-like service and generosity and of serving wherever you find yourself. 

We have been loved by a Savior who did not think it beneath Him to give up heaven to become a servant here on earth, giving of Himself all the way to the cross.  And it is this Savior who calls us to do likewise, to be generous with whatever we have, giving with no strings attached to those who may never repay us.  You have been planted where you are for a reason; find a way to serve and give freely to those around you, that those in your life might come to know the free gift of salvation offered in Jesus Christ.

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.  But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”  (Mark 12:41-44)

If you are interested in learning more about Free Inside, you can visit www.free-inside.com or contact Peter Dewberry at 860-633-4085.  There is always a need for volunteers, or for the finances to restock their supplies of Bibles and books.

   
            Eric and Sharman doing the Blessing of the Animals

If you’re a part of NewLife, you really should save the date and be a part of this event, which will be taking place on Sunday, September 28th from 1-4 on Hubbard Green in Glastonbury.  Last year’s event was such a unique experience in the life of our church, because it gave us five great opportunities:1) The opportunity to work together – we have so many people in our church who serve in various ways – some in the Sunday School, others with hospitality, still others in prison ministry.  But this event was the only one we’ve had where there were 20-25 people working together to bless our community.  Watching one team give away free drinks and snacks and answer questions about our church, another team talk with children and their parents at the Draw Your Pet contest booth, and others help with the contests, the raffle, and everything else was such a great experience.

    
               The NewLife team                            Rachel Lutzker judging
                                                                       the best looking dog

2) The opportunity for people to use their gifts that may not be used at church – NewLife is home to some very talented people, but their gifts and passions don’t always find use in the regular ministries of the church.  The Big Day Out, however, gave a chance for some people to really shine.  Kristin Burns did an incredible job as MC of the event, Sarah McCoy took unbelievable photos of people with their pets, Denise Kalkstein worked her magic as the vendor liaison, and Matt LaCroix was able to put together a really great event website (www.newlife-glastonbury.org/bigdayout).  This year, we’ve got the very talented Darci McHenry doing face painting as well.  In addition, this event gave those who have a passion to care for the animals of God’s creation, like Sharman Anderson and Robin Oprysko, a chance to really use their gifts to honor God and bless others.

  
Kristin with Woofer the River Dog        A beautiful photo with your pet
                                                                  by Sarah McCoy

3) The opportunity to be out in the community – As we’ve mentioned before, as a church without a building of our own, we are invisible to many people even within our own town.  For this reason, it takes creativity and intentionality to get out there and meet people and introduce them to our church and to share the good news of Jesus with them.  This event is one of those opportunities to come out of the four walls of our Sunday meeting space and be among the people of our town, letting them know we exist and what we are all about.

   
     The Central K-9 agility course   Giving away free snacks and drinks!

4) The opportunity to give freely and bless lavishly – From the beginning, I wanted the event to be totally free – free photos, free snacks, free drinks, free contests and prizes.  The only reason anyone needed money was to buy tickets for the raffle, which benefited the local Protectors of Animals.  The salvation we have been given in Jesus is free, and I wanted this event to be a total blessing to the families who came.  I know that people are used to having to pay for everything, so my hope was that a completely fun and free event would be a testimony to our God, from whom every good and perfect gift comes (James 1:17).

  
    The Beckett Vet surgery demo            This year we’ve added
                                                                      Police K-9 demos!

5) The opportunity to invite people who may not accept an invitation to church – We all have people in our life who would never come to church if we invited them but would come to an event like this, where they will meet people from our church and may find many of their stereotypes about Christians broken.  Use this opportunity to invite everyone you know who has a pet – you never know who will come!

I hope you’ll take the opportunity to be involved this year; or, if you’re not a part of our church, that you’ll come out with your pet and enjoy the day!  Pray that God would be honored by the event, that I would speak clearly about the gospel during the Blessing of the Animals, that we would bless many people and their pets, and that ultimately we would connect many people to our church and our Lord.

Two words that should never be in the same sentence, some would say (unless that sentence reads: “the church should never be involved in marketing”).  Marketing the gospel, the argument goes, treating it like another product to be sold, is an affront to God and the ways He builds His kingdom.  Others, however, would disagree, claiming that marketing is an essential part of evangelism, communicating the gospel in a clear and attractive way that brings people into the church and into a relationship with God. 

What do you think?  More importantly, what does God think about the concept of church marketing?

These past two weeks, I’ve been looking at some of the benefits and dangers of using seeker-sensitive methods in church.  I think that marketing is one of those methods that is worth reflecting upon.  Is it wise to spend time learning from the world’s methods of advertising in order to promote church and the gospel?  Should churches spend time studying how Starbucks creates atmosphere, how top hotels provide extraordinary service to their guests, how Apple uses advertising in order to promote its product, in order to make the church more hospitable and attractive, in order to create a “wow” factor, as some church leaders teach?  Or is borrowing from the corporations of the world in order to improve the church antithetical to the spirit of the gospel? 

These are tough questions.  On the one hand, there is the sense that the gospel should be enough.  Churches for centuries have relied on prayer, ministry, and evangelism to build the kingdom of God.  When church leaders listen more to the marketers of the world, using billboards and mass mailings and gifts at the door for visitors to their church, are they not telling God that He needs help advertising His “product,” that the gospel is not enough?  Are their marketing methods communicating to the world that the gospel is just another life-improvement philosophy being peddled alongside countless others in the marketplace?  Or, on the other hand, are these church leaders to be commended for their conviction that the greatest message ever told deserves to be communicated in the most creative and effective way possible, that finding innovative ways to share the gospel and bring people to church is indeed worship unto the Lord?

One truth that is worth pondering as we think through this issue is that, intentionally or unintentionally, the church is always marketing itself, if we see marketing as simply communicating a message to the world.  Even if a church chooses not to put an ad in the Yellow Pages or put a sign out in front of its church, it is communicating something about the church or the gospel or God Himself to the world.  Perhaps the church that intentionally tries not to market itself is unwittingly communicating to its community that they are not looking for anyone to visit their church, that they prefer to remain isolated and unknown.  Would not that message contradict the spirit of the gospel, where Jesus tells his followers that they are the light of the world, a city on a hill (Matthew 5:13-16)?  It may be that, even if you try, it is impossible to escape the reality that you are marketing yourself. 

A church is always marketing itself, whether or not it does so intentionally.  It is communicating something about the gospel and its God by how it spends its money, by the kind of building it meets in, by its level of involvement in its community, and by the missionaries they support.  A church communicates something about the gospel and its God by the way its members treat each other, and by how they act towards their neighbors.  You may choose to call it by its more spiritual term “witness” or by the more secular term “marketing”; either way, the church is always communicating positively or negatively about Jesus and His gospel.

So perhaps the question is not “to market or not to market.”  Perhaps the question is, what are you communicating about God, church, and the gospel by the way you are living and “doing church”?  Thinking specifically of NewLife, what do we communicate by meeting in a Masonic Lodge?  What are we communicating by the events we have done, or by the service projects we have done or haven’t done in the community?  Look at how we use our money and the missionaries we support – what are these communicating about our values and our message?  What are we communicating by the website we have created, by the blog posts I write, or by the ads we have put in the paper?  And do these messages we are communicating accurately reflect the witness we are trying to have in our community?

I don’t think you can escape the fact that, as a church, we are marketing yourself, giving a witness, or communicating a message to those around you.  But sometimes trying to copy the marketing strategies of the world can lead you to communicate a gospel different than that of Jesus.   Let me share four messages I would hope we don’t communicate; if you have other ideas of messages to avoid, I would encourage you to share them in the comments:

1) The Christian life is all about YOU.  I want to communicate that the Christian life is all about GOD, and that by making our lives all about knowing and worshiping God, in the end we find the life we’ve been looking for.  Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-26, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?’” One danger when the church thinks in marketing terms is that most of the world’s ads and messages are trying to pander to people’s self-centeredness.  When Christians write books and communicate messages about how God can give you your best life and make you happy and prosperous, they may be creating a church of self-serving Christians who will follow God as long as it works for them instead of disciples who love God with all their heart and are satisfied with Him above all else.
2) God is just another product to enhance your life.  Similarly, I don’t want to communicate that God is just one of the choices out there that will enrich your life, like joining a wellness company or buying an iPhone.  God has to be all or He is nothing; the center or else not in the picture.  He will not have any gods, any idols, above Himself, and is not an accessory to make you feel better when you’re down or when you need spiritual inspiration.  On the contrary, following God will often wreck your life, taking your dreams and dashing them, and often only later showing you that His way was better all along.
3) Salvation is repeating a prayer in order to receive a get-out-of-Hell free card.  I have often seen salvation and a relationship with God reduced to an escape from Hell, and I don’t think that is Biblical.  I used to take my youth group to an event where the gospel message was communicated something like this:  (1) We’re all sinners – even if you’ve only lied once, you’ve sinned.  (2) All sinners are going to Hell.  (3) Jesus died to get you out of Hell.  (4) Repeat this prayer after me and you will go to heaven instead of Hell.  Do you really believe that this is all the Bible is about, the totality of the Christian message?  Pray a prayer so you can go to heaven?  All this approach does is create a lot of people convinced they’re saved because they prayed a prayer, even though their lives are never changed.  I would hope that our church does not communicate that this is the extent of the Christian message.
4) We have to bribe people to come to church or become Christians.  There’s a fine line between being an attractive, hospitable church and trying to bribe people to come to or return to your church.  I’ve heard people advocate giving out gifts to newcomers, like Starbucks cards, free books, etc., and I’m not sure whether this is radical generosity or shamelessly bribing people to come to your church.  I remember one youth ministry training seminar where youth pastors were promised a method that would double the size of their group in three months.  The method, called the Great Commission Competition, went like this:  divide your youth group into three teams.  Whichever team can get the largest amount of friends to come to youth group over the next three months wins an all-expenses paid trip to Six Flags.  And during those three months, of course, the youth pastor would preach evangelistic methods aimed at converting people to Christianity.   I almost tried it until I realized how shameless a method it was.

In the end, I don’t believe the church can escape marketing, even if they call it by the more spiritual term “witness”.  We are always communicating a message to the world by what we do and how we live our lives.  To that end, we need to carefully examine the messages we are sending in order to ensure that we are not communicating something contrary to the gospel and the values of God’s Kingdom. 

I am sure that most people want to say the latter, of course.  The hard part is, however, that the answer to what we truly believe will come not by our words but by our actions.  Consider the following:

 Having our own space will mean that we are responsible for keeping it clean, so that dirty bathrooms and stained carpets might not be a stumbling block to people coming to faith in Jesus.  But who is going to keep it clean?

 Having a prominent location will mean more visiting families, which will require our nursery and Sunday School ministries to have enough teachers and volunteers that we are prepared for growth.  But we certainly can’t expect newcomers to start teaching Sunday School a month after showing up.  So who is going to step up and volunteer?

 Moving into a new location will mean taking time to organize the best layout for everything from classrooms to storage, and then working to make the best use of the space we have.  But who is going to volunteer their time to make that happen?

 Having a seven-day a week space gives the opportunity to be more hospitable to our community.  But who is going to step up with ideas and pull a team together to carry them out?

In the end, enthusiasm over a building means nothing unless we are willing to give whatever God asks in order to see the gospel transform our community.  Jesus was clear that the call to follow Him is full of sacrifice – taking up our cross, allowing no idols besides our God, and putting our hand to the plow and not looking back.  He called the rich young ruler to give all he had to the poor and follow Him, the disciples to leave their nets and become fishers of men, and to his listeners to be careful not to love anyone, even their son or daughter, more than Him.  But Jesus also promised in Matthew 10:39 that “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Just as his cross led to a resurrection, the way to new life comes through giving it up for the sake of others.

When we gather this Sunday after the morning service to discuss how God has been speaking, remember that we will vote not with our words but with our actions.  Does our current status reflect our hopes as a church?  Or will we take the challenge to become a church that is willing to give whatever God calls us to give, because we are convinced that we exist for the benefit of our non-members?

“It was [Jesus] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ .” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Why don’t you believe?  If you do not consider yourself a follower of Jesus, why do you not believe?  What is it that holds you back from believing all that Jesus said about God and what it means to know Him?  What doubts do you have, what experiences have damaged your faith, or what else has led you to declare that you do not believe? 

It’s a simple question, really, but one that you may not often take the time to reflect on and articulate.  If you believe in Jesus, if you follow the God of the Bible and are trying to live out the purpose of life as He revealed it, why have you made that decision?  And if you do not believe – if you reject that portrait of God or the Bible’s description of brokenness and salvation and what it means to really live – why not?  I’d really like to hear your story.

This past Sunday, we launched a new page on our church website called “Why Believe?” in anticipation of an upcoming sermon series I’ll be giving beginning on Easter Sunday, March 23rd.  I will be taking five Sundays to deal with some of the biggest reasons that people reject faith in Jesus – questions like “how can God allow THAT to happen in my life or in the world?” and “how can Christians claim that theirs is the only right religion?”  Statements such as “I can accept Jesus as a good teacher, but I can’t believe all the miracles of the Bible” or “I would be more likely to follow Jesus if it weren’t for all those hypocritical, intolerant Christians.”

The purpose of the “Why Believe?” site is to give people a chance to share their stories of why they do or do not believe.  The beauty about stories and personal experiences is that they are true to us – we have experienced them and no one can really argue with what we’ve experienced.  If you follow Jesus, sharing your story is a chance to put a face to the name “Christian,” a chance to let spiritual seekers or atheists know that there are real people with genuine reasons to believe.  And if you have rejected faith in Jesus or are still trying to figure it out, this is an opportunity to let Christians know that there are real people with genuine reasons to reject the God of the Bible or the Christian church.  Personal stories can be an excellent bridge-builder between people with different views, as well as an opportunity to interact with real people with real stories instead of just general “issues” and “theories.”  

So, as I prepare for this upcoming sermon series, I want you to do me two favors.  First, I would ask you to visit the website at www.newlife-glastonbury.org/whybelieve and share your story of why you do or do not believe.  Once you’re there, click on “How to Share” near the top of the page, and that will guide you through how to add your story.  Keep in mind that, as the moderator, I reserve the right to block stories or edit anything that does not contribute in a positive manner to the discussion.  Secondly, I want you to invite others you know to share their story, especially anyone you know who does not believe.  My hope is that this site will become a forum for honest conversation about the question of belief in Jesus.

At the end of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus tells his followers to go and make disciples of all nations, to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to teach them to obey everything he has commanded.  I believe that the salvation and new life that Jesus offers is for everyone in this world, and it is in this spirit that we have created this opportunity to both share what we believe and listen to the stories of those who don’t believe.  May God use this website and sermon series to reveal to our world who He truly is, in all of His majesty, holiness and beauty, so that all might believe.