Breaking Chains Of The Past
The ministry at Life House has really been a learning experience for me in many ways. I’ve always pastored established churches where everyone had been “IN CHURCH” and knew what a basic “christian family” life was all about. Our new mission is really a mission field. We are dealing with children and youth that have no idea what “normal” (or at least the “normal” that you and I think is “normal”) is. These kids feel that their lives are “normal”. For many of them the idea of not knowing who their parents are, where their parents are or where they are going to live tomorrow – is normal. For many the only type of love or discipline they get is physical and mental abuse. It’s normal for them to be called stupid, fat, or many other names which wouldn’t be good for me to write here. For many of them it’s normal not to get steady meals or even three meals a day. For many – it’s normal to never hear “I love you” or “you can do it”. For many it’s normal to never know what it’s like to go out to eat (seriously – because they can’t afford it). For many the idea of going to a movie, the mall or skating – is just a dream. Many are trapped – or so they feel. Many aren’t encouraged to get an education and in fact many are DIScouraged from going to school. Some are put on the streets and that’s the only life they know. Many only know cussing, fighting, sleeping around, drugs, alcohol, gambling. They only know that type “normal” life. It’s easy for me to say now that i’ve lived in this area for almost a year - we as “churched” people – are spoiled and naive. We see the world through rose colored glasses and we build glass walls between us and the hurting world. We refuse to admit that down the street people are hungry, hopeless and hurting.
One of our missions at Life House is to break the chains of the past for these kids. There is hope. There is love. There is a future for all of these kids if we can only get them pointed in the right direction. Life House has started a Tuesday night girls ministry. The goal of this ministry is to love, mentor, feed, teach and befriend the girls (7th – 12th grade) in our area. It’s not an easy ministry but it’s one that is going to prove to be fruitful. There is now interest in beginning a teen boys ministry. Plans are underway and we are trying to get things in order to begin. In both cases it’s going to take a lot of love, patience and winning friendship and trust. Many of these kids don’t know how to receive love or friendship. I know someone reading this might be saying, “it won’t work“, “you can’t reach or help them all“, “you can’t break the chains of the past“. AND TO THOSE STATEMENTS I SAY… YOU ARE RIGHT. You are right – we can’t and won’t reach them all – but we are going to reach SOME. You are right, we can’t break the chains of the past – but Jesus can! You are right – it won’t work — but we are going to work at it and give it to Jesus! If we can rescue one or two – five or ten then we will have made a difference in their world and in their future and in their eternity. So you might ask – “how can I help?”. The most important thing you can do is PRAY. Pray for those of us who are seeking to mentor these kids. Pray for more workers. Pray for the kids and their families. Pray for them to be saved so that their homes can change, their lives be more stable and their future bright. Pray for Life House – we aren’t your typical church with your typical mission. Pray that Satan would be bound from College Hill – the streets, the homes and the places of ill repute. Pray that God would send a revival to this area and that pastor and churches can get together to do kingdom work in this area. The longer I serve here – the more the peopleof College Hill become a part of my heart. PRAY.
Thanks for being faithful to read my blog. Thanks for praying. Thanks for loving souls and this new mission church. Comment if you want – all are welcome. Come see us (even if you already have a church and you just want to drop by and see the building and see what we are doing.). It’s a blessing for Cindy and I to serve as your North American Mission Board Missionaries to College Hill & Texarkana. Pray for us!
Pastor James