Hurst Gardens Party - Feb. 12

The sounds of chidren's laughter filled the complex.

It was an answer to many prayers. I'm sure many parents went away with a sense that these people will be good for my child to be around.

Jesus moved again into the neighborhood. He went through his people--all the Jesus-followers who showed up at Hurst Gardens for a party.

Several of us, including the Culps and others, guessed there were 60-70 residents who turned out, including 30-40 kids from preschool to high school. We probably had 20-25 kids K-5th grade, which will be our target age for the Tutoring/Bible Club(which now has a name, Mandy says, "The School By The Pool"). She had bilingual info sheets which everyone got regarding this.

So Jesus showed up. He did his special stuff again. Only this time it wasn't fish. It was pizza. But he used it and the games and his people to begin a transformation within a small complex we can only imagine!

When the night was over, I had a strong feeling that the folks at Hurst Gardens wanted to hang out more with some crazy folks who showed up in their neighborhood, loved them, and helped make life more hopeful and joyful.

God is good!

Neighborhood Connections - Neighborhood Party

Tonight Jesus is moving again into the neighborhood. He's going through his people. Jonathan, Mandy, Clay, Jessica, Raymon, Lindy, Nathan, Melissa and other Jesus-followers showing up at Hurst Apartments for a party.

Parties were and are one of Jesus' favorite places to meet people and have them catch some of the fresh air of kingdom life. There will be food, laughter, neighbors getting to know neighbors, games, love, and the spirit of God, brooding over that little piece of real estate. He's beginning the process of transforming it and helping us see the direction he wants us to go.

So tonight, come Lord Jesus. Do it again. This time it won't be fish. It'll be pizza. But use it and the games and your people to begin a transformation we can only imagine!

We're going to the people--the people you miss most. The poor. The broken. The skeptical, The bruised.

Use us. Help us to see you in the faces of the youngest child, as well as, the wrinkled granmother.

When the night is done, may they want to hang out more with some crazy folks who want to come beside them and love them and help make life more hopeful for them and their neighbors.

Connections With Haltom Middle School

Last week, Fort Worth Star-Telegram writer, Traci Shurley, reported on the "Backpacks for Kids" food program. She noted:

"Each Backpacks for Kids school site costs about $12,000 annually to run; the food bank gets operating help from Communities in Schools of Greater Tarrant County and other community groups. Officials would like to expand even more. They believe that support from community groups could make that possible.

"Starting Backpacks for Kids at Haltom Middle School, for example, was first discussed about four months ago when Richland Hills Church of Christ members approached Birdville school district officials with the idea to volunteer for the event, school officials said. Now the church is working in cooperation with the food bank to make the distribution possible.

"Haltom Middle School is the first who already had a community organization ready to volunteer," said Kathy Handler, coordinator of the Birdville district's after-school programs. "Tarrant Area Food Bank usually has to search for an organization to help with the program."

From Shane Clairborne

Shane is young and has a clear prophetic voice. He writes:

"As an evangelical, the only way I know to invite people into Christian faith is to 'Come and see.' After all, I'm not just trying to get someone to sign a doctrinal statement, but to come to know love, grace, and peace in the incarnation of Jesus, and now the incarnation of the body, Christ's church. So if someone asked me to introduce them to Jesus, I would say, 'Come and see. Let me show you Jesus with skin on.' Sometimes we have evangelicals (usually from the suburbs) who pretentiously ask how we 'evangelize people.' I usually tell them that we bring folks like them here to learn the kingdom of God from the poor, and then send them out to tell the rich and powerful there is another way of life being born in the margins. For Jesus did not seek out the rich and powerful in order to trickle down his kingdom. Rather, he joined those at the bottom, the outcast and undesirables, and everyone was attracted to his love for people on the margins" (The Irresistable Revolution, pp. 126-127).

Response to Poverty - Mentors

Jeremiah 22:16 says this about a king with the right heart:

"He gave justice and help to the poor and needy,

and everything went well for him.

Isn’t that what it means to know me?” says the Lord.

Questions:

--Am I living like I know the Lord?

--How much attention am I giving to justice for the poor?

--Am I responding more to the results of poverty or it's causes (education, health issues, etc.)?

--As a church of 4,000+, what could we do (as in, we each roll up our sleeves to give time and effort) in our city toward more justice and help to the poor and needy?

--As a church, what should we do? Not simply how much money can we raise? But what should we as Jesus-followers be doing?

I'm going to be inviting folks to go with me as mentors inside schools to help kids who have educationally been identified as "at risk."

Why is this so important?

Because one of the clearest predictors for poverty in this country is level of education.

Mentoring helps kids. In fact, elementary tutoring helps many kids who are most vulnerable and in danger of continuing the cycle of poverty.

“Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me”—Jesus.

What should and could we be doing? As mentors, we can go together inside schools one afternoon per week to help children with basic homework and have one-on-one conversations with them that could change their lives.

"He gave justice and help to the poor and needy,
and everything went well for him.
Isn’t that what it means to know me?” says the Lord.

Letting Jesus Lead - Samaritan House

Recently, the Darin Hollingsworth and the RHCC youth ministry team sent me the following note:

We were considering taking a Spring Break mission trip this year since most/all the local school's spring breaks are the same week (March 12-16). However, we feel that if we can find the right project locally, we can get more of our youth ministry team & kids involved. Could you help us find such a project?

I began to pray about it and the following Sunday, Anna Griffith (see previous post) introduced me to a member at RHCC who happens to be a resident and employee of Samaritan House in Fort Worth.

He was gracious enough to give me a tour of the facility and introduce me to the staff, including the CEO. The Lord is beginning to open doors for RHCC to serve there in significant ways in the near future.

While at Samaritan House, I mentioned about our youth ministry's desire to do some local service over Sping Break. They told me that this Spring, they planned to build, plant, and estabish a large organic vegetable garden. It would provide food for the the residents of Samaritan House (a couple of hundred people), supply a local Farmers' Market, be a place on their campus where the residents could earn volunteer hours (an important part of their overall rehab program), be a showcase addition to their property, and a visible example to encourage the establishment of similar gardens on properties in that part of the city.

This was offered to the RHCC Youth Ministry Team as a possible Spring Break project for them. And they've accepted. So the teens and their adult sponsors plan to go into the inner city and serve at Samaritan House during their Spring Break.




They came away with some hands-on experience in demonstrating compassion for people living with chronic health problems--something that Jesus did on a regular basis.

Letting Jesus Lead

I'll tie my previous post to something phenomenal Jesus has been orchestrating. First, I'm at a very large, busy, active church in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex (RHCC). Our membership is numbered in the thousands. We have an impressive campus; a broad diversity of ministries; I get to rub elbows with and serve with an incredibly devoted staff; I'm surrounded by fellow members who love to serve and who possess strong, missional hearts; our church is led by courageous and visionary elders; and we have a preacher who consistently challenges us with messages designed to draw us deeper into what it means to follow Jesus.

Yes, RHCC is a progressive church. We're also joy-filled, passionate about Jesus, and amazed by grace. By this world's standards, this also happens to be a very wealthy church. And, to be honest, on any given Sunday, you wouldn't look out across our assembly and see the obviously hungry, sick, homeless, diseased, or down-and-out.

It's not that they're in any way unwelcome. They're just noticeably not with us. Which brings me to Jimmy Dorrell reminder:

Intentional efforts in local congregations must be made to reconnect the rich and the poor; the black, white, and brown; those educated in the university; and those educated on the streets. Only then can we learn the lessons that this God of the little people wants us to know (Trolls & Truth, p. 29).

Two words really get my attention. Dorrell mentions "intentional efforts." In others words, Dorrell urges churches, like RHCC, to act on purpose and by design to reconnect the rich and the poor, the healthy and the chronically sick, the strong and the weak, the homeowners and the homeless.

Why? Because "only then can we learn the lessons that this God of the little people wants us to know."

So this is really on my heart. I know it's where Jesus is wanting to take RHCC. I began a couple of months ago to pray about it. (I'm grateful to Bill New and Allen Tappe for encouraging me to pray like this and wait for God's answer.)

"Jesus, you lead. Show us the way. Show us where you've be preparing in advance the good works for us to do. Reveal to us where to go so we can join you in what you're doing,"

When I was invited last July to join the staff at RHCC, I knew the church wanted to make more direct contact with the community. The staff had read the book, The Externally Focused Church by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson.

After praying for Jesus to lead us, I googled "externally focused church." One link led me to the Irving Bible Church and this specific page that listed where their church is making intentional efforts to serve those in the community living with HIV/AIDS.

I sat in front of the computer screen and prayed, "Jesus, it would be a stretch for many of us to directly minster to those struggling with AIDS and serve them in the way of Jesus. If that's where you want to lead us, give me a clear sign."

I continued to pray for several days about it. And one Saturday morning Jesus gave me a strong sign.

Between 300-350 members of RHCC had gathered in one area of our building for a special Bible study. Before it started, we had coffee and rolls. The place was packed. I went through the line and looked for a seat. I only found one, so I walked up and asked if I could join. They said yes. I sat down and introduced myself around the table. Finally I turned to the person on my left.

"Hello, I'm Rusty Peterman."

She replied, "Hello, I'm Anna Griffith."

I asked Anna what she did.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said with a grin.

I said, "Try me."

"I go over to Africa several times each year to work with the AIDS population."

I leaned forward in my chair and asked, "Anna, how did you get started doing that." Afterall, it's not everyday you meet someone who has that on a "To Do" list.

Here's what she told me: "I did my Doctor of Ministry and a study of AIDS several years back."

"What was your thesis?"

Anna answered, "The Implementation of An AIDS Ministry Within the Local Congregation."

I was all ears by then. "Anna, Jesus wanted me to meet you this morning. We need to get together soon."

We did. And next time I'll share with you where Jesus is leading us at a place called Samaritan House.