Snow What Fun

Last weekend I traveled to Crescent Lake resort to marry a couple whom Lori and I love deeply. last March I baptized Brandon. Brandon and I referee wrestling for years and he has been with Agape from day 1. That Sunday Brandon baptized Whitney. They work with our youth group now and are a great blessing to us at Agape. Brandon and I rode out on snowmobiles with a group of guys to the wedding. It was cold but beautiful.

As the snow fell this week we had two Sunday services cancelled. It was a good time to stay home and research and work on some manuscripts due to be published next year. As I sat by the fireplace, drank coffee, and looked at the snowflakes I realized I wasn't panicing.

Why would I panic? Last year we scrambled to help the Dignity Village residents stay warm, get a warm place for the people we knew on the streets downtown, and get food or warm clothing for some of our Agape guests.

This year we were prepared. In August all Dignity Village tent homes were converted to permanent walled structures. Dave and Karissa Sears led a team to provide Thanksgiving dinner for the residents and filled up their propane tanks. Our homeless guests have homes/apartments to live in. They have jobs. Our supporting church has blessed us with monthly benevolence money so that people we work with have food. Some of our Agape folks who have relapsed are in a safe supportive community. A couple of our ministry couples are being blessed by new supporters for their salaries.

My ministry used to feed on last minute rush and adrenaline. I find that it is so much nicer to have people say--"We're OK, we've got what we need. We're worried about others who are where we used to be..." In some way I felt those moments of anxiety accompanied by slight guilt as I thought, "I should be worried about something but I'm not. "Maybe I felt guilty about not being worried. Maybe I was having adrenaline withdrawl. Maybe this is what ministry is supposed to be.

A ministry that works in the season of harvest is able to rest during the Sabbath.

So I drank my coffee and read about ancient Corinth. I got excited working on the book "The Church of Agape: Paul's Letter to an Emerging Culture," and thinking about the winter sermon series on 1 Corinthians. I also got worked up praying about the winter and getting back into the battle with Satan for people's hearts and lives in Portland. I also thought about the next 2 weddings and how we are having more marriages and babies at Agape. God is once again preparing us for an explosion and growth.

Agape At Night Strike

Friday Nov. 7 our Recovery Minister, Zak Zumwalt, organized a group to help at Nightstrike. This is a ministry through Bridgetown Ministries. Every Friday night teens, youth groups, and people come to Liberation Church at 6:30pm for an hour of worship and orientation. Then they head under the Burnside Bridge to serve the homeless. People serve at various stations from foot washing, passing out hot food, handing out drinks, praying with people, giving clothes and blankets, haircuts, and prayer/food walks with people in the area around the bridge. It is truly a wonderful experience. It all began 3 years ago with a couple who just washed feet and has grown to a weekly ministry, outreach, and God experience. The most important thing stressed is that those attending visit and spend time talking with those who are being served.

Agape had 20 people come to help the group of 200 volunteers. Lori and I brought Hunter, Caleb, and Nathan (who also brought a friend from school). We all spent the evening as a family visiting, helping, and experiencing God's people at work. We also saw God in the faces of those we spent time with.

The next morning as I was praying about this I was struck by two overwhelming thoughts.

First, this is the future of ministry. I saw 3 of our Agape staff/interns in action and was encouraged. Lori saw a couple guys who have been at Agape and was hugging them and catching up. I love watching her with people. God blessed me with a wonderful partner. Marc, our campus ministry intern, jumped in the PSU kids and began to meet them. He also looked comfortable sharing with some of the people we were serving. Two of the Cascade kids shared with us that they want to stay in Portland, attend PSU, and become part of the campus ministry. Zak had brought 12 or 13 from Multnomah Bible and was serving in the food line. He did a great job putting this together and was all smiles Friday night. I also saw our Agape people talking with homeless people, sitting and listening to some play their music, and serving at their tasks. Of the 200 people present about 70% were college and teen aged people. This is the work of God and this is where this generation wants to be. Bono once said something like, "Stop asking God to bless what your doing and go work where God is blessing something." Lori and I decided years ago to lead this generation and we have to be where they are and be where they are going. I have always preached that the Gospel is about social justice but now we have the opportunity to see that Gospel fulfilled.

Two wonderful evangelists in Albania with World English Institute (Bledi and Cimi) have been watching us at Agape and sharing with us their work with World Vision and street people. Due to some of the younger interns they have led in ministries to the poor and oppressed. They have been emailing exciting messages about the media and community support they are receiving. It is great to see how God continues to bless them in Europe.

Second, I am excited to see a staff with this kind of heart. I guess I have spent so many years with established churches believing that God's work is about being patient. I had to learn to work with other leaders/ministers who were not outreach focused and encouraged to be patient, hope for change, and plan to spend years gently guiding them to that. I heard stories about how many miles it takes to turn a barge, small changes are what you should look for, and to understand that inward focused people are what we need in churches. I guess there is some truth to those stories, however while I was patient our young people left the church. We weren't keeping pace with the population growth. We frustrated the evangelists in our movement.

With Agape I have held fast to the belief that God needs a church of people who are fired up about reaching out for Jesus. God needs a church of people who are not afraid to take risks. God needs churches of people who have a passion to serve and love the poor. God also needs leaders in these churches who set the pace and push the outreach agenda. In this area I have learned to be patient. We hold to this belief and I am seeing people come not only to be part of Agape, but lead in this ministry. God will bring leaders to Agape who will have this passion. In this area I have to be patient and not compromise on a conviction.

My patience is different now. It is focused on God's promise to provide if we hold to the mission and life of Jesus.