I’m humbled to consider the many people from near and far who regularly pray for Renovation Community and my family, financially support the ministry, and serve alongside us.
Thank you, beloved friends, for this gift.
“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now” Philippians 1:3-5
He is faithful.
I recently turned down a small TV interview about our church without even stopping to consider it. The invitation felt flattering, but didn’t feel from God. I explained why, with my arrogant past, I don’t trust myself to properly handle spotlight. I’m sure my response sounded absurd.
This morning, I quite randomly began mentally preparing a speech. What would I say about Jesus to a hypothetical ‘men’s ministry’ gathering?
These thoughts came completely unexpected, without any logical explanation. I caught myself and laughed at my mental exercise.
I’m not known for my great speaking abilities. No one has ever asked me to speak at a gathering like that. And I’m not exactly your stereotypical “men’s ministry guest speaker.” [Think athlete or military hero, beard, owns 6 firearms, kills his own meat, etc. 😀]
After realizing the absurdity of suddenly planning a speech no one asked me to give, I quickly moved on to other things.
But 20 minutes later, I had a phone call. Someone is planning a Christian event for men next fall. They’d like me to share Renovation Community’s story during one of the speaking slots. I accepted, without even stopping to consider it. God already gave His answer.
Many thoughts feel totally random. My senses clearly inspire many other thoughts…a conversation, smell, touch, or sight creates a semi-predictable neurological chain reaction.
But I’ve found, when I’m listening closely, God also guides me with thoughts, words, and plans from Him.
The prophet Isaiah mentioned the “voice” guiding from behind. Jesus spoke of his voice guiding from out front.
Perhaps you feel like me…that you’ve spent more time listening to your own voice than God’s. God will forgive you as He forgave me this morning (and as He’s forgiven me countless times).
Never stop listening for God’s voice. He’s always speaking.
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”” Isaiah 30:21
“…he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” John 10:4
“…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things…” John 14:26
Tomorrow morning, I’ll receive back the minivan I’ve loaned out for several days to a church family without a car. We’ll discuss ways to help the under-employment in their family. Where can they find better jobs, higher paying jobs with more dependable hours?
Later tomorrow morning, I’ll meet with someone else who’s been struggling with multiple health problems, joblessness, and a temptation to return to Addiction. I’ll brainstorm with this person how they can find a job with their current health problems. Until they find work, they want to help around our church building.
It’s hard to adequately explain the work I do most days. It’s definitely not the traditional “pastor” work I imagined years ago. Our church serves many who struggle to make ends meet, who don’t have good health, or healthy bank accounts, degrees to their name, or proper transportation. And many don’t even attend our church’s Sunday service. In fact, the Sunday service is just a tiny part of Renovation Community.
During a church service a couple weeks ago, I told our church family how vital Generosity is for one’s spiritual health. But I also repeated a phrase I’ve said often…”we don’t need your money because God will provide all we need.”
It’s not unusual for well-meaning people to warn me such a ministry is not sustainable if we don’t change our funding model. “We need to seek grants, request support, and build a donor base.”
But God can sustain what He chooses, in whatever ways He chooses, for however long He chooses. If I heard God correctly (there’s always a chance I didn’t), I heard Him call us down a different path. He wasn’t calling us to financial sustainability, but to faithfulness.
$2000 in the mail today from dear friends I haven’t seen in a long time.
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you” Psalm 55:22
He is faithful.
A surprise guest stopped by. God saved this person from a dark and dangerous life, forgave them of all their sins, and radically changed them. I prayed for the visitor and they prayed for me. When leaving, they gave this $220 check for Renovation Community. In the memo line, they wrote the word “obedience.”
I’m thankful for God’s generous people.
“The best measure of a spiritual life is not its ecstasies but its obedience.” —Oswald Chambers
He is faithful.
Friday night I loaned my van for a few days to someone formerly homeless in our church family. Her family lived in our building this summer until finding a new place.
Yesterday, another church member learned their housing with family may end at any moment. For years, this person has tirelessly worked two jobs to make ends meet. Could we help if they suddenly become homeless?
Today, I helped the funeral director (also part of our church family) prepare for a service. He and his wife are running the funeral today without any paid staff, keeping costs down for the grieving family.
Before returning home, we discussed more plans for renovating our aging facility. Always trying to steward the money God gives, we’ll buy material at a Construction Surplus and do the work ourselves. [Ok, associate Pastor Jordan Buchner will work and I’ll watch 😜]
At the same time this morning, a Haitian church was meeting in our gym chapel. Immigrants from the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere gather each week for worship in our building, and pay a nominal rent compared to anywhere else. Tonight they asked about using a room for ESL classes because, as one member put it, “a lot of our people can’t speak English very well.” They’ll meet in the room that serves as a computer lab for our summer day camp and feeding program.
God has called Renovation Community to a unique work- serving our neighborhood’s poor, marginalized, and overlooked…and opening our doors when others have closed them.
As we follow God on this path, He provides all we need for the journey…often through His generous people.
The three pictures show the unrequested checks that arrived in today’s mail…
“What a serene and quiet life might you lead if you would leave providing to the God of providence! With a little oil in the cruse, and a handful of meal in the barrel, Elijah outlived the famine, and you will do the same. If God cares for you, why need you care too? Can you trust Him for your soul, and not for your body? He has never refused to bear your burdens, He has never fainted under their weight. Come, then, soul! have done with fretful care, and leave all thy concerns in the hand of a gracious God.” —Charles Spurgeon
He is faithful.