Part 3 of 3

I figured that  after meeting a few neighbors, we would be done for the night.  But to my surprise, a few houses down we ran into Tony, who was excited to receive some of our bounty of fresh produce.  Tony began to confide in us how he had gotten into some fights at work and how he had felt wronged and persecuted.  When he later shared that all this happened in 1993, I couldn’t help but feel the hopelessness and bitterness that accompanies those who are lonely and don’t know Christ.  Once again, just the simple act of stopping to say hi to someone and to listening to what they have to say.  We didn’t beat any of these three people over the head with the Gospel; we didn’t hand out any tracts or call down hellfire and brimstone on them (the chili pepper notwithstanding).  In fact, we only shared a prayer with Bob and that was because he accepted our request.

We have a sign in my office that says “Your actions are speaking so loudly, I can’t hear what you’re saying.”  While this sign is concerned with workplace safety, the message is apropos to our Christian lives as well.  Just walking, talking and listening, not with a mission to produce converts and relieved of the fear of self-reliance, we simply formed redemptive relationships with our neighbors – all the while hoping and praying to make God known to the residents of Germantown.  As both streetwalking groups (yes, the Lord can redeem streetwalking…AMEN!) returned, we reflected on our experiences and what we’d learned and offered a prayer of thanksgiving.

It turns out that as a group, we were able to talk to a total of eight families within one block of the 930 on Monday night.  Jesse Moss’s group was invited into a home to share the gospel and Andrew Coverdale’s group shared a meal with a disabled shut-in.  Amazing!  Rest assured that I will be visiting Bob again.  This time I hope to share with him more about Jesus and his gift of righteousness.

I want to encourage anyone (okay, everyone) to show up next Monday at the 930 at 6:30pm and be a part of this ministry.  I was assured that if 200 people show up, there will be plenty to do and, in addition to a seasoned SEED veteran to lead, we have the assurance of Jesus Christ going with and before us (Matthew 18 is taken out of context as applied here).  We are the Church in Germantown (or wherever you happen to live), if we don’t preach the Gospel in “word and deed” then who will?  Who will love the lost and listen to the lonely?  The Westminster Shorter Catechism states that “man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.”  We do both when we are obedient to the command to “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ ” (Lk 10:27).  Joining with brothers and sisters for SEED’s Mercy Monday is a great way to obey the Lord and participate in His mission to redeem our city.

Steve Leach, the author of this blog, is a member of Sojourn and can be contacted at steveleach729@gmail.com.

Every Monday night, join a team of deacons and get exposed to face-to-face mercy ministry.  You will never go at it alone and will be guided every step of the way by an experienced minister of the gospel.  On Monday evenings, from 6:30pm till 8:30pm you can shadow a deacon as he/she interviews a resident with a financial need or run an errand for a family in the neighborhood or enjoy a home visitation and share the gospel with the elderly, widows, and lonely in our surrounding neighborhoods.  It will change the way you view and love your neighbors wherever you live.  Contact Jesse Moss at jesse.moss@gmail.com for more info.