We’ll be starting another round of “Who Is My Neighbor” classes this upcoming Sunday (May 20). This four-week introduction to biblical mercy will focus on getting to know Sojourn’s actual neighborhood, the call, character and motivation of mercy, giving and keeping, church vs. world, conditional vs. unconditional mercy, and the balance of word and deed.

The sessions will not be structured as lectures – although there will be times of teaching – but rather as a dialogical atmosphere with case studies, lots of class participation, and on-the-streets training.

If you’ve ever wanted to “get your feet wet” with Sojourn’s ministry to Germantown and Shelby Park, this is a great primer. And while our context at Sojourn’s Midtown campus is the inner city, our topics should be helpful for you wherever you may live; downtown or smack dab in the middle of the suburbs.

The class will be held Sundays at 1 p.m. at The 930. (Location within The 930 TBD)

(The following was written by Seed leader Dashia Day about her experience this past weekend at Jefferson Street Baptist Center.)

Initially I didn’t know what to expect when I realized Jefferson Street Baptist Center was a “Christ-centered day shelter.” I have been to food shelters when in high school and “volunteered” there for credit, but never went in with the mindset of a servant. The thing that stuck out most to me within about 30 minutes of interacting with the men and women was just how considerate and respectful most were. Even when handing out materials for the shower or other hygiene items they needed, most said “Thank you, ma’am” or “Thanks very much.” And when they asked for items that wasn’t available they weren’t rude or mad but they were still polite in response.

Besides handing out materials (i.e. shampoo, soap, lotion, toothbrush/paste) I was also able to chat with a few people there. One lady is new to the Louisville area – and newly homeless. I was able to talk with her and answer some questions about the area, jobs, and about Sojourn. I provided her with my contact information and before she left the shelter I was able to sit with her and pray with her and for her.

While working the front desk I was able to talk to a lady and she shared with me and another volunteer about her life and some hopes. Currently she’s waiting a response about a housing situation. She told us that she needs to put the Lord first in front of all things because when she does, He provides. That lead us to pray with her right there on the spot!

In the morning one of the volunteers read a devotional to the entire group there. I was very surprised that it provoked a response out of one person. My assumption was that when the devotional would be read he would be reading to “a brick wall” and then go back to his business; however, there was a lady that just kept asking questions about the verses he read (1 Corinthians 13).  Praise God that he’s present!

If you’re interested in learning more about Jefferson Street Baptist Center, visit their website at jeffersonstreet.org.

People often ask me about what’s going on in the Seed ministry at Sojourn. Here’s a quick snapshot:

• We’ve known Z for years. Homeless off and on for nearly a decade, he recently expressed a desire to get off the streets. We were able to find him a part-time job working weekends, and he’s been employed for over a month now. Z has also found steady work through a temp agency that has him working four other days of the week. He’s living in an apartment with two Sojourners and is seeking financial accountability for every dollar he makes. He’s expressed his desire to work out a fixed budget, and to open a bank account. As a sign of this fresh, God-given sense of responsibility, Z even called a Sojourn deacon on Friday night and asked him if he would hold on to his money over the weekend so he wouldn’t be tempted to spend it on alcohol during Derby weekend. And finally, he has expressed his need to be in a regular Sojourn community group to hold him accountable not only in his finances, but his walk with the Lord. From a homeless man crippled by addiction, fear and laziness to a responsible worker walking by faith and seeking the Lord’s will in his life.

• B is a single mother of three children. She’s been in and out of work for years. She’s also a neighbor of two Sojourners who’ve been faithfully trying to love her with the gospel. She has resisted their attempts at friendship, yet she’s not been shy about asking for financial assistance or help with food – both from her neighbors and the ministries here at Sojourn. Over the past few weeks, however, B has sought out help from Sojourn in a different way: She is trying to find a new place to live and seeking new employment. A couple Sojourn Seed leaders found a list of affordable houses in the neighborhood, helped her make phone calls and appointments, then accompanied her on the visits, sharing life and preaching the gospel throughout. Her neighbors helped her write a new resume, and a Sojourn deacon edited and formatted it. She also has a list of jobs that she’s interested in seeking. From an isolated single mother with little hope, to an intentional woman seeking to be responsible with what the Lord has given her.

• J has worked with his hands his whole life and has maintained a job throughout to support his girlfriend and their four kids. But when his girlfriend got sick and was put in the hospital, J had no choice but to stay home with their kids and he lost his job. Three months behind on rent and no hope in sight, he sought help from Sojourn. Because of the faithful grace and persistence from a Sojourn pastor, not only J, but J’s girlfriend and oldest son, have accepted Christ. He and a Sojourn deacon worked out a new resume last week and J had an hour-long job interview over the phone in the Sojourn offices. We’re praying for employment, but for now, J and his family are working out their salvation with fear and trembling, learning to trust God for their daily bread. He says he has to wage war against despair, hopelessness and sinful patterns every single day, but he knows that his Savior is Jesus Christ. He has also said he wants to marry his longtime girlfriend to honor God with their relationship. From a hopeless father and boyfriend seeking his own desires to a humbled and weak man learning to trust in God’s daily provision for his life.

• Two weeks ago, a fire destroyed a home in Germantown. Within a few hours, a Sojourn deacon was on the scene, loving on the family and offering Words of life and a listening ear. By midafternoon, he and two other Sojourners had rounded up donations of 11 sheets of plywood and deck screws to board up the house. Throughout the whole day, those three Sojourners helped the family and neighbors cover every door and window on the house and fix a tarp on the roof. Further, a Sojourner who owns a local restaurant and offered to feed the group for free that evening. At the dinner, the Sojourners were able to share the gospel with the family and neighbors and share their personal testimonies. Through disaster, the Lord opened a door to a relationship otherwise closed to the gospel. Pray for it to take root.

There are countless other efforts going on in Germantown and Shelby Park: broken relationships restored, widows and single moms visited and cared for, people saved from eviction and having their electricity turned off, neighborhood bible studies, lifelong addictions are being shattered by the power of the gospel. And most importantly, people are coming to know Jesus. Lives are being changed from the inside out. It’s messy. It’s uncomfortable. It’s going to be a lifelong process. It’s absolutely beautiful. And there’s room for you to journey with us as the Lord does His work.

Stay tuned for next week’s post on our trip to Jefferson Street Baptist Center’s day shelter.

If you’re interested in serving in the Seed ministry, email jthomas@sojournchurch.com.

On Friday several Sojourn deacons spent the day with a Germantown family whose house was destroyed by fire.

Fox 41 interviewed Sojourn deacon Lance Black about Sojourn’s coordination of the relief efforts.

You can view the video here.

So far, we have provided water, food, manpower, supplies, materials and Christ’s presence as we have shared the gospel in words and in action.  If you would like to be a part of Sojourn’s response and care for this family, email seed@sojournchurch.com. We will post a list of needs as we learn more.

To keep up to date on the latest, follow us on Twitter: sojournseed.

On April 21, we’ll be hosting a one-day seminar at Sojourn’s Midtown Campus, 930 Mary St., for Orphan Care Alliance, an organization whose mission is “to equip Christian families through the engagement of the local Church to provide loving care and/or homes for the fatherless.”

From the OCA website:

“Orphan Care Alliance (OCA) Adoption and Orphan Care Seminars were created to help you through this complex process and present information about every option so that the path isn’t so daunting.  This Seminar gives you an opportunity to meet and fellowship with others who are on the same journey and present questions to experts in the field.  There will be many breakout sessions covering a wide range of topics.  You will gain invaluable information to take home, digest, and pray over so that you can feel comfortable about the many decisions that come along with following God’s heart to love and care for an orphan.”

For more information, or to register, VISIT OCA’S INFO PAGE ON THE APRIL 21 SEMINAR. 

Sojourners, we’re also looking for volunteers to greet guests and serve breakfast and lunch. If you’re interested, please email seed@sojournchurch.com.

LISTEN TO AN “INSIDE SOJOURN” PODCAST WITH ORPHAN CARE ALLIANCE’S KRIS ZOELLER AND SOJOURN’S JOSH THOMAS 

If you’ve ever driven down St. Catherine Street in Shelby Park, you’ve probably noticed a bare plot of grass in the north corner of the intersection of Hancock Street peppered with wooden boxes. It’s our dream to turn that plot into a vibrant community garden for the neighborhood, but there is much work to be done and not much time to do it.

In order to get the plots ready for the growing season, we’re having a work day on March 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Garden coordinator Bill Flinn says volunteers will be:

• filling the beds with dirt from the dirt pile

• picking up trash and cleaning the garden

• mowing and weed-eating around the beds

• laying paths in-between the beds with cardboard and wood chips

• sowing some seeds in the volunteer beds (if there’s enough people and if we have time)

In order to do this, though, we’re going to need lots of volunteers, and a few supplies. If you have, or can get ahold of any of these items, please let me know:

• shovels (4 or 5)

• lawn mower

• weed eater

• tiller

• 2 wheelbarrows

• gardening gloves

If you can help out this Saturday (or if you’re interested in learning more about the garden), contact Flinn at wflinn13@gmail.com.

… God’s agenda is for the whole world to come to Jesus. We interviewed Sojourn’s Jeremiah Taylor, who oversees the Sojourn Student ministry, after he traveled to one of the hardest hit areas of the March storms to help with relief with Henryville First Baptist Church. Here’s what he had to say about it:

Why did you go to Henryville?  What was the motivation?

We went to Henryville to lend a hand and help out those who have been devastated by the tornado that recently hit that town. The reason we went is simply because love compels us. How can we not go, especially with Henryville being so close? If we were struck, we would need a ton of help too. Plus, when you see the world through Gospel lenses, you realize that God gave us what we needed when we needed it most.  In the same way, as Christians who strive to live the way Jesus lived, when we see need, we want to respond—just like God responded in our great need.

What did you do?

We met at First Baptist Henryville, which was like a headquarters of sorts. Members and non-members of the church would send in requests for help and then FBC/H would send us out. We were assigned a married-couple who were members of the church. They owned a bunch of property that had a TON of fallen trees! They graze cattle on their land, so it was important to cut a trail through the mat of fallen timber.  We had 5 chainsaws and we tore up that wood! Actually, it felt like we barely put a dent in that need there. But we at least were able to make a usable trail for the cows to get through.

Who did you meet?

We met Christians from all over the Midwest who were gathered together in the name of Christ to be a blessing to the town of Henryville. We didn’t have much interaction with a whole lot of people, simply because we were in the woods all day just cutting wood!

Where did you see God at work?

It was easy to see God at work through his church… his multifaceted and diverse church! So many different stripes of Christians were all gathered together and scattered throughout the town of Henryville seeking to be a blessing just as they themselves have been blessed. It was a sweet reminder that God’s agenda is bigger than Sojourn, bigger than Louisville, bigger than Kentucky! God’s agenda is for the whole world to come to know Him!

What else can we do?

Pray for FBC/Henryville and Mount Moriah church. Pray that God would use them to be a light to Henryville in this dark time. Pray that God would save souls and that he would be pleased to rebuild this broken town. Also, you can call FBC/Henryville  at 812.294.1431 and ask them what you can do.

Join us for this great opportunity to serve and love our neighbors 20 miles to the north of us. This Saturday, March 17^th, Sojourn Midtown is taking a team to Henryville, IN to assist and partner with First Baptist Church, Henryville.  We will meet at the Midtown Campus at 8:00am and hope to return at 6:30pm.

When we arrive in Henryville we will help feed volunteers, pray with families that we meet, clean-up debris and rubble, and share the hope of Christ with those who we interact with.

If you are unable to go and still want to partner with us, you can share the load by providing FBC Henryville and us with supplies.  Supplies that are needed are as follows:

You can drop off the supplies and/or donations during working hours at the Midtown Campus.

If you know anyone who wants to help with relief efforts going or supporting by providing supplies, please email jtaylor@sojournchurch.com.

First Baptist Henryville in Southern Indiana, an area hit hard by last week’s tornados, is hosting a one-day medical and counseling clinic this Saturday, March 10, beginning at 10 a.m. The clinic will end by at least 6 p.m. (because of the curfew), but may end sooner if guests stop showing up.

Though the need for doctors and nurses has been met, according to Matt Martin, youth pastor at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Henryville, there is a need for capable spiritual counselors and those willing to share their faith with the guests.

If you’re interested in providing spiritual counseling, or you’d like to be there to share your faith with guests, please contact Martin at mmartin278@students.sbts.edu.