Urban gardens…Art in the Park…Block Parties…Street and Park Cleanups…Sports Tournaments…Home Repair…After School Tutoring…You name it, we’ll consider it!

Grants are now available to plant seeds of mission, service and mercy!

Feel free to dream and get excited! We desire your Community Group to engage the neighborhoods where you gather, share the gospel, and meet physical needs.  Fill out this application for up to $1,000 to fuel your mission ideas (most grants range from $50-200).

Tips for scoring a grant:

• think through your ministry idea
• set realistic goals and numbers
• remember that the more people involved the more likely you will receive a grant
• be sure to include how you will bring the gospel Word to bear

Need some ideas to get the creative juices flowing?  Download some ideas here.

Seed is already resourcing groups for evangelistic bible studies, after school tutoring, parties, and community events for neighbors.   Does your group want to serve the city, but you don’t know what’s next?  Check out some Next Steps here.  Contact mercy@sojournchurch.com for more information.

As I was reading my Bible this morning I read the following:

Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom:  She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.  They were haughty and did detestable things before me.  Therfore I did away with them as you have seen… – Ezekiel 16:49-50

The ESV Study Bible comments on this verse…”People usually think of the sins of Sodom as sexual transgressions (Genesis 19:5-9), but Ezekiel indicted the city for its materialism and neglect of the needy (although “detestable things” might include sexual sins).  Jesus made a similar comparison with Capernaum in Matthew 11:23-24.”

Those who have ears, let them hear.  God takes very seriously the Christian’s call to be a voice for the voiceless, to care for the needy, to love the unlovely.  Let’s briefly take the verse in order and see if you can relate.  This was the sin of Sodom:

1. The city and her inhabitants were arrogant.  They had an exaggerated sense of their own importance.  Is this you? Check yourself:  Does preoccupation with yourself – your own needs, dreams, and plans – quickly drain you of any additional time to focus on the needs of others, especially the poor, needy and thus forgotten people made in God’s image?  Perhaps you are arrogant.

2. The city and her inhabitants were overfed.  They had more than enough material possessions.  They lived in luxury, fed themselves like gluttons and chose not to care for the poor – whom God created, along with all humanity, to reflect his communal nature of goodness, righteousness and justice.  Is this you?  Check yourself:  Do you lack the basic necessities that are needed to sustain life? Examine the luxury items you over-indulge in that hinder your ability (financially and relationally) to serve the poor – gourmet coffee, video games, your Friday night on the town ritual?  Do you spend on yourself till you have nothing left to give, including your time, talent and paycheck?  Perhaps you are overfed.

3.  The city and her inhabitants were unconcerned.  They showed a lack of worry or interest.  Is this you?  Check yourself:  When was the last time you thought about someone who is poor?  Do you know a poor person by name? When was the last time you prayed for the needy, suffering and dying?  Can you consider a person who is materially poor to be your friend?  Have you served someone who is needy in the last week?  Perhaps you are unconcerned.

Honest reflection is difficult because we must own the reality that we are deeply sinful.  Do you exceed the guilt of Sodom?  Confess to the Lord your arrogance, gluttony, and lack of concern for the poor and needy.  Mere confession, however is not repentance.  You must turn from your wicked ways.  Christian, you must turn from your sin.  You must turn from your ways and walk in God’s.  There is wonderful news – that those who are in Christ are new creations – there is not only forgiveness of sin, but power that leads to right concern, motivation, and action.  If you are in Christ, then God’s Spirit will warm your heart and affections toward the poor and needy.  For that is what we all are, poor and needy before a holy and righteous God.

What does repentance look like for you?  How will you tangibly demonstrate God’s care for the poor and needy?

There are many ways to get involved in Seed.  Join us every Monday night at 6:30pm as we love, care for, and visit the sick, unlovely, poor and needy.  You just may discover that your heart burns with delight as you embrace and experience God’s special concern for the poor.

Today, I met a 70 year old woman who has been without electricity for the past three months.  That’s right.  A 70 year old widow has been without power during the three hottest months of the summer.  It turns out that her latest roommate failed to pay the bills and LG&E shut their service off; not an uncommon thing here in Germantown.

She spent last weekend in the hospital.  She had chest pain and thought it was a heart attack.  Doctors ran several tests and discovered that it was not a heart attack at all, but the culprit is stress.  She spoke of the stress of simply surviving.  At least she was cool and well fed while she was poked and prodded.  She was released on Monday and is now living back at her home that has no power.

This woman has not had a warm bath in months.  She cannot cook on her stove or use her microwave.  She gets excited when she talks about her air conditioner and the many fans she has laying around the house, but what use are they without electricity?

I asked her if she had any friends or family.  Yes, she has a caretaker.  I got excited that help was on the way! But I found out he was put in jail five weeks ago and she doesn’t have any other friends or family.

Amazingly, she professed to be a Christian.  This woman was a former Sunday School teacher.  Her faith was strong and we walked through 1 Peter 1 together.  What amazing hope we have in Christ!  We prayed and as the Holy Spirit comforted us, we experienced rest in Christ’s infinite provision.  Though times are difficult, nothing can separate us from His love.  She said she was so glad to have come to meet us.  She was comforted in her spirit and had a renewed strength to get through the day.

The whole time, I was reminded of 1 John 3:17-18, “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how an the love of God be in him.  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

Join me.  Let’s rise up and be the church.  Who among Sojourn is willing to come along side this woman during this time of need?  We have material resources and gifts of all kinds…we simply need to put them to use.  Let us help our sister in Christ.  We can lift her up and help carry her burdens.  We can remind her of God’s faithfulness and goodness.  Who is up for it?

If you would like to be involved in Sojourn’s mercy ministry, contact Nathan Ivey at nivey@sojournchurch.com.