"some churches grow but they always grow with "church" people." Gerry said this and it hit my like, wow that's my home church. Not only that, but i know there are so many other churches out there that obviously work the same way, it's so sad. At the same time so very amazing that there still are pastors out there that can actually say that and don't care who they offend because they "choose to offend church people!"
Gerry's ministry with the Freedom church didn't start off so great! At first for a while it was just him and his family, then it started to grow. How Gerry did this was building up ministries, ones that worked, ones that failed. He also focused on relationships! RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS! That is the key!
Gerry's church started this ministry for handicap children. This lady in their church worked with horses and so she started this ministry where handicap children could ride houses and it would be a healing process for them. Now these families for the first time really do feel welcome in a church! most of them say that churches all say they're welcome, but none take the steps build a program just for them. Great stuff here, good stuff.
Gerry they goes on to talk about another ministry which he says is "the goofiest, stupidest ministry he ever saw!" Cowboy church is what they call it. I guess it's a great ministry for the people in the area who like cowboy things. I do really know, i guess this ministry must only be able to work in certain areas of the country. This is why it is so amazing to me, the creative ideas that people come up with to reach they're community in real ways. If only all churches took on this idea and they weren't afraid of failure. That's one thing Gerry kept saying, he's not afraid to fail in a ministry, because it's so worth it when one does work!
they're greatest ministry so far has been the coffee house they have in their church. It has had to expand at least three times already! how amazing! This is exactly what i would love to do in my home church, get people in from outside the church, reach the college age students in our area. I love this idea, probably because i love coffee and the setting of a coffee house is soo relaxing. I have so many ideas for a coffee house they're just building up in me!
One of the last stories Gerry told about a little 5 year old boy at his church that had the guts to reach out to his lost friends in preschool. What are we so afraid of?!! We're adults and we can't go ask questions as innocently as children, but we should be able to. Especially in a child like faith manor that most of us do not posses. I wonder why this is? Probably because we don't spend enough time praying and seeking God's heart, but we seek our on little stinky selfish desires. By the way im speaking to myself too. I just get so fired up about this stuff now, just going out of you're way to be nice to someone means so much! Planting seeds, Gerry keeps saying that relationships take time 1, 2 or 5 or even 10 years he said. 10 years, i have best friends for life who have only been friends with me for like 3 years. What does that mean, means i can do alot if i just try and reach out to someone, take the time to love them.
God give me a passion and a heart for the lost.
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