I cannot count the times I've written about hopes and dreams I have that I feel have been given to me by the Lord. I write today to share yet again one of those "dreams."
I felt called to ministry a long time ago. I cannot point to a specific time, place, or associate that calling with an event, but I definitely know that God has called me into ministry. I also know that "ministry" encompasses that to which Jesus calls ALL believers and expressed, explained, and defined in Matthew's and Mark's Great Commission. Specifically though, for me, my "call" has to do with preaching and teaching Scripture in settings that would win unbeliever's to Christ and to also disciple them as Jesus prescribed.
Sometime between 1989 and 1992 I believe God performed a miracle for me that sealed my belief that God had me in the area in which I live to do His work, in His will, and in His way. That work would result in many lives being saved and growing towards maturity as taught in Scripture. This miracle involved a dead tree coming back to life. I won't tell the whole story here but I have never stopped believing that what I saw and felt was God's affirmation that I was right where He wanted me and that He was going to raise up His church as a witness to Him just as He had resurrected my little dead tree.
You, my reader, may not be able to fully understand the brokenness I felt when, instead of the church growing, it began to decline. Shattered is the only adjective I can use to describe how I felt when a half dozen or so folks and I had to make the decision to close the church in March, 1993. It was devastating. Not only did the church not grow, but closed.
I have carried the sorrow and guilt of that for twenty - two years. But here's the thing - when one is given a miracle and one sees the miracle, it's hard not to hide that in the heart and expect that what was pronounced by the miracle would someday come to pass.
Since I am writing this post on February 22, 2015, it is less than a week until March 1st - the month that the church closed so long ago. I have to tell you that twenty - two years is a long time to hold on to and hold out for a dream. As I write, there are no visible signs that would cause me to hope for the miracle that I believe God gave me more than two decades ago. But here I am. Hoping, Dreaming. And, believing.
Along with the dream of the church that I feel the Lord told me He would raise up comes the location for the church that in and of itself would mean that people would come to know the grace, mercy, peace, and love of Jesus.
The name and mission of the church that closed was The North County Church. The mission? To win the whole of the northern part of our county. There is currently, all across America, a concerted effort to combat human trafficking. The prostitution industry in America and here locally is linked to strip clubs and shops that sell sex related merchandise. It is by now common knowledge that pornography has ripped the very heart and soul out of the men in America which includes the men of the church.
So, with the memory of a miracle; with the name and mission of the church well defined; and with the passion to see lives unchained from sexual sin (and every other "sin"), the only thing left is a location in which the ministry could be housed.
Here's where the dream gets crazy. Today, I renewed my hope and prayer that the Lord would provide the building in which New York New York, a local strip club currently does business. I pray that the owners, managers, workers, and patrons come to the place where they can trust Christ with all their hearts; follow Him wherever He leads, and share His love with their world. I pray that the resources would be provided to buy the building; remodel and equip it to house a church and ministry center that would reach the whole world. After dreaming the dream for over twenty years...I think I can keep dreaming a while longer. In fact, I will keep dreaming!
Yes The NCC in place of NYNY. I'll hold out for that!
I felt called to ministry a long time ago. I cannot point to a specific time, place, or associate that calling with an event, but I definitely know that God has called me into ministry. I also know that "ministry" encompasses that to which Jesus calls ALL believers and expressed, explained, and defined in Matthew's and Mark's Great Commission. Specifically though, for me, my "call" has to do with preaching and teaching Scripture in settings that would win unbeliever's to Christ and to also disciple them as Jesus prescribed.
Sometime between 1989 and 1992 I believe God performed a miracle for me that sealed my belief that God had me in the area in which I live to do His work, in His will, and in His way. That work would result in many lives being saved and growing towards maturity as taught in Scripture. This miracle involved a dead tree coming back to life. I won't tell the whole story here but I have never stopped believing that what I saw and felt was God's affirmation that I was right where He wanted me and that He was going to raise up His church as a witness to Him just as He had resurrected my little dead tree.
You, my reader, may not be able to fully understand the brokenness I felt when, instead of the church growing, it began to decline. Shattered is the only adjective I can use to describe how I felt when a half dozen or so folks and I had to make the decision to close the church in March, 1993. It was devastating. Not only did the church not grow, but closed.
I have carried the sorrow and guilt of that for twenty - two years. But here's the thing - when one is given a miracle and one sees the miracle, it's hard not to hide that in the heart and expect that what was pronounced by the miracle would someday come to pass.
Since I am writing this post on February 22, 2015, it is less than a week until March 1st - the month that the church closed so long ago. I have to tell you that twenty - two years is a long time to hold on to and hold out for a dream. As I write, there are no visible signs that would cause me to hope for the miracle that I believe God gave me more than two decades ago. But here I am. Hoping, Dreaming. And, believing.
Along with the dream of the church that I feel the Lord told me He would raise up comes the location for the church that in and of itself would mean that people would come to know the grace, mercy, peace, and love of Jesus.
The name and mission of the church that closed was The North County Church. The mission? To win the whole of the northern part of our county. There is currently, all across America, a concerted effort to combat human trafficking. The prostitution industry in America and here locally is linked to strip clubs and shops that sell sex related merchandise. It is by now common knowledge that pornography has ripped the very heart and soul out of the men in America which includes the men of the church.
So, with the memory of a miracle; with the name and mission of the church well defined; and with the passion to see lives unchained from sexual sin (and every other "sin"), the only thing left is a location in which the ministry could be housed.
Here's where the dream gets crazy. Today, I renewed my hope and prayer that the Lord would provide the building in which New York New York, a local strip club currently does business. I pray that the owners, managers, workers, and patrons come to the place where they can trust Christ with all their hearts; follow Him wherever He leads, and share His love with their world. I pray that the resources would be provided to buy the building; remodel and equip it to house a church and ministry center that would reach the whole world. After dreaming the dream for over twenty years...I think I can keep dreaming a while longer. In fact, I will keep dreaming!
Yes The NCC in place of NYNY. I'll hold out for that!
