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The Refuge in Denver

By Jeremy Myers
7 Comments

The Refuge in Denver
House of Refuge in Denver
The House of Refuge occasionally offers dinners to the community.

I got to hang out at a The Refuge last week in Denver, CO. It consists of people who gather together to live life, and help each other through the messiness and pain of life.

The night I was there, some people from The Refuge met at the house of Jose and Kathy Escobar. After eating a meal, we sat around the living room and talked. The topic for the night was that most of us try to improve ourselves by climbing the moral ladder, but to really experience community with God and each other, we need to climb down the ladder back into the failures and stinkiness of life. The mess of life is where God meets us, where we meet ourselves, and where life really begins.

Kathy recently wrote a book about this, which explains what it means to follow Jesus on the downward path into pain, doubt, and darkness. Her book is titled, Down we Go, and I recommend you read it.

One of the amazing things for me about the group is not just the fact that people were there from a variety of backgrounds and beliefs, but that some of the people had moved from other parts of the country just to participate in a community like this.

People are starving for community, and it is not often found in the traditional church setting. There are most likely people who hunger and thirst for relationships right in your own neighborhood. This is one of the reasons it is so important to get to know our neighbors (as Sam Riviera has been pointing out — and who previously wrote about The Refuge).

We are trying to do this sort of thing in the neighborhood we recently moved into, and hopefully, as we get to know our neighbors, we can build relationships with them that will allow us to help them (and be helped) through the messiness and stinkiness of life.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Kathy Escobar, life, ministry, mission, The Refuge, Theology of the Church

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Do you like rain? Imagine being homeless in the rain…

By Sam Riviera
7 Comments

Do you like rain? Imagine being homeless in the rain…

homeless manThe cold rain streams down my window as I sit in my warm and dry home, yet hot, wet tears stream down my cheeks as I watch the rain.

I love the rain, especially since we need it so much in Southern California. But I am not crying for the rain.

I am crying for the people I love who must sit in the rain, soaking wet, with nowhere to go and nothing to cover themselves.

Recently my wife and I distributed a car trunk full of tarps, sweatshirts, sweaters, pants, blankets, food and other supplies to the homeless living in San Diego. But our meager supplies fell far short of meeting what they need.

This morning the temperature is fifty degrees. Fifty isn’t all that cold unless you’re soaked to the skin sitting on a wet sidewalk in the rain. Sitting under a tarp helps, but not everyone has a tarp. Some are sitting in the rain, shivering.

Blood on the Sidewalk

Many of our Christian friends are afraid to go with us to buy and distribute clothes, food, and tarps to the homeless. They’re afraid to go to the inner city and mingle with the poor, the bikers, the gangs. They blanch when we tell them of the times we have stood on still-wet blood stains on the sidewalk where someone was murdered during the previous night. (I think this has happened five or six times.)

Sometimes we’re afraid before we go. For some reason we’re never afraid when we’re there. We see beautiful people, who are in the middle of life’s messes.

To Show The Love of Jesus

My friend who does not follow Jesus, who loves the homeless, the poor, and our gay friends wants to go with me today. She is trying to take off work for a couple of hours to join me. We’ll buy tarps and then hand them out.

When the homeless ask who we are and why we’re doing it I’ll say “I follow Jesus and we’re here to show the love of Jesus.” Then I’ll ask their name, and ask what they need. My friend will write it down in my little notebook.

Sometimes I pray with them there on the sidewalk, in the rain. Sometimes they ask about Jesus. Sometimes they bless me, at God’s bidding. I bless them in return.

We’re safe, warm, and dry. But are they?

There is so much need in the world!

And YOU can help.

Fill out the form below to receive several emails about how to love and serve the poor and homeless.

(Note: If you are a member of RedeemingGod.com, login and then revisit this page to update your membership.)

God is Redeeming Church, Redeeming Life Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship, evangelism, following Jesus, guest post, homeless, looks like Jesus, love like Jesus, ministry, mission, missions, poor, Sam Riviera, Theology of the Church

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What if…

By Jeremy Myers
1 Comment

What if…

This is from a 2008 post by Perry Noble. I thought it was good then, and it’s still good today.

what if questions about church

I had some “what if” thoughts the other day that I wanted to share…

  • WHAT IF the church really believed that Jesus was as powerful as Scripture says that He is?
  • WHAT IF we were not afraid to BEG GOD for ridiculous things, knowing that He is able?
  • WHAT IF we REALLY believed that Acts 2:41-47 was actually the starting point of all that God wants to do through the church and NOT the watermark?
  • WHAT IF we really believed that a life dedicated to Christ means that we are completely His…not just on Sunday?
  • WHAT IF every church became a cheerleader of other churches and not critics?
  • WHAT IF we really believed the church existed to CHANGE the world and not just to “meet my needs!”
  • WHAT IF we really believe that teenagers and children are worth the investment and poured resources into them instead of making them sell doughnuts in front of department stores?
  • WHAT IF we really believed God’s Kingdom should grow through the church instead of being stagnant?
  • WHAT IF we were willing to lay aside our personal preferences for the sake of reaching those who are far from God?
  • WHAT IF we refused to participate in slandering and tearing down another person?
  • WHAT IF we sought to embrace God’s plan for our lives (and churches) instead of trying to get Him to bless ours?

Those are just some of the things I’ve been wondering.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: church, kingdom of god, ministry, mission, perry noble, Theology of the Church, what if

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You might be surprised who you will meet among the homeless

By Sam Riviera
24 Comments

You might be surprised who you will meet among the homeless

helping the homelessJesus said that we would always have the poor with us (Matt 26:11).

As a result, we find it easy to conclude that the problem of the poor is too big for us to solve, so we drop a few dollars in the Salvation Army kettle at Christmas and write a check for missions and give it to our local church.

We almost become blind to the poor where we live.

When the recent census revealed that there are over ten thousand homeless people in San Diego, everyone I know thought those numbers must be incorrect. “Occasionally I see a homeless person at an intersection begging for money but surely there can’t be more than a few hundred homeless people in the entire city!”

One church group of which we were a part decided that the homeless were on the streets because of “bad decisions” they had made. The group felt that helping them would only encourage them to stay homeless. The solution they proposed was that “Homeless people should get off their butts and get jobs!”

Their perspective might have changed if they had gotten their butts out of the pews and gone down to get to know some of the homeless in the streets.

Going to the Homeless

Last Saturday our small group ventured to downtown San Diego to an area where several hundred homeless people live on the sidewalk, in the shadow of the ballpark.

As we walked in the shadow of this great structure, I was reminded of Jesus being born in Bethlehem, literally in the shadow of the Herodian, one of Herod’s palaces and a symbol of the wealth and might of the Roman Empire.

Friday had brought a soaking rain. On Saturday the homeless were trying to dry their clothes, blankets and sleeping bags. As several told us, “We’re trying to get dry before it rains tomorrow.” We shared chips and some other prepackaged food we had taken with us and talked to them. Some had been living on the streets for months or years. One man said he had lost his job, had run out of money, and had just joined the ranks of the homeless that day.

We went home thankful for our warm bed and dry clothes.

About lunch time on Sunday the second storm arrived. The rain continued until the middle of the night. The heavy rain woke me up several times that night, and I prayed for the people sitting in the rain on the sidewalk downtown, some without even a garbage bag to cover their heads.

As the rain fell, the temperature dipped into the upper forties and low fifties. As many homeless have explained to us, even though the temperature might be above freezing, being soaked to the skin on a chilly night can lower body temperature and is especially dangerous for those with health problems. If a person remains cold and wet on the streets, hypothermia can set in and the homeless person may die.

Are the Homeless My Problem?

As I prayed for the homeless while it rained, I began to wonder if I had done enough.

We had taken food to the homeless, but I was lying in a warm dry bed and they were sitting on a cold, wet sidewalk getting soaked. We had given them dry clothes, but those clothes were now soaking wet while I had a whole closet full of warm and dry clothes a few feet away.

The problem of the homeless seemed too big for me or our small group to solve.

Was there something more we could do, or should we just give up?

As I lay there, I realized the truth of what Jesus said about the poor.

It is true that the poor will always be with us (Matt 26:11), but this is not an excuse to not help the poor, but an opportunity! Since the poor will always be with us, every person in every generation has the opportunity to be blessed through helping the poor.

More than that, since Jesus Himself said that if we give a cup of cold water to one of the least of these in His name, it is as if we are giving the cup of cold water to Jesus Himself (Matt 10:42), the opportunity to feed and clothe the poor is an opportunity to hang out with Jesus!

With this in mind, it would be unfair for only one generation or one group of people to have this opportunity! Therefore, it is a blessing that the poor will always be with us, because now all of us can go meet with Jesus on the streets.

So if you have ever wanted to meet Jesus, now is your chance! Go out and love the homeless.

There is so much need in the world!

And YOU can help.

Fill out the form below to receive several emails about how to love and serve the poor and homeless.

(Note: If you are a member of RedeemingGod.com, login and then revisit this page to update your membership.)

God is Redeeming Church, Redeeming Life Bible & Theology Topics: be the church, Discipleship, evangelism, following Jesus, homeless, looks like Jesus, love like Jesus, Matthew 10:42, Matthew 26:11, ministry, missions, poor, Sam Riviera, Theology of the Church

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Give Gifts to Children in Shoe Boxes

By Jeremy Myers
3 Comments

Give Gifts to Children in Shoe Boxes

If you are looking for a way to share the love of Jesus with people around the world who are less fortunate than ourselves, I highly recommend participating in Operation Christmas Child.

Operation Christmas Child is run by Samaritan’s Purse, and provides a way for you to give gifts to children all over the world. Following the directions on their site, you pack a shoe box with gifts, take it to a drop-off center, and then let Samaritan’s Purse do the rest.

Here is a short video about a boy whose life was changed by a shoe box:

We participate in Operation Christmas Child every year, and it is one of the highlights of our Christmas season. Below are some of the things my wife and daughters wrote about packing shoe boxes for children around the world:

The Importance of Giving Gifts to Others

These simple gifts that come is shoe boxes have the potential to open a child’s heart to the love of Jesus Christ. We see so many times in the gospel how Jesus offers a tangible gift of healing before he offers His gift of love, life, forgiveness. I believe these shoe boxes do the same thing.

Operation Christmas ChildChildren all over the world are hurting and broken through no fault of their own. Many have lost all they had in a hurricane, earthquake, or tsunami. Others have gone through a war that ransacked their village and took the lives of their family, often leaving them orphans. Still other children have endured torture at the hands of slave owners, or have witnessed torture at the hands of enemies.

Children around the world are asking, “Is there anyone that loves me?” , “Am I worthwhile to anyone?”, “Where is a God that loves me?”, “What did I do wrong?”, ” Why is this happening to me?”, and “Does anyone care?” These are the cries of so many children’s hearts, and by sending a shoe box to them, we can help provide some answers to these questions.

How can a simple shoe box answer any of these hard questions from children?

First, these shoe boxes bring HOPE! When we first started making these shoe boxes several years ago, my girls would ask why we couldn’t send them more, like a trunk load of stuff to each kid. “This toothbrush won’t last forever, mommy,” they would say. “And what happens if they loose this necklace, or if this bear gets too dirty? Mommy, this is not enough. If this is all they get for Christmas, we need to send them more. Much more!”

With tears in my eyes I answered that although I so badly wanted to adopt all the children of the world and give them all warm homes, food for their tummy, and loving arms to wrap around them, I cannot. As much as I would love to be able to send billions of dollars to heal their war torn lands and fix their water problems, I can’t.

But there is one thing I could do, I told my girls, I could send them HOPE, and hope is a powerful gift. Hope in ones heart allows you to persevere when you otherwise would not, it allows you to find joy in the most troubling of times, and HOPE in a loving God allows you to believe that someone loves you, cares for you, wants the best for you, and will be there for you forever. This is hope that moves mountains.

operation Christmas Child shoe boxes

No, a shoe box won’t feed the hungry child who receives it. The shoe box won’t educate them, it won’t get them parents. Although there are actually many stories where children do find parents through these shoe boxes. Check out the video below.

But one thing a shoe box does bring is hope, and as my girls now know, hope–especially in a living and loving God–is the most powerful thing we can offer someone.

So this year as you start the process of getting gifts for your family, please also begin a tradition of giving shoe boxes to children around the world that are longing to feel that powerful, tangible touch from the God that loves them. Please give the gift of a shoe box that will lead to the gift of everlasting life.

How Our Family Packs Shoe Boxes

Our family has packed shoe boxes for 15 years, and every year our girls say it is their favorite part of Christmas. Really! They plan and prepare for packing shoe boxes all year long. They save their money to buy small gifts. They look for the biggest shoe boxes in the stores. They look for toys and gifts on sale or on clearance that would fit well into their shoe boxes.

There are many ways to pack a shoe box, but the best way is straight from your heart. At the time of this post, there is only ONE MONTH until the collection time for shoe boxes. The National Collection Week is November 18-25, so you might want to get started today by clicking on the links below that will take you to the Operation Christmas Child site for all the information you will need to get started. If you have any questions about shoe boxes, what to put in them, or how the process works, I would be happy to answer them in the comments section below.

shoe boxes operation christmas child

I will leave you with the words of my daughters. When asked to write why they believe shoe boxes are important this is what they wrote.

Kahlea (age 7)

I think it is good to give kids shoe boxes because it is very important to them. It means a lot to them. It makes them happy and gives them the hope that Jesus and others love them.

Selah (age 9)

I think it is important to pack shoe boxes because little things make kids happy and gives them hope. It is also fun to pack shoe boxes!

Taylor (age 11)

I think it is important to send shoe boxes because it gives the kids joy when they have so much sadness. the shoe boxes also teach them that Jesus loves them and that they are important. And it gives them hope, which is a powerful thing when everything is going wrong around you.

From the mouth of babes comes the simple truth that a small gesture of love reaps the large harvest of hope in a loving God.

Please take some time to visit the links below on how to pack a shoe box, and to learn about how you can help children around the world find hope in a God that loves them. The first link has a video about how to pack a shoe box.

Shoe Box Links

  • How to Pack a Shoe Box
  • Drop Off Locations
  • Frequently Asked Questions

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Christmas, Discipleship, gifts, hope, love, ministry, mission, operation Christmas child, shoe boxes

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