Sep 2009
Vine Street Mission
09/20/09 01:08 PM Filed in: Personal
I
took on a new responsibility this semester in that I
am now a pastor at Vine Street Mission, a little
storefront ministry in the heart of Cincinnati's
inner-city. I have worked at the mission since my
freshman year, but this is my first time to serve in
this new capacity. It has proven to be one of the
most unique and beautiful experiences of my life. God
has shown me what it means to serve the poor and
needy. We are dealing with people every week who have
absolutely nothing but the clothes on their back. But
it's not so much their physical needs that prove to
be the greatest inhibitors to their coming to Christ,
rather it's years of depression, repression and utter
hopelessness. Sometimes this leads them to an
attitude of utter apathy to the point where they know
there's a God, but they really don't care. Sometimes
this makes them broken, and open, but they feel
helpless to overcome their desperate situation.
It's a challenge. How do you minister to such a wide range of people? Further, if they do make progress, how do you help them achieve realistic goals? A lot of times in ministry the real growth in a person's life occurs as the result of consistent exposure to the Word of God and a church family. They are there week after week, Sunday after Sunday to be saturated by the Word, and by the love of God's people, but we don't always have that at Vine Street. The people are often so transient. They will be there one week, all excited to worship and serve God, but then you'll never see them again as they drift on to another city. Again, it's a real challenge. But it's a challenge that we, the workers of Vine St. Mission, gladly take up each Sunday.
It's exciting to serve the inner-city! It's never the same thing twice, and you run across your fair share of unique, and often humorous experiences to keep you on your toes. Just today we had a lady come in off the street and during our testimony service she got up and praised the Lord that she had finally "found who God made her to be." She was so happy and content with who she was, and she never wanted to change. "I'm so happy that I'm a drug user, that I drink, that I'm a prostitute..." and on and on she went. Now, I'm up there leading the testimony service thinking, "Oh my. How do I pull out of this one?" Thankfully one of the associate pastors, Santiago, had the wisdom to get up right after that and give a testimony praising God for how He can save us and pull us out of our sin, lifting us out of the pit we were in. I then used this as an opportunity to reinforce his testimony and proclaim the redeeming power of God's grace and salvation. You face all kinds of situations in the hurting and confused inner-city. But, we never face it alone. God goes before us, preparing the way.
It's so beautiful to see God drawing people to Him. I had someone ask me today about going to Bible college, and talk to me about how desperately he wants to go. That is nothing less than the sheer outpouring of God's grace. I'm gaining a more mature understanding of the fact that we were made to serve, and thus by our service we fulfill a purpose for our existence. That's the only conclusion I can arrive at as to why it's enjoyable to serve God and others. It's what we were made to do. It is so wonderful to be a servant of God, and to be a vessel that God can use to pour out His love and grace to those hurting in the shadow places of Cincinnati.
It's a challenge. How do you minister to such a wide range of people? Further, if they do make progress, how do you help them achieve realistic goals? A lot of times in ministry the real growth in a person's life occurs as the result of consistent exposure to the Word of God and a church family. They are there week after week, Sunday after Sunday to be saturated by the Word, and by the love of God's people, but we don't always have that at Vine Street. The people are often so transient. They will be there one week, all excited to worship and serve God, but then you'll never see them again as they drift on to another city. Again, it's a real challenge. But it's a challenge that we, the workers of Vine St. Mission, gladly take up each Sunday.
It's exciting to serve the inner-city! It's never the same thing twice, and you run across your fair share of unique, and often humorous experiences to keep you on your toes. Just today we had a lady come in off the street and during our testimony service she got up and praised the Lord that she had finally "found who God made her to be." She was so happy and content with who she was, and she never wanted to change. "I'm so happy that I'm a drug user, that I drink, that I'm a prostitute..." and on and on she went. Now, I'm up there leading the testimony service thinking, "Oh my. How do I pull out of this one?" Thankfully one of the associate pastors, Santiago, had the wisdom to get up right after that and give a testimony praising God for how He can save us and pull us out of our sin, lifting us out of the pit we were in. I then used this as an opportunity to reinforce his testimony and proclaim the redeeming power of God's grace and salvation. You face all kinds of situations in the hurting and confused inner-city. But, we never face it alone. God goes before us, preparing the way.
It's so beautiful to see God drawing people to Him. I had someone ask me today about going to Bible college, and talk to me about how desperately he wants to go. That is nothing less than the sheer outpouring of God's grace. I'm gaining a more mature understanding of the fact that we were made to serve, and thus by our service we fulfill a purpose for our existence. That's the only conclusion I can arrive at as to why it's enjoyable to serve God and others. It's what we were made to do. It is so wonderful to be a servant of God, and to be a vessel that God can use to pour out His love and grace to those hurting in the shadow places of Cincinnati.
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Clean, Comfortable, and It Works
09/09/09 05:31 PM Filed in: Personal
I just walked past room #309 in the guys dorm and
read this sign on the door: "Computer Chair for Sale:
Clean, Comfortable, and it Works." As I walked on
down the hall it occurred to me, isn't that what we
usually settle for in the Christian life? We are ok
with a religion that is "clean, comfortable, and
works." Is that really how it should be? Is that
really enough? Don't you ever want to go deeper, just
to see what's really out there in the mystery of this
divine Being we call God? One of my favorite songs
has a chorus that reads:
"What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?"
And it's true. What do I really know of the deep nature of God, His holiness. I feel like too long I've been standing on the shore of the Ocean that is God. This works itself out in two ways: 1) I need to know Him more cognitively, and to that end I am studying here at GBS to learn as much as I can, but 2) I also need to know Him more experientially. Admittedly, this is blatantly subjective, but I think that's what the Bible requires. God's wants a meaningful, personal, and deeply intimate relationship with us (Eph. 5:25). The Christian life is all about balance, specifically between the cognitive and the experiential. Our problem is we often have too little of both.
As a corollary to this, I think that many times the reason for my unhappiness or ill-contentment can be traced back to a lack of cognitive and experiential knowledge of God. I vainly search and cry for happiness, all the while overlooking the venue to receive it. I like what C. S. Lewis wrote in "The Weight of Glory":
"If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
I'm tired of being "easily pleased." Should this drive me to discontentment? By no means! It should drive me one place, and one place only; straight to the heart of God.
-Ryan
"What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?"
And it's true. What do I really know of the deep nature of God, His holiness. I feel like too long I've been standing on the shore of the Ocean that is God. This works itself out in two ways: 1) I need to know Him more cognitively, and to that end I am studying here at GBS to learn as much as I can, but 2) I also need to know Him more experientially. Admittedly, this is blatantly subjective, but I think that's what the Bible requires. God's wants a meaningful, personal, and deeply intimate relationship with us (Eph. 5:25). The Christian life is all about balance, specifically between the cognitive and the experiential. Our problem is we often have too little of both.
As a corollary to this, I think that many times the reason for my unhappiness or ill-contentment can be traced back to a lack of cognitive and experiential knowledge of God. I vainly search and cry for happiness, all the while overlooking the venue to receive it. I like what C. S. Lewis wrote in "The Weight of Glory":
"If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."
I'm tired of being "easily pleased." Should this drive me to discontentment? By no means! It should drive me one place, and one place only; straight to the heart of God.
-Ryan
Square One
09/04/09 06:23 PM Filed in: Personal
I was thinking the other day about how life can have a way of suddenly reorienting you to a new reality, a new point of existence. It can, in essence, throw you right back to square one. Now, I don't think I've ever heard this phrase used in a positive context, but, it struck me that being back at square one can sometimes be a good thing. It means you have a profusion of new opportunities open to you. It means you have more moments of intimacy as you look to Him to guide you through. God has a whole new and exciting path for you to walk down! How we get back to square one isn't always so important. Sometimes it's a simple evidence of the grace of God working in our lives. Where would we be without the firm, yet gentle correcting hand of God? I have been reveling lately in just how faithful God is. For what better friend could the mortal soul seek than the Divine? As I was going about my normal routine the other day it sunk in how privileged I am; I have been befriended by God. Yes, God demands that He be my Lord and Master, but this in no way weakens our friendship. Who better to discuss every detail of life with than my Best Friend? I never have to fear of being misunderstood, misused, or left empty. I am beginning to gain a more mature understanding of just how much trust and security there is to be shared in this relationship. God is ever so gentle with the seeking heart. He really is the "Wonderful Counselor" and the "Prince of Peace." One of my favorite songs has a chorus that reads, "Gentle Savior lead me on, Let your Spirit light my way, Gentle Saviour lead me on, Hold me close, keep me safe, lead me on." I am so grateful for my Gentle Savior. But He is not only our Savior, and Redeemer, He is also our Gentle Healer. He knows how to heal broken hearts, because He's suffered that anguish on the cross. He knows how to sustain the weary, because He's endured the suffocating breath of fatigue. And He knows how to befriend the lonely, because he's felt the pangs of abandonment. Are you broken, and hurting? Won't you come to the Gentle Healer, and allow Him to comfort and love you like no one else can?