I love the Church where God has called Sherri and me to serve. I certainly know that there are no perfect churches, but I had let myself believe that Christ Baptist Church was as near perfect as any church In which I had been associated. Recently we had a tragic split with over 200 people leaving. This was devastating, and it hurt us, but now we are recovering, growing and ministering.
Christ Baptist Church has been partnering with Refugee Hope Partners for several years. This past Sunday afternoon a large number from our church went to the Cedar Point Apartment Community where refugees from over 30 countries have been given a place to live. I think most of the refugee population comes from African countries. A young couple from our church is living there to minister to these people who bring with them their culture, their language and their pain from having to flee their homes.
We went there to interact with those refugees, to love them and to have gospel conversations with them if possible. Often the only way to have those gospel conversations, due to the language barrier, is to show them the love of Jesus through our actions.
One conversation that I had was with a little girl from one of the African countries. She was probably ten years old. A fellow member from our choir and I met her as we were going down to the basketball court to pick up trash from our event. She stopped us and asked why we had trash bags. I told her what we were going to do. Most of the children are learning to speak English at their school and from the Refugee Hope Partners at the apartment complex. We could understand what she was saying.
She said, “Why do you want to do that?”
“Because we want to make the basketball court look better before we leave,” I replied.”
She said, “That’s not your trash! Why do you pick up trash that’s not yours?”
I said, “Because it is the right thing to do, that is what…” Before I could say, “Jesus wants us to do…” she had run off to play with some of her friends. That was the extent of my verbal gospel conversation that day.
I love my church. I love the opportunities that I would never have if I was not a member. I love how God uses Sherri, me and our brothers and sisters in Christ’s body of believers called Christ Baptist Church. Where else would I be able to go into all the world and speak the powerful name of Jesus in just one community where over 30 countries are represented. I am so glad that these dear people have found refuge in our backyard. God is bringing the nations to us whether we like it or not. Will we take advantage of the opportunity to share the gospel to all who come?
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