Category: Current Events

Six months ago, I had the opportunity to chat a little with Gary Haugen, the founder of International Justice Mission. My friend Bethany, who also works at IJM, set up the call and I blogged about it here.

As I was flipping through the channels a few weeks ago, I stopped on a Dateline episode with the title “Children for Sale.” As soon as I hit the channel, I saw Gary being interviewed by Chris Hansen. The show was about Dateline going undercover with IJM in Cambodia. It was a couple of years old but the content is timeless. I was instantly taken back to the way I felt after reading Gary’s book Just Courage, and processing the conversation I had with him in December.

Even though I returned from India a little over a month ago, I find it so easy to let my heart slip back into the mode of oblivion. In the back of my mind I know there are life and death issues and injustice occurring all over the world but I retreat into my to do lists and my calendar and my email and making plans for myself.

I shove out of my heart the very things that make up the heart of God.

So, I talked to Bethany and asked if I could give away ten of Gary’s book on my blog today. It is such an important book. I think it’s one I need to read a little every day to simply be reminded that we are called to fight.

Ever feel like this?

?There must be more to the Christian life than this?more than church each Sunday and waving to my neighbors and giving some clothes to Goodwill when I go through my closet each spring.?

These aren?t bad things, of course. But they?re safe and comfortable and easy. And there?s a reason they?re not satisfying your desire for something more significant and meaningful?we?re created by God for adventure.

International Justice Mission president Gary Haugen has found that engaging in the fight for justice is the most deeply satisfying way of life. This book shows how we too can be a part of God?s great expedition.

I wish I could give a copy of this book to all of you. It is one of the most profound books I’ve read. But hey, you can win it. To be entered, leave a comment related to anything having to do with injustice. Your questions, your thoughts, your actions, your desires, whatever.? I?ll pick winners next Thursday and the winner shall be notified via electronic post. (That?s email). Use the TWEET THIS button below to earn double credit.

If you didn’t already know, I am a major, major fan of the people at Healing Place Church.? I had the opportunity to hang with some of their staff and volunteers back in December.? Serving the homeless and then going on the Midnight Outreach was one of the most profound experiences of my life.? It’s been two months and I am still processing it.

When I came back to Cross Point after my trip to Baton Rouge, I couldn’t shut up about how HPC is just oozing the love of Christ in simple acts of service.? Now Ryan, our missions pastor at Cross Point and Jenni, our Executive Director, are going to go experience the DNA of Healing Place.

Something else we’re doing, and that YOU have an opportunity to do, is SERVOLUTION!? Dino wrote a book with the same title, which I highly recommend you order millions of copies of.? But what’s amazing is the week leading up to Easter, they are challenging churches to just get out and serve.

It’s that simple!

From the Servolution website:

7 Days of Servolution is churches from all over the world coming together to express the love of Christ to the people in their communities through simple acts of kindness and generosity. From April 3rd through the 9th we are asking you to partner with us and churches from all over the world and bring that example set by Jesus to the people in your community. As you know this is the week leading up to Easter weekend. We believe that this is a great opportunity to invite people from all over your community to come out and be a part. Many times it’s during those weekends that people are the most receptive to the Gospel message and we want to help do all that we can to fill churches everywhere for people to have an opportunity to experience the love of God through salvation.

Cross Point is doing it.? And you should too.

You can get more info and sign up here!

Not unlike many other places on the east side of the country, Nashville is COLD today. Windchills below zero. The townhome I live in is old and not very well insulated, so on days like this it says right around 62, with all space heaters on high.

As I was getting ready this morning, I started thinking how miserable the cold was. After all, I am a Texas girl: A warm blooded-anything below 90 degrees is freezing cold-kind of lady. While this was happening, I was reminded of the nearly 11,000 homeless that Nashville call home. And that, although I have to spend all of 30 seconds out in the sharply frigid temperature, these people LIVE in it. They SLEEP in it.? They walk around as the arctic wind gusts chap their already weathered skin.

Once at the office, Ryan, our missions pastor, and Pete and I got together and decided we had to do something about it. Walmart has these really inexpensive but ridiculously warm fleece blankets that normally run about $4 (they were on sale for $3 today!) And so Ryan and I went and loaded up fifty-one of these blankets. We sent out an email and at 2 pm today, some of our staff and whoever else shows up (we invited people on Twitter and Facebook) will head out to some of the areas in Nashville where those who are homeless tend to hang out.

It’s just a blanket.? Just a couple of hours of time and $150.? But hopefully these blankets will help keep these people a little more protected during the next week as the temperatures continue to plunge.

Cross Point is an amazing place to serve.? We are busy…things are crazy…but I love how interruptions like this easily take priority over the things that can wait.? It was cheap and fast and easy to do. It just took doing it to get it done.? Does that make sense?

How much margin do you have built into your life — your professional life, your personal life, your family life — where you can stop everything to help people spontaneously?? I highly encourage you to add a little more if you can, because it’s so worth it…not just for us…but for the people who need whatever it is they need in your communities.

If you want to talk about church marketing – THIS IS CHURCH MARKETING. Your mailer may be effective and tell people in words what your church is up to, but this puts action behind it. Would you rather be known as the church with the great mailers or the church who goes out in the community and tangibly loves people when they need it most?? Goes back to Marshall McLuhan’s thought of “The medium is the message.”

What’s your medium? What’s your message? Do they work together or are they opposite forces…which can be confusing?