I have been a “Christian” my whole life. I have served in some form of ministry for the last 14 years. While I was growing up in the church, I had various experiences with God. I was healed of a serious back issue when I was 10. I had the opportunity to witness countless miracles of healings and deliverances. I had the opportunity to travel to Brazil twice on trips with Global Awakening. I experienced things that would set anyone on fire for the rest of their lives. I graduated high school and interned at a church for a little over one year before moving back home and taking my first job as a volunteer worship leader. I have held that role, until recently, for almost 5 years. Until almost one year ago, I never considered “Christian” life outside of the church or outside of the church family. I never gave any attention or thought to the way I inhabit this earth, to the way I interacted with other people.
It was very simple to gather logical ideas on how the Sunday services should go. Which songs to choose so the congregation would “feel closer to God” came very easily to me. My time and devotion was not given to Jesus but rather it was given to the failed attempts to make church amazing. The issue was that I left Jesus out of it. Not just the planning for the different services, not just the services themselves, not just the prayer time with the worship teams. I left Jesus out of my life. I thought about Him when the church took communion, and I always pictured him on the cross. Not just during communion but always. I always pictured Him on the cross. Like He was unable or unwilling to visit with me, like He never came off the cross.
Almost two years ago I decided to read what Jesus said in Matthew. I read where Jesus said “I was hungry. thirsty…naked…cold and you did not do anything for me. When you did these things for the least, you did them for Me”. – (my brief interpretation). I read a Christian book that told me to consider everyone as Jesus. Then, as I was driving to work everyday, I started to notice the homeless people in my city. My heart was instantly broken for them. Time went on and I began to seek outreach programs. When I could not find anything in my church I decided to do it on my own outside of the church.
I have been progressively saddened at the lack of teaching, understanding, desiring, or belief that the people outside the church are just as, if not more important than the people inside the church. Was it not Jesus who said “I have come here for the sick and not the healthy” – (again, my interpretation). I understand the entire body is important. The hand is just as important as the eye. The ministry for the church member is just as important as the ministry for the non-church member. My issue is that I do not see the ministry, the heart felt ministry for the non-saved. I hear about great conferences, and new worship songs, and the next best worship artist, and the speaker here and there. What I don’t hear about is the thousands of lost souls being brought into the family. I don’t hear about the atheist whose broken arm was healed in the grocery store. I don’t hear about the encouraging words being given to the mother in front of us at the coffee shop. I don’t hear about the Love of Jesus being shared from person to person. I don’t see the street preachers anymore. I don’t see the light being shined. I see people trying to drag their non-Christian friends and family members into another 3 hour long church service. Here’s a thought, Bring the church to them where they are. Be the church. Be Jesus.
All of this has lead me to begin a project. The Bridge Project. I understand that for some Christians the ability to get out and share Jesus can be intimidating. They are worried about being rejected, saying the wrong things. They don’t know where to start or who to talk to or what being Jesus looks like. The Bridge Project will be geared to encouraging believers to get out and be the hands and feet. There will be “how to” training and teachings. There will be lists of outreach and street ministry events for people to find and go participate in. Testimonies of salvations, healings, and answers to prayer will be shared with everyone to encourage others to do the same. The Bridge Project will have one goal. To see city after city transformed because of the Love of Jesus being shared from person to person. I believe this is possible. I know this is possible. This is what Jesus told us to do. We are to go into all the world and preach the gospel, Love our neighbor as ourselves, Heal the sick, and cast out the demons in The Nam of Jesus. I believe that as we move forward with this project we will see the great out pouring we have all been seeking after.
I ask everyone who reads this to simply share this with someone else. Get involved with the project. Share Jesus. Be Jesus.
Check the Facebook page daily. In a short time we will begin posting different opportunities for outreach through the city.
May The Good Lord Keep you in peace, health, love, blessing, and prosperity.
-Anthony
Check Facebook for “The Bridge Project” and Like the page.
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