Saturday I helped one of my best and longest term friends move out of Ohio, he has moved on to take a position as Youth Pastor. At his house I met a girl named Stephanie who works with my friends wife. Was that clear as mud? Anyway Stephanie moved down here alone and left her kids with her parents until she can get settled. Since she was waiting for a pay check she said she had just put her last money in her gas tank. Well it turns out that Stephanie lives less than two miles from our house. Did I mention she had only been here a month, known my friend for a month and was already helping with a move?
I shared this story with Heather and we took some of our ‘missions’ money and bought her a gift card to a local grocery store so she could get some food and gas if she needed it. When we brought it before our house church for prayer, people started throwing money at me. Which was not what I had expected but was wonderful because we were able to give her a greater gift. Well Monday we couldn’t get to her house because Heather wasn’t feeling well. So tonight we made a point to go by her house after I got off of work only to find she wasn’t home. We wrote a simple note reminding her who I was and telling her that we lived near by and want her to call us if she needed anything.
Well, we ran a few errands and then went back to see if she was home, we felt a little nervous just leaving a gift card at her house. She had just pulled up and we were actually able to talk to her. She was very thankful and almost ready to cry because of our gesture. We told her to call us and got her phone number to call her. I hope to invite her to house church or at least to our house so we can love her as Christ loves her and tell her the good news of Jesus. I hope I remember how to do that.
3 responses to “Suburban Missionary: Friend of a Friend”
Fish, Stephanie received the Good News of Jesus when you met her need in His name.
Through the Gospels, that’s what Jesus did: He taught and meets the physical needs of the people with whom He comes in contact.
Hope is the simplicity and practicality of the Good News and you extended that to Stephanie.
Well done.
I appreciate the sentiment “Hyman” but I must respectfully disagree. The gospel is described by Paul as facts that are to be related,
“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Peter,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. ”
What she saw was the outward expression of how that Gospel affected my life. I believe it was the true religion expressed by James but not the Gospel, the gift card will not save her soul no matter how much faith she has in it.
I don’t disagree, however, all that Paul submitted as reasons of first importance were, I believe, for the Church. I do not believe those were evangelistic points of conversation.
The Holy Spirit draws and our works (should) validate.
Jesus said that we will be know by our love, or compassion. That was what I was referring to. By your faith, you were moved to compassion and met a need as Christ did so many times.
The gift card, of course, doesn’t save her. But Jesus feeding the 5000 didn’t save anyone either. It was an opportunity to touch the person.
I imagine taping a Chick tract to her door telling her she’s going to hell if she doesn’t accept Jesus would not have garnered the same response.