about life in the streets, lately

I've been really talking with a lot neighbors lately. Some folks recognized me in the grocery store, and folks are out on the streets a lot, so there has been a lot of opportunity to 'chat'.

These people have major issues with their children! I mean, these kids are on the loose, getting involved in gang life, can't read... the shcools let the kids in my 'hood out at 1030am or noon because they just can't behave! They're out here all day, just hanging around and doing nothign good...

I feel there's no alternative but for the church to provide an alternative! Our people are all under school debt, working their tuckus' off all day, coming home and haivng just the littlest slice of time to provide to these kids and it's MAKING ALL THE DIFFERENCE!! It's working!

Yes, Chris and Aaron got beat.
Yes, Aaron Ross got mugged and jumped.
Yes, Chris Challis turned back to the dark side for a while and got shot.
Yes, it's life and death around here...

but it's worth it to Jesus! I'm probably talking to almost all my readers when I say that you can help this mess get turned around for Christ's sake. You can put your time to work for Kingdom, in the midst of the darkness. It's all about where you live. Where your house is. I'm serious.

God gave you a head. Use it! if Jesus Christ hangs all of the judgment on your involvement with the "least of these my brethren", how are you gonna fare? You, the affluent church leaders who invest abroad while mouths go hungry and souls perish for need of love. No kidding. what?

I mean, at least a gut wrenching prayer of "help Lord, it's true! We've become rich and think we need nothign, but we've lost YOU!", at this point would be an appropriate cry from the church. Defensiveness? NO place for it, today.

And don't tell us we're brave, adn that you'd never have the guts to do what we're doing. That doesn't fly with Jesus. Just don't say it. It's patronizing, although it is 'nice', too. and thanks to all who have said it, but you just don't get it yet. you're such nice people--a thing Jesus hasn't called us to be, at all.

How I love the Body of Christ! How I love to attend large meetings. How much I have wanted to just be on staff, among a people who are passionate to equip the kind of discipleship that the Master has called us to... I need you all so much! please join THE TRUTH and plead with the Master to put you to his works, today. Titus tells us to be eager for good works! Be eager for good works! yearn to do stuff for Jesus, today.

I'm getting tired and we need refreshment. We don't do this because it's fun or because it makes us feel puffed up! We feel broken and need the Church to come to help. how? Start by stopping with the defensiveness! We're not talking about what you feel like we're talking about. We're not saying anything about being "good enough". NONE OF US ARE GOOD ENOUGH! WE START AS SINNERS, HATERS AND PREDATORS. WE CONTINUE AS BEGGARS...

Your church leaders are talking about tithes and program involvement, trying to get you to discover the Love Jesus is talking about...
JEsus himself?
He's talking about your SUV, your 250,000 dollar homes, your SeaDoo jetskis, your house on the lake that you can't use because you're too busy...
JEsus himself?
He's talking about GETTING RID OF STUFF, THEN USING THE FREE MONEY TO HELP THE POOR. What? Where is your head?

Some people say that your head is to keep you out of trouble, away from poverty. Jesus gives us the "mind of Christ", that brigns us close to the lowly. Deal with Him. Deal with truth. Deal with Him.

Christian truth isn't a creed, as comforting as they are. Christian Truth is a Person--Jesus Himself. When we speak the truth, we're turning you to Jesus. Go with it. Who knows where you'll land.

Kenya?
northside?
over the rhine?
what?
Isn't that what it is?
what did you think it was? aaaah. no. it's not that. it's this. seriously.