06/15/2026
Just a little while ago these folks were young and full of life. Things may have been challenging but they were able to maneuver through the circumstances. They had their strength and health, their wits about them. Their education and their skills. Their beauty. They were living their lives however that looked. Those who were capable to do so without physical limitations. Life may have not been perfect but it was life and they were living it.
This is not a post about how their decisions got them to certain places. I don't know anything about any of the folks accept they come to the church services when we show up and we are blessed to worship with them. They have many different backgrounds and each ones upbringing was different. Different races, different success stories. Some have always had trouble their whole lives. Was born with certain things that kept them from the abilities of others. Yet they are all together in the same place. Many a similar reality. They are alone in a difficult situation. And they have no power to change it. Some may come to their last in this place. Actually, my mother did in this very place. I was there with my brother Kevin, our wives, and our niece. It was a difficult thing to witness. This, unfortunately, was my first experience with this facility.
Many decisions in ministry are made based on ROI. Return On Investment. Is it worth our investment to do this. Thats a business term in the world that many carry into the ministry. It can very much be a bad principle. Because the goal is not to have the largest ministry or church but to be obedient to the one who called you to be a Son or Daughter. To walk with the heart of the Father who gave His Son for your sin so that you may have life! The jury is out on whether the Return On Investment will pay out from your life. 🤷♂️ Just saying. The blood of the Son of God is a very precious and costly gesture. The only thing that could pay for your sin.
Many generalize the mission to accommodate their desires. Fleshly desires not Godly ones. The details of every godly persons missions are in the secret place of God's presence where the yes and no's are hashed out. Where one receives instructions beyond the general of scripture. Specific to the ministry you oversee. The people you empower to have influence, set up to lead, orchestrate to facilitate the work of the Kingdom. Where you'll plant, water, and Lord willing, increase. Imagine Jesus passing by Samaria because of the racial and religious tension, or forsaking the cross to live a little longer on the earth to have some "nice things." Impossible! He couldn't do it because His mission was obedience to the Father. Despite the cost. As was the mission of the Apostles and early church fathers who gave everything to follow Jesus. As is our mission!
This is not a ministry decision that sees return in that way. It's a sacrifice. A generally uncomfortable place. Where its like everybody is struggling and dealing with challenges that are more than you want to take on. Folks in wheel chairs everywhere. Minds struggling. Speach impaired from strokes and other things. Folks bitter and angry that will cuss you out for saying hello. It's easy to say no to this type of ministry. No tithers in this group. Unless your preying on folks retirment and whoa! Your going to H E double hockey stick first class!!!👀 No new Evangelists, Missionaries, Apostles, Prophets, Pastors. Church membership won't probably grow because of doing this. Many of the people in this place don't have many that care about them at this stage of their life. Hard place to be! This is more of a budget facility if you know what I mean. Not a high dollar home where folks with a little more resources go. They are often very lonely. So when they see you they just want to talk and you know you have places to be so better not engage that person. It's unfortunately quite easy to forsake a generation whose date has expired. You need to focus on the next generation anyway. They will carry the mission. They will carry the church. And soon,.......... you will be old....... Lord willing.
This is often very difficult to serve this community for fleshly reasons but extremely rewarding for spiritual reasons. I can't begin to express how they act when we come in. Generally excited. Happy that we are going to bring the fellowship to them and share the Word of God. They shout to the Lord, they cry in joy, they cry in their difficulties, they share their feelings about God and the help He gives them. They tell our brother Benny and sister Nancy, when y'all get here come get me. The team searches the rooms for folks that want to come have fellowship and the room is full. We sing and pray and share the Word and pray some more and they rejoice! Imagine the face of God in those moments! My heart rejoices!! I see an older generation with noone to comfort them. It breaks my heart and I know mine pales in comparison to the Fathers.
We are blessed to have doors open in a few areas and another one is prison ministry. If you know me you know why. But this place is not much different than prison. And without having broken the law they may very well die with this sentence.
My heart is simply too provoke those who declare their love for Jesus to bare His heart to someone that may be being overlooked and could use some of that love of His. Your King didn't die so your life could be easier. He died so you could be saved in judgment and be restored in fellowship. So that you could live out your days in the will and purpose of the One who gave it to you in the first place. Jesus couldn't care less if the Knicks or Spurs won. But He cares whether they die and go to hell without knowing that Jesus died for them. Where are the Laborers? Where is the church? Thousands who bare the name but few who serve Him. Do you really believe the gospel?? Do you understand who Jesus is?? Or are we banking on a get out of hell free card?
This was how we spent our Sunday evening and it was a tremendous blessing. I Thank Jesus for saving my life and letting me participate in ministry to be a light to someone else! To serve someone else. Whether better or less fortunate. May the Lord receive the reward of His sufferings!!
To everyone out here!! Come see a Man who changed my life for ever!!!
