Let’s recap, so far our acronym “Responsibility”
Recruit
Equip and Train
Spirit-filled
Praying
Optimistic
Next-Generation Leaders
who lead Self well
Influence others
Buy into our vision
Invest time and resources
Love the Lost
God ignited a fire in our hearts last week, let’s keep that fire burning. How about starting your own ELP “Take the City” project or a “TC-HOP” (IHOP) with Harp and Bowl Worship and prayer at your Center?
When David Wilkerson ministered to the gangs on the streets of New York in 1958, he met Nicky Cruz, assistant to the president of the Mau Mau gang, who told him after a time of preaching and ministry “Go to Hell, Preacher.” But David’s response was “you don’t think much of me Nicky, but I feel different about you; I love you Nicky.” Nicky said ” you come near me Preacher and I’ll kill you.” David was moved with great compassion, gentleness and patience and these words rolled off his tongue “you could cut me in a thousand pieces and lay them out in the street and every piece would love you” (C&S, p. 72). This is the depth of love our students need. Our students come to us because nobody loves them. Most of them did not experience unconditional love from their mother or father while they were growing up therefore they searched for love in all the wrong places. It is the unconditional love that we received through Jesus Christ that will make the difference in our students’ lives. Prior to their encounter with God, all they knew was conditional love but we can show them the unconditional love of God when they walk through our doors.
Last Saturday while we did our Take the City outreach, I realized how much the enemy is using drugs and lies to blind the eyes of people from receiving God’s love. When we invited one lady to leave her lifestyle and come with us to our Women’s Center, she said “I can’t do that to my “family” (other addicts). I confronted her with the question; “on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest, how much do you love your friends? 10. When asked the same question about God she responded “I can’t say that, I don’t even want to say that.” Although she professed to know God and pray to Him every day, she realized she loved her friends more than she loved God.
As staff we have to model unconditional love for our students. As Christ has loved us, so also we must love one another (John 13:34, NIV). David Wilkerson came to the realization years ago that “they’ve (drug addicts) got to start over again, and they’ve got to be surrounded by love” (C&S, p. 60). Pray that God gives you a burden for the 250 million drug addicts all over the world and ask Him how we can bring hope within reach of every addict.
Blessings, Andree
