"Minutemen"

"Minutemen were members of teams of select men from the American colonial militia during the American Revolutionary War. They provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that allowed the colonies to respond immediately to war threats, hence the name," states Wikepedia.

Perhaps the greatest need in the Christian Church today is for minutemen/women. The need for Christ Followers who are highly mobile and rapidly deployed is greater than ever. There are plenty of Christians with whom God must first check their schedule. There are many more Christians for whom God knows not to even bother to ask. But even in a Church full of the apathetic and unavailable, the Kingdom of God continues to be ushered into existence on earth because in every generation God still has his minutemen/women.

I just got off the phone with one of his minutemen. One of our High School Students, Michael Collins called. He explained that in a high school assembly today a women shared her story of past drug abuse and imprisonment. She will be given her freedom next week. She shared her story to encourage teenagers to choose a different path. After the assembly, Michael and his friend stopped to talk with her. They asked what she would do when she was released from prison next week. She explained her plan was to contact a local homeless shelter until she could restart her life. Michael invited her to Living Hope and shared about Celebrate Recovery. He then called me to see if she could call me for us to see if there was anything we could do as a church. I love it! Praise God! That is being a minuteman for God...You see a need and in the name of Jesus Christ you don't sit around and wait for someone else to act; you act!

I have seen minutemen/women in action every week this school year. They are folks in this church and six others in Centerville. We Had no idea how Food 2 Go would feed 100 children a week who would other wise go hungry on the weekends. But every week...did you hear me? Every week, the food has come in, sometimes just in time, but always in time. Why? One reason...minutemen/women of God are highly mobile and rapidly deployed.

I have watched minutemen/women of God step up every time we have listed the need for people to serve children in our classes on Sunday mornings. We do not have childcare at Living Hope. We have life-changing ministry for the children of Living Hope. The reason we have it is because minutemen/women of God see a need, step up and go the extra mile to ensure children are experiencing the love of Christ.

This week I received an email from the "No Restrictions" Life Group. They are now partnering with Gospel Mission to serve meals to the homeless. This group has also responded to serve those in Appalachia, Ky and to help visit the sick and shut-ins in our church family. The whole group is made up of minutemen/women of God!

In the next month we will watch as minutemen/women of God respond to the need of Ukraine orphans by committing to one of the Expeditions in 2011. The people who respond will not submit to all the reasons why they can't go; they will simply submit to the call of God and watch him make happen what they could not...they will watch him clear schedules, overcome fears and provide the resources. Minutemen/women get to see God do what few others see simply because they are highly mobile and rapidly discharged. People who have to wait for all the ducks to be in a row before they will trust God enough to go don't see God do the impossible, because they don't give him the chance.

We have an incredible number of minutemen/women who make up the church called Living Hope. I thank God for you! You are a powerful force that scares hell to death! Don't back down! Don't give up! And never let those around you, even other so-called Christians, discourage you from going after what God has for you next!