LA Dream Center Introduction Letter

The theme of FOS Missions has taken on a new identity. The overarching theme for FOS Missions is “Let the nations be glad…” which is taken from Psalm 67:4. The point of this theme- that every FOS missions team will be sent with the express purpose of bringing the joy of God to people around the globe. This Spring, 28 people will travel to inner city Los Angeles to bring that joy to people who have never experienced it, never known it, and possibly never heard of it. There is no greater purpose on this earth, nor a greater glorification of God than reaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The unique theme of this year’s trip is “Light in Darkness;” taken from Isaiah 9:2. There are a few major ways that this light will manifest itself in our lives during this trip. First, we will be carriers of light for people living in a land of darkness. The city of Los Angeles has a population of roughly 4 million people, 800,000 of which live in poverty. Twenty-five percent of those 800,000 (200,000) are children ages 11 and younger. If you would like a comparison- the total population of Thurston County (Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, and neighbors) is 204,300. There are as many children living in poverty in the city of Los Angeles as there are people in Thurston County. The light we will be bringing to these people isn’t preaching and it isn’t discipleship- it’s things like food, water, soap, and tears. We will bring the light of the love of God as we give them basic necessities that they couldn’t have had on their own, and through that they will know the love of God and the value of every human being in God’s eyes.

I believe we will also see a light shine out of darkness in our hearts. As a community we are blessed, but we often take for granted the blessings we have when we sit down to eat dinner. There are needs we have met every day that we don’t even give thought to, and on this trip we will see people who are lacking in those needs. It is my greatest hope that your perspective will be changed before returning home. And not changed for a moment, for a few weeks, or even a year; but having your heart and mind changed for a lifetime as you see the reality that people face every day. Things we never gave a thought to will be highlighted as essential and incredible, and through this God’s grace in our lives will ring out. He will shed light on dark corners of our hearts that we did not even know existed, and we need to return home changed.

Finally, we will bring light to FOS. There is a message, an attitude, and a heart that returns from a missions trip. Many of you have seen it before. We should never forget that message. Through this trip some of us may be called to world missions for a lifetime, some for a season and others will recognize the desperate need to help in our very own town. But we can never forget what we witness, what we hear, what we do, or even what God reveals in our hearts as we serve. That is a message that has to be passed on to FOS, to Evergreen Christian Community, and to the body of Christ as a whole. It is a message of grace and compassion, a message of heartache and brokenness, but most of all a message about hope. It is a message that brings joy where there was none, and a message that brings light to those trapped in darkness- whether that is Olympia, Los Angeles, Burma, Indonesia, Mexico, or Spain- it must go on.

Take a posture of humility in this trip, and allow God to do with you as He wills- you will be surprised to find the depths of joy in serving such a caring God.

The Difficulties of Preaching

I have been thinking a great deal about teaching the Word of God (not to mention doing it 4 times a week for the last 7 months). It is draining, weighty, difficult, frustrating, joyous, adrenaline filled, and challenging. I love the Bible. I love that as I read it, it speaks to me and proves itself true. It identifies my sin, it works and moves me, it truly is living and active. One of the problems of teaching it is the guarantee from God that people will hear it in different ways- Luke 8. Some people will eat it up at first and get choked out by other concerns, some will never have it sink in, others will enjoy a message but when trial comes it will knock them down. And still- others- they will hear it and it will bring forth beautiful, deep, rich, meaningful life. That is a joyous time in any preacher's life.

I think we have missed this for too long in Christianity. We look at the three groups that don't bear fruit as "getting it." I don't think they do. I don't think they are Christians- at least not yet. It kills me to see someone in church on a Sunday morning, Tuesday or Wednesday night, and they nod their heads through the entire message. They agree, maybe cry, and receive the message in that moment. THEN- and this is huge- they go home and turn on the television. And what they don't realize is that the birds are coming in and swooping up the message that was just spoken to them. They are eating up the seeds of the Gospel that were scattered in their hearts just moments before. And it's not just TV, it can be a cell phone, Facebook, Myspace, or having friends over.

Where is the wrestle? The word of God goes out and it has to sink through the soil, it has to settle and be watered and weeded and cared for continuously. We get so distracted that we forget to wrestle with the deep truth that affected us while a pastor spoke. We put off change because there is a good movie on, or a friend is coming over. Why? Why would we risk it? Don't wait! Do what you feel God pressing you to do, don't reason it away as being too radical...don't even give yourself that chance! Change is right, it's what the Gospel does. The words of Jesus would be spoken and stir the hearts of the people around Him, and they would act! Don't allow your justifications and reasoning to take away the extreme action God is calling you to.

Why would you do it? Because there is more joy in being obedient to Christ and knowing that through that obedience you are drawing near to Him and Him to you. There is more joy in that than in a movie, a video game, a text, a girlfriend, shopping, or a party! There is so much more joy in knowing God than any of those things, so don't wait!

I hope as you read this God is revealing to you the thing you have put off for days, weeks, years, maybe for some of you decades- go do it. Turn off the electronics and go be with God! Cancel your cable. Turn your phone off. Sell your x-box. Run to the arms of Christ knowing that in obedience your time with Him will only be increased...He will bring you comfort.