To be honest, when we woke up this morning, Isaac and I hadn't yet determined a Focus of the Month for August. July seemed to end so quickly that we hadn't even really begun to think about it. When we went to church, the Lord clearly showed us what needed to be our focus for the month: the Jefferson Street Baptist Center.
The name might sound familiar because several weeks ago, I mentioned that they were the the newest SpendYourself t-shirt (and what a lovely shirt it is, my friends). Our church has had a on going relationship with Jefferson Street for about five years now, and this morning one of the program directors came and spoke to us briefly about some needs. Jefferson Street Baptist Center actually has roots going back to 1888, making it one of the oldest mission agencies in the country. They are very intentional and determined to keep Christ as a part of their core ministry, and because of that have actually severed all federal funding (so that the government cannot dictate their actions). Without the federal funding, Jefferson Street Baptist Center relies even more on area churches and individuals as donors since they lost about $87,000 in federal funding.
Jefferson Street exists to "extend gospel-centered mercy to the homeless and hurting of the greater Louisville area" and have several different programs, including the Day Shelter, where homeless men and women can access showers, the laundry room, and other facilities. These individuals also have access to services to help with employment, housing, and medical referrals. Fresh Start is a Christ-centered six month program for men struggling with life issues, including drug and alcohol addiction. The men live communally at Jefferson Street and are expected to participate in classes, chores, service (at Jefferson Street and through other community organizations, and random drug tests throughout the program. Permanent Supportive Housing helps to provide housing to men who also struggling with life issues; participants have access to the Fresh Start program so that the men can become sober, clean, and possess an overall general well-being. Th final program, Hope for Louisville, provides an opportunity for young men and women to serve the homeless and urban poor. Team members live and work in the inner-city with the goal of developing relationships with the people around them in order to show them the love of Christ.
The ministry of Jefferson Street Baptist Center and other similar groups are so important. We are called to love and care for the poor, but how is this exhibited in our daily lives? It's a question with which I grapple a lot. Is donating money every now and then sufficient? Or do I really need to dig deep and get my hands dirty- get out of my comfort zone- in order to really understand what that call means? I am more inclined to believe it is the latter rather than the former, and yet how often I don't do anything more than just mention a ministry or a person or a situation in passing prayer! I pray that my life would not be marked by this, but by selfless devotion to the people to whom the Lord has called me.
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