Inside church or Outside church???

My mind comes up with these strange ideas at times. Today is one of those days. I was reflecting on meeting yet another homeless man in the park yesterday when I decided I needed to clarify which church I would be attending today, inside church or outside church.

Inside church normally is held on Sundays, sometimes in the morning, sometimes at night, depends. Inside church is also held on Wednesdays in some areas, and even Saturdays in others, like those fancy dancy high powered praise services. (Sometimes I like them, when I need a worship buzz or high. Not too often, gives me a headache.) There are other times inside church is held, but mainly those are the times, Sunday being the numero uno tiempo.

So then, when is outside church held and where???

I almost forgot to mention that inside church is most specifically reserved inside four walls and a roof, sometimes AC is in working order, heating in the colder months, and sometimes there is free coffee and donuts, yum. There are other places to find inside church as well, home bible studies work well and schools are sometimes rented for inside church and even a workout gym or theatre too.

Outside church, so where is it held and when? Okay, this is a tough question. Anywhere outside the four walls and anytime. Wherever a Christian or two or three are, that could be called outside church. In fact, you don't really need that many Christians to have it. You can have some people who are not Christians, maybe you can call them pre Christians. (I heard that word the other day, kind of cute.)

You can hold outside church just about anywhere or anytime. Not many restrictions. Just go and do church whenever or wherever.

Not sure about you, but outside church can be pretty exciting and challenging. If you haven't heard about it, you should try it. If you have no clue what I'm writing about, drop me a line. Better yet, come by and we'll go out for church.

Homeless, who cares?

Maybe you and I say we care about people who are homeless, especially women and children, but what's the real truth? Do we really care about them as individuals? If so, how do we specifically show that, how is it demonstrated in our lives?

I'm writing this because I am in San Antonio right now and they have a few homeless people, more than a few. And yes, they ask for money, some do. Isn't that annoying? You know, you are walking down the street with your wife or your son or your whole family and then this smelly guy with dirty clothes comes up to you and asks for 50 cents. Who has 50 cents? We all use debit cards right. You just want to tell him off and send him on his way, right?

Okay, maybe that is too brutally honest, but I am saying the truth. Many times we just look the other way. I ain't gonna lie, sometimes I do. Most times I don't and sometimes I get myself into trouble. Sometimes I meet the neatest people, like Chuy, who I met a few weeks ago in Matamoros. He came up asking for something to eat, I tried to blow him off and send him away, being the great Christian I am(sarcasm). But he kept talking and got my attention by sharing a scripture. I had to sit down with him and hear his story and I'm glad I did. We talked over a Big Mac at McD's and he shared what God was doing in his life. He, a beggar, encouraging me, the missionary. What a contrast. What a reality wake up call.

The truth is we do not know how to deal with homeless people or beggars. My dad had a habit when he worked in downtown Atlanta for over 30 years. If a guy asked him for money he would offer to buy him a burger instead or sandwich. Sure, maybe at times he had to get back to work and could not, but many times he did. That's my motto too. I've used it many times, sometimes we sit and talk, sometimes we get it to go. I don't force someone to sit down with me so I can bore them to death or freak them out.

So, what's your motto? Do you have one? Will you create one? Will you ignore the next beggar, homeless person, or child of God that is in need which you see on the street?

Make up a motto. Pray it over, talk about it with your kids. Maybe they have an idea. Maybe their idea might be pretty cool. Never know....

All Broke Up

Being broken is not something that is popular among Christians today. Instead we seem to have this hair brained idea that we must always appear strong and full of joy and happy to the world. It's like we are campaigning for Jesus like Pres Obama campaigned for office, all smiles and charming sayings.

If you walk the streets of Matamoros, Mexico or the ghettos of Atlanta or New Orleans or even our nation's capital for very long, you will be broken. I've tried to walk each of these places and not let it get to me, but I always come away broken and without answers to life's pains. If you go to Africa in many of its war torn countries or travel down to Central America you will see pain and desperation on a level your heart simply cannot handle for long.

I really can't comprehend how Mother Teresa served so many years in the ghettos of India. It boggles my mind. She must have had a spiritual reserve unlike anything we have ever seen. It's one thing to work in a church and serve as a minister for years on end, it's a whole other level of struggle and sacrifice to do what she did for so many years. Brokenness must have been a close companion of hers.

It maybe that we are about to witness some severe pain and suffering by many in the United States in the coming years, only God knows. It maybe that it is avoided somehow. I cannot imagine that we could avoid it. Too many have lost too much and too much greed and corruption has destroyed so many lives and families. Sooner or later there will be a crying out by many for justice for gettting a fair deal in life. Many in our country are broken and many more will come to that same point of brokenness.

So, why write such a dreary article? I am in a place of brokenness, having seen so much pain and injustice and wrong doing by so many. The only way I can deal with it is prayer and sharing the struggle with others. Maybe just writing it down does something for my soul and heart. I don't know.

Am I depressed? No, I've been there once or twice before and this is not depression. My heart is strong, heavy, but strong. I am still working and serving and praying and giving. Depression would not allow me to do what I do and enjoy simple pleasures of life like I can with my friends Martin, Aaron, Rusty, K T, Erin, Panchito, Meg, Chris, and others.

Brokenness and depression are two different things. If you've been through both, you understand. If not, I can't help you see the difference except to say that depression is like a huge cloud that will not go away always over you, drowning you with its weight. Brokenness is a heavy weight that is almost too much to bear, but like a backpack on your back, somehow you keep walking and at times you even feel your strength and your spirit arises.

Well, I feel the fire in my legs and my heart's blood is pumping. I think it's time to ascend the mountain.......