Leadership Thought: How to Become a "Street Walker" for Jesus.

Dear Friends,

The Corona Virus has opened the door to several new and creative ways to do ministry. It is amazing what one can find to do when God slows us down enough to think about  ways that we might serve Him. 

I asked you in  my Leadership Thought on Friday to view a 13-minute video by Francis Chan, and I hope you all did it. I promise if you do, it will slow you down for all the right reasons..https://youtu.be/a3T1srvSgKw

I also asked you to take the five-minute challenge. Take one minute to think about someone you need to call, 2 minutes to pray for the person, and two minutes to click the send button and send them an e-mail reminding them that you care about them and that they are in your thoughts and prayers. 

When I took this challenge,  the Lord put it on my mind to write and thank all the doctors that take care of me. Now this took a little more than just five minutes, for at my age, I have a lot of doctor ‘friends’ if you know what I mean, but it was worth it. As a byproduct of my reaching out to my doctors, my grandchildren took time to write some personal thank you notes to some nurses at Riverview Hospital.

My daughter Betsy celebrated her birthday last Friday by parking her car in the driveway with a big sign that said, “Please Help Betsy Celebrate Her Birthday by Donating Medical Supplies.” The back of her station wagon was filled with supplies as we dropped off our contribution of some plastic gloves.

One of our church members who lives down the street from us found a creative way to let her light shine for Jesus. I asked her to share her ministry in her own words. This is what she told me: “I relish the ideas to help us focus on connection with others.  I have been a follower of Francis Chan for a few years and I thank you for including the link to his video.  It made me get on my knees as he spoke, it feels like a long time since I was in church, but I am learning that Church can be wherever God’s word is being taught and his followers are worshiping his name.  I would like prayer for an idea I have to visit a neighbor 2 doors down from my house. I was walking down the street on Monday and looked up as the father was holding his baby, he turned the baby around so I could see him through the window, and I clapped for joy which was the only way to communicate left to me because of the quarantine. I am thinking of creating a special picnic basket with dinner and dessert to give them as my way of connecting.  I thought about using a basket because it might create a reason for them to come and visit with me (most people feel the need to return stuff like that).  So think of me this weekend as I prepare it. I do believe what Francis said, that God has a purpose for this time and I don’t want to miss being a part of it.”

As I close this morning, let me ask you to pray about ways that you can light up your neighborhood. Like Corine you could become a “spiritual street walker” for Jesus. You probably won’t scare people away with your religious jargon or your well refined theology, like many of us “professional” pastor types, but you may wind up walking through doors that we could never open.
Please pray today about what you might do to “Let your light so shine before others that they may we your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Yours in faith and friendship,
Tom