2011 Friends of Jesus
A Movement Where We Can’t Keep Our People In, Can’t Keep Other Oeople Out
On Sunday, 17 July, we held our first combined Outreach Ministries gathering. For years, each outreach ministry or arm had functioned independently. We had not connected nor known much about each other.
That Sunday afternoon, everyone involved in the outreach, social concerns and befriending ministries, was visibly encouraged to know that there were like-minded fellow workers with hearts for the lost and the least. No one needed to feel 'alone' anymore when faced with challenges. There was a good time of sharing and net-working to bridge ministries and exploring ways of working together to give holistic care and support to the needy.
Invited representatives from the Women’s Society of Christian Service, Glowing Years Ministry, the Visual projection and production ministry crew, the finance committee, youths and young adults also participated and gained greater understanding of the outreach ministries.
As we watched a video teaching on Social Justice by Jim Wallis, CEO of Sojourners (USA), God deeply sealed into our hearts the biblical basis and our Christian responsibility to be a blessing to the community by advocating for the poor, weak and defenseless, and witnessing to the lost.
‘Big picture’ plans for Outreach and Social Concerns were presented to help the ministries evaluate how they fitted into the ‘bigger’ vision that God is leading PLMC.
In fact, they have to prepare themselves to receive our church members and cells when plans are concretised for the church to step out to serve the community, to grow in social holiness and evangelism.
We also showed the wide range of potential outreach partners in the community whom God recently revealed to us. At the heart of our Outreach and Social Concerns ministries is a deep understanding that we are called to be Friends of Jesus, walking in intimacy with Him, and doing what He does.
When we are Friends of Jesus, then we will know how to serve the Guests of Jesus as He brings them to us.