Park Outreach

This Saturday past our church put on a "Children's Festival" at a neighborhood park for a couple of hours.  It was wonderful to see many people from our church fellowship ministering Christ's love to the community.  There were crafts, balloon animals, interactive games, face painting, Gospel bracelets, caricatures, and snacks.  Opportunities abounded for handing out Gospel tracts or simply having a talk.

It was a beautiful reminder of how the Body of Christ is intended to work.  All of us have different gifts, talents, and passions, and the Holy Spirit brings them to life through unique personalities.  God has given us various abilities for a single purpose:  the glory of God.  By the grace of God we are who we are.  Not all are evangelists, teachers, administrators, or able to physically carry trash cans full of water balloons.  But every Christian is filled with the love of Jesus and an ability to share that love with others.

As neat as it was to see the Body of Christ in overt operation, it was amazing to see kids and families from different ethnic backgrounds join in the fun.  There is a world of people right down the street who may not have ever experienced the love of Jesus through an Otter Pop, a balloon sword, or turtle.

It will take more than one afternoon to prove our intentions were greater than just a humanitarian exercise.  People are motivated by all kinds of reasons to help others.  Even in the church people have various purposes in their service.  Our prime focus is not in simply helping people but saving them through the power of the Gospel.  Feeding a man's stomach will only prolong his eventual death:  if his soul feasts upon the Bread of Life Jesus Christ he will live forever in heavenly glory!

I want to be the kind of Christian who is in it for the long haul.  The Christian walk is a 24-7 lifestyle, not just for a couple of hours on Saturdays or Sundays.  I remember a missionary talking about what the locals call "hallelujah Christians."  They show up with things to give away, songs to sing, and a message to give, say "Hallelujah!" and never come back!  God, help me never to forget that I am a representative of my Savior and King, Jesus Christ.  Even when you are my only witness, may I stay true to you!