I just spent the last few days meeting all kinds of new people and even saw some old friends I haven’t seen in years. I was at Church Multiplication Network event, Multiplicity08. I’m just amazed at what God has allowed me to be a part of. I heard all kinds of stories of people that are going to where others need help. Some are bridges of compassion, others bringing hope to the hopeless, helping moms all over and hundreds more. I don’t know where to start…
I think I’ll start with a guy by the name of Jay Covert. Jay is reaching the community of East St. Louis. If you are familiar with the St. Louis area, you know that East St. Louis is a place you avoid and hope to never find yourself after dark. Talk about a community of lost and hurting people. Jay has spent the last four years there making a real difference. He takes flowers and chocolates to the prostitutes, has relationships with the drug dealers on the corners and is on a first name basis with the mayor. He’s even used the mayor’s office as his own a time or two.
Friday morning I met with Alexandra Kuykendall from MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) where their slogan is “Better Moms make a Better World.” They have about 4,000 groups nationwide with over 100,000 moms involved. They have now begun mobilizing those moms to reach their community. She tells of a group that has started reaching out to moms in a low-income housing teaching them life skills and building relationships. They have another group that is in a half-way house doing the same thing only the government mandates the women to go to these groups.
Last night I had the chance to meet J.R. Mahon. If you don’t know the story of XXX Church and the ministry they have the porn industry you really need to check out what they are doing. JR Was the architect behind that and has now branched out and is starting hollywoodpastor.com where he is reaching that community and discipling writers, editors, and actors/actresses. Talk about an ignored group of people from the Christian community.
These three people are great examples of multilplying the church and not just by building buildings but truly building bridges to those who don’t have the love of Christ.
I also heard from our keynote speakers Dave Ferguson, Alan Hirsch, Bob Roberts Jr, Dave Mills, Daniel De Leon, Dave Olson and George Wood. All men with great passion for multiplying the church and seeing people loved with God’s love.
I challenge you today what are you doing to build bridges to the hurt and lost world?
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