Teen Volunteers Rock!

Opportunity: “a favorable juncture of circumstances” is a dictionary definition. Opportunities abound at Beyond the Walls oil change outreach because a “juncture” or a point in time is happening right before our eyes. This is caused by a unique set of circumstances. What are they?

Young men, teenage guys are working side-by-side with men in the oil change area and learning basic car maintenance skills. There are a couple things happening to bring this about. First, there are some single moms raising teenage boys without a father figure in the house. They see an opportunity for their sons to get involved with positive men from Central and learn a practical skill which could help them for a life-time. Second, there are awesome teenage young men who want to make a difference in their own life and by helping others, in the lives of single moms.

Please pray for this “opportunity”. As a leader in the oil change outreach I want to facilitate what God ultimately wants and directs. This convergence of circumstances include discussions started several months ago to facilitate a male teenage club, collaborating with the oil change team, to help teach car maintenance skills to teenage guys in Greene County.

Anybody see an opportunity here? This past Saturday there were 5 teenage guys helping in the oil change area, getting their hands dirty, and loving it!

Hooray for Teen Volunteers!

I want to publicly thank some awesome volunteers who have served in Beyond the Walls oil change outreach this year. There are many more to thank than these and I will continue honoring others as well in the weeks to come, but I’ve chosen these individuals to write about today.

The first are high school teenagers: Nathaniel, Cathy, and Joshua. It’s amazing when many teenagers (and adults) like to sleep in on a Saturday morning, that these teenagers defy a norm and volunteer their time to helping our single moms. Nathaniel and Joshua are a tremendous help on the pit crew checking out all the vehicle inspection items before the oil and filter are changed. Our pit crew members will tell you their morning runs much smoother when Nathaniel and Joshua are there to help. Cathy has started assisting with helping the children of single moms inside the Fusion Center. She started coming with her parents almost three years ago; now she is giving her gifts to help as well.

High school can be crazy with all kinds of things to do and homework to complete. I’m sure it’s no different with these three. I know they’re also involved in other ministries and activities at Central such as Royal Rangers, Teen Bible Quiz, and youth group activities. But many months you will also see them on the outreach Saturday, smiling and giving God and the outreach team their best. Hooray for our teens!

Outreach Hope by Jan McKinnon

I walked along alone, dead to the silence within me and oblivious to the havoc around me. Day in and day out existing only to acquire the next soul numbing substance. I was lost with no where to go and no place to call home. Such is the life of a drug addict.

Hopeless and empty, I had "strayed from the path of understanding and had come to rest in the company of the dead (Proverbs 21:16)."

On a park bench my weary soul cried out, "there has to be a better way." Someone reached out and gave me a hand. Outreach did not see my impossible situation, Outreach saw a life with possibilities.

Because someone reached out to me, I am no longer alone, but I have a friend that is closer than a brother. The silence within me was replaced with a song of praise in my heart. The soul numbing substance was replaced with the life giving Word. I have a home, a family, and a blessed assurance that Jesus is MINE!

Jan McKinnon

Amazing Volunteers!

I’m encouraged time-and-time again by our volunteers who make Central Assembly’s outreach possible. For instance, Ron, who we affectionately call “shorty” is a hard-working man who has experienced rough waters in his life, but he continues month-after-month to give of his time and effort, serving on the oil change pit-crew. You see shorty has been a brittle-diabetic for 28 years. He is disabled, insulin dependent, and must monitor his condition on a constant basis. Yet, he comes to the outreach and works hard. He commented to me, “God has given me so much, it’s time for me to give back to Him.” Amazing!

First-time volunteers Bill and Debbie arrived at the oil change and asked if there was anything they could help with. I love that! They were able to step in and call the auto parts store to make sure our pit crew received the right oil and filter. They too, are facing challenges in life. But, in spite of these challenges, they gave their time to invest in single moms who needed their vehicle serviced. At the end of the morning, we had prayer with them, asking for God’s divine healing in their life. Debbie thanked me for allowing her to be involved, saying, “I felt worthwhile, like I was working again.” I should be the one thanking her, which I did; but I was so impressed with her thankful, giving heart.

With their permission, I have shared their stories. Volunteers positively impact my life! I love Mark Mittelberg’s treatment of a simple but powerful thought in his book, Becoming a Contagious Church, when he talks about “the power of a combined effort”. This thought covers what I am not able to do; I am so thankful to be part of a team effort!

Our Purpose

I was skeptical this week when I realized with Evangel University's Spring Break, Mission Trips, National Guard, etc that several would not be available. In fact, 16 people told me they could not be at the oil change. I counted 14 who could be there. Praise the Lord the 14 volunteers pulled it off! Thank you!

We served 11 ladies. I was struck with the thought "These ladies trust what's going on at Central - because so many of them come back." Yes, we would often like to engage more with them, but today many single moms sat in the cafe area doing homework, reading, and just enjoying the Atmosphere you've been able to create. From a warm reception when they first walked in our doors to receiving their final car inspection - you've helped create a very safe place. I've studied Starbucks business plan to some degree. Their intention has always been to create a "third place" for their customers to congregate; Home - Work - Starbucks.

At the very least your ministry has created another place; a trusting atmosphere where single moms can relax for a few minutes with coffee and something good to eat, talk with friendly people, and sit to read a good book. Wow, I say that's fantastic ministry!

Some return to their home church for Sunday morning worship; some have starting coming to Central and are plugged in to small groups and worship with us. Some are still pondering what we’re all about. That’s ok. God loves them and wants us to reach out to them. He also loves us and wants to grow His love for people (from all walks of life) in our lives.

Church Family

I am a privileged man, i.e. "not subject to the usual rules or penalties because of some special circumstance". What's the special circumstance? I'm talking about being a family member of an extravagant, caring church. Yes, I'm talking about Central Assembly. I love being in a family. Families accept, love, embrace, care, listen, dialogue, teach, sympathize, and congratulate. I've been the lucky recipient of all the above at Central Assembly.

But my main reason for making this claim does not hinge on what I've received, although I consider myself extremely blessed; it's what the family does for others who have not made up the life at Central in the past. That's how I'm privileged. Actually, it's incredible. Every week there are tens, if not hundreds of people living outside the physical walls of their church building who are given food, encouraged in their battle against life-controlling hang-ups, personally mentored, helped with chores around their neighborhood home, given a free oil-change as a single mom, prayed with, and hugged!

In Steve Sjogren's book, Conspiracy of Kindness, (1993, 2003) he writes that "God is looking for people who are willing to participate in acts of love and kindness to those outside of their present circle. He is looking for people who believe that a humble demonstration of love plants seeds of eternity in the hearts of others that will blossom into faith in Christ. The strategy of this conspiracy operates on the premise that God is passionately in love with unbelievers. As dynamic seeds of kindness are planted in their hearts, the Holy Spirit will pursue them. We are the sowers of those seeds of love. God is the farmer who oversees the entire process."

So is this a "special circumstance" as initially claimed? Fortunately, in the life of American churches, it's becoming the norm. I want to be part of this great wake-up Christian movement.

Life Connections

Imagine a lady walking down a quiet neighborhood street with a toddler in hand. She walks ever so slowly as the toddler takes small steps, talking gently with the child as she walks. This is the picture I witnessed as I drove away from a single mom’s home last week. The lady walking was a volunteer with Beyond the Walls. I met the volunteer at the single mom’s house to look at a flooring project. She needs linoleum (which is already purchased) installed in her kitchen. It was unlike any floor I have ever seen in a long time. Worn wood-flooring from many years of use and patched with pieces of plywood, this home would look unlivable to most American families. But to a mom living in poverty, it offers a roof over her family’s head and security vs living in a shelter.

This, however, is the picture I hope we will grasp for the coming year: Christ followers walking hand-in-hand through life difficulties with a single mom and her kids; ladies as mentors with single moms, and men and women of all ages mentoring the children of single moms. How do we pull this off? I invite you to join me in this discussion in months to come. I desire and need your advice. I’ll be talking to other mentoring ministries to compare best-practices. All I know right now is that with dads absent in the single-mom-home, the children could use a mentoring relationship from a stable Christian adult – young or old.

I love a quote by Ed Stetzer, preacher/church planter/husband/father, “At Christmas, Jesus does not just want you to remember what he did; he wants you to join him in what he is doing.” Let's join Jesus in walking with these single-mom families!