The Ministry of Presence

Four or so Tuesdays ago I rode my bike (well, actually a really cool bike that I'm borrowing from a cool guy from church) with a group from Ride On Bike Shop. Every Tuesday, a group of bikers meet up to ride anywhere from 14 to 40 miles on the streets of Wayne County. Having had biked to and from work while at school in Dallas and in order to ride with people that I knew, I decided to take the medium-length route. This was not only my first time riding with other bikers at Ride On, but also my first time going more than 12 or so miles on a bike. I enjoyed the ride for I was not only able to converse with others, but was to smell the flowers, enjoy God's creation, and praise and thank the Lord.

Yet being the amateur biker that I am, I did not wear a skin-tight biking suit (not to mention the fact that I did not and still do not have my legs shaved like real, committed bikers). Instead, I wore khaki shorts and my "Divin' in with Jesus" VBS t-shirt. Looking back, I stuck out like a sore thumb because no one else wore a shirt with a frog or Jesus' name on it. I've upgraded to a real biking suit since then :)

While I did not have any conversations about the Lord with anyone I did not know that day, my presence and the sweet VBS shirt (thanks Donna and Vacation Bible School team!!!) that day led to a conversation this evening with a believer whom I had no previous conversation with. After introducing ourselves, I asked him if he attended Wooster Grace (since he looked familiar). After he indicated that he did not but told me that his twin brother had visited in the past (hence, a possible reason why he looked familiar), he asked me if I was a born-again Christian. A little surprised and yet excited about this sudden and pointed question, I said that I was. He quickly disclosed to me the reason why he had asked me this question: I had worn a shirt which he wanted to ask me about. Yep, the shirt was the one with the frog on it--the VBS shirt! What an opportunity the Lord opened up tonight for us to fellowship, point each other to God's truth, and talk about life! And it all stemmed from my presence (not my conversation or actions necessarily) with my now-faded and stained VBS t-shirt.

Being a presence in the lives of others is vital for ministry. For it is only as we follow the Lord's leading to be in someone else's life that He will provide opportunities to share Christ with and love them. Presence precedes and provides ministry opportunities! Christ Himself told us to be IN the world and not of the world. That's presence! God commands us in Hebrews not to forsake the assembling together as believers. Presence! God the Son took on human nature over 2000 years ago. That's the most profound presence and humbling act!

Sowing Hope Ministries is all about being a presence in the lives of people. While sometimes we have fun activities and great conversations with others, presence is primary and necessarily accompanies them all. Being there in the lives of families for the sake of Christ is why Stephanie and I as well as many others from Grace have gone, do go, and will go to apartment complexes and individual apartments/houses. Even this past week, God has provided many opportunities to share his love with others as volunteers and staff followed His leading to be a presence in the lives of others:
Opportunities to pray with the hurting
A time to talk with a college student about sports and thereby have some fun and show Christ's care
Opportunities to give kids who need the Lord's love a listening ear.
Opportunities to talk with others about Christ
Opportunities to direct kids to exercise love and patience with each other

Last summer, God led someone from our church to purchase Bibles for Sowing Hope students. I remember giving a Bible to a boy who was only in Wooster for a portion of the summer the day before he left for the school year. And when he returned this week to live in Wooster for the summer, the first words out of his mouth after we greeted each other were, "Do you remember the Bible you gave me last year? My brother spilled something on it and so it's a little wrinkled, but I still have it." Wow. I thank the Lord for His work in this boy's life. Last year the Lord led the man at church to purchase Bibles and gave me the time to spend some time with the boy before he left Wooster. And as I was a presence in his life, the Lord gave me the opportunity to give him a Bible.

It begins with the Lord. He directs us and commands us to be a presence in the lives of others. As we are present in the lives of others and follow the Lord in our interaction with others, His purpose will prevail and His fame and Gospel, and love can be shared.

To whom is the Lord leading you? Will you follow His command to be a presence in the world--people you interact with regularly and people you don't yet even know? Do you desire to be a presence in the lives of Sowing Hope adults or kids? Will you pray for opportunities for the Gospel to be shared?