I'm sitting in a Hollywood Coffee shop in Portland, having just met with two men who are so tired of being a church that has seen only two baptisms this past year. They are so excited to use their gifts in our new Burlingame campus (soft-launch May 5).
What a Monday (Tues. - Mon. is my day off). I still see the look of little Bailey and her mom April (they were on the front page of the Monday Columbian paper). What a story of many people reaching out in love. I first met April at a church plant I pastored a few years ago. She then took a station-break and then reappeared at Living Hope a little over a year ago. One of the first persons she saw was Christy Davidson, a former Oasis Kid's Word leader, and current leader of our campus Kids-world. All of Christy's love was instantly splashed over her!
April's story is one of being having to leave a very difficult living condition and do life on her own at age 15. She's had cancer and survived to pour her heart into our six year old child, Bailey. I saw them on Saturday and they asked me if I would baptise Bailey, as I baptized April at Living Hope last year. I was so excited, but in all the excitement on Sunday they couldn't find the swimming pool I was in - God is so big, and SO good! He knew exactly where they needed to be. Seeing them afterwards in the volunteer parking lot and then again Monday on the front page was just as good as actually baptising them.
After everything was done, we only had an hour to grab something to eat before rushing off to another appointment. We had to drop off some of our friends on the Max so we ended up at Applebee's - We met some Afro-American folk and told them about Living Hope. Then we spotted pastor Will (Mt. Zion Baptist) whose whole church has just merged with Living Hope. We brought him over and well . . . Easter just hasn't stopped.
The repairman who came to our house on Monday is a recovering Catholic but had seen the picture of Bailey - and, well . . . Easter isn't over yet!
Be watching . . . More stories of people I baptised . . . coming soon!
ONLY GOD - see you at the Convention center this Sun. (11 a.m.)
Pastor John's Story (Click)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment