Four of the reasons I love Springs of Grace are going on this week. But it is not so much the events – it is just that the events capture in microcosm what I love so much about this faith family and the people God has given us to love.
1) Right now there are around 90 at risk students from north and east Tulsa gathered at the church building for getAhead. getAhead is a relationship based tutorial program for at risk students. There are hispanic children, african-american children, white children, children we just met this summer and children we have been pouring into their lives for seven or eight years. Our interns and volunteers teach them to read, develop study and life skills with them, help them catch up academically, provide opportunities for them to learn special skills like football, art, music, soccer, debate, etc. and they get loved and loved and loved – with the overflow of the living waters of love Jesus pours out on us. Stop by sometime and watch or come by between 3:15 and 4:00 and get a student to read with!
2) Tonight @ 8:00 twenty to thirty college students and young adults will gather in our home for bible study. For the past five summers at least, the Lord has graciously met with us in this time. These are for the most part hot-hearted, and ministry-involved believers who know they must keep growing in their passion for Christ and in their knowledge of Him in order to complete the mission He has called them to. They share a passion for God to (and a faith that God can) change this city. Tonight we are studying what God reveals about Himself as He describes Himself as having hands – “The Hands of God”.
3) SUMMERFEST – On Wednesday nights during the summer we invite our neighbors all around our church building to join us for hot dogs and hamburgers and we visit together about Jesus. This summer we are watching a video testimony of different ones within the church family as to how Jesus has changed their life. Then someone opens up God’s Word and shares an example from Scripture of Jesus’ transforming power. For the past few weeks we have had the chance to get to know Michele (an African-American mother of five in our neighborhood), her sister Mimi and her sister-in-law Makaela and their children; a lovely Hispanic speaking family (two of our interns interpret for them); a homeless guy named Scott that we are hoping will soon be drawn into the Kingdom and a bunch of others from the neighborhood and church family. It reminds me of what heaven is going to be like!
4) PROJECT 61 – It is absolutely the greatest week of the year for me – year after year. Praying for Rex as he brings God’s Word to us. Praying for Matt in Waxahachie and Myles in Shreveport and GBFC in Melissa, TX as they prepare their groups to come. Praying for the students from Springs and Tulsa that more will come! Praying for the Lord to provide us a bunch of kids for the inner city camp and relationships to be built and grown that will impact His kingdom forever! Go here and watch the video – http://onehopeblog.wordpress.com/project-61/
I love Springs of Grace because they help me love Jesus more and help me to love what He loves!