Are You Making A Real Difference

I have come across three stories this week that are great examples of how we - as followers of Jesus - could make a real difference and impact our community one person at a time.

First, there is a website called xxxchurch.com. Craig Gross is a minister who decided to make a real difference, and instead of preaching at a church, he started a ministry to help people get out of the porn industry and prostitution; he also has accountability software for people who want to monitor the internet surfing on their computer, and a blog that helps men and women struggling with internet pornography to confess and overcome their addiction. Craig recently decided to move from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and has relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada ("Sin City") to begin a church on the Las Vegas strip called Stripchurch.com. He is trying to minister to people who really need God. What an incredible concept. Craig, his wife and their two young children made the move recently. Nightline was interviewing them, and they asked Craig's wife how she could move her family to such an awful place. They asked, "Isn't this the worst place to raise a family?" She replied, "Yes, this is the worst place to raise a family, but God has called us to this ministry; so (in tears) how could we not come?" Now, that's making a real difference!

Second, my wife, Sharla, watched a news report on News9 this weekend, and it told of some young people who have moved into a downtown OKC apartment building that used to be a crack house. They are intentionally moving into the area to give hope to hopeless people and call them to accountability by taking care of the community. They all have jobs and cars, and they come from as far as California. The Refuge will also be sharing the love of Jesus with these lower-income people in downtown OKC. One girl said, "You're knocking on people's doors in the morning to use the bathroom, and it's not comfortable, and it's not what you thought it'd be, but you feel like you want to love Jesus more than you want to be comfortable." Now, that's making a real difference.

Lastly, Rick Reilly, from ESPN The Magazine wrote a story that I read about recently. It was about a high school football game in Texas between Grapevine Faith and Gainesville State School. Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan, wanted to do something nice for the Gainesville team (they were 0-8 coming into the game and Faith was 7-2). Faith had 70 players, 11 coaches, many fans, and the latest equipment. Gainesville had 14 players, 1 coach, no fans, and a lot of baggage. You see, the team from Gainesville State School was made up of inmates who had convictions for drugs, assault and robbery; many had been disowned by their families and they were wearing antiquated equipment. In fact, after the game, they lined up the 14 players, handcuffed them, and escorted them back to the bus for the ride back to their prison cells. So, Hogan decided to have 200 of the 400 fans for Faith switch sides for one night and cheer for the other team; they made a spirit line for them to run through, with a banner that said, "Go Tornadoes" for them to break through; they wore their colors; they cheered for them during the game. Hogan wanted to send this message, "You are just as valuable as any other person on the planet." Even though they lost the game 33-14, the inmates gave their coach, Mark Williams, a sports bottle water shower as if he had won the state championship. After the game both teams gathered on the field to pray. One of the inmates, Isaiah, asked to lead the prayer. He said these words, "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank you, but I never would have known so many people in the world cared about us." As they walked back to their bus under guard they were handed a bag for the ride home (a burger, fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player). Gainesville's coach grabbed Faith's coach and said, "You'll never know what you people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know." Now, that's making a real difference.

Are you making a real difference? Antioch will not be a place that is content to just exist for ourselves. With God's help, we will make a real difference, impacting our community one person at a time. Why don't you share stories that have inspired you? Leave a comment of ways in which people have made a real difference in your life... in the lives of others... in their community. Tell us your dreams about what you think God might want to do through you! Make a real difference!