The Bridge

Mission U.S.A. is a very cool organization of people who have hearts for those just out of prison or on the street in the inner cities. They set up shop some time ago in Chicago and recently also in Aurora, Illinois offering weekly meetings where they pair up 3 pastors from all over the given area to speak for 10 minutes each on a topic chosen from questions provided by those attending. There is prayer, worship (contemporary and very solid biblically ) the messages, a bit more worship and a different host church provides a meal for those attending. The pastors are encouraged to meet and chat further with everyone. The idea is to build a bridge between people who have largely been forgotten or discarded by society's "good people", linking them with solid pastors and churches who will be open to helping these brothers and sisters find and grow in Christ.

VERY good stuff!

A couple of JPUSA pastors have been going off and on for quite some time, and it's been a pleasure and a great source of thought for me on several levels.

For one thing I always get a couple sermon ideas directly out of or quite off of the topic and the angles the other preachers bring to the issue on the night.

For another it gives me a chance to think outside the box of non-prison culture.

I've done concerts, speaking and so forth in various jails, full-on prisons and such, many times over the years and in varied places in the U.S.. But to be able to meet people coming out of that culture -and it is a subculture all it's own- considering what they face both in typical society as well as church culture... that's another thing indeed.

Too many of us are so removed from such experiences to the extent we just don't really think about the difficulty of even getting a job somewhere much less following Jesus and fitting into a church situation where folks wonder (and for good reason) what to think of such a person. Can or should we take a chance on them? Are they truly giving Jesus their life or is it just a fresh scam, this time brought among church folks?

"Remember those in prison as though..." what was it the Bible said about this?

Jesus was a prisoner. Paul, James, John and all the disciples had been imprisoned. One might argue, as least to a point, that in some sense some of these had actually broken laws worthy of prison and even more specific punishment in that time and place. Sympathy doesn't often extend to ex-cons, does it?

And then I recall that Jesus shed His blood equally for all- and that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, that ALL we like sheep have gone astray, EACH ONE turned to his or her own way.

I wonder if there is something in God's (agape) love in which taking a chance on us is a key part of love's essence?

One might argue "Well... God KNOWS what that person will do, whether or not they'll really repent and change and stop their lawless behavior, really become a good citizen or not. We don't!"

To this I cannot argue. But the fact is that when it comes to some people, we don't always offer the love, grace, mercy or even chances that God has given us.

In light of my own wicked past sinful lifestyle I sometimes think about all the people who helped disciple me in Christ, who continue to walk beside me, forgive me for my many blunders, encourage me to keep my hand "to the plow"- all I can do is try to offer the same to others.

Something to think about, isn't it?

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