Do you know of any ministries that think outside the box?

                               

Thinking of the recent post Pastors Posing as Homeless, I got to thinking of how many other ministries out there have been started by someone who took an approach outside the norm. Do you know of any inspiring people? I'd love to hear from you guys, my MG readers!

God's Materpiece

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. - Ephesians 2:10

"From a health perspective, our biggest challenge is to cope with the

circumstances of life and its associated stressors along with relationship

stressors in a healthy way. For the most part, our behaviors in response

to these life events and stressors are attempts to meet our most basic

needs of love, acceptance, self worth, security and identity. We have two

options. We can choose to include God in our efforts to manage our life

and stressors, or we can choose to go it alone" states Dale Fletcher , writer for faithandhealthconnections.org.

It is true that our reaction to any situation we face is a form of coping with the stress of that circumstance. We all have a choice in how we react. What we chose is determined in a large part by our beliefs, values and emotional state at the time of the occurance. A strong faith in Jesus Christ and his teachings gives a strong foundation to see circumstances with a perspective of hope. That is not to say that having a Christian faith will guarantee a stressfree, illness free life but scientific studies have proven that having a strong faith results in lower stress and less of the illnesses that come with that stress.

Pastors Posing as Homeless: New Ministry Approach

This photo has become a hot topic on the web recently. The story that goes with it is of a man (Jeremiah Steepek) posing as a homeless person on the street in front of the church in which he was to be the new pastor.

It's a very intriguing story and one that sends a very strong message. "Love one another." There are rumors that the picture is not actually the pastor or the story not totally factual yet the message is still just as real and just as important. To read the story, go here. http://youviewed.com/2013/07/23/homeless-pastor-jeremiah-steepek-teaches-his-new-congregation-a-lesson-in-being-christians/

The above story may or may not be true. Maybe there is a real revolutionary advocate for the homeless named Jeremiah Steepek, maybe not. There is however a real Willie Lyle, pastor/revolutionist right in our very own Tennessee!

  

Tenn. pastor goes undercover as homeless man for week

                     

Before Willie Lyle's first day as pastor of Sango First Methodist Church in Clarksville, TN. he decide to make a bold statement and lasting impression on his new congregation and surrounding community. He spent 4 1/2 days in downtown Clarksville as a homeless man. He learned much of how the general public reacts to the homeless and the issues these people face. He took that first hand knowledge and taught it to his new congregation.

 Read the full article here.  http://www.wbir.com/news/article/279666/2/Tenn-pastor-goes-undercover-as-homeless-man-for-week 

Are WE taking the time to hear them?

There are so many hurting people in the world! Many of them are right next door, standing beside you in the check-out line or sitting beside you in a restaurant (or even at your church). People are so much more that their sin and have so much more worth saving! God thinks so! So should we! They will never know unless we SHOW them!

                             

God is the potter

Faith, Hope, Love....the greatest of these is love! I Cor 13:13

Creative ministry to help troubled teens! Awesome!

A Youth-Run Supper Club That's Wowing San Francisco

"Goines never imagined that she'd start a restaurant run by youth who have had run-ins with the law, but she's always had a soft spot for the kids who got into trouble. After college she worked as a corrections officer in a Southern California juvenile "boot camp," where she wore military combat fatigues and held her charges to a strict schedule. When she realized how many of them had Spanish-speaking families, she moved to Mexico with three dreams: to work at an orphanage, to learn to dance salsa, and to become fluent in Spanish."

Read more at this link.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/thisisourcity/silicon-valley/youth-run-supper-club-wowing-san-francisco.html?start=1