Story
There we were, Brian Fahey and I, packed and ready to depart from Ontario, California to Oklahoma City to go investigate this building that seemed to be headed in the wrong direction. As we arrived at the building we began to see the people around it needing help. It was as if there was this group of people that the city just wished would disappear. And as we began talking with the people and hearing their hearts and needs, we would simply begin to ask if we could pray for them. As we did it seemed like not only did they want us to pray for them, but they were very much in agreement that the LORD could help them. It was there that the LORD began to stir in our hearts a need to set up a place where we could help. It was during that time that the LORD began to make it clear that He was calling us to go minister the gospel of peace and hope to them. During this stretch of God opening doors, we began to see the LORD direct us to people who wanted to be apart of it. Door after door would begin to open. We met people in the community from city leaders, pastors, developers, executives, handy men, college students, musicians, and many other servants who just wanted to see the LORD make an impact down in the city.
Each day the LORD would begin to increase our love for the people. Our love grew to pray with prostitutes and to show them the love of Christ rather than what this world has offered them up to this point. Our love grew for the gang bangers who were scared and frightened as the night before they saw a friend of theirs get gunned down. We began to love the guys who were strung out on crack and prayed for them and saw their desire to come out of the drugs. Our love began to increase for a father who we got to pray with who was with his 5 year old daughter. We found out that they had been homeless for a week and were in the beginnings of a difficult life. It appeared that they knew no one who could help them.
It was there that we began to feel the conviction of the LORD to leave our comforts in California and come to Oklahoma City to a people so desperate for the grace of Christ Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. It was there that verses became so real; verses such as Zachariah 7 and Matthew 28. It was there that we saw the book of Acts come to life and began to see what the LORD had instructed His disciples to go do.
As the months have passed it seems like an army of warriors have been stirred up and many have come forward to say that they would like to help financially through their financial resources or donations, physically through their gifts and talents that God has given them, and spiritually through prayer. I would pray that God would not necessarily impress on your heart to give to our ministry, but to ask Him what is your part in the picture of loving the LORD your God will all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love others as yourself. If that involves being apart of this ministry, awesome. If that means that you actively seek your part in the kingdom right where He has you, even better.
