Go and Do Likewise

Yesterday I got to do something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Chad and I were invited to share about what God is doing at Truth Baptist Church with the Village Baptist WMU group. Since we landed here in Oklahoma City I’ve wanted to get over there to thank them for helping our family during a critical time in our lives.

In 1995, When my mom and dad found out it would be necessary for them to move to Oklahoma City and be closer to the transplant center at Baptist hospital, a huge draw back was not having a place to stay in the city. Most people from out of town bring a motor home or stay in local motels. About one week at the Days Inn was all Mom and Dad could afford.

Mom, who has always been resourceful, decided to call and see if any churches in town still had houses open for missionaries to stay while on furlough. Without knowing any more about us than that we were a pastor’s family and had a need, Village Baptist allowed us to use their mission home indefinitely.

When Chad and I arrived at Village yesterday morning we were greeted by a retired missionary named Helen. As the rest of the group gathered and introduced themselves, I realized that almost everyone in this group had served on the mission field in some way. I felt at home sharing our stories. They, more than anyone else, understand the sacrifice and importance of planting a church in an apartment community with over 15,000 residents who are largely un-churched.

The problem we all have, and I believe it is our human nature, is that we want a clearly defined group who we are obligated to love and serve. In Luke chapter 10:25 a Pharisee came to Jesus and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responded in verse 26 by asking this expert of the law, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” 27 “He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 “You’ve answered correctly,” He told him. “Do this and you will live.”

29 “But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’”

What the Pharisee wanted was to make sure that he was following the letter of the law. It even says he was asking for clarification in order to “justify himself”.

Jesus answered by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan.

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers who beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down that road but when he saw him he passed by on the other side. In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan on his journey came to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and told the inn keeper , ‘take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for any extra you spend.” Luke 10:30-35

Yesterday, as I shared the story of how their church had helped my family not a single person in the room could remember us staying in their home. They weren’t sure whom the members of their congregation were who brought the huge holiday baskets and made sure the house was furnished with clean towels and linens. At the time, we didn’t necessarily fit into any of their programs and had nothing to offer in return; still they had compassion. However, this gift, which was insignificant to the life of their church, had a huge impact on me and on my family.

It was in this home that as a family we prayed and sought God for direction for our future. It was the place where God called us as a family to go back to Amarillo and start Citychurch.

I get asked a lot of times, why Chad and I chose apartment ministry. The truth is that our heart is not just for apartments. This just happens to be one of the greatest concentrations of hurting and lost people in our city. The reason why I can be at peace living here is because I’ve been poor, I’ve had to write papers in the dark because the electricity is shut off. We’ve stood in line at the food pantry to get groceries for our family. I’ve had to walk home from a lousy job because my car ran out of gas and watched someone I loved dearly be physically destroyed by a horrible disease. I understand first hand that those in need of rescue are seldom in flattering positions.

Looking back I can also remember all my “neighbors”; those who rescued us by showing mercy and compassion in our time of need. In verse 10:36-37 after telling the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus asked the Pharisee, “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”

“The one who showed mercy to him,” he said.

“Then Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’ “

When I consider those who have blessed our family in times of need and whose friendship helped heal our hearts, when I think of the sacrifice of Jesus, it moves me to do for others what I can and minister to others His name. We must learn to obey the principle of this parable, which is to be less concerned with defining who our neighbors are and more concerned with whether or not the world around us considers us theirs.

His Workmanship

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

There is a book I came across in our church library at age fourteen. It’s a biography of Amy Carmichael written by Elisabeth Elliot called A Chance To Die. The first time I read it was on youth mission trip to Wyoming. Again I referenced it in college. Now it sits on my nightstand with my Bible. Both Amy Carmichael and Elisabeth Elliot are heroines of mine. Their stories inspire and challenge me to live the calling God has put in my heart.

Recently, reading a chapter from A Chance To Die helped settle an issue in my heart about raising money for the mission work Chad and I are doing in Oklahoma City. The work of our new church plant has recently demanded our full attentions. By faith, we are planning a summer of outreach and church growth. God provided miraculously during spring break and we expect more great things!

In 1889, Amy Carmichael was walking by faith. She had a growing Bible Study of mill girls who met weekly called the “Shawlies”. The group had grown so large they needed a facility. Amy had seen an advertisement for an iron building. She knew even if she could afford the building she would need a piece of land in close proximity to the mill to put the building on.

As she prayed about what to do she remembered having walked with her mother as a young girl to raise money for charity. They went to the porch of a man who was living in a brand new home. Elisabeth Elliot writes “He refused to give anything. Stunned, the little girl (Amy) pondered the wisdom of asking money from people who don’t really love God. ‘Why not’ she thought ‘ask God to make people who love Him want to give?’ so Amy and the Shawlies did exactly that.”

Amy wrote about her decision to trust God in a newsletter she and her siblings wrote called, “Scraps”

“We must have money. We can’t build spires ninety feet high without it, we can’t decorate our churches with elegant windows without it, we can’t issue costly programmes for our social meetings without it . . . How are we to get it? You may touchingly plead for the heathen abroad. You may paint a picture terrible and true of the state of the home heathen at our doors. You may work yourself into hysterics over these and other intensely real realities but you won’t get the money. So another plan must be devised. We shall get up a fancy fair.”

Amy went on the write, “Oh yes! WE shall get the money for our poor dear little church, and everybody will have the pleasing consciousness of having devoted themselves to the noble cause of screwing, wheedling and extorting money out of a selfish, thoughtless public --- for the cause of God!”

We can then compare this picture to Moses and Aaron building the Tabernacle, a dwelling for The Spirit of God. In Exodus 35 verse 4 we read, “And Moses spoke to the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, ‘This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying: Take from among you an offering to The Lord. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to The Lord : gold, silver and bronze.”

In verse 29 we see God’s people respond. “The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to The Lord, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the Lord, by the hand of Moses, had commanded done.”

I read this chapter several times. It is a beautiful picture of God stirring among the hearts of His people to do His will. Exodus 35:26 describes “women whose hearts stirred with wisdom spun yarn. . .” Exodus 35:33-31 “And Moses said to the children of Israel, ‘See the Lord has called by name Bezalel. . . and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works. . .”

When we, as God’s people, allow Him to express His Love, charity, creativity, wisdom and workmanship through us it is a miraculous work.

“Three things we may notice:” Writes Amy Carmichael about those who gave to build the Tabernacle “1^st as many as were willing hearted, 2^nd brought their own possessions, 3^rd unto The Lord.”

Chad and I spent this morning responding to messages from people who desire to give to help our church get off the ground. One mission committee is praying about supporting us financially in whatever way they can, another group had some food and it met the need of us feeding at our outreach tomorrow. Another lady emailed who works full time and wants to see how she might get involved. A friend of ours in Amarillo made index cards with Scripture verses on them for the children we teach. Mom and our newest members at Truth Baptist prepared breakfast for our fellowship Sunday morning. I taught Sunday School using a complete set of Bible study materials mailed to our apartment by a woman I’ve never met.

I have no doubt as we contemplate the “bigger needs” of Truth Baptist Church such as buildings, vans and support, God will be faithful to stir the hearts of His people to respond.

It is a beautiful and miraculous thing to witness God’s people follow His leading. As we step out in faith to plant a church among these thousands of residents here, please prayerfully consider how you might help. We are deeply thankful for your prayers and encouragement!

Truth Baptist Church

12701 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Apt. 173

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73120

www.truthbaptist.me

Referenced: A Chance To Die By Elisabeth Elliot, Exodus Chapter 35

His Spirit At Work In Us

Last Tuesday, Chad and I received a letter from our apartment complex. They had enclosed the fee we had paid to use the leasing office and explained in a less than polite way that we would no longer be allowed to meet in the leasing office for "church purposes". The letter was signed by the lawyers of the complex.

This was difficult to take. We were so excited to have a place to meet and had already invited the families back. We had permission but apparently not from the right person. We hadn't decided what we were going to do about meeting Sunday until Saturday.

I went out to go to the store and kept running in to people we'd invited. Finally the young man from Mississippi stopped me and asked where we would be meeting. They were excited to come.

I came inside and said, "Chad, there are people all over the world lifting up the name of Jesus from living rooms. We need to open up our home to these folks and have church. So. . .that's what we did! We worshipped together and were blessed by the young man's testimony of finding a job.

That night we had a great worship service with Quail Springs Baptist Church. They prayed for us. We shared with them how we want to minister to the children over spring break through delivering lunches. We were overwhelmed with people who wanted to buy groceries and volunteer.

Today Chad was planning to coordinate with the staff of QSBC. He was invited to share in their staff meeting about what God is leading us to do and find ways to facilitate ministry among the congregation.

He called me on his way to the meeting. We both felt the same way. It's awesome to watch God bring all these resources together, but we also feel like it's all for nothing if there is not an open door to talk to the residents of the complex.

Earlier this week, Chad put in a call to the section 8 complex behind us, but wasn't expecting much. He left a message with a the secretary who told him, "we don't want to have anything to do with churches!"

On my lunch break I sat in the car and prayed. If you haven't noticed my now, I do a lot of praying in my car. Apparently the antennae helps. :)

I was walking from the break room when Chad texted me. The manager of the Artesian Ridge Apartments called. ( we jokingly named it Venetian Village) She WELCOMED us to come and deliver lunches next week. She offered us the use of the kitchen in the leasing office and said we could have Bible Club in the common area.

Another way we want to minister to the residents is to make welcome baskets to new comers. She said she would email us when they have new people move in so we can visit them and welcome them. She even suggested we put a card with our churches name on it so they can find us.

Last night I was feeling down. I was really mourning the life we used to have. There is a reason why it's called "being in your comfort zone" IT'S COMFORTABLE THERE! It's hard to be in a new place, doing a new thing and working with new people.

On the inside of Chad's wedding band I had engraved "His Spirit at work in us." Our prayer is wherever we are, comfortable or not, The Holy Spirit at work in us will keep us together and move us forward.

Romans 5:5 says, "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us - they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

Consumed by His Calling

“You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:13

It’s hard to believe we’ve only lived in our apartment for a little over one week. We’re settling in to a schedule. At my new job I get three days off in a row giving Chad work. He has a house painting job starting next week and has been busy getting details for the church together.

We’ve decided the name of the church should be Truth Baptist Church. Our mission will be to share The Truth of God’s Word so others can hear and live The Truth. Chad was encouraged after attending a church plant training last weekend. He met a man named Solomon from Ethiopia who works in Tulsa, Ok planting churches.

Solomon shared his testimony of how he saw God heal a woman who had been paralyzed after giving birth. He was walking from house to house sharing the Gospel and the woman’s husband said, “You can witness to my family if you will come pray for my wife. If your God heals her then we will listen to you.”

Solomon told the man that he had never seen anyone healed so dramatically, but if this man believed then he would pray and believe with him for God to heal his wife. Together these men prayed over the woman and she stood up and walked. They told all of their neighbors what had happened, they all received Jesus and a church began in their village. Everyone, including Solomon’s faith was increased.

The question asked of the group was, was this an isolated incident. Do we have to be on foreign soil for God to move or is The Holy Spirit at work here in Oklahoma?

I’ve been confronted by the same question. Chad and I felt like we lived and worked in the flow of The Holy Spirit at Citychurch in Amarillo. It’s a scary thing to be spun from that orbit, but God has shown us He still has our address.

Tonight the weather was nice and the kids were at their Grandma Jennifer’s so Chad and I decided to take a walk around the apartment complex. We live on the end where all the other families with children are living. There is a grassy area running through the complexes and many families were out playing and enjoying the warm evening. As we walked back we noticed children riding their tricycles on the tennis courts. All the activity makes me look forward to an exciting season of ministry this spring and summer.

We keep saying, “God is feeding us like birds.” It is our way of praising God for His timely provision. We received a check in the exact amount of our car payment yesterday on the day it was due from Chad’s work at the car dealership. The week I started at Walmart was during the big snowstorm. Management was allowing overtime, so I took it! My brother James helped me with video project last month that will help make our rent this month.

Looking back on all we’ve been though the last few months I feel we accomplished a lot just by staying alive! While there has been a tearing down in our lives, we are also being built back up where we were weak.

Since we don’t have Dish Network anymore, we spend time after the kids go to sleep sharing about the different things we are learning and how we are growing in the Lord though all of our recent adversity. It happens to be some pretty funny sets of circumstances. The other night we started comparing stories about our day and got to laughing so hard our sides hurt. Real life is better than reality TV at this point.

As mom said the other day, we're living our own story. I just hope I can survive all the excitement to write it!

Chad's Side of the Story

A Marriage Made in Heaven

By Chad Clement

April 2003

It was a cold November morning and I was nervously awaiting my appointment for that morning. The interrogation party had increased by two brothers a few days before, but I knew they were just there to check me out. I wondered to myself if it would be easier to get a meeting with the head of the Gambino crime family than to meet the daughter of a Baptist preacher.

I had forgotten my razor in Dallas and had to make a panicked last minute rush to find a grocery store in Amarillo. The last thing I wanted was to show up looking like Grizzly Adams. I was up early that morning because feigning sleep was useless. I had prayed fervently, stretched, had some coffee, but somehow the thought of looking relaxed seemed like a distant possibility.

I had stood before promotion boards in the Marines where they asked impossible questions like, “How many rivets are on the back seat of a Hummvee?” or “What is the oldest weapon still in use in the United States Military?” Now I was going over in my mind the list of impossible Biblical questions that might be asked of me. More sweat. . .

There was some confusion over which Mc Donald’s we were to meet at, but Anna sorted that out. Finally I saw a black Scout drive up. I was sipping my coffee and praying as they walked up to the door.

As I shook hands with Don Sr. and Donnie a sense of relief came. I remembered that these were my brothers in Christ and although there was no doubt in my mind that they were very protective of Anna, I knew that we had everything in common.

I went on to meet Anna that morning with the apparent blessing of her father and two brothers. She was much more beautiful in person than pictures could do justice. When her father introduced me I stuck out a sweaty hand and she went straight for a hug. I was both relieved and terrified at the same time. I looked over to her family to make sure this hug was not grounds for immediate dismissal. When they seemed okay I figured I would probably live to see another day. What I didn’t know was that God had just blessed me with a wife.

I could say a lot about Anna and I or her family and what a blessing they have been to me. I could tell you about our future plans, because they are very exciting. More than anything I just want to say how honored I am that God has chosen us to be His own. After years of preparation Anna and I hve the opportunity to be joined together as one flesh and we plan to lay down our lives as a sacrifice to God. Matthew 16:25 says, “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it.”

It seems funny to me that people fuss so much over dating and wedding preparations, but neglect to honor God for the generations and generations of preparation He puts into the joining of just one of His sons and one of His daughters. This is a breathtaking labor of love.

Dusty Momentos and Old Legends

Tonight at dinner Chad and I were having a silly discussion about the details we shared on our match.com profiles. We laugh now every time we see a commercial for match.com because we are usually sitting in a living room crowded with our children. Seven years later neither of us is wanting a refund. Anyway, I got sentimental and busted out with my SCRAP BOOK. Much to Chad's dismay I had printed our "correspondence" from the first email to the wedding invites. :)

Among all my psycho clippings and photgraphs was the Citychurch newsletter where we had each written articles announcing our engagement. I was moved as I read our articles out loud. They confirm the purpose in what we are doing now and encourage me to look ahead at what God has in store. I thought I'd share them.

Where Will You Live

By Anna Lea Lane

April 2003

Chad and I have been dating for six months and the children I minister to have noticed that I have to travel to see Chad. Last week I took my Tulia kids on a special outing and told them I was engaged to a man who lives in Dallas. Their first question was, “Where will you live, Miss Anna?”

Through much planning a discussion Chad and I have decided that after we are married I will move to Ft. Worth to live with Chad. I my heart I had the same question as the children. I have a close family and we’ve never been apart. When I talked to God about what to do he reminded me to stay where I have always lived; within the sound of His voice.

I was born in Arlington, Texas at Arlington Memorial Hospital. As a young girl sitting in the pew of the church where my dad was preaching an out of town revival I gave my heart to Jesus. We went home to Caddo Mills, Tx where Dad was pastor and two weeks later I was baptized. As a youth my family lived in Burleson, Texas where Dad pastored Crestmont Baptist church. I was eleven years old at children’s camp when God called me to be a missionary and I surrendered my life.

At one point my mother added up all the places I have lived. If you count all the different houses I had moved 27 times by the time my family moved to downtown Amarillo. Moving from east Texas to Alaska and back to Texas. We lived in houses, on farms and in apartments.

There were not many consistent elements to my life growing up except those things most important. I always knew my family loved me, and we found strength in our relationship with one another. The other constant in my life was the immoveable Rock of God as my foundation.

I prayed to Him as a little girl on the mountain top in Alaska. I would ride my horse to the middle of our hay fields, cry out to Him and thank him for sustaining my life in such beautiful ways. Dad was terminally ill my Senior year of High School. I would fall asleep every night thanking God for helping us through each day. I would pray for my father’s healing and for my mom to feel the presence of God around her. Three months later I rejoiced with my family and praised God for Dad’s successful liver transplant.

In college I would run to pay phones to praise God with my parents each time I had successfully registered for another semester. I prayed everyday walking across campus that I would be a student worthy of the sacrifice it took for me to stay in school. I also prayed for God’s protection from any destructive relationship.

As a family, we prayed around our dining room table for God to send us on mission. God directed our eyes us to the worst neighborhoods of Amarillo. I have had the joy of praying with children as they receive Salvation in a rooms under construction in a broke down building on Polk street, in the middle of city parks and in Tulia’s town square.

Last year I graduated from Wayland Baptist University. I moved back home, unpacked my dorm boxes and settled into our building to wait for the rest of my life to unfold. I became frustrated wondering what God would have for me to do next.

I enjoy the ministry to children, but I became lonely for a companion. So many nights I would sit on the stage in our new park, watch the sunset and pray for God’s man to find me.

Last November I met that man. We will be married in the park on July 12, 2003. We plan to move to Ft. Worth for a while and follow God wherever He leads us from there. I do not know the future from here, but our desire is to return to Amarillo. I do know where I can find life to it’s fullest and it is in the presence of my Faithful Lord.

“The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharoah king of Egypt. Therefore, know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:7-9