Podcast

Last week I was on Robin Yardell's and Roger Kegg's Podcast, "Road to Emmeus."
http://rd2em.wordpress.com/2008/04/20/r2e-014-john-lunt-and-the-dallas-street-church/
If you want to know some of my story, check it out there.

Updates on Jobs

One of our guys got a job last week. He starts work this morning. Praise the Lord.
Two others have had interviews. The rest did put in several job applications.

One of our older guys, is a little discouraged. He has been putting in applications for several weeks. He really worked to better himself, going through a special computer course at a local community college. He successfully completed the course, earning a certificate showing that he had become proficient using a number of applications. He dresses well and carries himself well. Unfortunately, he feels like he isn't being hired because of a misdemeanor assault charge back in his past - and his age.

Those of you who read this. If you can pray that God will give these guys favor with employers. I believe God wants them to work. I believe the Word of God makes that clear. They are now taking steps, acting in faith, trying to do their part. But we need help from the Lord.

Proud of Bill

Last Saturday, Bill felt compassion on someone downtown while we were ministering. Bill is living in a home temporarily. He's looking for work, but doesn't have a job yet. He had a ten dollar bill in his pocket and ended up giving it to this person.

Afterward he was concerned. He really needed that ten dollars and had given it away. I took him aside and asked him if he thought God was pleased by what he had done. He thought a second and he said yes.

I was very tempted to go find an ATM machine and replace the money Bill gave away, but I had a check in my Spirit. I believe God is teaching Bill something, to trust him for his needs.

We prayed together. I prayed that God would meet every need Bill has. I look forward to hearing the testimonies. After praying, Bill felt calm and at ease. It's not easy, but I believe God is taking Bill through some major steps in Kingdom thinking and I am really proud of Bill.

Changing Course

It's not about me. I understand that intellectually, but somehow, even when I think I'm doing right, it often crops back in.

The first evidence I saw of this was a while ago when I started looking at the fact I was "leading" our bible study at the street church?

How will our guys learn to make disciples if they're not even being equipped to lead a bible study. How will they learn to share the Word of God with others. So, a few weeks ago, I started having the rest of the folks lead the studies. It's been fun watching them grow this way.

Then I felt conviction about the way we serve the homeless. Often we take socks or winter caps and other items to give away. I have always enjoyed doing what is called servant evangelism. So, I brought over the approach I knew to use.

There's a problem with this approach. It's dependent on me. Most of our street church folks can't duplicate this approach because they don't have the financial resources to do it.

I was reminded of Peter and John going to the temple in the Book of Acts when they met the lame man. "Silver and Gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee." Our folks on the street don't have silver and gold, so how can they serve? How can they minister? What can they do?

They can pray for the sick and see them recover. They can pray for God to move in people's lives. They can share the good news. They can share their testimony. These are the things we will begin to work with them and teach them. That's the kind of outreach we will do on the streets. That's not to say we're going to stop giving out socks completely. But I don't want our folks thinking they can't share with people and minister to them because they can't duplicate what I've done.

After this the Lord got really personal with me. He told me that I was allowing too much of my identity to be in the fact I was labeled as the "leader" of the street church. He wants my identity to be in him and in him alone. I don't think I intended to start thinking that way, but unfortunately, I have. That's got to change. I've repented.

Some more changes appear to be on the horizon. Willie, leader of THE WAY, one of our simple churches in our network, believes he can help get some of our guys jobs at a factory in Fort Worth. He knows the management and has worked with them placing refugees before. Well I told our guys about it a couple of weeks ago. Three of the guys want to pursue it which excites me. They have to be drug free, have ID and their social security card. All three meet these requirements. So hopefully in the next couple of weeks we'll be able to take them to fill out applications and take their drug tests - then hopefully they'll move into the world of the gainfully employed.

I've offered to pay the firts month's rent if they get a job and they are willing to be roommates.

But if this goes on as planned, there won't be much of a group left in Dallas. So then what? Probably the guys that go to Fort Worth would be part of a new evangelism effort our COAH network is doing with the homeless in Fort Worth. They may even be part of a new gathering in Fort Worth. So what will I do? Will I work with Fort Worth or work with Dallas? Or is the Lord preparing to move me in a completely different directions? I don't know yet.

Saturday Afternoon with the Homeless - Dallas Street Church 3-10-2008

I've been spending a lot of time in prayer the last couple of weeks. I believe prayer is a necessary foundation for ministry and I had been trying to do a lot in my own strength, so I needed to spend some serious time with the Lord.

Last Tuesday night or so as I prayed, I felt like the Lord prompted me with a question. "Would I like to feel his heart for the homeless in Dallas?" I said yes.

He showed me the Day Resource Center and then I felt a brokenness. I felt like Jesus was weeping over the people there. It was painful and it was pure. It was pure love for them. It only lasted a moment. I don't think I could handle it very well.

After that I felt the Lord say, they need to know my love. I want you to wash their feet.

Frankly, I hadn't really expected that, but I went back to the scriptures in John 13:

12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

I wondered about the fact that we may not be washing the feet of disciples, so did this scripture really apply? Maybe I was trying to talk myself out of it. But the thought persisted through the week. "Wash their feet."

I started hearing the weather report. Earlier in the week it was supposed to be in the sixties on Saturday. Then as we got closer, the temperature was only supposed to get up in the 50s. So I wondered if we should do it if it were cold. I still got the response "wash their feet."

So I figured out how to take some warm water downtown.

As we usually do, we had our meal time and time in the Word of God. We had a fairly large group with us; about ten people. Reggie's girlfriend joined us along with a couple of other gentleman. I'm terrible with names and had forgotten them. But I will pray for them this week.

Kelly did an excellent job sharing the Word with us. She pointed out that we can rely on the Power of God to give us boldness to speak to people about our faith. The initial text that she used was 1 Corinthians 2:

1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony[a] of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human[b] wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

This was an excellent lead in for me. I told our guys what I believed the Lord was saying to me about washing people's feet. I knew this would be a problem for some of them and I didn't believe I was supposed to twist any arms. I asked them to spend thirty minutes praying and if they were interested meet me by my car.

As we were praying Ben joined us. At 3:30, almost all of our regular group was there. We went over to the Day Resource Center and set up a couple of chairs.

We had a lot of people come over, but when they found out what kind of ministry we were doing, most left quickly. We did wash the feet of two ladies, both believers, both wanting prayer.

One lady was on the streets because her transportation broke down. That kept her from being able to get her child to daycare. As she was trying to work that out, she lost her job, then her place. She is now at the Gateway Center for moms and their children. She is trying to get her child in a childcare that will work out so she can start looking for work again, but her child is way down the list. So we prayed for her and ministered to her as we washed her feet. She really enjoyed the foot washing. Then we rubbed lotion into her dry skin and gave her a new pair of socks.

Another lady just wanted a Christian Lady friend that she could share with and talk to. She was looking for some Christian fellowship on the streets. So we ministered toher and prayed with her as well.

We had another couple, who wer Christians, but were trying to stay clean from drugs. We ministered to them and prayed for their marriage as well.

There were several others who wanted prayer for various things. I believe God is going to move powerfully in each of those situations.

At then end Kelly said she really enjoyed this kind of ministry. People who were just interested in stuff, didn't stay around long. Both those who were looking for God came. I think she was right about that.

It doesn't mean we won't still try to minister to everyone. I don't mind giving out socks and meeting practical physical needs. But I want to introduce people to Jesus and his love. I don't want people looking at me as their source. Jesus can meet their needs, I can't.

I was glad we got a chance to minister to people this way. Interestingly, both ladies who's feet we washed were disciples of Jesus.

Saturday Afternoon with the Homeless - Dallas Street Church 3-1-2008

Saturday afternoon we met and had lunch at Subway. It looked like it was going to be a smaller group, but it filled out later. We had David, John S., Bill, Reggie and myself to start. Then Iting joined us, followed later by Kelly, then Ben, Dione and baby Torry.

John S, opened the Word of God for us. He taught on faith using the story of David and Goliath. It was a good message. Kelly will be teaching next week and Reggie made it clear he wants to now.

I'm really enjoying this. First it allows me off the hook, but as these guys become more comfortable sharing the Word of God, I believe they will be more willing to do it during the week. This is all part of the changes that I believe are in store for the Dallas Street Church.

Iting let us know that March 16th will be her last day in Dallas. She doesn't know where she's going next, but she believes the Lord is moving her on.

I reminded the guys about a friend, Willie Butler ( a COAH connection leader and leader of The Way in Fort Worth.) and his offer to try to get them jobs at a factory in Fort Worth. Bill and John are very interested. If they got a job, I've offered to pay the first month's rent on an apartment. Yes they would have to be roommates at least at the start, but it would be an opportunity to get off the streets.

I took the time to repent to the guys. I told them the Dallas Street Church was built on a messed up foundation. I used servant evangelism which I enjoy and am comfortable with to begin to build relationships. It was I believe a mistake. Don't get me wrong, I don't have any problem with people coming and serving and giving to people in need. But the question is - if these guys are going to reproduced disciples - and they don't have "stuff" to give out - how will they do it.

I think the scriptures themselves are clear. Peter and John on the way to the temple. There was a lame man asking alms. "silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee. In the name of Jesus rise and walk."

Can we have faith for God to do miraculous answers to prayers and draw attention to himself. The guys don't have "money and stuff." But I believe they can pray in faith and watch God do things that will open the door for the gospel and discipleship. We'll still do things to help the homeless. I don't believe that will go away. But I believe we must refocus what we do and how we do it. The stuff cant be front and center. Jesus has to be front and cener.

So next week, we start putting it to the test. I'll be talking more about this in the next post.

Saturday Afternoon with the Homeless - Dallas Street Church 2-9-2008

Saturday afternoon we were blessed to have our COAH (city on a hill) connection partners; Adam and Diana Clay join us on the streets. They are discipling Lou, who came to Christ through the COAH baseball games with the Cuban refugees. Anyway Lou is an excited new believer who is devouring the Word of God. It’s also interesting because Lou is Jewish which really excites me. Anyway, Lou is really beginning to feel like he needs to start doing something for the Lord. (Gotta love that heart). He had been around our guys a couple of times at COAH gatherings and wanted to come downtown.

So at 1:30 they showed up. We all went to Subway and enjoyed a meal, some fellowship, and getting into the Word of God. We studied Acts 21. We had a lot of fun. Along with our COAH friends, I was joined by Kelly, John S., David, Bill, Reggie,Chris and Iting.

Chris started hanging out with us at least for lunch and bible study about three or four weeks ago. Reggie was a young man that Kelly and John had lead to Christ during our Christmas Eve outreach. He really never started showing up to any of our gatherings until last week. He’s been with us two weeks now and really seems to be enjoying himself and his new faith. What really excites me is that the person who is primarily discipling him is John, who we baptized last year. Our guys are beginning to get it. Iting joined us for the first time three Saturday’s ago. She is a Taiwanese evangelist who loves Jesus with all her heart. The Lord told her to start ministering to the homeless in Dallas. She has felt God’s leading to this point to work with our little gathering. She’s bold enough to preach and proclaim to larger groups of people and the obvious joy of Jesus in her life is contagious. Her presence has had a real impact on the guys.

I think it’s time for the Street Church to grow beyond me. I’ve decided to ask other people to come and minister to our little group. But most importantly, I really believe that God wants our guys to learn to give, share and lead in the sharing of God’s word. Next week, Bill will lead our study. He asked what he should share on. I laid hands on him and told him to ask the Lord what he wanted Bill to share and we prayed for Bill that he will hear the Lord.

Then we went out to minister to the homeless. We had socks, some clothes that had been given to me that morning, and about 24 sack lunches. We got to bless people. We prayed for three different people and I had the honor of leading a man to Christ. When everything was done, we gathered and prayed for those we had ministered to that God would seal them, lead them, and guide them. I prayed that God would make sure that Richard, the man I had lead to Christ would be directed to a home church or body, whether it is us or another church. We prayed that God would have someone to disciple and love him into a greater relationship with Jesus.


In addition to everything else, we at the Street Church have the honor of hosting the next COAH gathering of all of the house/simple churches in our network on Easter morning. We began some preliminary thinking and planning for the event on Saturday as well. I really think everyone’s pretty excited about it. I know that I am.

Anyway, God is doing wonderful things in the streets of Dallas and I believe God is leading me to make some adjustments which I believe will result in more people’s lives being touched and more disciples for Jesus.

Happy Anniversary Dallas Street Church

It's hard to believe, but it was a year ago this month that the Dallas Street Church began. Some names and faces have changed. We've lost some folks, and added some, but the work of making disciples and taking Jesus to the Streets of Dallas continues. If you had told me a year and a half ago I would be starting a church on the Streets of Dallas, I would have said you were crazy. We have no permanent meeting place. We meet outside if the weather's good enough. If not we'll go to the library or the Subway sandwich shop across from the library. Some Saturday afternoon at 1:30, if you don't have something to do, feel free to join us.

Meanwhile, Happy one year Anniversary Dallas Street Church