Rescue the Wounded

Rescue Ministry

Recently, I started to speak about a different kind of church. Actually it’s more like a different kind of ministry. The Lord has been asking me some questions, one of which was this – “You have a ready made people for this new church in those who have been hurt and discarded, or walked away from, the present church. How will you bring them back to Me?”  Wow – what a challenge.

We had been thinking only of the lost, the unsaved, the unchurched, and the untold or uninformed when the Lord brought this to mind. I mean, it is so obvious isn’t it, yet as a group, the churches wounded soldiers will be the hardest to pull back onto the front line again. The old saying of ‘once bitten, twice shy’ springs instantly to my mind. Also, the church is the only group who leave or discard their own wounded. The stories are multitude. The shame upon the church is enormous and that upon the hurt is almost unforgiveable – yet forgive they must.

The obvious reaction of such as these will surely be to pull away, or to complain bitterly over their past treatment. Either way, they will be holding onto old pain and hurts, old insults, and all manner of bad memories. Everything from shunning over their past life before salvation, to rants over their lack of faith, or false accusations of sin and ‘crimes’. The list is endless.

The possibilities are also endless.

Just think of all the people you can invite along just for a social evening of music, BBQ, a theme (A Cowboy Evening, Music, or a craft evening etc). You don’t have to be ‘churchy’ with them – just be yourself. If anyone has a problem just say you’ll pray for them – not with them as that may embarrass them – unless they ask you to do that. Any other religious talk is off the menu unless raised by someone else, but even then, take it slowly. What opportunity lies in all of this – Lord open the doors !!

The rescue ministry can serve both parties. Both sides need to learn about love and forgiveness. Also, remember, those who have been hurt may never even have heard the Gospel and if you truly believe that a non-believer will go to hell, how can you not tell them about Jesus, heaven, and eternal life?

Wow

©Chris Bennett May 2012