Friday, January 16, 2009

What are you doing for the homeless during these cold temps?

Here in Central Ohio tonight the temperatures are heading down to -20 degrees or colder. On any given night in Columbus, there about 500 homeless people. Most of these people live in homeless camps, that are fairly easy to find. Here in Lancaster, the homeless are night as easy to find, but you can find them. Plus one of the shelters requires everyone to be out by 8am.

So why am I telling you this?

Yes, there are a number of concerns that you have to work through when you do ministry with the homeless... I have been there and done it and know. Now think about how many churches are sitting empty these last few nights... with the heat on... just sitting there heated and
empty. Many of these churches have enough room where you could put some sort of mattresses in a room... and get many of these homeless people out of the dangerously cold temperatures.

Most of the churches talk about being good stewards with what it is that God has give to us... but do you think that God may ask us... what did you do with the church building when the temperatures where below zero? Did you open my house to house my children that were
cold? Did you feed my children that needed fed? What kind of difference could you have made for my Kingdom, if you would have opened the church to the homeless? I gave you this building and what did you do with it?

So I am asking churches and church leaders... what are you doing with your church buildings during these times when the temperatures are this dangerously cold? Is there something else that you could do for the poor? Ask ourselves honestly... is what you are doing for those
in need enough? In this scenario, it would literally cost you not much more if anymore... just by giving some body a warm place to sleep.

If your church is doing something... please let me know.

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