Next-Wave Ezine > church & culture

Begin With What You Have, From Where You Are
By Steve Bowen

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We, the Dayton Vineyard, launched the "Beavercreek Joseph Project Food Pantry" recently and the foundations are being laid for our new worship center. I had the opportunity to speak on the weekend. The Mayor and a County Commissioner were on hand for the dedication and the ribbon cutting. People were positive by the up-market look of the pantry and why we are doing what we are doing. One man was so moved he is going to give one of his cows for 600 lbs of ground beef. Must purchase freezer.

On the weekend we looked at one Jesus principle. Begin with what you have, from where your are.

Our two leaders began almost 20 years ago beginning with what they had from where they were.

In Dayton, the only thing they had were their jobs. So they pooled their resources. They each gave 10% of their pay check. Then they purchased 7 bags of groceries and went to a low income apartment and gave away the bags and offered prayer.

Years later, we are serving over 300 breakfasts a week to the less-served of our city. The church has grown to 2,500 on weekends and we are touching thousands of lives each year through acts of kindness and prayer.

I wonder what it would look like if every believer, began to serve others from where they are with what they have? I think their world would change.

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” James 3:13 (NIV)

Let me give you three illustrations from the life of Jesus. Begin with what you have from where you are.

1. Beginning of Jesus’ ministry.

He began with what He had from where He was.

A wedding... Mom said, "Now is your time," Jesus: Now is NOT my time... But then he heard his Father’s voice... (my interpretation and paraphrase in reading into the text - Jesus only did what he heard and saw his Father doing) His Father said, "Now IS your time."

He began with what he had, water. He then changed water to wine. Beginning from where he was with what he had, God space was created where God things happened... Wine was created from water. From this beginning, he began to reveal who he was, and revealed his Father's glory. After that wedding, the disciples believe in Him.

2. Middle of Jesus Ministry.

In Matthew 10, we read John the Baptist was beheaded...

Jesus was connected to John in a special way. John was in the womb of Elizabeth when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, greeted Elizabeth. John lept with joy in Elizabeth's womb. They were cousins, divinely linked to the spark of the Holy Spirit. They were friends, brothers. Jesus loved John. Now John was beheaded. Jesus was grieved, gutted (a good Scottish word) and went to a lonely place. Ever experienced grief over the loss of a love one? Most people want to go to a lonely place to recover, to pray, to receive comfort from the Great Comforter...

Suddenly 5,000 people showed up. Jesus beginning from where he was, taught the people, cared for them in the midst of this great tragedy.

All day they stayed. As he taught them, the disciples said, "Tell them to go home, they’ve been here all day and they are hungry." Jesus: "You give them something to eat." Their response was, "All that is here is 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish." Jesus: "Tell them to sit down."

Jesus broke bread and fish and gave to the disciples; they, in turn, fed the people. He again used what He had from where He was.

3. At the Cross the end of His life.

Hanging on the cross, he was stripped bare, facing death, enduring shame, and the sin of the world was upon Him. From were he was, he used what he had... his breath, and his voice. He uttered, "Father forgive them for they know not want they do." From where he was he used what he had... an act of forgiveness that has echoes throughout time and into eternity.

Others beginning from where they were, offered this forgiveness to other and have changed the world. Mother Thersa, DL Moody, Chales Finney, Billy Graham and countless thousands are using what they have, from where they are... making a difference offering forgiveness found in Jesus name.

Steve Bowen has been around the block, learned some lessons, is still believing, a plodder, a thinker, a ponderer who thinks often about how to encourage others to look outward... travels when invited to encourage outwardness, coach, speak and train. 18 years in missions in Scotland, 2 years in Pensacola, 3 years at Vineyard Cincinnati, and now at The Dayton Vineyard, A pretty good church, for the last several years.

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