From Church To Community

We often take this time on #communitySaturday to pray God would help us impact our community with the love and message of Christ.  Yet, if I can change things up this weekend...

Meet Lee Shaw, who you can read and hear about some of his story here:
www.napachaps.com/chaplain-lee-shaw.html

Shaw, was a local pastor in 1996 when he was approached by the police chief to minister to the law enforcement community. Today, he leads a team of chaplains who minister in times of crisis to agencies and communities in 15 counties! Shaw wrote a letter to a pastor friend who shared the letter in a sermon I heard the other day. To hear the details of this letter is astounding. You can imagine the scenarios and the crises that were outlined.

Families dealing with the aftermath of an accident
Families dealing with the announcement of an officer injured or killed in the line of duty
Helping first responders cope and continue with life after repeated trauma scenes.
And so, so  much more.

Just replaying the list in my mind and recalling my reaction... at one point it was just dropping. The list of scenarios and situations just kept coming.

But what a transition, to step outside the four-walls of the church to be even further to the front-line of the community by ministering to people in times of extreme crisis and trauma. What's beyond even this... Shaw traveled to Ground Zero on three separate occasions, he was on-site at Sandy Hook and also, in response to Hurricane Katrina.

Thus, the impact we can make on our communities and those who serve the front-lines of our communities are great. And the opportunities are greater. Yet we can all begin in prayer.

Would you join me, this #communitySaturday, in pray for Shaw and his team and others like him (i.e. my cousin, who is a military chaplain). Pray that God would strengthen them as they serve, for if the potential for burnout exists anywhere, it's on the front-line of trauma and stress. May they be surrounded with people who would be their encouragement as they encourage and minister to others. Pray that God would go before them and prepare the way, for the never know what they what sites and circumstances upon which they will step.  Pray for protection. Pray for wisdom; that they would be empowered by the Holy Spirit; to share timely words in moments of tragedy; to speak life in spite of great loss. May ministries like this witness the miraculous, as God moves in the affairs of man, even at most chaotic times of life.

All for His glory
To show compassion.
To share grace.
To express love.
Though life may change on Earth,
May lives be changed for Eternity.
To reflect Christ to a world in need of Him.

- PNC

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