pure ministry

Today’s worship experiences at Maranatha Church were remarkable for gut level, raw ministry. It started at our Palm Beach Shores location. Although we are right in the middle of a beautiful sea-side community, many of the people coming to the services don’t have it all together. The coffee and donuts we served were the first meal one guy had eaten in a couple of days. One couple had stayed up too late drinking (or maybe they started early in the morning!). I saw at least 3 people that I am sure are living on the street.

Our Palm Beach Gardens campus brought more of the same. Hurting people came to the services. I talked to people with serious marriage troubles; a guy who has been without electricity for 3 weeks; a couple of people with significant health issues … and the stories go on. Our prayer partners prayed with a woman with stage 4 cancer - the doctors have given up hope.

We are right where we need to be. Our locations are no accident. God knew that our communities would need us. We want to offer life-giving ministry and I believe we are. We want to see lives change, and we are. I never want to be in a sterile ministry environment. I can’t connect with people who have it all together. If God ever sends us perfect people, I doubt that they will feel comfortable.

It is humbling to think that we may have made a difference for someone today. Actually, we didn’t help anyone. God did.