SUNDAY IN THE STREETS
† 08-12-07 : Sunday - One day in July, Gang Watchers team traveled to Castroville to speak with a congregation of new Believers. We were excited, I believe, as much as this new Church.
Once we arrived we set up our display tables and talked with the folks who got there early. One of them was Pastor Sally and a guest worship leader. And true to form, the message that the LORD had put on my heart, while mowing the lawn the day before, was pretty much the same that the other speakers had as well – a message of evangelism !
However, the exact words that the HOLY SPIRIT gave to me that late after noon was “Sunday in the Streets” - meaning, I want you to tell my people the following …
I want you to tell this new body of Believers this, if they really want to take back their city from the gangs, they can now get off their knees and get on their feet. I’ve heard their prayers and I’ve heard the prayers of those families and friends who are caught up in gangs. And I need you to take one Sunday a month and evangelize your Church area.
Here’s how GOD wants you to do it : {PDF}
1st : Take a poll to see which Sunday you will use.
2nd : Count the number of Church folks you have.
3rd : Evangelize that same number of homes around your Church.
4th : Next, assign one home to one Church member for that year.
5th : Do this for six months in the summer - from April to September.
In order to take back the city, you must first be willing to take back the area around the Church.
You must go through this process in order for the gangs and the neighborhoods to take you serious. This is already part of your civic duty; why not claim that part of town for the LORD.
But brother LUCKY, Sunday is one of the LORD’s Commandments, it’s a day of rest. Yes … that’s true. But are you really keeping that day as a day of rest, according to the scriptures ? No … no one is ! Especially Pastor’s and all those that make an effort to speak and sing to you on … that day of rest. Don’t you suppose they wandered a little too far from their homes on the Sabbath to entertain you ? And lets get real … who really spends all day, praying and singing songs to the LORD ? Do you ???
And here’s a few more questions. Do you attend Church 52 Sundays in the Year ? Do you not take vacations … away from your Church ? Do you not attend retreats ? Do you not speak to anyone on Sunday about JESUS CHRIST ? Or is going to Church more pleasing to someone in your family and less pleasing to GOD ? Think about !
Now, I know that there will be times when you can’t get out there on that Sunday, but the whole point of it is this, to get out and be a neighbor to those in the neighborhood around your Church. If anything speaks volumes, it’s this. And I’m sure these folks in your Church neighborhood are tired of all the cults banging on their doors bad-mouthing your Church and what you believe anyway. Aren’t you ?
So … here’s a few simple ideas for you and your Church to get started
Time : Start at 10:00 am.
How : Of course, go out two by two.
Where : Start with the homes that are four-square around your Church.
What to say : " Hi, my name is brother LUCKY and I’m from the Church around the corner and my mission today is two fold; one to ask if I can pray for any need you have – here or when I go back to the Church and two, would you be interested in coming to my Church if we had a special guest or event ? " And that’s it !
Here’s what happens in a neighborhood when the local Church does this. It makes that whole neighborhood
feel connected. It makes them feel like
someone cares. It makes them believe that they can take back their neighborhood and when you do find a home where a gang member lives, you
give that family hope and that gang member a way out.
And just so you know, gang members want to go to Church but they don’t go to a Church across town because they may be seen going into a neighborhood where their rival gang is and they could end up in a gang fight on Sunday or worse. Keep that in mind. As well, that gang member will now know that you know were he lives and knows that it’s only a matter of time before he has to make a decision for the LORD.
The Word of GOD tells us to go and compel them to come, not the other way around
So …
go out on one Sunday and
bring them back the next. You will have 3 Sundays in the Summer months to go out {from April to September} to pray for them to become a believer or to compel them to come to Church next Sunday.
It’s really very simple.
As a final note, have fun ! Make this an event that the younger folks will enjoy as well.
And to be honest … we should have been doing this, years ago.
Brother LUCKY …
See you in the streets
