Dear Family and Friends:
As I sit in the Starbucks next to Adsideo's neighborhood Living Room in the middle of Sellwood, my mind wanders over this past year and a half and the journey we have traveled. Trying to put my thoughts and feelings together is like trying to dissect that frog from sophomore biology or stuff that porcupine in Wildlife Conservation my senior year... "Precarious, at best." I am learning so much that I am not even sure where to start, but I will give it a shot, so here goes... After experiencing an accident in which I broke my neck a little over a year and half ago, and going through the long process of post-surgical recovery, I began to realize that there was much in this story of Adsideo that needed to continue to be evaluated and processed from another angle. It seemed that we had become consumed with meeting the needs of our neighborhood but had not done enough to invest in the lives of those in this young, eclectic body. As I was convalescing and making attempts to lead, it was realized that we were pretty fragile as a community.
Yes, we had experienced tremendous growth numerically and everything looked good on the outside, but internally things were not so secure. We found ourselves primarily consuming and entering into a new form of attractional ministry. Different than past expressions (we were minus big screens and play-lands for the kids) but nonetheless we were quickly becoming a commuter church while the only thing growing was our weekly gathering. I began to struggle through my frustrations and realized from my vantage point in my recliner and neck brace that change must come.
There's not much to do for about six months after you break your neck, other than think... so I did. At this same time we were blessed by a Church in Southern California who came to our aid with a ministry of encouragement. Our tribe also stepped in as they helped provide for our family. There were other individuals, but the primary relational encouragement came from this little Church in So. Cal. whom we had just met prior to my accident. They began to breathe life into me as I recovered and in reality they were breathing life into us as the church, as we entered into our collective recovery. The magnitude of this encouragement was not realized then, but it began to become absolutely clear as time evolved and their role would prove to be vital in the life of our community. They challenged us to invest internally and look at the scriptures to see what this New Testament Church might look like in the world today.
Growing together, our leadership and apprentices began to catch a fire that we thought would spread throughout our body. However, this marked something quite different, it was the beginning of what we are calling now "the great reduction". People became worried and fearful as we called for deeper levels of commitment. We explored the purpose of the Church and began looking intensely on what Jesus had envisioned for his followers: what did it mean to be a disciple and what does it mean today? Instead of personal growth an emphasis was placed on the collective, and we saw a decline numerically. The reduction had started, as we began to identify more clearly the framework for Adsideo, thus individuals became uneasy with the change.
We are becoming comfortable in the releasing of those who have chosen to leave, and encourage them to live out their conviction, as we live out ours in this story we call Adsideo. I am encouraged as I write today to think of the way the Lord refines His Church... though at times painful, and on occasion hit with well intended friendly-fire that rips and scars you up, it’s then that you realize that God is at work, humbling you and preparing you for His service to His body. He is faithful as others have come and thrown their lives into this beautiful mess. The unity we are experiencing has been such a source of encouragement that we can see His Spirit richly providing the relational and missional support needed to live as representatives in this new humanity He has called us to.
All this to say... Today, as I made my way to Starbucks I walked by Subway where Mike has been working for two weeks. Mike is one of the ten men living in the Bresee House who has been on a difficult journey of his own for many years. He is now 28 and realizing that he cannot do this life alone any longer. He has battled drugs and alcohol for the majority of his life and was raised in a family where drugs and alcohol was the norm. Mike is a graduate of a New Life Recovery program but has experienced a couple of nasty relapses that has caused him to re-evaluate his life.
About four months ago, in the middle of a relapse, I saw Mike going into one of our neighborhood "establishments" and followed him in. He was a bit surprised when I sat down by him at one of the video poker machines and offered to buy him a drink. He said, “don't know how to feel about my pastor offering me a drink." We had a good talk that day and it wasn't long after that Mike decided to throw in the towel and let others speak into his life. He moved into Bresee (our home for men who are reintegrating into community and life) and now Mike, with other men and the support of his Church, is finding a family in this new way of the Kingdom. As I mentioned it’s only been two weeks since he was hired by Subway here in the neighborhood. For me, Mike’s story illustrates the beauty of God’s ability to redeem and reorder, this is but one of many such stories that we have had opportunity to celebrate as we learn the art of living in community.
We are encouraged as we look at the process at work in the life of Mike as he listened to the appeals of his brothers who love him, and asked him to consider finding employment in healthy proximity to the neighborhood, and Mike submitted. You see, this was recognized as a real need for Mike because a long distance commute has contributed to past relapses. This time the body was asking Mike to wait upon the Lord to provide employment here, where there would be a greater opportunity for him to integrate his work into a rhythm of life with others. We believe that God was up to something on that day two weeks ago when Mike was walking home from the Living Room and Subway’s manager ran out and said, "Mike we want to hire you!"
Now, I don't know about you, but this story doesn't happen every day around here to a former drug user and felon. The manager knew Mike a bit as most of us frequent Subway and Mike had put in an application several months prior. We are encouraged to see what God is up to in His redemptive reordering of the lives of this community.
This is a tough time of year for many in our body as the "Holidays" conjure up difficult feelings, the enemy hits hard with guilt, pain, and memory. We are claiming the words that Paul speaks when he reminds the believers in Rome of this truth...
"So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us." ~ The Message
Please pray as we have many needs emotionally, spiritually, physically, and financially. Pray that God would continue to help find employment for our men as we still have three of them in the house without work. We have taken on a great deal of responsibility and believe that it is His calling for our community. We believe that His resources are enough and that He will raise up partners for this ministry here in Portland. If you would like to invest in this reordering of lives please partner with us as the Lord so leads you. You can keep up to date by visiting our websites.
Needs: Some of you have asked what our primary financial needs are currently... because of such a difficult time this last year with unemployment for some of our men, Adsideo has had to help significantly with monthly rent at the Bresee House (rent and utilities $1700). Other primary expenses are The Neighborhood Living Room (rent and utilities $2700) as well as on-going staff support, much needed prayer for jobs, please pray for our apprentices as they learn, grow and lead.
If you, or those you fellowship with would like to partner financially with Adsideo you can send your support to The Community of Adsideo, P.O. Box 82208, Portland, OR 97282. Please understand that we believe that God is leading us and that we are only his instruments, as he desires to bring Peace to those in need of redemption. You may join us in our quest to reach those living in the margins here in Portland.
Thank you, may his peace be yours.
Pastor Jim
“I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.” ~ Hosea 11:4
There is so much more going on and it would take pages to inform you. If you would like to get weekly updates or have any questions, please feel free to contact Adsideo at info@communityofadsideo.com.
Pastor Jim Wicks
Lead Pastor / Ambassador
Community of Adsideo
No comments:
Post a Comment