Arcade Church

Leading up to this week, Satan was attempting to place doubt in my head and heart. As I have envisioned what God is doing at Arcade and around the world, I have felt a strong compulsion to join God specifically in loving the unloved, the overlooked, the oppressed, and those heavy-burdened by religious people. I felt like, even though I felt strongly that we must respond and join God in His work, I doubted the circumstances were right at Arcade to do something more. In all practical thinking we have enough to tackle for the next 10 years! I kept thinking how little faith this thought held, and directly next to this thought was, “God is a big God. God can do more than we could ever ask or imagine. Trust me. Join me.”

It was with this conviction that we stepped out on the water Sunday in partnering with Greenway Church in Vinnitsa,Ukraine to share the love of Jesus with the unloved, overlooked, oppressed, and forgotten: people with disabilities in Ukraine.

This segment of the population is treated as second-class citizens and segregated from other “normal” citizens. This is ridiculous!! I think of the Scriptures:

Gen 1:27-28, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them…” ESV

Matt 11:28-30, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” ESV

John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned.”   ESV

James 1:27, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”  ESV

Who does God stand with? I believe that in the Scriptures you can clearly see the heart of God for those in the world who have been “labeled” by others as different, deformed, and handicapped. Even if I can’t walk, or talk, or hear, or see, or function in society the God of creation loves me; I am worth a Son to God.

On Sunday, I challenged you as a church to support the ministry of Greenway to people with disabilities in Vinnitsa who have not received the love they deserve. We outlined a new transportation ministry which would give people with disabilities in Vinnitsa the opportunity to get out of their homes and into society, to doctors, to stores, to cafes, while being accompanied by young followers of Jesus Christ who are unashamed to stand with them as friends.

In faith, we asked the church to respond on Sunday with $30,000 to purchase the first vehicle, and you responded. As a church on Sunday we made pledges of over $48,000 and delivered $20,000 in cash into the offering buckets. Wow! God is good. How do I say thank you for your commitment to following Jesus into all segments of our society and world? We will see amazing fruits from this commitment. I believe God is smiling at us and affirming His faithfulness and love.

It is a privilege to gather with a community of believers who go so far out and beyond what is expected. I pray this is just the beginning of a growing vision and impact into the country of Ukraine. Thank you all so much; thank You, Lord Jesus.