Union Gospel Mission, Tri-Cities

The Tri-Cities Union Gospel Mission is a great ministry where men, women, and families in crisis can find a place to stay while they get back on their feet. They provide meals, a place to sleep, showers, etc., but most importantly, they share the truth of the gospel with those who take shelter in this facility as they demonstrate the love of God through service. There are several programs the homeless can enroll in that are designed to help them clean up their lives and prepare them to find jobs, get a college education, receive job training, restoration of relationships, etc. Recently, Byron Brooks, administrator at the mission (pictured at far right), shared with me about an exciting new branch of the ministry that will extend their help to certain individuals who they are currently unable to facilitate. Some of the current programs include: providing life skills training, providing substance abuse support networks, providing financial accountability, discipleship training, providing affordable housing for program graduates, and working with local businesses to secure employment for program graduates.
Not everyone who stays at the mission is required to enroll in programs. The doors of the Mission are open to everyone, and all that is required to catch a meal or a night's sleep is to attend one of the two daily chapel services, which are at 12:30-1:00 p.m. and 7:30-8:30 p.m. Here is a picture of a typical lunch crowd. Usually there are 35-40 for lunch, and about 50-75 for the evening service. A few years back, when I first discovered this awesome ministry, I contacted the leadership at the mission and asked to be put on the schedule. They asked that I come down and answer a few questions first, (to make sure I wasn't a weirdo or a cult member). I met with Mark Heritage, who interviewed me for about 1/2 hour and he called me back within days and put me on a regular monthly speaking schedule. Praise the Lord!
Typically, we begin with a few worship songs, but unfortunately, I am only musically talented with maracas or tambourines, so it is usually sung accapella. Then we launch into the gospel message, and afterwards, we have a time of prayer for specific requests, as well as answering questions and giving Biblical counsel. We offer free Bibles to anyone in need of one as well. Here you can see a gentleman by the name of Laurence who was at the mission for a few days while making his way to Alaska to work on salmon harvests. Laurence got a bed to sleep in, food to eat, and more importantly, the gospel.
Over the years, we have seen a lot of faces come and go, which tells me that the mission is serving its purpose and also that there are many people who are hearing the message of eternal life as they get the help they need to get back on their feet. There are a lot of hurting people who not only need to be saved, but also to receive instruction on how to live life God's way.
Rob is a guy who is searching for answers and wanting to understand the truth of God's word as it applies to his life. He asked for prayer to know God's will and to have a better understanding of His word. It was a blessing to be able to offer him some Biblical counsel and pray for him.
It is a rare occasion that we don't give any Bibles or pray for anyone. There are almost always people who will approach us afterwards with questions or stories of how they got to this place and prayer requests.
Please pray for the Tri-Cities Union Gospel Mission. Pray for the Lord to continue pouring in the resources they need to operate, and for anointing on the staff and leadership, and for the truth of the message of the gospel to penetrate the hearts of those who hear it. And for us, as we continue to serve, that the Lord will give us wisdom to preach the gospel with clarity and simplicity, and to offer good, sound counsel from His word.
Please consider how you might support your local mission, either financially or by giving of your time and efforts to help those in need.

Sin: Transgression of the Law or Missing the Mark?

So which is it? When someone blows it and sins against God, were they transgressing the law, or were they merely missing the mark? Well, it depends upon the situation. It comes down to differentiating between what are commonly called sins of "omission" and sins of "commission". On one hand, the sinner was trying his best to do what's right and didn't cut it, and on the other hand, he knew full well what he was doing was wrong and yet did it anyway.
These two types of sin are clearly depicted in the life of king Saul. If you remember in 1Samuel 13, when the Philistines were about to close in on Saul and his troops in Gilgal, while Samuel tarried, the men of Israel were afraid to the point of trembling and king Saul became impatient and made burnt offerings to the Lord, which was in disobedience to what the Lord had commanded. When Samuel did arrive, it was then that he pronounced the judgement of God on Saul for his sin. But Saul thought he was doing the right thing! He was offering to the Lord before the battle, but he didn't do it right, and God judged him for it. A sin of omission.
Then at a later time, the Philistines again arrayed themselves before Israel for battle, and Saul was so afraid "his heart greatly trembled". (1Samuel 28) By now Samuel was dead, and the Lord did not give an answer to Saul through the prophets, so he sought out a woman who had a familiar spirit. He went to the witch of Endor to find counsel. Here Saul knew what was right or wrong, and deliberately crossed the line and sinned against God. A sin of commission.
Sins of commission are like having a line drawn in the sand and stepping over it anyhow. Sins like, lying, theft, adultery, murder, gossip, envy, doubt, coveteousness, blasphemy, and idolatry. We all know these things are wrong and yet we do them anyhow.
When sharing the gospel with unbelievers, I usually don't spend too much time discussing sins of omission. Here's why: We've all heard the analogy of an archer shooting at a target, but missing the bullzeye, and this is "missing the mark", or "sin". This is a very poor analogy to use because it paints the picture that the sinner is trying his best to live right but just can't do it. In other words, he's not a bad person, he just needs someone to help him with the little he's lacking. Using this analogy to refer to his sins as "missing the mark" does nothing in terms of leading him to repentance because you're telling him he's already trying hard enough. It totally defuses the seriousness of sin. This also makes God look unjust for sending sinners to hell when they were doing their best to do what he says. Although we have all committed sins of omission, and missed the mark in that sense, it is more of a loss to the sinner rather than a gain to soften the blow by avoiding more obvious sin.
I know its hard not to let the fear of man get to us when sharing the truth of the gospel. Its hard to talk about sin and judgement, because we are afraid of how people will respond, but it is absolutely necessary in order for someone to understand the gospel. But what is the gospel? In a nutshell, we've sinned against God and deserve his wrath, but because of his love for us, he sent his Son to live and die for us so that all who will repent and put their trust in Him will have forgiveness of sins. What is more likely to make this good news good? Telling someone they are trying really hard but just need a little lift? Or gently and lovingly showing the sinner the enormity of his crimes? Once a person comes face to face with their sin and realizes that the judgement of God is just, then the blood of Jesus is something they will cling to for a lifetime.
They don't bail out on the Lord when times get tough. They didn't come to him for a better lifestyle, or to try something different. they came because they have sinned against God, and they need the blood of Jesus to cleanse them from sin. They don't wak away from him when they lose their job, or when their spouse fails them, or when they are tempted, or when the bank takes the house. No! These things only make them cling tighter to the Lord and even look forward to getting out of here.
So, boys and girls, don't be afraid to bring up the hard subjects. When witnessing, don't just gloss over the seriousness of sin, but show the person their great need of the Saviour. They will thank you for telling them the truth, because they sure aren't hearing it from many sources these days. The Lord will honor you for preaching the whole counsel of God. Don't you want to stand before him and hear "Well done, good and faithful servant"? Be faithful to proclaim the whole truth. Do it for the glory of God!

Beer Case and Magazine Tracting

A few weeks ago, I shared some creative ways to distribute tracts. Least week, I was due for an oil change, so I decided to make the most of my time as I waited for the service to be completed. A buddy came over and shot some video so we could demonstrate how easy it is. Click here to watch it now . It was so much fun!! I'll bet you'll never guess what store we were in! Hee Hee!
Until next week... Billy

Draft Dodging

When you and I became followers of Jesus Christ, he made us into new creations and gave us an inheritance in the kingdom of God. All of our sins were washed away and we became citizens of Heaven, with our names written in the Book of Life. As children of the most high God of the universe, we receive rich blessings, and we have a Father who loves us and gives us many great and precious promises, all of which we can be sure he will fulfill.

Jesus is not only our Savior, he is also our Lord. Not only has he poured out his blessing upon us, he has also given us a high calling. We have a mandate from the Captain of our salvation to reach a lost and dying world with the good news of the gospel. I know and understand that he has given each of us different gifts when it comes to service in the body of Christ, and we should all be careful not to neglect them, but reaching the lost with the message of the cross is different from gifts for operation within the church. It is not a gift, it is a command from the Lord to all of us. There are those who are especially gifted at evangelism, and you can tell who they are, but we are all called to reach out to those within our own sphere of influence with the gospel. Saying you need a gift to share your faith is like saying you need a gift to feed starving children.

Look out there! 150,00 people die every day! They are being swallowed by death and hell right in front of us. If you saw a blind man walking towards a 1000 foot cliff, would you warn him? Or would you make excuses, like "Sorry, I'm not gifted in that area" or "He wouldn't want to hear what I've got to say" or "He looks quite happy doing his own thing, I can't bother him" or "I don't even know him! How could I approach him?" They sound silly, I know, but they are the same reasons most Christians give for not sharing the good news of a Savior to a lost world.

Notice how we often look down upon those who have neglected their responsibilities to the country during war time. They are those we call "draft-dodgers". People who were called upon by their country to serve, but chickened out and found ways to avoid it. They are seen as cowards, but what is also especially demeaning is that they had such little respect and disregard for the authority of the government. How many of us do the same thing when we refuse to get involved in the battle and pass on our responsibilities to others? Do we skip over or ignore all the verses in the Bible that give us our objectives when it comes to sharing our faith?

Here are just a few...
John 12:26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant will also be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
Matthew 4:19 Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
John 14:15 If you love me, you will obey what I command.
Mark 16:15, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Psalm 107:2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.
Philippians 2:15,16 That you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life;
2Cor 5:18,19 And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

There are many more. We cannot ignore our Commander in Chief and dodge the draft. If we love him, we'll do what he says and take his message to those who sit in the shadow of death.
Are you afraid? That's good! Let His strength be made perfect in your weakness. Let there be more of Him and less of you. That apostle Paul knew fear as well. He said that "without were fightings, within were fears". 2Cor 7:5 He also told the Corinthians that he was with them in meekness and in fear and in much trembling. 1Cor 2:3

It's ok of you identify with one of the greatest preachers of the gospel who ever lived. So rely on Christ's strength. Just determine to do all things through Christ who strengthens you and be obedient to the high calling of God and seek and save that which was lost.
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that wins souls is wise.
Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.
James 5:20 Let him know, that he which converts a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Hitting the Target

There are all sorts of different kinds of bait that we use in order to lure the fish in. We talk about relevant issues with those we intend to share the gospel with, such as evolution, end times prophecy, hypocrites in the church, the historical accuracy of Scripture, false religions, and so on. While it is important for us to be knowledgeable in these areas, and be able to articulate our position in a way that makes sense, we should also be careful that we don't get stuck there, because although these are legitimate subjects for a non-believer to have concerns with, they have a tendency to get us caught in endless arguments and rabbit trails.
What I usually try to do is briefly address these types of issues and move out of the realm of the intellect and go straight for the conscience. Don't misunderstand me. People deserve to have their questions answered, but I have found that even after an extensive discussion, when more than enough evidence has been given to support a Biblical answer, it turns out that many people aren't really looking for answers, but rather, they are looking for smokescreens to avoid the uncomfortable position of having to submit to the authority of God. As soon as you have proved one point, immediately you are asked another question. "Well what about this, or what about that?" All of them intended not to genuinely seek out the truth, but to find a way to stump you so they can somehow justify to themselves their hostility towards God and the gospel. Although I try to give good answers to people's questions and objections, I make sure I don't stay there because if I do, I am missing the target.
If I can disprove evolution, so what? He's still in his sins. If I can make him understand end times prophecy, so what? Understanding this will not save him. Believing that the Bible is infallible will not save him. Finding out that his false religion is a hoax will not save him either. Although, like I said, these are legitimate (and important) issues, they are merely the bait we use to lure them in so we can share the gospel with them. Finding out the truth about these things may lead to a revelation about who God is, and thus open their minds to the gospel, but they are not the gospel. Remember to hit the target.
What is it we are aiming for? It is repentance towards God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.(Acts 17:30 20:21) It is only an understanding of one's own sin that leads to repentance, without which, no one can be saved(Luke 13). How can a man repent if he doesn't know what sin is? The apostle Paul said, "I had not known sin, but by the law"(Romans 7:7). 1John 3:4 gives us the Biblical definition of sin. "Sin is transgression of the law." Do we thump people over the head with the law? No! 1Timothy 1:8 says that the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully, for the purpose for which it was designed. What is that purpose? To be the schoolmaster which leads us to Christ.(Gal 3:24) We gently use the law of God to bring the knowledge of sin, at which point we reveal the good news of the gospel that God has provided a Savior in Jesus Christ. How can anyone appreciate the cross if they don't realize that it was their sin that Jesus was paying for? It is the law that teaches us that we need a Savior.
You see, there is a big difference between what the gospel is and what the world thinks it is. Let me break it down for you. Most of America thinks that you believe they are going to hell because they haven't accepted Jesus. They have a right to be offended by that sort of message. Let me explain why. If the police pulled you over and just began to handcuff you and throw you into the backseat of the patrol car, while telling you that you're going to jail for a long time, you would no doubt demand to know why. But if they pulled you over and said, "You were just speeding at 60 mph through an area restricted to 5 mph for a disabled children's convention. A mother and son were injured as they avoided being struck by your vehicle. You're in bug trouble!" Now you can understand the handcuffs.
In the same way, people are offended when we suggest they are going to hell when as far as they are concerned, they are just as good as anyone else, including you. Proverbs tells us that every man will proclaim his own goodness, and I can tell you that its true. This is why it is so important that we use the law to bring the knowledge of sin so they can see themselves in truth and repent. The Bible says that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (Prov 16:5, James 4:6) In contrast, in Isaiah 66:2, the Lord tells us, "but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word." That is exactly what the law does to us. It doesn't help us. It leaves us helpless. It humbles us. It shows us how utterly wicked we are, even down to our thoughts. Many people will look at outward sins and still try to say that they "have a good heart" but the law destroys even that notion. Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, didn't try to do away with the law, but he held it up to an even higher standard when he revealed the spiritual nature of the law by declaring lust to be the same as adultery and hatred to be equal with murder. Just as the violation of the speed limit made you understand why you would be arrested, once a person understands that he has offended God with his sins, then the judgement becomes reasonable to him.
It is only when a sinner realizes that he actually deserves the justice of God's divine wrath because of the enormity of his sins, that the grace offered in Christ becomes the amazing grace that it is. That God would have been perfectly just by killing him and making him pay the penalty for his own sins, but in His great love, came and not only lived the perfect life that he could never live, but gave His own life as a sacrifice to save him. How wonderful the message of the cross is now! How precious is the blood that Jesus gave! This is the message of the gospel. This is what Jesus suffered for. He died to pay the penalty for sin. Not to give us our best life now. Not to give us prosperity and health. He suffered and died to take away our sins and rescue us from an eternity in a lake of fire.
If we want to see souls soundly saved, we will preach the gospel in truth. Don't leave them hanging by discussing secondary things and never opening up the gospel message. Use secondary issues to open the door so you can share the message of the cross with them. They will listen. Even if they reject it afterwards, they will almost always hear you out. Many times they will have the old "deer in the headlights" look because thay have never heard the gospel preached so simply, but at least they will have heard the words of everlasting life. Don't rip them off by not giving them the truth. I know it can be uncomfortable to mention sin and hell and judgement, and telling peole they need to repent, but the Bible doesn't mince words about it, and Jesus certainly never did. Should we? The reason those things are in the Bible is not to beat people up, its because the Lord doesn't want people going there, and people can sense your compassion too.
So go out and share the gospel with a lost and dying world. Let compassion for them eclipse any fears you have and ask the Spirit to use you in the fields. Pray for laborers, but also pray that you may be used as one as well. And do it for the glory of God!