Initiative

By Mike Lardi

Initiative. Make Your Own Mission is all about taking initiative. It is seeing a need and having that bold determination “as Christ’s love compels us” to move unashamedly into action. It is daring to see the Holy Spirit do a work of God through us to the benefit of others and for his glory. We yearn for the “restoration of all things” fulfilled in ways that could only point to the mighty hand of our great God.

Let me tell you a recent story about initiative: late last summer, and seemingly out of nowhere, I had this immense discomfort that I was neglecting the call of Jesus to make disciples and invest myself in others to this end. So, I simply fell before God and asked him to give me the opportunity to do something about this. About a day or two later I was getting some work done at CBC when I came across a large pack of neighborhood kids playing on the front lawn. I had no idea that this simple interaction I had while going about my business would turn out to be my affirmative answer to this specific prayer!

Since then, I’ve had the privilege of being able to invest in the families and lives of these kids who once lived behind our church. Most of them have moved on to harsher neighborhoods where I have witnessed heavy drug trafficking, gang activities, fighting, and hostility replete with routine shootings and stabbings. It gets worse. Right around Christmas time last year, one of the new neighbors decided to end her life in a gasoline-drenched suicide. These are some of the heaviest, darkest places in our city. I have received phones calls and witnessed days where there was little or no food in the home. Days where there were no clean clothes on the kids to wear to school, no toiletries, no school supplies. And no plans for tomorrow to be any different.

Yet for all this, God has graciously been at work both in my life and theirs by correcting, guiding, and providing for us perfectly in our times of need.

In the time since, I have been amazed at the way God has used Community Bible Church to give these kids a place where they belong. On numerous occasions I have even heard them refer to CBC as “our” church. What do these kids love most about it? Sure, they have their favorite hang out areas (CCM meets in the Upper Room; but so does Operation Pillow Fight!!!) They have fun with their CBC Kids leaders and are excited about all the friends that God is giving them and what they are learning together as they come back week after week. They love getting together to do breakfast when I come pick them up, or do lunch with my friends after services get out. They love to ask questions about spiritual things: God, Satan, life, and death. And they treasure being prayed over like you wouldn’t believe!

But when it comes down to it, their favorite thing is just to BE themselves, and to do that “being” with me. At any time, wherever I lead, that’s where they want to go. Whatever I choose, I choose it in the best interests for us as a whole group. Whenever one is sad, I comfort him. When one trips or falls, I lift her up by the hand. And whenever one smiles with joy, we all smile together. God is so good!

2010 went down as another nightmare of a year for the City of San Bernardino. To live here is to battle with the effects of poverty, crime, and a broken education system. Yet despite all this I firmly believe that the financial and moral meltdown of our city is the church’s BIGGEST opportunity to be the very real hands and feet of our Savior God and to care for “orphans and widows in their distress.” CBC exists to make followers of Jesus Christ who have CHARACTER and COURAGE. And in order to do that, this church must remain a center from which the gospel is regenerating our lives and can pour forth into our city with vibrancy. How can we help each other to be on mission if we don’t get take seriously the words of Jesus Christ? How can we be on mission with Jesus in this city if we’re not willing to possess initiative? “Without holiness, no one will see the LORD.”

I thank God for the way that you, my CBC family, have responded to the mission of these precious children and their hurting mothers – relationships that God has graciously given to me that I might care for them in their season of distress.

These may be some of the worst economic and spiritual conditions our city has ever seen! But in the family of God, those who are hurting and those who are without have sure promises from an adoring Father, a strong big Brother, and a holy Helper. Want to make my joy complete? Be about our family’s business to care for the lost, the broken, and the hungry in this place. Seek. Ask. Look. And by the mercies of God you will receive your heart’s desire.

Make Your Own Mission and get going!

THANK YOU to everyone who has given rides, given hugs, paid for meals, provided piggy-back rides, moved furniture, picked up a mess, bought Christmas presents, and so much more to encourage these precious youngsters. You have helped to touch their lives forever. I know that they smile because of a great God who wants and cares for them, and because of his people who demonstrate it!