we be church

Blog Contribution Example: Shoes for the Homeless

Shoes

Originally uploaded by chix0rgirl

I thought I would give an example of the kind of content you might want to contribute to this blog over on the contribute page.

I came across this photo on photo sharing site Flickr. You too can contribute photos by tagging your photos with “webechurch” this blog will detect them for perusal and possible republish.

1. It’s a great insight into Church life, honest and real “I helped clean up the shoes and socks later on; some were really wet and sweaty. Ew!”

2. It has a global appeal which people enjoy, “ooo so that’s what they are up to in San Antonio these days!”

3. And finally and most importantly it’s all about how Jesus is prompting people to do great things for Him. Awesome!

You might have been on a missions trip, set up a prayer room, started an alpha course, been to a sweet gig, or seen something totally rocking with it’s origin in God that you just want people to know how amazing he is then let me know and it could get republished.

The Poor, Homeless & the Economic Wobble

Homeless in Sydney - Photo by Yewenyi

Catching the train home from Newcastle to the heart of Northumberland I felt challenged after reading Isaiah  41 to buy The Big Issue magazine. Actually I haven’t ever purchased one before. When I have had the opportunity to read the magazine, I haven’t been particularly impressed by the content found in them.

However this Christmas issue featured seasonal thoughts from Big Issue vendors and proved to be very insightful not only into their own lives but those who are in a more comfortable position. What struck me was that the vendors hold hopes and goals that are similar to those living in better conditions. There is much in common, children, education, holidays. I think it is very easy to believe that you can’t identify with those more weathered by rough life than you.

As those who follow Jesus we are called to remember the poor. He isn’t just asking us to give a fast food prayer, actually rather God is pretty vocal and even holds giant promises regarding the poor that we as his followers are called to be involved in meeting. It’s amazing we know a God who can not only meet the scarcity of our basic needs but bring amazing fulfillment to our spiritual poverty. It’s all for his amazing Glory that he can do something out of nothing. I really believe we are going to see some amazing God stories come out of this economic wobble.

17 “The poor and needy search for water,
but there is none;
their tongues are parched with thirst.
But I the LORD will answer them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

18 I will make rivers flow on barren heights,
and springs within the valleys.
I will turn the desert into pools of water,
and the parched ground into springs.

19 I will put in the desert
the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.
I will set pines in the wasteland,
the fir and the cypress together,

20 so that people may see and know,
may consider and understand,
that the hand of the LORD has done this,
that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
(Isaiah 41:17-20)

Can I convince you to purchase The Big Issue magazine this December? It will not only help the homless but I think it will challenge you to begin thinking about how we can further help the various poor in this economic wobble. There will be various casulties, more homelessness is just the tip of the iceburg…