Hope Outreach Launched!

Images from the Flood of '08

Convoy of Hope Outreach in parking lot...

Pallets of goods in sanctuary...

First gathering outside CFA following the flood...

Indianapolis media covered our first gathering...

Basement room destroyed...

Furnace room turned upside down...

First service via our satellite location (a.k.a. - borrowed church!)

What a day!

Started the day with my normal cup of coffee and a copy of the local newspaper. Let my middle son drive us to the church where his youth group was eager to head up to church camp. Have a great week son...God has some wonderful things planned for you and your friends!

Then the vision of establishing a food bank, clothes closet, water center, personal hygiene and cleaning store was kicked off today. It was an amazing sight...right in the center of this flood disaster zone. Our abandoned regional worship center was transformed into a Center of HOPE for Columbus...

• Instead of pews, there were some pallets of cases with water and powerade, cleaning supplies and personal toiletries.
• Instead of our Information Center, we witnessed a ministry center guiding hurting people through the areas of blessing in our wounded facility.
• Instead of a regular coat rack, we saw each hanger outfitted with clothes for every member of the family and tables filled with more garments, shoes and other items (in fact, the supply grew throughout the day as more and more of our people caught the vision of what we were trying to do).
• Instead of the pastor's bookcases (which normally housed tons of books), there were shelves and shelves filled with canned goods, nonperishable items and other things for our guests to peruse through...and relocated right into the church foyer.
  
• Instead of a church filled with people getting fat on the Word, I witnessed church members being transformed into ministers and missionaries right before my very eyes! They were hugging our guests, praying with them, carrying out the goodies to their cars, getting information on how we could help them and one lady also accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior as well. If you could have been with me today, you would be just as excited as I am right now. Thank you Lord for what you are fashioning CFA to be...a beacon of HOPE and LOVE right on the corner of 10th and Iowa Streets! Truly, we are transforming lives through the power of Jesus Christ.
  
• Instead of grief and sadness, there was hope and joy that flooded the hearts of those that our congregation ministered to today!
• In a word...PRICELESS!!!

Our church is not dead...it is very much alive. Friend, listen to me...you don't need a nice, clean and fancy facility to conduct powerful outreach ministries out of it. But what you do need is an urgency and passion to reach the lost no matter what it takes to reach them! For us, God used a flood to turn our church around. Do you know what? I told our church this past Sunday that we were going to continue this food pantry, clothes closet and benevolence ministry long after we recuperate from the FLOOD OF '08! It just grieves my heart that it had to take a flood to get us out of our four walls to touch our community like we have since 6-07-08. CFA will never be the same...never!

Monty and Susan Scales dropped by to see what was going on this Monday morning and they were pleasantly surprised to see our church shine as a bee-hive of love, HOPE and action. They can't wait to get relocated here to Columbus to get in on the action and in on the wave of what God is doing right here in little ole' Columbus, Indiana! Come on Monty and Susan...we're waiting for you and your leadership to take us to the next level of disaster relief ministry! We love you!

Glad to have my administrative assistant back at our "command center." In fact, she was never really in it in the first place...she last worked out of the regular office which is now an empty space. Allison, get your fingers ready because we've got a lot of work to do to catch up, OK! I've missed ya! Tuesday is gonna be another busy one so come ready to go.

I felt the freedom to leave our HOPE Outreach and command center in good hands with my brave staff of energetic workers. I was able to drive up to Indy to be with one of my men who was having a stint put in his heart. It was a joy to spend time with Don & Linda and minister God's grace to them. Thank you Lord for calling me to be a pastor! It is the highest calling you could have ever given me! Don came through the procedure with ease because God was on His side. He should be coming home tomorrow!

Since I took the afternoon up in Indy I dropped by the church on my way back into town. Noticed the many information sheets that were laying on the ministry center. Looks like they were busy all day. I bet they can't wait to go at it again in the morning. Lord, what wonderful surprises do you have for us tomorrow? May you give us an open door to lead many more souls to you!

If you live within reach of our city, may I invite you to bring a truckload of supplies that we can use in our HOPE Outreach Ministry Store. Free goods to hurting people...prayers prayed with individuals...providing them with a booklet of HOPE scriptures to encourage and inspire...plus a hug to go!

Keep those prayers focused on heaven's portal...ANSWERS ARE COMING DOWN IN BUCKETS!

Thanks for your love and support. It is most appreciated.

Sincerely serving,