Calling All Fighters

If you’ve watched the news at all last week, chances are you’ve heard about the shocking gang violence this summer in Chicago’s inner cities. I came across a man on TV calling on the community churches to somehow help the young men, women, and families caught up in the bloody whirlwind.

I saw this right after another Thursday night on Arnett Blvd. where a Remix leader named Cuevas shared his story. He told everyone listening how it felt living under a bridge as a young homeless man. He said he woke up on the street one night after drinking himself to oblivion. With blood dripping from his face, his body aching, he realized he had been beaten. He couldn’t remember who did it or why.

Believe it or not, Cuevas still wanders the streets. Now he talks with people about the power of God. He offers to pray for them right then and there, leading some to Christ. Delivered from a dangerous and violent life, Cuevas is now a fighter for the people of his city. But the truth cannot be more evident-we need more fighters.

We ought to chew on this for a while: across the nation we the Church are being called upon to come out of our expensive boxes to interact with our surrounding neighborhoods, particularly in the inner cities. Jesus told his disciples to pray for more laborers...I'm praying.

-fg