My last written post was about the last day of FHL Week. I hope you enjoyed following some of the activities during that action packed week. We saw miracles, challenges, wonders and the unexpected happen. That’s to be expected when you mobilize 100+ organizations, more than 800 volunteers, 30 some projects sustained for 7 days with zero budget and lots of faith.
Imagine if a group of people ask you to come up with a plan to bring churches, businesses, neighborhood associations, government, etc., to work together for an entire week on all various projects without any guarantee of working capital and a support team. That’s crazy!
In 2005, I never thought an organization could do just that. All I wanted was to introduce the concept of unifying churches through local mission – “A Mission Trip in their Own Backyard”
After 7 years of pouring my life into it, FHL has evolved to be an organization that connects, facilitates and coordinates volunteers to identify needs and to come up with resources to bring hope in our communities.
It’s a monumental task to bring churches together let alone encourage them to work together. FHL has worked with numerous Christian denominations and even non-Christians since then. I have seen different reactions from people of different walks of life, from positive to negative, condemnation and praise, love and judgment.
There’s a price to pay to follow Christ and continue the calling that He has for each of us, especially if you do not have the entire picture and the details that go along with an outstanding plan. I’ve written a Blog “God wants our faithfulness, not our success.” Through walking in faith with Him, we start to gain more revelation along the way. The next step has been revealed. Some people may call it miracle. Unless we experience Him in our lives, it would be hard for our faith to develop.
Many times, revelation comes when we obey Him no matter how absurd the plan. It usually requires us to step outside our comfort zone. The next step is shown after we take the initial step. The next door opens after we walk through the previous one.
FHL Week has taught many groups of people to trust one another, to watch their backs and to rely on each other. No one has the complete answer and the resources needed to accomplish all the projects. Through the process of walking alongside each other, brainstorming and coming up with a plan, a team is born. Once people start trusting each other, their relationships grow and things are accomplished.
In the end, it’s not about the projects, it’s about having relationships with each other. Confidence with others and within ourselves can change the dynamic of a community. For example, many Noblesville churches (Serve: Noblesville) are now working regularly together because of their experience with FHL since 2006. It’s not that other churches were not working together before, but FHL was a catalyst that led them to work even closer together.
FHL Week, “A Mission Trip in Your Own Backyard”, has taught us that it’s ok to venture with others to serve and to trust the God in us. It may not look great but deep inside, seeds of unity are being planted. As Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 4:12 & 13, “equip God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Paul also added that we grow to become a mature body of Christ by working together and performing our part as we build up each other in love.
Now that you have read the inside scoop about FHL Week, you don’t need to wait until next July. Why not entertain having FHL Week all year long? Not as big and intensive as the annual “Mission Trip in your Own Backyard”, but something small and tangible that your neighborhood can do together to build each other up in love? Next month and in October, FHL will be mobilizing between 300-500 volunteers for the “Heal the Land” project at 38th/Illinois area. Consider joining us if you are available. You can be the miracle that others have been waiting for.
How about planting Food Pantries all around our cities through the resources within the local neighborhoods? My next Blog will discuss this in detail.