Bridges for Youth

Tell us what a great job we are doing and never contribute, pray or tell anyone about our needs.Take us for granted in a religious kind of way, or a non religious kind of way.Trust that someone else will take care of the financial needs at Bridges For Youth. Wrongly justify that we are supported mostly by a church or churches. Expect us to have fundraisers all the time to make enough to stay open.Say that God will take care of us, so you don’t need to do anything.Devalue the importance of our work with kids, by never visiting a center and seeing what we actually do with kids each day.Say that we are a duplication of services in the community and we are not needed.Be a hearer of the words of the Bible and not be a doer.Surrounded by such a large Christian community, I think we need to make some noise, rather than stand in silence.   James 1:22-27 Pastor Steve Hare       www.bridgesforyouth.net

There were over 80 murders in the big bad city last year.  Rapes, child abuse, drug abuse and other statistics were rising higher and higher.  Poverty imposed its walls around the city and only small rays of hope ever pierced through its ugliness.  A circumference of fear dictated the dangers of entering here.  Certainly the wise would not venture here, for what good could come of it.

The innocent children of this urban place, placed thoughts of survival above all else.  They thirsted for love in their ragged attire, and hungered to know why on earth they were born.  Their strength, it was failing, and corrupt voices were crying to serve a lying master. Vessels of truth and Good News were but few, so the  children  they faltered and followed deceptions.    A stronghold for Satan had arisen and therefore the light of God’s love had been all but extinguished.

These are words that came to me this morning, as God suddenly laid big cities on my heart. Shall  we call the task of reaching kids in big cities impossible when we have the Lord as our strength.  Well, the answer is certainly “No!, a resounding NO!, with a big swallow following”.   As a missionary  who is called to reach hurting kids in areas of poverty and neglect, the thought of going to big cities seems to overwhelming to even consider.  The thought keeps reoccuring in my mind though, that it may well be a sin not to go.   While I was writing this blog I was particularly enthralled at an interruption  and attempted deletion of my words.    The interruption occurred as I was posting the descriptions of Satan and how He had built a stronghold in the midst of kids in the big city.  As I was looking at the screen, hands in my lap, the cursor started going backwards over my text deleting it. After pushing a number of keys without success, the cursor finally stopped. Then I had the realization that Satan did not want anyone taking an interest in his territory.  I really feel led to go to the enemies camp and take back what he has stolen.    God wants these kids back, and he wants their moms, dads, and neighborhoods back.    If anyone is of the same opinion, and stands for the almighty maker of heaven and earth, would you join me in this.  Stand with us on behalf of children and lets go to battle. Is someone reading this who will pray, someone who will join us on the frontlines, or someone who will support our vision? Our provision  for battle is  God, His Word and His Holy Spirit.  More than enough for an epic battle for truth.  There is a kid praying for deliverance now, who is in the midst of unbelievable hardships and poverty. Wouldn’t it be great to be there and give that kid a hug right now, andOnline Poker ist eine wunderbare Alternative für das online Poker casinospiele gratis???????? ????? ???????? im traditionellen Kasino. to be there for them with a Bridges For Youth Center in their neighborhood?   I think it would be grand.

Pastor Steve

     Adventures in the wilderness probably brings to most of our minds scenes like in Davy Crocket, King of the wild frontier.  By the way adventure is defined in several ways: taking a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome, a wild and exciting undertaking, venture:put at risk, I will stake my reputation on this, is an activity that is comprised of risky dangerous or uncertain experiences for the sake of physical or emotional excitement.

   Lower income neighborhoods and many of the areas in our small towns in Southwest Missouri, are the two  wilderness adventures that I would like to address.  I just say wilderness because it appeals to me that it will take people with great vision and faith to take back territory that many have long since forgotten about.

      I spent two days on the roof of the Bridges For Youth center on National in 2006. I was amazed at how many people drove by and were oblivious to me being on the roof in a lawn chair with banners hanging all over the building. Needless to say when you are on the roof and nobody much is noticing you, and your not raising any money like you thought you would, you have lots of time to think and prayer.

     God showed me two things during those two hot days on the roof. We are a self centered society focused on the next thing we need to get done, and we seldom look to the right or the left, or slow down enough to just look around us.   Therefore many of the needs of the poor and those around us are never met.  The hundreds of thousands of kids and their parents living in poverty just off the beaten path are not always met, because no one gets off the beaten path of the main drag to see how they can help.

    The second thing I learned was that many people noticed me when I was on the roof and enthusiastically waved, knowing we were raising money, but never gave even a dollar.  I only received a couple bucks from one donor, on foot,  in two days on the roof. By the way, I include myself in both these categories, because I like the Apostle Paul am the ‘chief among sinners’.   The point is that we need to take personal adventures into the needs of people in our neighborhoods and small towns, and help those in need.   If we see need as Christians, if we see the poor in need, then we are supposed to help.  Jesus said “You will always have the poor with you…..”. Bridges helps the poor in 4 neighborhoods and 1 small town and we are just one opportunity you have to support the poor through our daily presence and programs.

   Bridges For Youth’s new vision will be coming out soon and it will detail new adventures we will be making into neighborhoods and small towns over the next 5 years. Follow our progress and look for our vision on the Bridges website.  Wagons ho into new areas of ministry with prayerwalking, establishing new centers, and reaching thousands more with the Good News of Christ.

Oh Christian souls rejoice,      Pastor Steve

I’m not sure why, but suddenly God has shown me that the quick sand of ministry is going to swallow us up if we don’t make prayer a priority. Don’t get me wrong, “We Pray!”, it’s just that I feel God is moving us to a whole other level.

We have  a number of dedicated prayer partners who have covered us for several years now.  I’m feeling now like we need that same covering every hour and minute of every day.   Continuous and fervent prayer, inside the ministry and out.  Bridges is after all fighting a real battle on the front lines. Our centers, staff and kids are surrounded by combatants from the evil one.   This battle will definitely be won or lost in prayer.   We are pouring over resource material now on prayer and developing a prayer partner ministry for our youth centers.  I really like “Partners in Prayer” by John Maxwell.

 The concept of prayer walking is something I have been aware of, but have not practiced to this point.    In my research I was led to an organization called “the Prayer Closet Ministries Inc”.  I can’t believe we have never done this before. Knowing the power of prayer and the power of praying God’s Word, this could have very fruitful results in the neighborhoods and communities where we currently minister and in those places that God leads us in the future.   Even if we do not end up starting a Bridges for Youth Center in an area we prayer walk, we can be sure that there will be results that have eternal implications.

Teaching kids to give praise, thanks and petitions to God for themselves and others has always been a passion of mine.  I believe kids praying with that childlike faith is going to move mountains in our community.  Kids talking to God. Yeah!

 Who’s with me? 

I was joking with my wife the other day, when one of those surprise, smack you in the face, unexpected stresses of life reared its head.  I’m sure you know the feeling of cruising along having a good day, and then suddenly you are in the midst of a stressful situations that you have no control over. I liken it to standing in the middle of a busy freeway and suddenly the big semi-truck is headed right for you, horn blaring. 

Fortunately, God has given people gifts that really help the church, missions and ministries in this crazy highway of bringing the Good News to the lost.  These gifts and talents are good medicine for us who are in ministry.  Well, they are good medicine if they get out of the medicine cabinet or the comfort zone as I like to call it.   Good intentions ruin a lot of this good medicine and it never finds its way to the people who can benefit from it.  

Donating money is certainly one of the easiest ways to bring encouragement and make a difference.    I think one of the main problems is that people come up with objections, like my donation won’t make a difference, or I haven’t seen them have to close their doors yet, or someone else will take care of the need.   Let me speak for the Bridges For Youth Centers. Every donation does make a difference, it is a miracle every day we don’t have to close our doors, and did you know less than 100 people support us on a regular basis.

 People seem to underestimate what good medicine that prayer is.   Our staff at Bridges is embroiled in daily spiritual battles that can only be won through prayer.   If you lift up prayers on our behalf, then you support us in a big way.   It is impossible to do this work without being covered in prayer.   On days when there is no prayer support you can really get beat up in the mission field.

 Volunteers are some of the best medicine you can get.  To make a difference you just have to have a willingness to serve.  Its not always about the length of time you volunteer or whether or not you can see that you are making a difference. If you are trusting in God for your very existence on the mission field, then you always see a volunteer as a blessing.  ” Wow, its another adult.    I’m not alone and someone else does care about these kids, is what you say.   I can’t believe they came and helped us. We could never have survived without their help.  They came and played with the kids and brought a smile to their face. In my book they are A plus.”

 Be good medicine for someone today.  There is a pastor, a ministry, or a home mission like Bridges For Youth, who is feeling all alone right now.   You can make a difference in their lives and in the lives of others.   Pastor Steve