Embracing Faith: Transformative Service in Our Community
Summary
Taking a leap of faith is a powerful act that can lead to transformative outcomes. Reflecting on my journey, I was once faced with a decision that required me to step out of my comfort zone and trust in God's plan. Despite the uncertainty and the potential financial sacrifice, I chose to follow the path that God laid out for me. This decision led me to become the director of Street Outreach Pathways to Peace, a role that has allowed me to witness firsthand the impact of faith-driven service in our community. Our work is not just about addressing immediate needs but about being the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing peace and hope to those we serve.
The essence of our mission is deeply rooted in the belief that God works through us to touch lives. We are called to be His extension, to bring His love and peace to the streets, to the people who are often overlooked. This calling is not just a job; it is a personal commitment to live out our faith in tangible ways. The challenges we face, whether they be violence, immigration issues, or financial burdens, are the winds and waves that test our faith. Yet, we are reminded that Jesus has given us a voice to call upon Him, to wake Him up in our times of need, and to trust that He will calm the storms we face.
As we celebrate milestones and reflect on the stories of transformation within our community, we are reminded of why we do what we do. Each testimony of a life changed, a family restored, or a young person finding their purpose is a testament to the power of God's love working through us. Our mission is bigger than any one of us, and it requires us to make bold moves, to take risks, and to remain deeply committed to the people we serve. It is personal because these are not just people; they are our family, our community, and we are invested in their well-being.
Key Takeaways:
- Taking a leap of faith can lead to unexpected and transformative outcomes. Trusting in God's plan, even when it requires sacrifice, can open doors to new opportunities and allow us to serve in ways we never imagined. [25:39]
- Our mission is to be the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing His love and peace to those in need. This calling is not just a job; it is a personal commitment to live out our faith in tangible ways. [27:58]
- The challenges we face are the winds and waves that test our faith. We are reminded that Jesus has given us a voice to call upon Him, to trust that He will calm the storms we face. [30:02]
- Celebrating milestones and reflecting on stories of transformation remind us of the impact of our work. Each testimony of a life changed is a testament to the power of God's love working through us. [36:34]
- Our mission is deeply personal because it involves people we care about. We are invested in their well-being, and this personal connection drives us to push through challenges and remain committed to our calling. [01:00:20]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[24:52] - The Leap of Faith
[25:39] - Embracing Uncertainty
[26:17] - Trusting God's Plan
[27:39] - Impact of Faith-Driven Service
[28:29] - The Power of Our Voice
[30:02] - Calming the Storms
[31:11] - Celebrating Milestones
[32:27] - Stories of Transformation
[35:15] - Why We Do What We Do
[37:09] - Personal Testimonies
[39:50] - Divine Appointments
[41:16] - The Power of the Word
[54:15] - New Life Values
[01:00:20] - It's Personal
[01:06:57] - A Call to Love and Serve
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Mark 4:35-41 - Jesus Calms the Storm
2. John 10:11-13 - The Good Shepherd
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Observation Questions:
1. In Mark 4:35-41, what was the reaction of the disciples when the storm hit, and how did Jesus respond to their fear? How does this relate to the sermon’s message about calling upon Jesus in times of need? [28:48]
2. According to John 10:11-13, what distinguishes the Good Shepherd from the hired hand? How does this distinction reflect the sermon’s emphasis on personal commitment to the mission? [01:00:20]
3. The sermon mentioned the importance of being the hands and feet of Jesus in the community. What are some specific actions mentioned that demonstrate this commitment? [27:58]
4. How did the speaker describe the impact of taking a leap of faith in their personal journey, and what role did trust in God play in that decision? [25:39]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:35-41 illustrate the power of faith in overcoming challenges? What does this teach about the nature of faith in difficult times? [30:02]
2. In John 10:11-13, Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd. How does this metaphor deepen the understanding of personal commitment and sacrifice in serving others? [01:00:20]
3. The sermon highlighted the importance of celebrating milestones and stories of transformation. Why is it important to reflect on these moments, and how do they reinforce the mission of the community? [36:34]
4. The speaker mentioned the challenges faced in their mission, such as violence and financial burdens. How do these challenges serve as tests of faith, and what strategies were suggested to overcome them? [30:02]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you had to take a leap of faith. What was the outcome, and how did it impact your trust in God’s plan? How can you apply this experience to current challenges you face? [25:39]
2. The sermon emphasized being the hands and feet of Jesus. Identify one specific way you can serve your community this week to bring peace and hope to those in need. [27:58]
3. Consider the metaphor of the Good Shepherd in John 10:11-13. How can you demonstrate a deeper personal commitment to those you serve, whether in your family, workplace, or community? [01:00:20]
4. The speaker shared stories of transformation within the community. How can you celebrate and share stories of change in your own life or community to inspire others? [36:34]
5. Identify a current challenge that feels like a storm in your life. How can you call upon Jesus to help calm this storm, and what practical steps can you take to trust in His guidance? [30:02]
6. The sermon discussed the importance of personal connection in the mission. How can you deepen your relationships with those you serve to ensure your work is not just a job but a calling? [01:00:20]
7. Reflect on the values discussed in the sermon, such as making bold moves and taking risks. What is one bold step you can take this month to further your personal or spiritual growth? [57:07]
Devotional
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Quotes
"Take a leap of faith and I I'm getting chills right now and and I remembered I remembered and he looked at me and he said take a leap of faith man like we're not going to pay you what you make where wherever you're at but know that this time is for us and um man it it was so hard to to say goodbye to the to the little ones a and to say hello to to the darkness to the streets but 2025 Here I Am the director of Street Outreach Pathways to peace." [00:25:39]
"Our mission is to be the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing His love and peace to those in need. This calling is not just a job; it is a personal commitment to live out our faith in tangible ways. The challenges we face, whether they be violence, immigration issues, or financial burdens, are the winds and waves that test our faith." [00:27:58]
"Jesus gave us a voice each and every one of you guys H has your own distinctive voice the how many parents are in here hands up parents if we're if you hear me speaking right now and fr of the hallway you heard a voice that cried out to you and it was your child would you know that was your child the winds and the waves are upon us immigration violence people that need housing mental health issues relationship issues Financial burdens the winds and the waves hey but God said he gave you a voice Jesus wake up Jesus wake up Jesus wake up Jesus wake up Lord we need you we need you in our homes Jesus wake up we need you in our communities Jesus Jesus wake up Jesus wake up the winds and the waves calmed them please in Christ Jesus amen." [00:30:02]
"Sometimes we're in the midst of the battle the difficulty The Challenge and we forget why we do it you ever had those days like why am I doing this and sometimes someone that you've poured into and you think they're really doing well and then you hear the nudes they've gone the opposite way and you say why am I doing this and periodically we need to be reminded hey if you're a follow of Jesus you know why you're you know for whom you're doing it you're doing it for the King of Kings and the Lord of lords but once in a while we need to be reminded of the stories of this is why we do what we do." [00:35:15]
"Hi my name is uh Big Mike almore I've been doing this work for over 13 years I'm here to say that three of my mentees that I work with as kids now do the work as well they're here in this room um so I'm very proud of that that's what I'm getting out of this work uh so three of guys three of people I mentored are now mentors themselves they are they here are they here stand up yeah come on raise your hand yeah this is why we do what we do yeah thank you big Mike for investment." [00:37:09]
"Hi my name is Delila and I'm with the rising gems um well we started a devotion on Esther with our arise program and and a lot of the girls really don't know Christ they just have seeds of Christ and they know now that they can be something from nothing just as Esther she didn't have a royal background but you can still become royalty from nothing and so this is why what we do what we do with planting seeds for Christ." [00:39:50]
"Hi my name is even I'm from Norwood Park and uh when I started working at at New Life uh I was offered opportunity to uh give guys Community hours and uh so part of the community hours is them coming to um men's group and coming to service and also doing repairs around in the church and a lot of the guys who are doing community hours are now bringing their wives their children and they are are in uh groups too um so yeah this is why we do what we do amen hey from Community hours to attending church and hearing the word of God praise God for that." [00:54:15]
"This is why we do what we do Pastor Mark invested in me when I was 15 years old I'm 44th in poina he was a mess let me tell you I was a hot mess I was a hot mess and look at the age of 50 years old I've been doing this work for 18 years now so God is good and this is why we do what we do amen amen praise God." [00:36:34]
"Hi my name is Joanna and um many of you don't know me but I work in programming for uh New Life centers of course but uh the hi Park shelter um before New Life I had my own business but uh God put it placed it in my heart to closed down my business and work for the church and I had it really set in stone in my head that I wanted to give classes to our new arrivals and now we give and now me and my team give classes to the new arrivals yeah we do an 8we course of integrating them into their new society and um there's one success story that I do want to share her name is Hennessy and she graduated from our success um our program of eight weeks and she we got her a job at this organization called Sid um Sid actually finds jobs for our residents our um uh our individuals who are in the programing and she works for them so she actually helps the residents in the shelter where she once lived uh find them jobs wow yeah wow and this is why we do what we do thank you sister powerful testimony." [01:00:20]
"Hi my name is Bera Santos just want to share um we had a participant that was like um not making good choices and he stole from us and we gave him a second chance to come to the program and it was this it was a Friday and we were doing a fun Friday and I had bought pizza for the kids and he he came up to me and he's like Miss bet why are you doing this and I'm like what am I doing he's like you bought us pizza you're celebrating us why are you doing this I'm like you know what because God loves us and you I have to share that with you guys and that you know like and he was like he was just so impressed cuz he's like I'm really bad so why are you rewarding me for something and I was like CU I want to show you the love of God yeah and that is why we do what we do praise God for that thank you so much for your testimony." [01:06:57]
"Hi my name is Abel I'm the Youth and Young adults director here at Midway and I just wanted to give a quick shout out to Alonzo he came into our youth ministry back in October of 2023 go ahead zo he came into our uh yeah give him a round of applause he came into to our youth ministry back in October of 2023 and through just mentorship discipleship well not just me with leaders our team um he's now going to be Staffing project 72 went through project 72 is under Lauren and is just doing an amazing job serving the lord and it's been great to see that amen and ala just came to know the Lord about two years ago maybe yeah praise God for that yeah this is why we do what we do." [01:00:20]
"Hi my name is Bera Santos just want to share um we had a participant that was like um not making good choices and he stole from us and we gave him a second chance to come to the program and it was this it was a Friday and we were doing a fun Friday and I had bought pizza for the kids and he he came up to me and he's like Miss bet why are you doing this and I'm like what am I doing he's like you bought us pizza you're celebrating us why are you doing this I'm like you know what because God loves us and you I have to share that with you guys and that you know like and he was like he was just so impressed cuz he's like I'm really bad so why are you rewarding me for something and I was like CU I want to show you the love of God yeah and that is why we do what we do praise God for that thank you so much for your testimony." [01:06:57]
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