Path Less Traveled

It is easy to fall victim to routines. They provide comfort, and so to walk outside of what is known as status-quo, is a path not so often taken. However, some people and organizations do take this path. They do this because they see the potential for a higher level of impact than the traditional method can provide them with. When it comes to churches, this is no different. Jesus touches on going the extra mile to find the one lost sheep out of a group of 100. Bay Presbyterian Church, near Cleveland, strives to do just that. They provide resources both in funding and in manpower to a community outreach center in the inner city, FMC. The FMC provides needed goods to the surrounding community and funding to families that can not make ends meet. The host camps in the summer for kids, which plant seeds of faith for them. One of BPC’s current pastors was once a kid in that camp, and because of that now serves in full-time ministry. In addition to this, BPC is planting a church in the inner-city, to show God’s love to everyone in the area and because instead of providing that funding to overseas missions, they see it as just as important to spread the Gospel to those who are just down the road. They feel that a local community growing in Christ will have a snow-ball effect on reaching more and more people in the area. They call this approach, ‘Being the bridge’. In other words, the Church should strive to bridge the gap that exists between the gospel and the community, as Christ commands us to do just that. It can be so easy to write a check and walk away, but when a church pours into the world around it, there is much additional fruit that can be produced.