Becoming A Globally Engaged Church

I feel privileged to be a part of what is happening through County Line and our ministry partners as we work to bring the message of hope and love to others. I am continually amazed at what we are doing directly through the County Line and with people who are affiliated with County Line. I am awestruck by the time, energy, and resources people give so that others can experience the hope and love that comes through Jesus Christ. I am going to attempt to list out what we are doing as a church and what others are doing through County Line:

• Supporting missionaries who are working with churches in Bulgaria and other countries in Europe and Middle East.
• Supporting missionaries who are working with orphans in Uganda.
• Supporting a missionary who is teaching pastors small-business principles for self-sustainability.
• Supporting an orphanage that is creating families for Guatemalan children who have HIV or special needs.
• Supporting two health clinics in the area. 
• Supporting youth ministry organizations as they work in schools.
• Supporting inner city ministries in Fort Wayne and Chicago.
• Supporting a prison ministry.
• Supporting an online ministry that is reaching people in far away places.
• Supporting homeless ministries in Fort Wayne and one in Atlanta.
• Pointing local residents in need in the direction of resources they are looking for.
• Providing food for those that need it.

I am certain that I am missing a few, but the point of this post is not to brag. Rather, I want to highlight the opportunities that each of us has to engage in our world and make a difference. I am thankful to be a part of a church that pursues the hard issues and wants to reconcile them. That is why I am working on some future endeavors that will address:

• Racialization
• Orphan care, adoption, and the foster care system
• Modern day slavery
• Immigration
• Homelessness
• Poverty
• Dead/declining churches

These are very real issues that the church cannot be silent on. I am excited about the situation we are in and the opportunity and influence that God has given to all of us. As individuals and churches, I want to challenge all of us to cross some lines that we don't feel comfortable crossing and learn from those who are different from us.