So I’m down in bayou country for the weekend. I just finished a 10 mile race [Middendorf's Manchac Race. Ran a 1:18:07] and just showered up at my Mom’s house in Algiers.
Boy, has it been a good weekend. I wanted to take a couple of minutes and fill you in on what’s going on.
There is a group of 21 people from Chase Oaks Church in Plano down. This is their…I don’t know…seventh or eight Katrina mission trip. Lots of familiar faces and old friends.
But this trip is different. The energy and excitement is palpable.
Chase Oaks sees it.
This crazy idea to plant a church and turn short-term mission work into long-term church work is something that they understand and they are ready and willing to fight for it.
Over the past couple of months, we have been humbled as we have watched this church pick us up and carry us on their broad shoulders. Yes, they are supporting us financially, we are thankful for that, but they refuse to merely mail a check. They are spilling their blood in this city.
Over the past couple of days, they have been divided into three teams…
The first team has been at Alf’s House. They have caulked and painted the exterior, installed the hardwood floor and basically put all of the finishing touches on 4910 Arts St. They will help to move-in the Nelson family today. Mike Martin [one of the team members] said last night in our meeting that he is a little dumbfounded with how much work they completed in 48 hours. He said, “I don’t know. It just flowed.”
What I see is a group of people that understand the sacrifice that Alf and Aly have made to return to New Orleans. They are thrilled to play a crucial role in getting the Nelsons into their house and empowering them to focus their attention on entrenching themselves into the Gentilly community. That passion is fueling some serious sweat power.
The second team has focused on helping one of our partners: Crossroads Missions. In fact, Chase Oaks is the reason we are partnered with Crossroads [one of the staff, a guy named Bruce, is related to a Chase Oaks member]. Crossroads has focused them on helping at St. Roch Community Church. [If you recall, I blogged a couple of months back about St. Roch.] The team has focused on preparing St. Roch’s church facility for today’s visit with some key partners from Florida [in town for some football game].
What I see is a group of people who are strengthening some relationships that are important to us as a church plant. We absolutely love what both Crossroads and St. Roch are doing in the city! We want to support and partner with both as much as we can.
The final team as been doing street ministry with Lawrence. Lawrence has taken 5-6 team members down into the French Quarter each day armed with McD’s hamburgers. God has blessed and they have come home with some awe-inspiring stories of doors blown open to minister in a significant way to the homeless population of New Orleans. Oh, and it doesn’t stop there: they might be taking two individuals back to Dallas with them to connect them into rehab programs at Union Gospel Mission.
I see a group of people who share our passion for the homeless population of New Orleans and seek to provide holistic ministry that meets the physical, emotional and spiritual needs that exist in their lives.
In short, Chase Oaks is literally part of the team that is planting a church in Gentilly. We couldn’t be happier.
This is not ya momma’s church plant. This is post-Katrina New Orleans where you can not only partner through prayer and financial support, but you can come down and join the team. This is a movement of God’s Spirit that extends beyond the borders of New Orleans and into churches all over the US.
We need Chase Oaks. And we need you. We can’t do this alone.
