Lakeridge Methodist Church Lubbock

MC 2000

God doesn't always send his helpers to China

How many times have you told yourself, "I don't want to fully commit to God, because he might send me to China as a missionary, and I want to stay right here in Texas?"

I don't think the Lord wants everybody to move far from our homes; someone has to stay and take care of this part of the world. As for commitment, God has plenty of ways for us to live out our love for him.

Some people amaze me - even in this day when the word "amazing" is vastly overused - by seeing needs and starting their own full-time ministries.

Laurie Foster's Backyard Mission has been going for almost 20 years. The Arlington native, Texas Tech University graduate and friend of my family found something she could do for others, which was fixing up people's houses not on the other side of the world but in her own backyard.

With the help of Jim Taylor, Lindy Fruge, Mike Stanton, my sister Sheri Haynes and many others, BYM has helped people get "warm and dry by providing free home repairs" while "demonstrating the love of Christ" in the Lubbock area and beyond.

Foster started the effort on the side while working in other jobs, but through donations and grants has been able to become a full-time director. Her church, LakeRidge United Methodist, has given support, but BYM is a separate ministry. At last count, it had completed projects for 863 families, including 87 in 2010.

Besides the physical help, BYM involves groups from other churches and helps people start their own BYMs, such as Backyard Mission of Canyon.

And in our sweltering summer, the original BYM is trying to get people cool as well as warm and dry. Foster's ministry is supplying air conditioners to qualifying families.

Then there's Rex Burns, who with his late wife, Sherrel, started Deep Water Ministries 16 years ago. (See Luke 5:4 for the source of the DWM name.) Burns is a cowboy who felt a call to preach, and preach he has - from Africa to Mexico to Nicaragua to Russia to New Orleans and more.

The Purpose Driven Church, Growth Without Compromising Your Message and Mission

Models of the church

Deep Church, A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional

The Church, Sacraments, Worship, Ministry, Mission

The Church, The Evolution of Catholicism