The highlight of my week was a phone conversation with Marty, a friend and guide who has been a source of encouragement to Dan and me. Marty and his wife Colleen are a part of a team that conducts Sunday services in a strip club in Baltimore city. Yes you heard it right – a strip club. I wanted to share 4 takeaways from this conversation with you today.
Open Doors
So you want to do something for the Lord. Something new. Something radical but don’t know how to start. The answer is - be available, be open and keep moving.
Around Christmas time Marty and Colleen with a few more friends decided to “spread the Christmas cheer” in the streets of Baltimore by singing carols in the streets. Sounds so simple right? Somebody in the team knew an owner of a strip club. It is the same strip club owner that “invited” them to have Sunday service in club. Can you imagine? Be available, build contact & take a step. Movement builds momentum.
Distractions
As we were talking, Marty started sharing about worship time. Imagine a dimly lit room. Massive bar. Dancing poles. The smell of smoke and weed as you enter the place. Nude pictures. “Amazingly, none of it distracted me” said Marty. He witnessed the truth of the scripture. Isaiah 59:19 “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.” Colleen and Marty were not only able to worship the Lord but lead many into His presence at the time of worship. Take a risk. Do something that you have never done before.
Open and Vulnerable
The team gets a range of prayer requests.
“I am a rapper. I want to become famous someday”
“I am a mother, please pray for my babies”
“My cousin got shot 7 times. He is blind now. Please pray for him”
People are hurting, people are needy. I have witnessed that most people are simple and open for someone to pray with them. Are you available to move out of your comfort zone and reach them?
The Heart of God
Marty said something that Dan and me have personally witnessed in non church settings. He said, “The presence of God is so strong. I have never felt such a strong presence even in the church”. I feel like God is so eager to prove himself in such settings. He wants his children back. Once during worship God spoke to Colleen that there were people in the room with back pain issues. Two bouncers who had been having back pain came up for prayer. God touched them.
God wants to lavish his love on his hurting children and he wants to do it through you. Are you available?
Blessings!
Mridula
About the Author:
Wife to Danston, Mridula is a worshiper and a teacher in the body of Christ. She works in the field of data analytics and consulting in the pharmaceutical domain. She hails from Darjeeling, India and needless to say loves her Darjeeling tea!