The Kick Off
Recently, I’ve been challenged.
Through a combination of reading Donald Miller’s new book, some conversations with a good friend, and the passage of universal healthcare, I’ve been challenged to live a larger life story. There’s a theory about the government passing universal healthcare,. The theory is that since the Church has failed to step up and take care of people, the government has passed legislature to fill the void. I refuse to believe the Church does nothing, but I think we could use a little help.
The focus of this site is three-fold:
- How/where can I physically help people in my city?
- How/where can I help people online financially, or help raise funds?
- Stories of the Church stepping up to the challenge to love people in powerful ways.
How/where can I physically help people in my city?
It’s important for us to give of ourselves to something larger than us. If you can’t see the felt need personally, you wont be moved to do something about it. This is important to the vision of helping people – personally experiencing it. Giving money to a cause is all well and good, but getting out there and doing is what drives the vision. The more people you can get to experience it personally, the more you’ll get to help personally and financially- that’s just the way it is. So on this site, we’re gonna provide you local organizations you and/or a group can volunteer with.
How/where can I help people online financially, or help raise funds for legit organizations?
Although the experience is key, finances are an important part of the vision. Once you’ve experienced the need personally, you may want to take part in raising funds for it. I went to Africa in the fall of 2009 and saw the need for fresh clean water. So when I returned back to the states and heard about Charity:Water, I knew I wanted to help out. Spreading the word and giving people the opportunity to give is the second part of the vision.
Stories of the Church stepping up the the challenge to love people in powerful ways.
Stories are not always told or heard. Many times, non-profits lack a Marketing or Public Relations Department to tell their story to the public. This results in people assuming they’re doing nothing. There are great life stories out there, and we intend to tell them.
Older people may think their time has passed, that they may be the ‘past.’ Younger people may think they are the ‘future,’ that they’ll make a difference later. They’re not the past, they’re not the future, they’re the NOW.
So the challenge is issued… Be the ‘NOW.’
) announcing a new blog called Be The Now. I read The Kick Off post laying out the vision of the blog, and the heart behind the movement. I was blown [...]
Nice, very nice. There is a new family @ cornerstone that came to Iowa with very little. I met them through the van minestry and they have been coming ever since they heard the first sermon. I believe they are great additons to us all. They now have there own apt. but lack several furnishings. I know they are in need of dressers, and I will be contacting him today for a complete list of items they could use. I had made plans yesterday with a few people at church to get a message out to our family at cornerstone. I just know that thier needs will be met through some of thier new family. I’ll try to update a list of things we can help out with! Great idea Nate with awesome timing from God. Thanks for all the help in advance everyone.
Tim
What an awesome idea!!! I to believe that we the people in the body of Christ need to show the world that we don’t need a government to enforce a law that dictates how to help others, we need to help out of the overflow of love the Lord has for us. You are always an inspiration of futuristic ideas that keeps the cycle of the Lord’s love turning! Looking forward to getting more involved! Thanks for following the Lord’s calling, this will end up blessing more lives than you or I be able to see on this earth – God’s plans are always amazing!!
An updating the list of items needed. Sofa sleeper,(as they are on the floor now),dressers and Baby boy clothes around two years, as he is a big one year old. Our brother is also looking for a job, even anything temporary would be a blessing, as well as a cheap car to purchase or work off. God bless and peace to all of you.
This blog you have created is very eye opening and relevant NOW! God gave us right NOW to poise our self for the future, we should respect our bodies as a temple as God instructed us to, i.e. exercise, mental health through the fruits of the spirit, free from drugs and alchohol and smoking, free from gluttony. Several health ailments can be elimnated if not made less likely if we are delberate in caring for ourselves,to your point preventing extensive health care needs and strains on the health ins companies, the governemnt and most importantly ourselves.Let’s preach the word of preventative health care as God has so clearly stated AFTER we run out of ourselves our health is up to him, lets share the message of preventative health care among all.
Thanks everyone for visiting! My prayer for Be The Now is that it encourages and resources people to make a difference, and let them know they can start now!
Let’s see what happens….