(Pastor Mike spoofing Doug and his addiction for Eggnog)

The famous political figure and Christian author Chuck Colson coined a phrase that I want to lift from. He defined paradox as truth turned upside-down. For many of our students serving the homeless and indigent population these past two months has been just that - a paradox.
If you could see the fear and deep-seated concern from a few of the students as we send 1/2 of them into Elm Street Mission (which also serves as a functional church as well) to attend a weekly bible study both for men and women and the other 1/2 out onto the streets to connect with the local homeless population. It didn’t take but a few weeks for the students to experience their own truths turned up-side down.

For many, these smelly, unclean, often strange people from town began sharing their personal stories and struggles. Our students were impacted how many didn’t mind displaying their warts and mistakes when the Church tries so hard to hide, disguise, or deny having personal challenges. They are discovering more and more through the books they read as part of the curriculum that this population of addicts and homeless are the exact folks Jesus might have spent the bulk of his time.

In hearing the many stories, some of which might be fabricated, the students are learning about different faith systems and worldviews that are vastly different from their own. This challenges many of their core beliefs and encourages them to pour over scripture much like the Bereans. On a different note, those students who attend the bible study group with homeless folks that attend the church come away blessed by Pastor Mike and Tiffany’s preparation and bible knowledge. They are encouraged by the desire of their fellow participants who also thirst for truth and knowledge even in their challenging circumstances.

Yet another blessing resulting in our partnership with Elm Street is our service on Saturday nights. Each Saturday night the mission holds a church service and offers free meals to about 150. Elm Street unashamedly presents the gospel message, along with the reality of what results from sin, along with a warm meal following the service. Folks who attend are receiving bread of life both spiritually and physically. Our students not only help with the serving of food, but with each week take bolder steps to sit and discuss spiritual concepts and ask how they can be in prayer for those eating the free meal.
The locals call Elm Street the place where they ‘ear bang’ meaning they hear about the consequences of sin with each service. Different than most churches where death is unexpected deaths are an anomaly - at Elm Street and the population they serve death is almost a daily reality. With drug overdose to murder in the night a reality for most homeless, sharing about Christ’s love AND wrath of God often must be spoken. This is a far cry from most churches where you might hear about God’s wrath for a few minutes at the end of an Easter service rather than a balanced presentation of the hope we have in Christ coupled by the wrath of an angry God.

In all, with two months of service, our students are leaving with new friends of the Mission (Pastors Ben, Tiffany, and Mike, along with others in Leon, Steve, and George) and the countless friends at the mission.