Cold Eggs and Reconciliation

"About a year ago, I beat somebody up really bad. Like really bad."

Kenny, the big, tattooed guy wearing a bandana and leather sitting next to me was reporting on "signs of transformation" he had seen since the last meeting of the Homeless Task Force, a group of Christians from several different congregations in Bellflower, who work together to love our homeless neighbors. Kenny, who had been homeless himself for many years before coming to know Christ, now serves weekly, building relationships with our homeless neighbors.

The transformation happened after the previous week's breakfast. At the end of the weekly meal where we serve 40-50 neighbors we had left over eggs and beans. We were about to throw away the excess when Kenny offered to load up his Harley and bring them down to the riverbed. As he walked down the embankment near the intersection of the 605 and the 105, the first person he encountered was this man with whom he had brawled a year back. Tensions were high as you might imagine, but as Kenny reached out and handed him the cold left over eggs reconciliation happened. This simple act of love and concern melted what ever conflict had remained between these two former enemies.

I am constantly humbled to be involved in the story of God's Kingdom work in Bellflower. I get to see God use people who most would consider too far gone, or damaged to minister his love and peace. I am blessed to see the Body at work, with our many gifts and backgrounds, all working in symphony as God uses us in His ministry of reconciliation.

what makes the difference?

The name of our program, Good Soil, comes from Jesus parable of the seed that is scattered (Mark 4). Some seed falls on thorns, some falls on rocky soil, and still other seed falls on good soil.

During 2009 I have worked with men who were part of this good soil, and they experienced radical transformation in their life because of Christ. Men have become members of local churches, become married, found full-time jobs, moved into homes, and worship Jesus with great passion. Their testimony has given me fresh hope in the limitless power of Jesus.
I have also worked with men who currently seem stuck in thorny or rocky soil. Life is filled with thorns that keep them from reaching their potential.
The strength that I’ve found in the parable is that God has called me to be a sower, but the power is in the Word. When I am obedient and share Scripture, I can trust God to do the rest. Scripture is active and when we share how it is impacting our lives, we plant the seed and let God work. So as I look to 2010 I am renewed in my excitement to share God’s word with the men of Good Soil and to watch how it transforms both our lives.

A local business that's giving back...

Kingdom Causes has a shout out in this video:



Did you know that locally owned businesses invest MORE into the community than chains? That's exactly what Casa de Luna is doing in our city. Interested in learning more about why it's important for a community to have strong local businesses? Check out the 3/50 Project.

Still looking for new toy donations...

We're still short toys for our Christmas Store. Will you help our community out by donating a new, unwrapped gift for a kid (ages 0-17). Click here to read more about how the store works... where the money goes... why we sell the gifts... etc.