Go!

Over time, God has given us a burden for the area surrounding our local church here in Louisville. Our street has exposed us to some of city life (we're used to the constant "music" of sirens, have had a bike stolen,etc), but if you keep traveling, the scenery keeps on changing and things get rough. If you go even just a few streets over from our house, it's a whole different world. The inner city. Last night, we were driving around after going out to eat, just looking at the neighborhoods around us, and it struck me that it's sad that a lot of life is still segregated. I really think that. There are poor and hurting, lost and lonely, down and out folks just miles from other parts of the Ville that are so squeaky clean, well-kept, safe and white. I am not nearly as burdened as I should be. However, two things have increased my burden lately. Not to mention the fact that our neighbors in our building do not know Christ. We long for them to. We are sharing with them as God opens doors and builds our friendships. And Dustin's Basketball guys - fighting, stealing, hardened. Yet God is at work in some of them. The lost are everywhere. We have the truth they need to hear.

So, the two things that have increased my all-too-small burden, that I recommend to you -

1. This post - My Child Is An Inner-city Missionary

2. ...and this song, which is on a cd that Dustin received for his birthday.
I really encourage you to read through the words, even if the genre is not your style. And, then, be encouraged to GO and run with your beautiful feet, wherever He takes you, wherever you live...
Beautiful Feet by LeCrae & Dawntoya

"I pray y'all listen-- it's all a true story."
"How beautiful are the feet of those that bring the good news." (From Isaiah & Romans)

Carlos was born in killa cali, was walking down an alley
he caught a bullet in his head that left him bleeding badly.
He lost everything at that moment except for his life
he lost his hearing, lost his movement, even lost his sight
He laid there in a coma, but man nobody cared--
the Gospel preached in his neighborhood? Nobody dared
But 'los got up out that coma and was able to hear
a missionary shared the gospel to his open ears
He got saved, got trained, got discipled
back to the hood, you could find him preaching the Bible.
He led a homie to Christ that's from the same hood
part of a church plant, come on now, aint His name good?
This is a blessing; I'm stressing that this is not the norm
we need leaders and believers to help carry it on
But who would minister in this sinister part of town?
I pray if Jesus is calling you that you would be found

Go, go, go (run with those beautiful feet)
Go, go, go
You hold the truth that saves, so run and shout it to the world
They can't believe in something they ain't never heard
Go, go, go and run with those beautiful feet

Eric used to go to Bible study as a kid
he got older, started doing what the hood did
A rival gang caught him slippin, tried to take his life
but then the gun jammed on him, so them beat him nice
He woke up in the hospital singing Bible songs
Praise God he had a place to learn the Bible from
But then he gets saved and wanna preach Christ--
they make him change his whole culture, whole way of life
He gotta get him a bachelors, wear a suit and tie,
go to seminary, by then all of his boys will die
Jesus came to invade culture outta Nazareth
and used a couple fisherman who people saw as hazardous
The feet are beautiful if only they'd go
if ain't nobody in the hood preaching, how will they know?
See, Eric is better used taught truths in his context
somebody please plant a church in his projects.

Go, go, go (run with those beautiful feet)
Go, go, go
You hold the truth that saves, so run and shout it to the world
They can't believe in something they ain't never heard
Go, go, go and run with those beautiful feet

In Luke 4:16 on down to 21,
Jesus says he's the Messiah, says he's the chosen one
But more than that he quotes Isaiah, that shows that our Savior
targets oppressed, captive, blind, the broke and I'm saying
He had a heart for the poor, had a heart for the low
and 1st John 2:6 is way we should go
In Deuteronomy even tho they under the law,
the tithes every third year the poor'd get em all
And I ain't sayin you wrong if you live in the burbs
I'm sayin turn your attention to the hood; we hurting
Man, if you ain't burdened, please pick up your word and
tho this world is going down, while we here we can serve him
We bring this to the streets because we knew the streets
I pray that more would be burdened to have beautiful feet
You never knew the streets but truth is what you preach?
I pray to God you'd be burdened to have beautiful feet.

Go, go, go (run with those beautiful feet)
Go, go, go
You hold the truth that saves, so run and shout it to the world
They can't believe in something they ain't never heard
Go, go, go and run with those beautiful feet