This is directly from me to you and is worth reading:
Do you ever have one of those nights; you look back on it and you think, "That was such a good night, that it needs to be put down in print". Well, last night was one of those nights!
Friday night is normally "Scrabble night" when I usually beat the ______ out of my worthy opponents. But a few weeks ago I decided to reach out again to our friends in the Falls community. Almost immediately there were contacts from some of our friends that totally confirmed the time was right.
We met in Eddy and Gerard's home and had a great chat with Eddy, Gerrard, Noel, Joanie, Mary Lou, Noreen and Lonzi. We also met with Denise and the baby. Anyway, we agreed to meet every two weeks on Friday nights (with Scrabble on the other nights!). We met in Eddy and Gerard's home for the first of these, which was last week. It was a great start. Colin Morrison formally got things off quite well as he shared his testimony. That guy was a gangster if ever there was one! We finished off by reading around the room from John chapter 1 and we prayed for some needs before having tea.
But what about last night? Well, last night we were at Noreen's home (Noreen is Noleen's mum). I had Boneyard along to share his testimony (if you think Colin was a gangster!!!). Well there we were - Colin & Carole, James Scott, Boneyard, Eddy & Gerrard, Gareth & Mary Lou, Noreen, and Joanie's daughter (Joanie and Noel were at a wedding). We were getting ready to start when 5 young men turned up at a wall just across the street. They had drink with them. Someone in the home passed a comment about them and it was suggested we should invite them in. Gareth went out to speak with them, when two police cars pulled into the street and stopped alongside the young men. I watched the police take the drink off the young men and was concerned that it could lead to something nasty. So I decided to intervene.
I went across the street and spoke to one of the officers who had a bottle of cider in his hand (it wasn't his; it belonged to one of the young men!). I explained who I was and where I was from and I asked if he would permit me to take the drink and to bring the young men off the street and into the home for an hour or so. The police officer was not interested. He kept insisting the young men should not be drinking in the street etc etc. I got nowhere with him.
Another officer had been standing right in the middle of the five young men, who were all about 17 - 19. He had a bag of drink (cider) in his hand and was speaking quite firmly with them. His last words to them were, "If you want to claim your drink, just come round to the police station". As he was about to get into the police car I spoke with him saying the same thing I had said to the previous officer. His first response was "No". But I insisted by saying, "How many pastors are there from the Shankill Road working in these streets?" (Springfield and Falls), and I said "Would it not better to get these young off the street for an hour or so than to leave them here angry?" I then said to him, "Work with me on this, and help me to work with these young men". He took one more look into my eyes, and then handed me the bag of drink. He then put my name and the name of the church into his little black book, which is not the first time I've had my name put in a little black book whether it's a police one or a paramilitary one!
With the bag of cider now firmly in my hand I then turned to the first officer I had spoken to and reached out my hand for the bottle of cider that was still in his hand (although it looked a little emptier!). He turned away with it and said "It's open; you can't have this one". The other officer gave him one stern look and said, "Give it to him". So he handed it to me!
By this time the street was well filled with onlookers. I walked across the street with a bag and a bottle of cider in my hands and with 5 young men behind me and into the home across the street. They came in and sat down and with the greatest respect they listened as we prayed and explained who we were and where we were from, and as Boneyard (ex-UVF, ex-prisoner and ex-gangster) shared his story. They then listened to a brief explanation of the Gospel and as we prayed at the end. They sat afterwards for a while and talked about the church saying they would love to come along. We have arranged to pick them up at the same spot for church on Sunday night along with others who were in the home. It truly was a great night.
The door is wide open. I want to thank Eddy and Mary for their part in this and for others from New Life who join with us. We are not now looking for others from the church to join with us. Please leave it to me to invite people whenever I think it's appropriate, but please pray with us as we continue to take this outreach forward.
We finished before 10 pm. After this I went to meet with one person and spent the next two hours with him regarding a very special need. I am only adding this to let you know that Jack's life is NOT about Scrabble on Friday nights, but is about people, whether it's a crowd or an individual. And just in case someone is reading this and is thinking that Jack doesn't spend two hours with me; believe me, I will spend two hours with anyone who shows they are serious about moving on in God, and not just wanting to take up two hours of Jack's time. There is a difference! How was your Friday night?
Don't forget tomorrow morning we have Polish Pastor Peter Spasowski speaking.
Stay focused; stay strong; and keep being a God-influence.
