Church by the Tree
September 12th, 2005 by Nick VerwymerenFor the past 2 months now some of us here at Reef to Outback have been holding a church service just up the street under the big ol’ tree. It’s a place were many aboriginals of the area congregate. The first Sunday we attracted one person. Over the past few months though we’ve seen 10 and sometimes more come out to see what we’re all about.
Jesse and Asher usually play guitar. We set up on the curbside and wherever God leads with the ‘service’ we go with it.
Many times it can be a struggle because they here what you say, but they are so consumed by alcohol and other social problems that they find it hard to turn away. I can see their heart, and it’s longing to change. That fact of the matter is that they need breakthrough in many areas that holds them in bondage. When you begin to really look at the core issues, they aren’t much different from many of us and our struggles.
I had a chance to share a few weekends ago. Lately God has been showing me some really simple things that I seem to forget. God really highlighted the fact that when I mess up I don’t need to hide from Him, but rather sprint back into His open arms. I simply shared this revelation with our group of eight and many of them could identify. I could see that their heart was saying, ‘yes I want that for my life’.
I can’t thank Jesse enough for taking the initiative and starting this church. For many people this kind of expands their idea of what church actually is. I know God wants to do some amazing things amongst the aboriginals of Australia, and for us it starts on a curbside on Echlin St.
Please pray for our Sunday night services. We hold them from 7:00-8:30pm so if any of you in North America are up in the early hours of Sunday morning you can even pray while we are holding our service and truly make a difference.