I thought it would be appropriate to start this new year with a reminder of why we exist. It is, “To provide Christ-centered programs and services that lead the homeless and addicted toward self-sufficiency.”
That statement is packed full of information, but today I want to focus on the phrase, “Christ-centered.”
You may have ascertained that we are a faith-based organization because of our name or maybe you just heard that we were. We have been since our humble beginnings almost 70 years ago.
Faith City Mission was established to share the gospel over a meal with homeless men. And sharing the gospel is still our cornerstone for existing. We believe it is the “Good News” for those we serve.
However, being “Christ-centered” has other implications. Such as, the motivation or the “why” behind what we do.
In Matthew 25, Jesus said this, “to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” Not to oversimplify, but wasn’t He saying by serving others, you are serving Me? Why do we do what we do? To serve God by serving people.
But another indicator of our Christ-centered commitment is the way we do what we do. Our true north in everything we do is love. We want to show compassion the way Jesus did. In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus made it clear that we are to be neighbors to anyone who needs help. That can get complicated when there are so many and their stories are so devastating, but we know that love is always right.
Lastly, being Christ-centered has a “when” component to it. When, W-H-E-N. We strive to be available when we are needed. The types of crises we see day-to-day don’t always happen from 8-5, Monday thru Friday. And our staff try to rise to the occasion when we are needed. It’s an honor and a responsibility we don’t take lightly.
