My plea for help...

Dear Friends,

I'm writing to you tonight to ask for your help.  If I were to be completely transparent with you, that's not an easy task for me.  The fear of man is a real struggle in my life.  My mind is constantly battling the thoughts of what others may think of me, or who I will inconvenience by my request?  I don't want to bother people, and often times, I think I can do things on my own.  However, the more I walk with the Lord, the more I realize that I can't.

Lately, I have been reuniting with some of the men I used to minister to at our homeless ministry in Norfolk, VA.  The other day, I had lunch with one of those friends.  I first met him in the streets in 2011.  As I met with him the other day, I realized just how much he has changed, since the first time I met him that chilly November night.  He's not just a homeless man that crossed my path, he's my friend.  He's someone I desire to spend time with, someone I learn from, someone who encourages me and someone who blesses my life.

After I dropped him off on Friday, I received a call from him later that night.  He was with another man, who was also homeless at one time.  They wanted to ask me some questions about the bible.  After I finished the call, I realized something...

I realized just how much these two men were impacted by the ministry that started a little over four years ago.  I realized how faithful God was to not only start the ministry, but to call others to work within the ministry and even carry the torch of this ministry, while our family moved to upstate NY.  These men have been impacted by so many faithful people.  People who were willing to sacrifice a Saturday night, spend their money to make sure they were fed, gather clothes for them, give them rides, and just listen to them.  

I thought about how different their lives may look without these faithful people responding to the call of God.  It's staggering to think about, really.  I know these men are not the only ones who have been positively impacted.  

I asked myself what were the things that changed these two men?  Why was I having lunch with one of them earlier that day, and why was I on the phone answering their questions about the bible on a Friday night?  

Here's what I came up with:

It was because people responded to the call of the Lord.  Not a special group of people, not a most holy group of people, not a more anointed group of people, but people who just wanted to say, "yes" to Jesus.  People who just wanted to fulfill the two greatest commands - to love God and to love people.

By now, most of you know that I have a fire burning in my heart to win souls.  I fully understand the cry of the great man of prayer - John Hyde - when he prayed, "Oh God, give me souls or I die!"  Once you see lives change because of the gospel, something happens deep within every fiber of your being.  A lost world saved, becomes your life's mission statement.  Your heart will be overcome with the burden of the Lord for those who are still wandering far from home.  

Many times, I've said to myself, "I've just got to take a break from ministry, I've got to take a year off, " but I'm not sure it's possible.  When the great commission stamps you, when it marks you, you'll never see the world the same.  When you see the hurt and pain in people, you just can't turn a blind eye.  It's not a light switch that turns on and off - we must continue.

With that said, on January 29th & 30th at 7 pm, we will be hosting two nights of worship in the inner city of Norfolk.  The focus of the two nights will be to reach the lost and hurting in that city.  New Life Church in Ghent has given permission to use the building, those two nights.  I have invited a very anointed worshiper from Charlotte, NC to come and minister through song and the gospel will be preached with power.  I believe with all my heart that we will see the power of God for salvation, healing and deliverance.  I just returned from Africa and I saw it there and I believe it can happen here too. 

This event is an evangelistic event meant for reaching those that wouldn't typically come into a normal Sunday Church service.  We want them to be refreshed in the Presence of the Lord and to hear the gospel!  

I need your help!  Can you help with the following:

1. We need people to invade the city of Norfolk with invitations to the residents there.  (Knocking on doors, going to the mall, walking through the streets, announcing it at ODU, NSU, etc.)  We want to invite as many people as possible.  Over two nights, we have an opportunity to reach 600 people.  Let's do that!
2. We need those with the gift of exhortation, those that can encourage those who come
3. We need those with the prophetic gift who can give the word of the Lord
4. We need those with the gift of healing to pray for the sick
5. We need those with the gift of hospitality
6. We need the intercessors waging war in the Spirit
7. We need the administrators who can help with organization
8. We need the body to be the body...we need the gifts to come together as one...

I believe as we become one, with our aim set on winning souls, God will meet us in a powerful way.  I believe that the story of the two men above can be someone else's story.  I believe God can use us and wants to use us.  Will you help?

If you can and are interested please email me at jimmy@acwow.org.  Thanks for considering.  God bless you all!

Jimmy