10 Questions: Kirk Sackett

Where were you born? Independence, MO
What is your middle name? Alan
What is your favorite chip ? Ranch
Favorite season? Fishing season
Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi!
Your childhood dream job? Forest Ranger
Favorite item of clothing? Waders
Favorite Sandwich? Rueben
Breakfast Food? Eggs
Dream vacation spot: Colorado Mountains

Men in the Mountains

In September of 07 I took nine guys from Metro and we went on an adventure to the “Lost Coast” in California. What a great trip!

We camped the first night in the Redwoods and shared our hearts around the campfire.. sharing about all that God was doing in our lives.

For the next few days we hiked into the wilderness of northern California. Each night we would gather around the campfire and pray for each other.. sharing in victories and breakthroughs as well as carrying each others burdens.

It was seriously one of the richest camping experiences of my life!

May God give us many times together where we can enrich one another in truth and in life. He gives us to each other as gifts to share in each others sufferings and share in each others victories.

Come join us soon on one of Metro’s retreats designed especially for men. You will also be blessed and grow in relationship to God and to your community! Here are the retreats that we have on the calendar for this year:

April 9-13th in Colorado Springs

August 2008: Somewhere wild and untamed!

Pray about putting those dates on your calendar.. you will be glad that you did.

-Jim Bailey

You can check out pictures from the trip here.

Feeding the Homeless a Souffle

I wasn’t thinking. I don’t like being late and I was in unfamiliar territory hence I arrived about half an hour early for my appointment. I was the first appointment of the day and the office door was locked when I arrived on the fourth floor.

A short time before as I walked into the building I noticed a homeless man sitting on the bench near the elevators. I admit I was a little concerned this early in the morning and all alone in the building. I kept my head low and quickly went up the elevator only to realize no one was there and the door was locked.

I came down the elevator, left the building and got in my car to find some coffee. While I was driving around I decided to buy the homeless man something to eat. I went to Panera Bread, bought my coffee, and a souffle. Panera doesn’t carry much in the way of hardy breakfast food so this was it. I rushed back to the building because now I was late and there he was sitting on the bench. I quickly ran over, handed him the souffle and headed to the fourth floor. He eagerly took the food.

When I walked in for my appointment I asked if the homeless man was always there. “Yes,” came the reply. Then she added, “Was he relieving himself?” “ No”, I shrieked, “he was just sitting there.” My friend explained he frequents the building and they can’t seem to get him to go or to help him. “When he gets unruly the security will come and shew him away”, she said to me. I apologized and said I felt like I had just fed the pigeons. You know when there are birds around outside a restaurant and you feed them only to insure they will come back again.

When I relayed this story to my family and friends they laughed at me. “Only you would feed a homeless man a souffle,” they laughed and I admit I laughed too. It began to sound pretentious and condescending as I replayed the story to myself through the day. I had felt pretty noble before as I thought about buying breakfast for a homeless man. I haven’t had much contact with really poor people lately. Have I lost my compassion or my manners? I use to work with the poor at a crisis pregnancy center years ago. Has my life become to comfortable?

This was on Tuesday and I have been thinking a lot about the poor since. Much of Jesus ministry was to the poor whom no one else seemed to care about. His heart was moved with compassion and He cared about them. He fed them, healed them, delivered them from demons and taught them about the kingdom. He spoke to them and valued and respected them. Many questions came to my mind and I found some answers.

How does the Lord feel about the poor?
Deuteronomy 15:11 says, “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.” In Proverbs 14:20 we are told, “the poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.”

What is the Lord’s response to the poor?
Psalm 1:21, I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.”

What does the Lord say my response should be to the poor?
Proverbs 14:31 gives us one answer, “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” Psalm 83:3, “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.”

What happens if I do not heed the Lord’s command?
Proverbs 21:13, “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.”

What happens when I do obey the Lord regarding the poor?
Proverbs 22:9, “A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.” Proverbs 19:17, “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done.”

How do I become poor?
Proverbs 21:17, He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.” Proverbs 20:13, “Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.”

What do the poor have that others do not?
Proverbs 13:8, “A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.”

What does the Lord require of me?
We are commanded to act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. I discovered that I cannot ignore or leave the poor to others. They now seem to stare at me from street corners, hospitals, jails, nursing homes and in the market. They live in my city and need my compassion, prayers, time and love. I can feed them, care for them, help them, clothe them, teach them, give to them and love them but I am not allowed to ignore them.

Lord, help us to see the poor as you see and love them. Give us hearts of compassion to act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with you. Help us to hear the cries of the poor and to respond kindly. Give us generous hands for the poor and needy in our land.

-Livie Sanchez

LifeGroup Questions

Following are a few questions that Brad, from a church in Perryville Arkansas, asked our church for help with. John Gilman provided these great answers.

1. For much of the last 2000 years, churches have had an unbiblical model of evangelism - "inviting the community" in. How does the LifeGroups model take the church back into the community?

LifeGroups take the church back into the community by helping members succeed in their communities as parents, citizens, and employees.

2. From your experience, where does the LifeGroups model "not" work in ministry?

The only way that LifeGroups don't work in ministry is that, for them to have enough time and energy for the members to give each other, other church programs have to assume a supportive role to this effort.

3. What curriculum or study resources works best for your LifeGroups?

I believe life provides the curriculum, as it did for Jesus and the Twelve. As people bring their personal challenges and opportunities to the group, the group thinks and prays together to find God's solution.

During the week our LifeGroups meet in homes to encourage one another and grow in the Lord. If you’re interested in being part of a group John will be leading a new LifeGroup class on Monday nights for 10 weeks beginning on January 28th. Here is your invitation:

Would you like to be in a LifeGroup? In some ways a new group is easier to integrate into than an existing group. The purpose will be helping each other succeed in living the life God has created for us by listening to each other, giving wise and loving counsel, and praying for each other. If enough people sign up, we will meet as a LifeGroup, from 7-9 for 10 weeks. If it seems good and there is a mutual desire to do so, the group will continue on thereafter as a Metro LifeGroup. John Gilman will instruct and lead the group during its startup.

Christmas in a Refugee Camp

Over the holidays our church has been praying for our friend Bill in Asia.. one Sunday we all prayed together for him. Here is his report back to us.

Hi Friends,

I am in a hurry and swamped with work so I don't have time to write back to everyone individually like I would like but I do want to thank everyone for praying for our Christmas Day event in the Refugee Camp.

All went well and God's hand was upon the whole day! The interest level in the camp in the Gospel has risen sharply in a non-confrontational way......an absolute miracle. Praise the Lord. This kind of thing should not be going on there, in the natural. Praise God for the supernatural!!!!!

We are having a follow-up meeting this coming Saturday, so as much as this letter is an "answer to prayer report" it is also a request for more prayer covering.

I love you guys...........in Him...Bill

Please continue to lift Bill and his ministry up in prayer.

10 Questions: Jessica Siems

Q: Where were you born?
A: Westminister, California

Q: What is your middle name?
A: Christine

Q: What is your favorite chip?
A: I have yet to discover it.

Q: Favorite season?
A: Autumn

Q: Coke or Pepsi?
A: Pepsi!

Q: Your childhood dream job?
A: Teacher

Q: Favorite item of clothing?
A: Light Jacket

Q: Favorite Sandwich?
A: Green Turkey @ Planet Sub

Q: Breakfast Food?
A: Cereal

Q: Dream vacation spot:
A: Rome & Ireland

A Catlett Christmas Mystery

It was probably our hardest year financially we had ever had. I was 35 and 2 years walking with Jesus. Dana was 10 and Jason 5 and it was time to tell them there would be nothing under the tree this year. They really didn’t seem to think it a big deal but Nancy and I were hurting inside at the thought of an empty Christmas. We had taken what money we had and bought the necessary $5.00 gifts for the family gathering.

This year as we gathered over at Mom and Dad’s I took Dana and my 10 year old nephew in the back bedroom and taught them how to present the Christmas story to the family. They were so excited to tell it and did such a wonderful job you’d have thought they had been doing it for years. My Christmas first Christmas present came as they were telling the story and I watched the expressions on the faces of my Dad, Mom, sister, brother, in-laws, nieces and nephews. They all listened intently and erupted with applause when they concluded. I was so proud of them and finally at peace with Christmas.

It was just before midnight when we finally returned home. I unlocked the front door and Nancy and the kids rushed in to get out of the cold. Nancy, as was her habit, turned on the Christmas tree lights first thing. And there we were all staring at all the gifts under the tree. “Mom, Dad you were just kidding us that there would be no presents this year” Dana exclaimed with great enthusiasm. “Can we open them now Dad”, Jason wanted to know. “Lets make sure there for you guys before we open anything”, I said. Sure enough their names were on the gifts, all 10 of them, 5 each. Then they started shouting as they had even found a present for Mom and one for Dad. Nancy and I just stood there dumbfounded each holding our present. We each had two pair of socks. Neatly tucked away in each pair was a hundred dollar bill. Four hundred dollars, four pair of socks, ten gifts for our children, and very nice gifts at that to complete a Christmas I shall never forget.

So how did they get there you ask. Well, Nancy and I had the only two keys to our house and they were both with us. Both doors and all the windows were securely locked. We were with our entire family the whole evening. How did they get there……... you tell me. Merry Christmas

-Randy Catlett