Joy in Telling

Chapters 1 &2 of Luke are full of joy.  The words "joy" and "rejoice" and "praise" are found there many times.  It's infectious, really!  I can't help but rejoice as I read it!  The joy begins with the Angel Gabriel's visit to Zechariah when he tells him that he will have a son with his wife Elizabeth and that Zechariah will have "great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. [...] He will prepare people for the coming of the Lord."

After Gabriel visits Mary to tell her of Jesus' coming, she goes to visit Elizabeth, who "gave a glad cry" upon seeing her and says that at the sound of Mary's greeting, the baby in her womb "jumped for joy."  Mary responds with a joyful song of praise to God saying that her "spirit rejoices in God [her] saviour."  

When John (Zechariah's son) is born to Elizabeth, the whole town rejoices for they know he is special.  Zechariah's prophecy about his son shows that his great joy for his son in rooted in what he will do: prepare the way for the Lord, and tell his people how to find salvation.

On the night of Jesus' birth, an Angel brought "good news that will bring great joy to all people" to the shepherds and a vast heavenly host joined the rejoicing.  It was a contagious joy that spurred the shepherds out of their field and into Bethlehem to see and tell of the Saviour's birth.

All the joy in these two chapters is in the telling of the saviour's coming.  Zechariah and Elizabeth were joyful over their son because he was born to be the prepare the way of the Lord.  Unborn baby John was joyful at the presence of unborn baby Jesus.  The armies of Heaven rejoiced and praised God as they told the Good News.  The shepherds joyfully spread the word of the Christ-child.  

It is with great joy in our hearts that we now tell you:  

Jesus is born!  The Messiah is here! 

He has brought salvation to all who believe in Him, his life, death and resurrection.  Furthermore, He is coming again.  We joyfully tell while we wait.

Merry Christmas,

Chanelle

Restoration and Advent

Three days ago at work when we were praying, I imagined violet-red fire rolling down on Waterloo Street. The road was newly paved and the sky was tinted grey. It was like a fiery wind that wound around the corners, burning up any darkness and brokenness. This wind reminded me of the Holy Spirit and the restoration and longing for the return of Christ that He is stirring within us. 

On Wednesday evening after the community supper at John Howard Society building, Phil, our spiritual director, gave a bible teaching. There were about eleven of us in this room reading and praying together. The conversation in the room turned as one gentleman brought up Christmas. The word Advent kept popping up and Phil explained that it means, “coming” referring to the the final return of Christ. This goes hand in hand with restoration, that healing and peace will settle around us on that day.

The beginning of Outflow Ministry's slogan is to restore dignity. I think that God is slowly restoring the city of Saint John. His spirit is moving through the city, claiming it as His own. Claiming us as His children. We want that so much at Outflow Ministry. For restoration and healing and breakthrough to happen.

I pray for restoration for the city of Saint John. I pray for restoration for anyone who walks through our doors at Outflow Ministry. I don't think restoration and healing is too much to ask of God. We know it will happen in the end but we also seek it now. That is why we do what we do at Outflow.

Revelation 21:1-4

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,

and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

This is a promise that strengthens one in the darker and bleaker times of life. When the storm is swirling about you tightly - look ahead in the eye of the storm and you will see Jesus, adorned in silver and bronze, with fire burning in his eyes. He will come and wipe away any tear that falls. One promise we can hold onto and long for is our meeting at the gate of heaven. He will be there, ready to welcome you home.

Laura Duncanson

Very Good. Not Ultimate.

One day I was warned.  I can’t recall if I read the warning or if someone said it to me.  The warning is: “Christians working for social justice should stop trying to save the world.  Jesus already did that.”

I thought, at the time, that the warning was equal parts catchy zinger and deep philosophy but I now realize that I did not let it sink in to convict me.  One of the dangers that people involved in the sort of work that the folks like my colleagues and I do is trying to do everything all the time.  In my first post I wrote about the importance of partnership in ministry.  In my second post I wrote about the importance of humility in ministry.  Today I want to write about the importance of rest in ministry.

God is the primary actor in ministry.  Everyone else is his body, ministering on his behalf and bearing his image.  The fact that God lets people minister with him and lets people bear his image is significant so I do not want to belittle the high and very good role God gives to people.  God only gives us the high role, however.  He does not give us the ultimate role. 

Rest acknowledges God’s preeminence and our sub-ordinance.  When we rest we are implicitly leaving things in God’s hands, acknowledging that he is the actor who does the saving and that it is his grace that allows us to join in this work.  At the end of Sabbath or a longer period of time, such as vacation, the world is still here and we still have a role in it.  God does not say, “Hold up folks.  One of my disciples is on vacation.  Looks like we have a few days where nothing is going to get done.”  Instead he continues his mission using his body, ministering on his behalf and bearing his image.

When I don’t take a break I am implicitly saying that it is my job to save the world, not God’s.  Putting myself in the role of savior is a constant temptation, which I expect that others face as well.  It is hard to look at the need we witness daily and say, “I am not called to meet this particular need at this particular moment.  That is for another member of the body.” 

Practicing Sabbath is a gentle shout that we place our hope in the resurrection.  This is hard to do.  Despite the birth we will celebrate in two weeks’ time and despite the resurrection we will rejoice in a few months later, the world can seem pretty dark.  It is not always obvious that God has saved it.  The instinct is to help God out a bit, to shout not so gently that we are in control and we can fix things for God.  Sabbath counters this instinct because it takes us completely out of the equation for a short period of time.  It says that his ability to save is more powerful than our ability to save.  It acknowledges he is ultimate.

God has a lot of disciples joining his mission.  Rest well.  We are in good hands.

Tony Dickinson

Joining Friends with Rock Bottom Prayers

"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."  Hebrews 4:16

 
   We can do a lot for people and become busy about justice issues, but forget to look at the person we're trying to help and simply just be with them, pointing them to the greatest helper of all.  We all need to be rescued.  Together in our brokenness we must pray and boldly approach the throne of our gracious God.  This is something I now want more than ever!  Learning to walk slower, listen better and welcome daily interruptions so God can determine my steps and show me His ways.  God is powerful, lives among us and wants to save us.  Zephaniah 3:17 says, "For the LORD your God is living among you.  He is a mighty saviour.  He will take delight in you with gladness.  With His love, he will calm all your fears.  He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."  As individuals and as a ministry, we desperately need to be willing to pray for one another as it says in Galatians 6:2, "Share each others burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ."

    
     The other day I sat with a friend whose life has been consistently filled with misery.  There's really no other way to put it.  Abuse started at a very young age and for over 50 years, "darkness became his closest lover," Psalm 88:18.  We needed to pray.  He prayed from the depths of despair and his words were few, simply asking Jesus to save him!  He physically looked like the Psalm 88:4 description of one "counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength."  He spent all of his money on cocaine, VLT machines and wild living.  He sat in our shelter lounge ready for change.  He was boldly approaching God for salvation.  I believe God can handle our bold, unedited prayers because the Bible tells me so.

     
     When Outflow Ministry began, we were homeless.  We had no building to call our own, which forced us  for years to be on the streets.  I'm thankful for this!  I remember the summer of 2008, standing in King's Square on Thursday nights waiting with coffee and some food, hoping to have the opportunity to feed a hungry person.  People from all sorts of backgrounds showed up to help.  We served homeless men, women, kids, youth, whole families, people struggling with substance abuse, those caught in the sex trade and the working poor.  We still do this today.  People from all walks of life join us for supper.  As the ministry continues, I'm learning more and more what I do not know.  Each day is a new day to discover the wonder of God.  God loves people and is the only one who knows all things!  He wants a relationship with all people and as long as we have the breath to breathe, let's expect He can save anyone in any state.  I'm so thankful for the strength of many of my friends that teach me to pray for rescue no matter how I feel.  Approaching God with our rock bottom prayers is okay, and God can handle anything you bring to Him.  From the depths we cry, and by grace alone we stand.  He is mighty to save.  God is so good!

Joy

     I've been thinking a lot lately about joy and not taking ourselves too seriously, and wondering if there's a connection between the two. I believe there is and strangely enough a professional basketball team helped me make the connection.

     The Golden State Warriors made history Tuesday night by being the first team in the NBA to start the season with 16 wins and 0 losses. Throughout their remarkable winning streak, people have been noticing certain traits that are not characteristic of other teams. The Warriors are often laughing on and off the court. They can be seen teasing one another and cheering each other on every game - whether it's a pivotal moment or not. Analysts have noted that out of all the other professional basketball teams, the Warriors appear to have the most fun. It all made sense when I learned that the core values of the Golden State Warriors are Joy, Mindfulness, Compassion, and Competition. Joy? It seems a strange value for a sports team, but no one can deny it's effectiveness. The players aim to take joy in the game, put each other first, and not take themselves too seriously. Interesting. Pride is a killer of joy and by not taking ourselves too seriously we steer clear of pride. 

     Working here at Outflow and being involved in serious issues like poverty and homelessness, I sometimes fall prey to taking myself too seriously. Usually when this happens, pride follows close behind and joy takes off running.

     Richard Foster said, "Joy, not grit, is the hallmark of holy obedience. We need to be light-hearted in what we do to avoid taking ourselves to seriously. It is a cheerful revolt against self and pride." Sounds like good advice to me.

"But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
    what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
    be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
    take God seriously"

Micah 6:8 (The Message)

Philip

Time Well Spent

At the home of Martha and Mary:

     "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to him and asked, "Lord, why don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!"  

     "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed--or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

     Time is precious.  Particularly in this day and age where work, family, friends, extra-curriculars, and technology compete and take up our attention and energy.  Your time is the most precious gift you can give someone.  

     That is captured in the text above where Jesus tells Martha that Mary has chosen what is better--listening to Jesus teach and spending quality time with him.  Oftentimes, the Lord would just like to spend time with us in prayer or in worship.  He just wants to be with us because He loves us and wants to get to know us better.  It is about relationship.

     At Outflow Ministry, we have many interruptions during the day.  Every day is unique with different people that come through our doors but we gladly welcome it because we want to help people.  That is what we are here for.  They might come in because they need some groceries.  Perhaps they are in need of some socks and gloves.  Sometimes they just want to sit down and chat.  We want to build relationship and get to know people better.  That is why we will pause what we are doing and meet with whomever has come through our doors. 

     I walk a lot because at this point in time, I do not have a vehicle.  Walking allows me to meet and see a lot of people on the street.  It is a little past my two month mark here, so I am beginning to get to know people better that come to our community dinners, Oasis, and who stay at our shelter.  Just pausing to chat for a few minutes with someone means more than you can imagine.  your time is precious and at the end of the day, people just want to be with you.  At Outflow Ministry, we want to build relationships with people and know them as individuals.  This is done through spending time with them, listening and loving them.

Laura Duncanson

Royalty

“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call Him, 'Abba, Father.' For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory.” Romans 8:15, 16

About 11 years ago, I bought a little pink picture frame at the annual warehouse sale at the Lighthouse Book Store in Fredericton. It was an inexpensive frame made of flexible plastic, and didn't even have glass to protect the photo, just a flimsy plastic film to cover it. The frame had these words on it: “Princess, I'm a King's Kid!” I was a young single mum at the time, and it was helpful to be reminded whose child my daughter really is and who my helper is. So for years, that frame hung in her room with a sweet picture of her in a tree smiling out from it.

On opening night at the new shelter building in March of this year, I heard the most beautiful exchange. One of our guests, after seeing the space, remarked to us, “This place is fit for kings” to which someone replied, “That's the point. You guys are kings.”

And so this theme of royalty, along with a common curiosity with David's question, “What is man that thou art mindful of him?” have been tumbling around within me for years. We are royalty, of course, because we are adopted as sons and daughters of God, Romans says, but why through the death of Christ? Why the need for a blood sacrifice? It has helped me to think of Jesus' royalty becoming our legacy like this: royalty is passed from generation to generation “through the blood,” as we say. When that precious vial was broken open by the spear that day on the cross, the royal blood poured out. When our wounds are touched by the blood of King Jesus, it becomes a part of us, we are changed, infected. We are valuable, worth a king's ransom—or a King's sacrifice, as it were. The King's blood the price of our adoption and the means of our claim to the inheritance because it becomes our blood too, a part of us.

Not long ago, I prayed with a woman who had just spent a night working on the street. As I prayed, I asked that she would know her worth as a child of the King. After she left, I wondered if I should have phrased it that way, knowing that men assign a value to her body every night she's out. I wondered how it sounded to her to have someone pray about her worth. Shallow or insensitive, maybe? But the fact of the matter is that the value placed on her on the street is nothing, hollow, but her true worth is invaluable. She is loved by the King and is worth immeasurably more than any of us can conceive. We all are, because of the royal blood that transforms us into adopted sons and daughters.

With this in mind, I see people in a new way, and servant-hood becomes something different. The other day, I heated up some pasta and had lunch with a king at the Outflow table. We are serving royalty. 

Chanelle Morgan

On Equal Footing

Equality is important to Outflow.  Equality is also complex, like everything else that is important and good.  We want to help people to restore dignity, to renew life, and to realize hope.  Regardless of who knocks on our door, God knows this person is a sinner but loves her or him anyway.  Everyone we meet, then, is on equal footing.  If anyone deserves dignity, life, and hope then everyone does.  If a particular person does not deserve these things, it would follow that no one does.  That’s hard to grasp in a world dominated by title, sex appeal, strength, money, and power.  Equality is countercultural.  It does not allow us to say “us” and “them”. 

Of course, stating this truth and living this truth are two different things and, again of course, we miss the mark at times.  The fact that we miss the mark is evidence of my point, though.  If I can’t see the person in front of me the way God does (which I can’t entirely) it means that I am just as in need of grace as she or he is (which I am entirely). 

Remembering equality is important for me in the work that I do with Outflow.  I have my finger in a few different projects here, but my primary focus is to serve homeless men.  God looks at each homeless man I meet and says, “I want him.  He is worth my life.”  If the God I claim says this, it is impossible for me to call myself a disciple of Jesus and not see every homeless person as important. 

When Outflow talks about renewing life we recall Jesus’ resurrection as the standard bearer for renewed life.  Without looking to the resurrection we will never know what a “renewed” life actually is.  I think, then, three characteristics mark every renewed life. 

First, a renewed life acknowledges it is purposeful.  Genesis 1:26-30 explains that we are God’s image to the world and that God tasked people with reigning over the rest of creation.  We destroyed that image but God repaired it.  As Christians, we should reflect God to others.  Jesus invites us to participate in the redemption God offers.

Second, a renewed life is valuable.  John 1:1-5 uses the image of light to say that Jesus gave life to everything he created.  Darkness will try to extinguish the light but Jesus ultimately wins out.  This does not mean darkness is weak.  Darkness killed Jesus.  It is clearly strong.  It is not strong enough though.  The light turned itself back on.  Jesus resurrected.  If God takes life-renewal this seriously, it is valuable. 

Third, a renewed life is important today and not just after we die.  Matthew 25:34-40 shows us the importance of today.  The criteria Jesus uses to judge true belief is whether it leads to serving people.  Jesus thinks that my today is so important that he will let someone help me instead of helping Him and then count it just as if this person actually helped Him.  My problems matter to Jesus and so do yours.  He is not an indifferent God. 

It does not matter who you are.  Grace is real.  God wants to renew your life.  Outflow is grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate this.

Tony Dickinson

Show Me the Right Path While I’m Living in the Meantime

“Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.  Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.  All day long I put my hope in you”.  Psalm 25:4,5.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the leading of God in the area of compassion and justice.  Compassion meets basic needs; justice asks WHY those needs exist.  In many conversations I’ve had recently, it seems I’m not alone.  This may be an ongoing life long discussion for many and more personal in nature… But, I’m here today so I’m working through my response and how I’m finding involvement.  Just because we don’t have all the answers does not stop us from doing something today.  As someone who loves Jesus and is supposed to live with a changed heart, what is my response to the injustice around me?  Am I turning to the scriptures?  Am I putting my hope in the Lord, being led by the Holy Spirit in my decisions?  King David expressed his desire for God’s guidance and we can learn from the Word of God.  The first step is to want to be guided and to realize that we can find guidance in the Bible.  Psalm 119 is a great place to start.  It tells us of the endless knowledge found in God’s Word. 

I have worked with youth over the years and believe many days they are thinking past me when it comes to compassion and justice.  I think this is great and I feel that many youth have a desire to help the poor and oppressed.  When some are trying to feed a nation, the young heart is giving away his sandwich to a classmate.  Simple acts with powerful impact.  I’m encouraged by youth and know God is using this generation to think past current charitable response.  We do need to work together, spurring one another on in love. Thinking big and planning ahead is important and so is giving away our lunches. Living in the meantime often requires us to use only what is within our immediate grasp, so whatever it is we’ve been given, let’s learn to do good together, seeking justice, demonstrating compassion for people.  This is a life of putting our hope and trust in God, believing He’ll determine our steps and receive all the glory.  I hope that we can seek justice, while giving away our lunch. 

Jayme Hall
Executive Director
Outflow Ministry

Motivation for Helping Others- God's love gives us true motivation

"If I give away all I have...but do not have love, I gain nothing." This is what Paul, the apostle of Jesus, said in his letter to some Christians in a place called Corinth. I've been thinking about these words lately because I'm involved in a ministry that has a focus on helping people, especially those who are homeless and considered poor. I've been thinking about motives- why we do what we do. Do I help someone because it makes me feel good inside? I suppose if that was purely my motive, then I would be acting out of selfishness.  I do think we should feel good inside when we help people, I'm just not so sure it's a helpful motive. The Holy Spirit says through Paul that without love as our motive, then our good deeds are meaningless. Paul goes on to tell us what love is and what it looks like. We quickly learn in the bible that the love that is being talked about is a special kind of love. It's not a superficial sentimentality, but a deep love that can only come from God and by being connected to him.

For someone who follows Jesus, our motive should be a love for him and for others. But how do we tap into this love? Everyone knows you can't force love. Jesus once said that those who have been forgiven much, love much. And those who have been forgiven little, love little. This has provided an answer for me. It is only when I am gripped by the depth of the evil in me that Jesus has forgiven that I am overwhelmed by his love and consequently a love for him and for others. I realize this is not a fashionable message in our culture of self adoration, but I do find it compelling. I wonder how many Christians are acting out of mere duty. C.S. Lewis once said, "Duty is only a substitute for love (of God and of other people) like a crutch which is a substitute for a leg." I realize that we are not perfect and definitely do need the crutch of duty at times, but God's pervasive love should be the overarching motivation in all we do. May we be gripped by God's wonderful forgiveness and consequently filled with his love that overflows to those around us.

Philip Appleby
Director of Programming and Spiritual Care
Outflow Ministry

Community and Shelter

“I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings” Psalm 61:4 

 

A loving homestead can be a refuge. It is shelter from the cold and from the dark. At Outflow Ministry, we wish to provide everyone with a place they can call their home and refuge. This could mean someone who is just dropping in for a cup of coffee and conversation, to an individual who wants to volunteer their time, or to someone in need of a hot shower and meal.

At our men’s shelter, men can come in from the streets and walk into a brightly lit and warm shelter. During the day, we have a women’s drop-in, Oasis, where women can come in for tea or coffee, Scrabble, and company. Bible studies are going on in the early mornings and late evenings with various community organizations. It feels like Outflow is alive and growing in terms of community. Community goes hand in hand with shelter and safety.

At Outflow Ministry, we also try to talk about a spiritual refuge within the Lord, for those who are seeking Him. Sometimes we may have a warm home, but within, there is not a peace or a sense of shelter. That is where the Lord can come in with a peace that helps us weather the storms of life. “And His peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). I came out of a season where I was living for myself and not for the Lord. I had a home and food and friends but I did not feel joy or a sense of day to day peace. Last fall, I found the Lord’s peace one day at church during a worship service. I realized then and there that is what I was missing.

A refuge speaks safety and peace. What would it look like if we felt that everywhere we went? If the idea of a refuge and safety extended from a purely physical sense but also could be understood spiritually? We can find the calm in the storm even in the stormiest bit. That is where the Lord is beyond remarkable; when we find him as our Rock and our shelter even in those difficult seasons. We are wrapped up and sheltered from the wind that is not strong enough to tear us down and uproot us. That is also where community comes in – when we have brothers and sisters who can pray for us and give us a cup of coffee with a smile.

We are better together. Outflow Ministry can be a home and shelter for everyone, no matter your circumstances. We have a vision for the future and hope to expand this idea of shelter and refuge.

Blessings,

Laura Duncanson

Community Liaison
Outflow Ministry 

Dignity by Invitation

The criminals crucified with Jesus have been on my mind a lot in recent days, and along with them the intent and nature of crucifixion. I love the little, short parts of stories that tell us an immeasurable amount about our God. Four verses in Luke tell a story that shortens my breath. There is a lot to see there, and I have been missing something: dignity.

Consider the situation: at least three guys were hung up on crosses that day. The spectacle was intended to destroy any trace of dignity from criminals. They were stripped, beaten, mocked and put up on display for hours. In the midst of suffering the same indignities as Jesus, one of the criminals joined the mockers. Luke 23:39 says that he "scoffed." He said, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us too, while you're at it!" The other criminal, however, said, "Don't you fear God even when you've been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." (40-42)

This is where the story gets really exciting. This is where we usually think about hope and life in the promise of Jesus. Jesus says (I am so overwhelmed at this statement!), "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." (43) With these words, Jesus brought so much to the criminal and to every person throughout history who has had the pleasure of reading his story—hope for a future, and life in the very face of death. On top of all that, dignity. On that horrific day, in the midst of shame and cruelty and mockery, Jesus gave the criminal dignity. He extended an invitation into Paradise. I am certain there is no greater dignity than to be given a home with the Almighty.

 

Jesus offered the ultimate dignity to the criminal and to us—life with Him in Paradise. It is important to remember that He offers the same to every person we meet and treat them accordingly, as immortal beings. In his essay The Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis reminds us: “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal ... it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendours. ... Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbour is the holiest object presented to your senses.” We can elevate dignity by inviting people in as well. At Outflow, we strive to do this by inviting men into the shelter, inviting the community to supper, inviting women to Oasis, inviting people into conversation and prayer. There are many things we all can to do restore dignity to those from whom it has been stripped, and they often begin with an invitation.

Chanelle Morgan
Office and Community Coordinator
Outflow Ministry

Sent in Pairs

 Later the Master selected seventy and sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he intended to go. He gave them this charge: “What a huge harvest! And how few the harvest hands. So on your knees; ask the God of the Harvest to send harvest hands.” (Luke 10:1-2, The Message)

Luke is a striking Gospel. Of late, I have been reading large portions of it in single sittings. It is a challenging book, both in its depth and in its length. Part of the focus of Luke is Jesus’ role as a teacher and prophet. These aspects of Luke focus my mind on the bits that provide guidance in how to approach ministry. The commission to the seventy disciples stands out the most. I wasn’t hit so much by what Jesus wanted them to do but instead by how Jesus wanted them to do it. Jesus shows us how seriously he takes partnerships.

God created us to be bound by space and time. With the exception of a few particular miracles, God the Son himself had these same boundaries during his time on earth. This means sending the seventy out in pairs had a real consequence. It likely took more time for Jesus and his team to serve people because they were in pairs. Thirty-five teams of two can only be in thirty-five places at a time. Seventy lone rangers can be in seventy places at a time.

The fact that Jesus would prioritize partnerships in spite of such a consequence should remind us to do the same. Even though seventy people could have been in seventy places, I don’t think they would have been as effective as the thirty-five teams were. Jesus understood that ministry can be difficult.

Having comrades to work alongside makes the Outflow staff stronger than we would be if we each did our own thing. Ministry partners provide accountability. Ministry partners provide different perspective. Ministry partners provide support in happy and not-so-happy situations. Ministry partners bring a different skill set. In short, ministry partners make people better at ministry. Outflow has worked very hard to create partnerships within our staff. None of us can effectively demonstrate the Kingdom if we are alone. Jesus built his Kingdom as a community.

We may be able to take the benefits of partnership further. In the same way that individual Outflow staff members are less effective if we don’t work with the rest of the team, it is important for Outflow to work within a larger group of service providers in Saint John. We value the work done by others in the community. We’ve enjoyed getting to know the teams at the Sisters of Charity, The TRC, Housing Alternatives, Coverdale, The Human Development Council, and others. In the coming weeks, months, and years we hope to get to know some of the other teams that do great work in Saint John. Simply put, no one organization is able to do everything. There are a lot of good groups in Saint John. As we connect with one another and work together, each of us can excel at what we are good at. Ultimately, this helps us to better serve and love our guests, neighbours, and friends.           

Tony Dickinson

Director of Homelessness and Housing Services

Outflow Ministry