Pt 4. A third story

Ten years ago, a church felt Jesus leading them to engage with marginalised and oppressed people in their city. They got in touch with other poverty-fighting organisations, did their research, identified a need for a homeless drop-in at the weekend. They started having homeless and other vulnerable people in to their church for Sunday lunch, and have pretty much done so ever since.

Some people have decided to follow Jesus. Some have volunteered in church catering for a while. Some have come on Alpha courses. Some have got accommodation and jobs. Some have exceeded everyone’s wildest dreams and ended up leading things in church. Some have died. Many have disappeared. And many still come along every week, every time they’re let out of prison, every time they waste their benefits on the gear, anytime they can to eat decent food and talk to another human being. The majority of people never seem to change at all. Change doesn’t seem possible.

This church aren’t doing anything badly. Their story just emphasises the extraordinary impact the others have had (along with their share of heartbreaks and setbacks, for damn sure). But because of Jesus, because I’ve seen him achieve change in my life, because these other stories have managed to effect change, I can’t be satisfied with ‘change doesn’t seem possible’. I want to write their story a better ending.