In the Parks

There's a passage in Galatians 6 that can serve to encourage us in doing the work of the Lord. We can
read:
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

The Lord desires to stir our hearts to serve Him by serving others - He wants us to take care of one another in the Church, in the body of Christ, but He also desires for us to share His love with those who need to hear and see the gospel.  We can look for ministry opportunity; sometimes in the most simple of platforms.  Where there are people gathered, perhaps that is an open door to do ministry; acts of service can be used as a tool to share His love - and we keep in mind that ministry will often occur in the context of relationship.

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God desires to express His love through His people who are devoted to following His call.  2nd
Corinthians 3 says this:
3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.
4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God.
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

The summer season certainly provides ministry opportunities - I shared last week about a Knoxville-area church that used a Fourth of July parade in order to invite people to come to their church. Across our region, churches are using the ministry of Vacation Bible School to welcome children into their midst.  Child Evangelism Fellowship's 5-Day Clubs are involved in neighborhood outreaches.

And, in national parks across America, there are believers who are seeing the love of the outdoors as an opportunity to provide worship services.  It's called A Christian Ministry in the National Parks, and it operates in more than 25 national and state parks across the country.  A recent Religion News Service piece shared some insight into this unique ministry.

The article says that:

The program got its start in 1951 when Warren Ost, then a student at Princeton Theological Seminary, hosted a casual worship service in a Yellowstone bar in response to the religious needs of his co-workers and park guests.

Ost went on to lead the ministry for 45 years, registering it as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1971. The program has grown and evolved since then, expanding to include short-term mission trips and other service opportunities.

The ministry has to continue to apply to work in various national parks.

Almost 300 young people between the ages of 18 and 30 are working in the parks in the summer. The story states:

They come from a variety of Christian denominations. The unifying statement of faith is the Apostles’ Creed, which professes belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Applicants are asked to explain their religious background, as well as how their relationship with God impacts their life. They list the three parks they’re most interested in serving at and describe what’s drawing them to the ministry.

Generally, the workers will not only conduct worship services, but they will also be involved as employees, serving in various capacities for minimum wage.

In addition to providing a worship opportunity for travelers to the parks, they will also minister to those who work there. Shelby Cook, who spent two summers in Denali National Park and is now hiking the Appalachian Trail, stated, “We’re getting to know people’s stories. We’re communicating the love of Jesus by showing up for people and being available for people who don’t look like you or sound like you or have a similar story as you..."

Here again is an example of people who have seen an opportunity and work to perpetuate a ministry. There are all sorts of ways to share Christ.  What is important for each of us is to be open to how the Spirit would lead us.  Our God of creativity perhaps will inspire in our hearts a creative idea through which He will make His presence known.

We have to make sure that we are available to Him, then that we are obedient to His direction.  A God-inspired idea will remain an idea until we put feet to it.  It's a matter of wholehearted obedience; being confident that what God has directed, He will provide the resources in order to bring it to pass. And, those resources take the form of personal strength or the tangible or logistical resources that are necessary, or even co-laborers in the work.

So, we can develop openness and obedience; we also can depend on the Lord to create in our hearts a sense of sustainability.  A ministry activity may be a one-time thing, but if He is calling a work to go forward, then we can depend on Him to create a vision and instruction for growth.  Think about Warren Ost's vision to minister at one national park and how that has grown.  God will perpetuate ministry as we depend on Him.