This week’s Wednesday Word is a summary of John Ferguson’s discussion about Jefferson Street’s ministry to the homeless of Louisville given on June 7, 2009.
This week John Ferguson, the Executive Director of Jefferson Street Baptist Center, spoke to our class about his ministry to the homeless of Louisville. John explained that before we can understand the needs of the homeless we have to understand a need that we share with them. Simply put, our need is to be reconciled to God. We are sinners, and only through the atoning work of Jesus Christ can we be reconciled to God. Too often, John explained, we think of ourselves as the benefactors of the homeless. However, only God can be the benefactor for them and for us. John seeks to provide a holistic ministry to the homeless by meeting their physical needs while addressing their spiritual need with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If you would like to know more about the ministry of Jefferson Street, you can check out their website. Jefferson Street’s ministry includes a Day Shelter, the Fresh Start Program, a Permanent Supportive Housing Program, and Hope for Louisville. Descriptions of these ministries are available on the website. If you would like to better understand ministry to the homeless in general, John recommended the following resources: Christian Mission in the Modern World by John Stott, “Calvin on Poverty” in Calvin in the Public Square by David W. Hall, and The Tragedy of American Compassion by Marvin Olasky.
Jefferson Street does welcome volunteers and financial support. As Trent Hunter explained in an e-mail to our class, “as we are thinking forward to 2009-10, we want your feed back as to the place that our class and/or small groups can play in the mission of this important Louisville ministry. This visit does not entail a commitment on the part of our class to organized involvement, but there may be an opportunity here.”
A simple way to support the ministry financially is through their Kroger card program. In this program, you sign up for a reusable Kroger gift card through Jefferson Street, and 4% of the money you spend on groceries or gas at Kroger will go to Jefferson Street at no additional cost to you.
As a class, let’s commit to pray this summer about how God might have us serve at Jefferson Street both personally and corporately.