theexpandingshrink

Feet on the Street Ministry

I found myself fighting back the tears throughout much of the Christmas program by the ‘Feet on the Street Ministry’ in inner city Reading last night. The musical was well done and was even moving at points. But that was not what touched me. It was what these young people represent. There were several dozen teenagers and young adults- hispanic, black and white -all united in their love for Jesus.

Fourteen years ago Marvin Zimmerman, a local businessman, and his wife and family , felt called to start a ministry in the inner city of Reading. He purchased a building and began attempting to minister to the teens in the area. But no one seemed to want his pizza or his gospel. The only ones responding were the 7 year olds; the 8 and 9 and the 10 and 11 year olds. So the Zimmermans began to minister to this young group. They loved them; they prayed for them and with them; they saw them respond to their love and to the love of God in Jesus Christ.

The Zimmermans had been told that most inner city ministries do not last beyond about four years. But although they felt like quitting at times, they persevered. They kept on loving and believing.

Now those 7 to 11 year olds are 21 to 25 and their younger siblings are a part of the youth group also. The Feet on the Street Ministry is now a church of teenagers and young adults. Marvin’s son Daryl and his wife Rebecca pastor this young church.

It suddenly dawned on me that my tears were of joy that in a culture almost totally destroyed by hatred, violence, drug addiction, immorality, racism and family breakdown , God is developing an amazing community; a community in which young people are walking in love and exuberant worship of Jesus Christ and in love for one another. They are ‘leaning in to the future’ with Jesus confident that He who has called them out of darkness is leading them into a glorious future with Himself. They are establishing godly families and ending the cycle of brokenness which was passed down from their past.

Yes God is a ‘defiant gardener.’ He is planting beautiful gardens of love and life and beauty in inhospitable places all over the globe. I want to keep gardening with Him.