{"id":4764,"date":"2019-05-22T13:59:41","date_gmt":"2019-05-22T18:59:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/?p=4764"},"modified":"2019-05-30T08:54:09","modified_gmt":"2019-05-30T13:54:09","slug":"religion-pure-and-undefiled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/2019\/05\/22\/religion-pure-and-undefiled\/","title":{"rendered":"Religion, Pure and Undefiled"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you think of all the different ministries a church could have, the list is as varied and diverse as the churches themselves. From cowboy churches to hip hop churches and everything in between, there are endless possibilities of ministries you could have. However, I want to share with you about a ministry you must have; a ministry to the widows in your church and your community.\u00a0 James 1:27 tells us, \u201cReligion that God accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.\u201d\u00a0 Throughout the Bible, God’s love and concern for widows is obvious.\u00a0 From the Levitical laws to the New Testament’s commands for their care, it is very clear that God is passionate in His concern for widows. It is also obvious that God lays this earthly responsibility squarely in the lap of the church.<\/p>\n

Our ministry to the widows of LifeSpring Church is called Tea 4 Two.\u00a0 The driving message of Tea 4 Two is that Christ is now their husband.\u00a0 The logo is a wedding band intertwined with the crown of Christ. The ministry was birthed in the heart of the most unlikely person, our Children’s Pastor! How (and why) would a children’s pastor launch a ministry to widows?\u00a0\u00a0 Below, Pastor Angie describes how God birthed something new in our church.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It all started at the church, where God caused me to cross paths with different widows over several weeks. Each week it became more and more apparent to me that God was up to something, and I needed to listen. Finally, one afternoon in my prayer time, I asked God, “Why me Lord, and why widows?” I am in my mid-40s and married. \u201cWhy are you calling me to begin a ministry for widows?\u201d God simply answered with one phrase, “You know what it feels like to be lonely and on your own.” That answer stopped me in my tracks, and I could not argue with God any longer. For many years, I had been a single mother and understood the stress of running a household alone, filled with anxiety and often little hope. It was that phrase that caused me to pray and ask God what this ministry would look like. I sought the Lord and asked how would I launch such a project, and would the gals even come? Once more the Lord spoke loud and clear to my heart. He simply said, “Gather them up, and they will heal together.”<\/p>\n

In October of that same year, I planned our first Tea 4 Two luncheon for a Thursday afternoon. I mailed twelve invites out and prayed over each one. My invite did not indicate that it was regarding widows. To my surprise, all twelve ladies showed up. I began to share my heart that God told me to gather them together for fellowship and trust Him from there.\u00a0 The gals began to tear up and some wept openly. Most widows suffer in silence and feel left out, unwanted, or useless.\u00a0 They were so appreciative that someone would take the time to minister to them.\u00a0 As we ate lunch, I let each gal share their story, and I took notes. I learned a lot that day about them, about God, and about myself. I learned that I understood them more than I ever imagined. It was from that discussion over lunch that I learned of repairs that needed to be done in their home, family struggles, financial questions, and emotional stress. I scribbled pages of notes as they conversed with one another. I surveyed their favorite hobbies, foods, and the like. I was collecting info that became invaluable as we developed our Tea 4 Two Ministry.<\/p>\n

That first Tea 4 Two luncheon, nearly six years ago, became one of the most vibrant, life-giving ministries of our church. We planned picnics and seasonal parties, all birthed from the ladies\u2019 own ideas and desires. The men of the church are contacted to help with repairs when needed. We connected our ladies with financial budget planners to help them steer a healthy course for their retirement years.\u00a0 Our Sunday School children made decorations and favors for the Tea 4 Two events.\u00a0 We contacted teenagers to cut grass and keep up on landscaping. When the ladies began to sell their homes and downsize to apartments or senior housing, our church would be there to help them through the transition.\u00a0 We have found ourselves in a cross-generational, church-wide ministry that is bringing care, comfort, and purpose to our widows.<\/p>\n

Years have passed, and our group \u201cunfortunately\u201d grows in number as husbands pass away. Our ministry to widows is the only group that never wishes for new members, but they are so thankful we now have a group in place. Now, at each funeral, we see our ladies support the new widow and embrace her into the sisterhood they have come to treasure. They now actively serve others in our congregation through meal shares, church volunteer days, and even mailing encouragement cards to one another.<\/p>\n

Our Tea 4 Two events have now become an avenue to reach into our community.\u00a0 At one of our events, a widow from the community made this comment, \u201cWhy are your widows so much healthier than the other widows I know?”\u00a0 That was the day I knew we had stumbled upon a ministry that God had birthed.\u00a0 Just like God promised Pastor Angie, as we gathered them together, they healed!\u00a0\u00a0 That is religion pure and undefiled.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Angie Kuhn is the Director of Family Ministries at LifeSpring Christian Church in Greensburg PA. She and her husband Tiger have three grown children and two grandchildren. Angie directs the Children\u2019s Ministry, supports the Women\u2019s ministry team, and leads the Tea for Two Widow\u2019s Ministry. Angie has served God since a young age and embraces the extreme importance of mentoring families to follow after Christ as the head of their home.<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":4765,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,140,37],"tags":[1098,1090,1093,1051,1092,1091,1094,1045],"class_list":{"0":"post-4764","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general","8":"category-senior-adults","9":"category-womens-ministries","10":"tag-angie-kuhn","11":"tag-bishop-dale-adams","12":"tag-discipleship-stories","13":"tag-iphc-discipleship-ministries","14":"tag-pure-and-undefiled","15":"tag-religion","16":"tag-stories-of-discipleship","17":"tag-strong-in-fellowship","18":"entry"},"title_es":"Religi\u00f3n, pura y sin mancha.","content_es":"Cuando piensas en todos los diferentes ministerios que una iglesia podr\u00eda tener, la lista es tan variada y diversa como las iglesias mismas. Desde iglesias de vaqueros a iglesias de hip hop y todo lo que hay en medio, hay infinitas posibilidades de ministerios que podr\u00edas tener. Sin embargo, quiero compartir con usted acerca de un ministerio que debe tener; Un ministerio a las viudas en tu iglesia y tu comunidad. Santiago 1:27 nos dice: \"La religi\u00f3n que Dios acepta como pura y sin fallas es la siguiente: cuidar de los hu\u00e9rfanos y las viudas en su angustia y evitar que uno se contamine con el mundo\". A lo largo de la Biblia, el amor de Dios y la preocupaci\u00f3n por las viudas es obvio. Desde las leyes lev\u00edticas hasta los mandamientos del Nuevo Testamento para su cuidado, es muy claro que Dios es apasionado en su preocupaci\u00f3n por las viudas. Tambi\u00e9n es obvio que Dios pone esta responsabilidad terrenal directamente en el regazo de la iglesia. Nuestro ministerio a las viudas de LifeSpring Church se llama Tea 4 Two. El mensaje principal de Tea 4 Two es que Cristo es ahora su esposo. El logotipo es una alianza de boda entrelazada con la corona de Cristo. \u00a1El ministerio naci\u00f3 en el coraz\u00f3n de la persona m\u00e1s improbable, nuestro Pastor de Ni\u00f1os! \u00bfC\u00f3mo (y por qu\u00e9) un pastor de ni\u00f1os lanzar\u00eda un ministerio a las viudas? Abajo, el pastor Angie describe c\u00f3mo Dios dio a luz algo nuevo en nuestra iglesia. Todo comenz\u00f3 en la iglesia, donde Dios me hizo cruzar caminos con diferentes viudas durante varias semanas. Cada semana se me hac\u00eda m\u00e1s y m\u00e1s evidente que Dios estaba tramando algo, y necesitaba escuchar. Finalmente, una tarde en mi tiempo de oraci\u00f3n, le pregunt\u00e9 a Dios: \"\u00bfPor qu\u00e9, Se\u00f1or, y por qu\u00e9 las viudas?\" Estoy en mi mediados de los 40 y casado. \"\u00bfPor qu\u00e9 me est\u00e1s llamando a comenzar un ministerio para viudas?\" Dios simplemente respondi\u00f3 con una frase: \"Sabes lo que se siente estar solo y solo\". Esa respuesta me detuvo en mis pasos, y ya no pude discutir con Dios. Durante muchos a\u00f1os, hab\u00eda sido madre soltera y entend\u00eda el estr\u00e9s de manejar una casa sola, llena de ansiedad y, a menudo, poca esperanza. Fue esa frase la que me hizo orar y preguntarle a Dios c\u00f3mo ser\u00eda este ministerio. Busqu\u00e9 al Se\u00f1or y pregunt\u00e9 c\u00f3mo iba a lanzar un proyecto as\u00ed, \u00bfe incluso vendr\u00edan las chicas? Una vez m\u00e1s el Se\u00f1or habl\u00f3 fuerte y claro a mi coraz\u00f3n. Simplemente dijo: \"Re\u00fanelos, y se curar\u00e1n juntos\". En octubre de ese mismo a\u00f1o, plane\u00e9 nuestro primer almuerzo Tea 4 Two para un jueves por la tarde. Envi\u00e9 doce invitaciones y or\u00e9 por cada una. Mi invitaci\u00f3n no indic\u00f3 que se tratara de viudas. Para mi sorpresa, las doce damas se presentaron. Comenc\u00e9 a compartir mi coraz\u00f3n de que Dios me dijo que los reuniera para tener comuni\u00f3n y que confiara en \u00c9l desde all\u00ed. Las chicas comenzaron a llorar y algunas lloraron abiertamente. La mayor\u00eda de las viudas sufren en silencio y se sienten excluidas, no deseadas o in\u00fatiles. Estaban tan agradecidos que alguien se tomar\u00eda el tiempo para ministrarlos. Mientras almorz\u00e1bamos, dej\u00e9 que cada gal compartiera su historia y tom\u00e9 notas. Aprend\u00ed mucho ese d\u00eda sobre ellos, sobre Dios y sobre m\u00ed mismo. Aprend\u00ed que los entend\u00ed m\u00e1s de lo que nunca imagin\u00e9. Fue en esa discusi\u00f3n durante el almuerzo que aprend\u00ed sobre las reparaciones que deb\u00edan realizarse en su hogar, los problemas familiares, las preguntas financieras y el estr\u00e9s emocional. Escrib\u00ed p\u00e1ginas de notas mientras conversaban entre s\u00ed. Revis\u00e9 sus pasatiempos favoritos, comidas y cosas por el estilo. Recolect\u00e9 informaci\u00f3n que se convirti\u00f3 en algo invaluable a medida que desarrollamos nuestro Ministerio Tea 4 Two. Ese primer almuerzo de Tea 4 Two, hace casi seis a\u00f1os, se convirti\u00f3 en uno de los ministerios m\u00e1s vibrantes y vivificantes de nuestra iglesia. Planificamos picnics y fiestas estacionales, todas ellas nacidas de ideas y deseos propios de las damas. Se contacta a los hombres de la iglesia para ayudar con las reparaciones cuando sea necesario. Conectamos a nuestras damas con planificadores de presupuesto financiero para ayudarlas a dirigir un curso saludable para sus a\u00f1os de jubilaci\u00f3n. Nuestros ni\u00f1os de la Escuela Dominical hicieron decoraciones y favores para los eventos Tea 4 Two. Nos pusimos en contacto con adolescentes para cortar el c\u00e9sped y mantenerse al d\u00eda en el paisajismo. Cuando las damas comenzaran a vender sus casas y se redujeran a apartamentos o viviendas para personas mayores, nuestra iglesia estar\u00eda all\u00ed para ayudarlas durante la transici\u00f3n. Nos hemos encontrado en un ministerio intergeneracional de toda la iglesia que est\u00e1 brindando atenci\u00f3n, consuelo y prop\u00f3sito a nuestras viudas. Han pasado a\u00f1os, y nuestro grupo \"desafortunadamente\" crece en n\u00famero a medida que los esposos fallecen. Nuestro ministerio a las viudas es el \u00fanico grupo que nunca desea nuevos miembros, pero est\u00e1n muy agradecidos de que ahora tenemos un grupo establecido. Ahora, en cada funeral, vemos a nuestras damas apoyar a la nueva viuda y abrazarla en la hermandad que han llegado a atesorar. Ahora sirven activamente a otros en nuestra congregaci\u00f3n a trav\u00e9s de comidas compartidas, d\u00edas de voluntariado de la iglesia e incluso envi\u00e1ndonos tarjetas de est\u00edmulo por correo. Nuestros eventos Tea 4 Two se han convertido en una avenida para llegar a nuestra comunidad. En uno de nuestros eventos, una viuda de la comunidad hizo este comentario: \u201c\u00bfPor qu\u00e9 sus viudas son mucho m\u00e1s sanas que las otras viudas que conozco?\" Ese fue el d\u00eda en que supe que hab\u00edamos encontrado un ministerio que Dios hab\u00eda nacido. Dios le prometi\u00f3 al Pastor Angie, cuando los reunimos, \u00a1se curaron! Eso es religi\u00f3n pura y sin mancha.","author_name":"Bishop Dale Adams","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/05\/WM-Q2.2-Story-Graphic.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4T9u2-1eQ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4764"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4764\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}