The EBC Hospital Ship

We had a guest speaker at Ebenezer yesterday, Ron Barker. He was funny, honest, direct, and probably stepped on a few toes, including mine. He also planted a seed, a seed that I hope grows into a Hospital Ship.

He stated that churches fall into two categories. The Love boat and the Hospital Ship. Everyone on the love boat is full of love, knows love, gives love; they Hospital ship is full of those needing love, needing forgiveness, needing rescue. I hope that we can spill over the limit of our walls with the spiritually sick, let them know that there is a Hospital Ship with people that love them and that God loves them and wants them to be well again. I am not saying that everyone that already attends my church does so in perfect spirituality, quiet the opposite. We are all human, and we all struggle with sin each and everyday. But we have God's Love, His Word, pray, and each other to heal us when we are sick.

I am currently reading Obeying the Great Commission. God wants us to spread His love and the gospel to others. Yes I'm going to Kenya to do this, but it starts right here. Are we turning into a Love Boat, keeping all the Love that God has for just us? If we are, that is the biggest sin of all. We KNOW what He wants us to do, and if we aren't doing it we will be judged on day for that.  I also believe with all of my heart that Ebenezer is a Hospital Ship. Our Fall Festival, VBS, programs with the public schools, recovery programs, adult missions, youth missions. Sometimes I think just knowing Mrs. Betty Moore Bell will get you a long way on judgement day. She truly has a servants heart. I want that kind of heart. I want us ALL to have that kind of heart.

Last week I shared food with a seemingly homeless man. As I handed him the food on two occasions, he said "may God bless you and keep you." And even if he was really wanting money for drugs/alcohol, on those two days he was fed with love. He was reminded that people can be good and that God does work through small things. It may have been the next day, it may be next week, month, year. But at some point he will remember the kindness that was shown him. I thank God that He used me to show it.  I was a "nurse" from the Ebenezer Hospital Ship, healing with love and kindness.