“We have to stay on our knees, in prayer, to get things done…”
Oil Field Ministries was started at a local park in Los Angeles. Growing up in my father's church, we had our church clothes” – you had to wear a tie and chewing gum was never allowed. And now here I am going out to a park and to the streets to gather people and preach the Gospel. This is church for the unchurched. People showed up with their beer bottles, smoking and wearing whatever they wanted. Our park church grew grew by word of mouth, by people feeling loved and hearing that God loved them. God was saying, “Guess what George, this is church!”
This type of ministry can feel very lonely, but through Evangel I came to the realization that there are like-minded people around me and I’m not alone. When going into a hard, dark battle it is good to know that I have people that I can call and depend on. I have been able to link arms with like-minded people and have never felt that I am competing with anyone else – we are on the same team, for the Kingdom.
There have been many challenges, but God helped us and led us. There have been at least five attendees who have passed away since we began, and I Know they are with the Lord. One was a former gang banger, was found dead in his apartment, but I have the joy of knowing that I helped lead him to the Lord before he died.
Sometimes people would take “our” church spot at the park so I would wake up at 4 am to sit out there and reserve it. God gave me boldness, strength and determination. Going through all of this and yet seeing God's hand of protection, guidance, and provision really was a “God moment” for me – this is what the church is supposed to be like.
World Impact is real grassroots with hands-on training. It isn’t like a boring, churchy school; it is actually equipping us to do the work that God has called us to do. And this is what fuels me every day: Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. He has commanded us to do this. If you aren’t moving in the same direction that Christ is moving than something is wrong. I want to encourage anyone thinking about planting a church to ANSWER THE CALL.