February 21, 2010

Jesus Beyond the Walls?

If this is not your first visit here, you'll notice this site looks different.  We've changed some of the display colors, added and subtracted some links, but most significanly we've changed the name.  What does that mean?

Well, we've heard the Lord speaking to us for well over a year about the concept of moving Jesus out beyond the walls of His church and presenting Him to people in a very personal way.  At one point, we were ready to start a sister website to this one, but instead we incorporated the Matthew 25 Resources and LGBT Helping Hands within the framework of Straight Not Narrow.  Jim in particular has felt a call into evangelism and heard very clearly from the Lord today it was time to broaden the focus of this website beyond the LGBT community to include all those who are treated as outcasts by "the church." 

We want to emphasize that we are in no way diminishing our focus on ministering to LGBT people.  We have both been called to this field and feel blessed to have this opportunity.  However, there are others who have the pain of being shunned and having "the church" turn its back on them regardless of sexual orientation.  Those who are poor, homeless, divorced, battling addition problems, victims of abuse and/or abandonment, and other issues the mainstream church is often ill equipped or uncomfortable in helping with.

We are pledged to follow this passage from Matthew 25:31-46:

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.


34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'


37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'


40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'


41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'


44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'


45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'


46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

As always, if you know someone who could benefit from the content we publish on this website, please refer them.

We are glad you visited Straight Not Narrow.  God bless!

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