Simple Pastor Gary!

Another pastor once commented that I preach very simplistic sermons!  He said, “It doesn’t matter what Bible verse you use, it always ends up the same way – whatever problem someone has, Jesus can fix it.”

Busted!   I confess; that is what I believe.  For me there are two good reasons. First, from archaeology I have come to believe that the Bible can be trusted.  Second, the message of the Bible has really changed my life.
Here at Helping Up Mission, a man does not have to sign any document saying what he believes in order to join our 12-month residential Spiritual Recovery Program for drug and alcohol addiction.  Consequently, every day I get to share this Jesus stuff that has worked for me with Jews, Moslems, agnostics and atheists.
Admittedly, I have sometimes considered – if I had run into this same guy on the street just a few months earlier, he might have just robbed me or beat me up!  Yet, today, here he sits in my class, listening as I share that God wants to do for him like He has done for me.  In reality, so many of our guys are tired of what they’ve been doing and are open to the idea that hope, answers and empowerment come through a personal relationship with the God of the Bible.
So, like that pastor, I hope you also understand that this Jesus stuff is working for me and that it’s really all I have to offer anyone else.  And, maybe best of all – one doesn’t need to be perfect to experience it or to pass it along.  He meets us where we are and takes us places we could only imagine.

One Sinner who found some Answers,
Pastor Gary Byers
Spiritual Life Director

PS  I recently started posting daily notes on Twitter (linked to Facebook) about what we do here at HUM.  You can keep up if interested:      Facebook – Gary A Byers;     TwitterPastorGaryByers