What a day

Wow! I don't know who originated the phrase but it's absolutely true: there is nothing quite like the Church when it is being the Church. It's been a thing of beauty to watch over the last few days as Middle Tennessee has waded out from under the worst flooding in over 100 years. I am one very proud pastor...and an even more proud follower of Christ! The Ridgeview family has been right in the middle of it, getting their hands dirty. The needs have been as varied as the people who are meeting them, but that's what makes the body of Christ so beautiful. Here are just a few of the ways our Ridgeview family has been involved since Monday:

• housing displaced families
• providing transportation for individuals who lost their cars
• buying and delivering cases of water to relief workers
• kenneling the animals of flooded families
• comforting a man who lost not only his home but his business in the flood
• volunteering with the Red Cross, Graceworks, United Way and other relief organizations
• moving furniture out of homes...moving furniture back into homes
• taking clothes donations to shelters
• providing meals to families and relief workers
• ripping out drywall in the homes of single moms
• making cash donations to organizations that are providing relief
• and on and on and on

Thank you so much, Ridgeview family. I am very blessed to serve as your pastor. But now is not the time to let up. As we prayed this morning in our staff time, I asked them to focus specifically on praying for the long term recovery. It's so easy to jump in and offer assistance in those first days after disaster. Let's remember that the recovery (emotional, financial, physical, mental, spiritual) will go on for weeks and months. Let us not forget to be Jesus in every corner of our community. We cannot fail to pray, to go, to serve and to love in the days after the world has forgotten this flood.

For my friends outside Middle Tennessee who are asking how you can help, here is your answer. Don't ever underestimate the power of your prayers for the people involved...both the ones touched by the disaster and the ones who are helping to stabilize the victims. Your prayers are the energy source for the Church as she demonstrates Christ to this community. Also, if you feel led, donations to the area are welcomed. You may donate to the Red Cross, the Salvation Army (Nashville's branch was hit hard by the flood) or to our assistance fund here at Ridgeview. I am so proud of our churches...every church in this area that proclaims the name of Christ...for the way they continue to respond. If you follow Christ, you should be as well.