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24-7 Prayer in Milwaukee: a Year in with MHOP ...
24-7 Prayer in Milwaukee: a Year in with MHOP and the Robinsons
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Meet Casey Tobik, the new 24-7 Cleveland City ...
Stockbridge Boiler Room
Detroit is getting HIT HARD—How can we PRAY?

Alarming numbers are being reported in Covid-19 hotspots like Detroit. We reached out to Lindsay Hamby and Mandy Sullivan who are on the ground in different parts of the city organizing a 24-7 prayer hotline for hospitals and neighborhood candle-lit singing in response—so that we can learn more about how to pray for Detroit as a city in the midst of this crisis.

Detroit is getting HIT HARD—How can we PRAY?
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OUR STORY and NEW NAME!
OUR STORY and NEW NAME!
Stockbridge Boiler Room
Why This is Grand Rapids’ Moment of ...

Back to Basics : Praying Together

The SBR started in prayer, has been sustained in prayer, and has led other churches into 24-7 prayer. It's foundational around here. 

And in this season we see that Father is drawing us back to it as a primary practice, an anchor, a commitment that will not only fortify us but also create a space for others to drop in and experience His presence and prayer ministry as needed. 

So this is just to tell you, we are poised and ready to become temple keepers of our beloved prayer garage in a regular, consistent rhythm beginning Monday, September 8th. 

Monday through Friday

7 a.m. & 8 p.m.

Prayer Garage at 713 5th St NW

All are welcome.

Members of our leadership team, interns, and church gathering will take turns hosting each prayer time, as a way of thoughtfully guiding whomever comes into meaningful prayer. 

We'll be here, rain or shine, in the mood or not. :)

Pressing into Friendship on the Margins

I was reflecting yesterday after seeing so many different needs in the neighborhood around me and found myself feeling completely overwhelmed and inadequate to meet all of them.  

Part of me feels like, “What is the point of giving up of my life to make a tiny dent in all the brokenness in the world?  I can’t address all of these issues, I can’t pray enough, I can’t give enough money away, I can’t disciple enough people.”  

I’m feeling the lie come up that it is not worth it to give of myself because I cannot ever do enough.  I should just look out for myself and get what I can from others.  

I make myself open to your truth, Lord. 

The truth that You are bringing about your Kingdom in power though we do not see everything subject to you.  

The truth that You are working in people’s hearts and pursuing them even if they aren’t aware.  

The truth that it is my greatest joy to give of myself on behalf of others.  

The truth that You are convicting my heart because you want me to receive that joy.  

Pour your love into my heart, Holy Spirit.  Fill me with your love--Your love for me and your love for others.  

WHEN WE TOUCH THE PAIN AND BROKENNESS OF THE WORLD AROUND US, WE LONG MORE PASSIONATELY FOR THE FULFILLED KINGDOM. 

It reminds me of what Ken Wytsma said in Pursuing Justice that we can feel like the world must be a pretty just place when we live in a community that is seeking to walk in love and reconciled relationship.  We can forget that there is still deep darkness, evil and oppression in the world.  

And when we forget that darkness, we do not long for the full Kingdom.  We become content with this semi-fulfilled Kingdom that seems good enough. We just need to manage our sin, pray a couple hours a week, and hopefully get a few vacations in during the year.  

Our understanding of suffering becomes so weak that we start to see ourselves as being oppressed.

We start to think that having a boss that asks you to stay late is unjust.  

We start to think that suffering with people means listening to them complain about their day for a few minutes. 

We start to feel persecuted when we go out to eat and are told we will wait 15 minutes for a table but we sit their for half an hour...

...or feel mistreated when the outfit we wanted at the mall is sold out. 

Then, when we are confronted with brokenness that seems to be beyond our capacity. We immediately put up our walls to protect our “peace” instead of entering into a genuine relationship with them.  

We start to be wary of inviting people into our lives who don’t seem to have it all together because they may disturb the convenience and comfort we are experiencing.  

The first question for our family is: Are we putting ourselves in a place where we can interact with those who are experiencing that deep oppression and darkness? The next question is: Am I willing to be their friend? 

Friendship implies giving and receiving.  It implies long commitment to each other.  It implies working through things together though we both are going to make mistakes.  Friendship assumes we enter into their lives and we invite them into ours.  

Are we willing to sacrifice ourselves by entering into their pain in the way the Holy Spirit is calling us?

Are we willing to sacrifice ourselves by inviting them into the peace we are experiencing within our community (even if they disrupt that peace)? 

:: jordan ::

The Demoniac and the Prophet

Walking down the side-walk one morning last week we saw a man a couple hundred feet in front of us making quite a show--dancing and yelling, directing his antics in a particular direction. Jordan and I were prayer-walking the neighborhood and so walking with some extra awareness and sensitivity to what was going on around us spiritually. As we approached this man who was continuing to in his antics, we realized that he was taunting someone sitting in the truck parked on the road nearby--saying all kinds of terrible and hurtful things toward this person, mostly around the fact that she doesn't have a home. As we were passing, Jordan realized that the person he was ridiculing was Sally, a friend of ours who has been a part of our community attending the Love Feast for years. 

Emboldened to stick up for a friend, Jordan paused, turned to the man, and cordially interjected, "Actually, this is a friend of mine and she is a good person. I'd appreciate it if you didn't say those things about her." The response right out of the gate was, "I don't believe in God or the devil, so you don't have anything to say to me!" This was followed by three to four minutes of profane insults, ridicule, and manipulation to the point where the man had reasoned that we were assaulting him and he would call the cops if we weren't out of his sight by the time he counted to three. In the midst of this jarring encounter, one of the first questions I asked myself was, "Is this person possessed by a demon?" It's not a question I often jump to, but trying to make sense of the mania going on in front of me had me wondering. We ended up walking away with continued insults hurled at our backs after concluding that continuing to engage this person right then was not helping anything. I had already been feeling a bit discouraged that day in general and such an antagonizing experience weighed heavier on my spirit--though it did sharpen my awareness. 

Later that evening at the Love Feast, out of nowhere, an older, scruffily-clad man whom I've never met before came right up to me with compassion in his eyes and said, "Hey! You're not alone. You're carrying a lot of weight right now, and God wants you to know that you're not alone." I stood stunned for a minute as his words struck something deep in me--an encouragement that I really needed to hear that day, but from someone I'd never met. He proceeded with some further prophetic encouragement, as well as a challenge to make sure that I give both of my kids the attention that they need their current life stage. "Who is this guy?" I thought, "A wandering prophet of the West Side?" I joyfully received the encouragement and sensed it was from the Lord. 

I have bumped into this prophet-in-question a couple of times since that night. He shared with me then, in tears, some of his own struggles going on right now, and we prayed together. 

The demoniac-in-question from earlier in the day ended up coming to dinner at the Love Feast that night as well--brought his family with two kids in a stroller! We didn't know what to expect at first, but he was calm and collected as he aided his kids in eating their dinner, a side of him that was comforting to witness. We found out later from his sister that he had just lost his job the day before, and in his stress, hadn't taken certain meds that morning which might have prevented him from acting the way he did with us, and that there were many others on the receiving end of the antics that occurred. She apologized on his behalf and asked for prayer for them. Jordan offered a handshake of reconciliation, but it was not received.  

I don't know at this point whether or not this man happens to be tormented by spirits, or if this other man lives a wandering prophet existence, prophesying daily to those around him.  But I do know that that night I was encouraged deeply by a neighbor I hadn't met, who cared enough to tell me something God put on his heart to say to me--and I am thankful to receive it from him. And I am confident that as we share more meals with this man who lost his job and is raising his kids while battling some sort of mental illness, our shared life around the table will develop into a healthier, positive relationship. We pray that Jesus, His Kingdom, and the Gospel will be encountered undeniably in the midst of it. 

 :: tim ::

 

Porch Prayer

This Monday marked the beginning of three weeks of prayer on the front porches of different homes all over the West Side. We've called it simply West Side Porch Prayer.

This idea was seeded with a small word spoken by the Holy Spirit on a porch--and it has become 15 different families/homes each hosting a morning for others to come pray with them at 7am before they all head out to work and start their days. We want to come around each of these families at their homes and pray for them as they seek to be lights on their blocks and representatives of God's Kingdom family to their neighbors.

On Monday, we prayed for the Smiths on their porch, a beautiful family who have a heart for this neighborhood and are adopting the elementary school across the street into their hearts (and in some really practical ways as well!). This morning we prayed for the Yoemans family, their neighbors who were targets of a drive-by shooting four weeks ago. We prayed for God's guidance as they seek to influence the culture of their block toward one of peace through Jesus by building positive relationships with their neighbors--and possibly throwing a block party this Fall. 

We will keep praying on a different porch at 7am each weekday until August 4th. If you'd like to join us and need the schedule, email us here: stockbridgeboilerroom@gmail.com

Please pray with us as God's church of the West Side comes alongside to encourage and intercede for one another. We need each other!

Lord, draw your children together for your sake. Let us see one another, know one another, and and love one another so that your light will shine brilliant.

:: tim ::

 

annual 4th of july pancakes and parade

we do this every year. and every year i think it's one of my favorite things that we do. unlike so many of the other boiler room activities -- like sunday gathering, love feast, 24-7 prayer, which are so full of explicit kingdom content -- the 4th of July Pancakes and Parade are just pure CELEBRATION and FUN that hint at a deeper kingdom truth... and this in a place where those things are hard to come by. 

yes, it may be true that many of our neighbors show up primarily for the 10 a.m. pancake breakfast, exiting just before the parade begins. 

yes, it is also true that many years we can count on two hands how many neighbors were actually awake and witnessed our tiny little parade. 

but these things don't matter. we'll keep on marching and peddling around this neighborhood, yelling, singing, and banging on drums or buckets, to declare the the kingdom of God is near, and is celebratory in nature. this isn't some dour family reunion you're being invited into; this is a place of rejoicing. 

here are a few snaps i took at the event this year. i'm afraid the photojournalism ends abruptly almost immediately after the parade began, because i was also carrying a clingy toddler and urging on my three year old on her tricycle. and then we got so far behind the parade that we gave up and went home to wait for it to come around again. :) still, i hope you'll enjoy these!

::brooke::