“Spent the last few days with Pastor Darrell. He serves the least of these.”~priest

The last few days will go down in my life as a benchmark experience.  I did nothing outstanding, but I hung with people who are living incredibly outstanding lives. Darrel Auvenshine is pastor of a small church in Fort Worth, Texas known as Southside City Church.

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It is a community church serving the people within a near radius of the church. The body gathers to worship on Sunday night in a rented church facility shared with 3 other churches. It is the best use of an institutionalized church facility I have ever seen.

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From the time Darrel gets up in the morning to the time he goes to bed at night, he is serving. The people he serves are in many ways just like you and I. They have friends. Some have families. They get hungry. They desire a better life. But there are also unique qualities about them. Some are homeless. Most are poor. Some are sick. Many have addictions. Some have HIV and others are dieing of Aids. They are of all color, race and religion.

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There is one thing in common with almost all. They are dependent upon God for his daily and many times hourly provision. The crazy thing about the needs they have is their attitude toward their needs. I asked one gentleman if he would pray with me. He said he would but preferred we pray for my needs as God had already given him so much, he did not feel deserving to ask for more.

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The next day I visited this gentlemen’s home. He had a fan for cooling, but had no electricity. His wife said she hoped to get electric in a couple of weeks as they had spent their money on water this month.

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Now imagine putting 100 people together in the same room with equally sensitized hearts toward God and worship with them. The sweetness of the presence of the Holy Spirit is unfathomable and beyond imagination. Imagine worshipping alongside an elderly lady who is raising her 7 great grand kids… Imagine praying alongside a person who knows they will die of aids…. Just imagine…

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Pray for Pastor Darrell and his fiancee. Pray for wisdom and provisions beyond their expectations as they serve “The Least of These”.

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Maybe you will want to help?