This is National Barefoot Week (which I know brings smiles to some of my hippie-friend pastors on the West Coast). In short, it’s a one week where thousands of people across the country are partnering with Soles4Souls to raise awareness & support for the nearly 1.5 billion people around the world that don’t have adequate footwear.

Founded by my friend, Wayne Elsey (whom I interviewed HERE), Soles4Souls has worked hard to provide over 14 million pairs of shoes in over 125 countries since 2005. Today, I wanted to highlight one of the coolest ways Soles4Souls collects shoes from American closets to put on the feet of people in need.

Barefoot Sundays. Although we’ve never hosted a Barefoot Sunday at Grace Community Church, because we choose to collect shoes every week for Soles4Souls, I love any method that helps people bring in shoes to donate, because shoes are so desperately needed.

Since I can’t speak from personal experience about the week, I’ll let my good friend Pete Wilson share about their experience at Cross Point Church.

So I would encourage you to check out Barefoot Week, they’ve even highlighted 10 ways you can help spread the word HERE.

Or maybe even register YOUR church to collect shoes. It’s a great way get your church involved in making a real & tangible difference in the lives of others around the world.”

I love being a part of what Casey Graham is doing to raise funds for victims of last week’s tornados. Sunday, Casey called and asked if I would help by serving on a temporary board to oversee expenses. He wants everything done above board and expeditiously. We are focusing on the Lost, the Least, & the Lonely – people without insurance or who are under insured. We are going to smaller towns and low income areas that don’t have the news reporting on them right now.

We are providing immediate relief to people on the ground through gift cards & buying stuff they need immediately.

Our strategy is unfolding quickly. The money will be given for immediate needs, but as we raise more we are going to dive DEEP with families and adopt them in and help them with everything.

Grace Community Church is participating this Sunday in THE TORNADO TITHE CHALLENGE : 100 churches giving 10% of May 8th weekend offering to provide hope for the Lost, the Least, & the Lonely.

Below is the 4 Step Strategy To Implement this week:

1. Pray – Ask God for the courage to be generous this next weekend!

2. Prepare – Giving is always better when you let people know an ask is coming

3. Promote: Create an intentional offering moment for your church next weekend

4. Provide – Provide hope to the lost, the least, and the lonely through the Immediate Relief Fund

You can get all the materials you need to participate HERE.

Will you join us?

My friend Casey Graham is a game changer. When he is passionate about something, he doesn’t just talk about it, he does something. This past week, Casey’s home state of Alabama was devastated by one of the worst tornado disasters in history.  Casey knew that in any disaster, the greatest need is always money, because money allows the team on the ground to do what is necessary to address the greatest needs. Casey went to work. In just 24 hours, this effort has raised over $75,000.   You can read more about it HERE. Casey is working through Cross Point Church in Decatur, Alabama.

Casey has set up a leadership team to oversee this process. He’s asked me to be a part of that team. You can read about that HERE.

He’s challenging churches and others to be a part. Read the latest challenge HERE.

There are many great efforts out there. Americans show their generosity during times like this. Casey is attempting to assist people without insurance or under insured. If you’d like to help, click HERE.

What other ways are people helping? Feel free to point people to those ways to support by leaving a comment.

I’ve been in church all my life. I’ve also always been active in my community. I’ve leaerned there are many myths people have about the church…some from people inside the church…some from the people on the outside of the church.

Here are 10 myths I’ve observed frequently:

Some think the pastor only works on Sunday…

Some feel the pastors prayers are always more powerful than their prayers…

Some think their favorite song is everyone else’s favorite song…

Some believe the church doesn’t need money to operate…

Some think missions should only be local…or only overseas…

Some believe the pastor (or his wife and kids) no longer struggle with sin or temptation…

Some think the style of music determines the spiritual depth of music…

Some feel the pastor’s wife (or the pastor) should be everywhere…

Some believe church is only for people like them…or not like them…

Some think the model of doing church never needs changing…

Which of these myths have you seen or believed?

What would you add to my list?

I recently returned from Ecuador where I was able to witness firsthand the work of Compassion International. It was a great trip, I learned a ton, and I’m now even more committed to Compassion International.

The best part of the trip, however, was the people with whom I traveled. For the week I was surrounded by other pastors. What a joy!

It’s great to be with people who understand the pressures, stress, frustration, and honor of being a pastor. Hanging out with pastors is something I need to do more often. I needed this week.

If you are a pastor, do you have other pastors with whom you connect frequently?

Do you see the value?

Do you wish you had such a group?

Did you know Compassion International connects with the local church? Through their child development program and child sponsorship program, Compassion runs its ministry through a local, Bible-believing, Christian church.  I never knew that.

This week I’ve been with a group of pastors learning more about Compassion International in Ecuador. With every project we visited we went to a local church, met the pastor, and saw firsthand the impact the church and Compassion are having on the community. We saw adults who were children in the program, who now are reinvesting into other Compassion children…through the local church.

When you sponsor a child, they are partnered with a local church, with a pastor, and ministries, and an opportunity to minister to them beyond just the ministry of Compassion!

As a local church pastor, I love that vision!  Did you know that? ]

Learn more about Compassion International HERE.

If you’ve been following my blog this week, I’m in Ecuador with a group of pastors on behalf of Compassion International.

We were blown away today as we entered a village in the mountains of Ecuador. It took an hour to drive the curvy dirt road, our bus got stuck, and we walked a short distance to the village. Upon rounding a corner, we saw a crowd waiting for us. Hundreds of children from the village had formed a receiving line where they gave us a rose (Ecuador is famous for their roses) and a homemade card welcoming us to their village. It was slightly overwhelming.

Have you ever received an overwhelming undeserved show of affection?

I was reminded that I receive that kind of love everyday from God!

I can’t help but share this picture. This little boy warmed my heart (as did many others). I’m not sure he knew how cute he is!

Day 2 of visiting Compassion Projects in Ecuador was my favorite so far, and it happened because of one little boy. He’s one of the boys in this picture. When I went to take his picture he asked if his “best friends” could be in the picture too. I loved that!

Anyway, this little boy was asked what he liked best about Compassion International sponsorship program and he said, “God blessed me with the opportunity to meet my sponsors.” Wow! That’s the part about Compassion I like the best! It’s an open book. Today I saw the records…I saw the documents…I saw the paperworks side…but more than that…I saw the kids who many people sponsor. If you sponsor a child with Compassion International, you can make a visit to that child…and they feel “blessed by God” when you do.

By the way, if you do sponsor a child, send them pictures and letters. I did learn that children absolutely love hearing from their sponsors. This boy, for example, knew that his sponsors had two daughters who got married this year. He knew their names. He was celebrating with them! The children who receive letters really do get to know and love their sponsors.

I’m not paid by Compassion or even asked to write this blog post, but let me be honest. If you want to impact children around the world, change lives and communities one child at a time, consider sponsoring a child today. You can do that HERE. It is estimated that every child sponsors has an impact on 30 other people in their family and community. Amazing return for your investment!

Have you sponsored a child through Compassion? Tell me about it.

During the 1950’s, Evangelist Everett Swanson traveled to South Korea to preach the gospel to the troops in the Republic of Korea army. During his visit, he encountered children orphaned by the war hanging out in garbage dumps. They were searching for food, shelter, and hiding from the reality of their existence. Sometimes the garbage trucks would avoid them…sometimes they wouldn’t.  Obviously, it burdened Swanson’s heart, but not knowing how to solve a mammoth problem, he headed home to the United States.

Soon after his return, Rev. Swanson was challenged by a missionary friend with a haunting question.

“What are you going to do about the orphans?”

He couldn’t continue without doing something, and from that burden, Compassion International began.

Today, Compassion International is changing the lives of children around the world. I love that Compassion connects to a local church and does ministry through that church. Compassion focuses on four aspects of the child’s life; social, physical, emotional, and spiritual. It is estimated that every child helped impacts 30 other people around the child.

Amazing what a small monthly amount can do!

Consider sponsoring a child today by going HERE.

BTW, what burden has God placed on your heart? What are YOU going to do about it?

In case you missed it, I’m in Ecuador this week with a group of pastors on behalf of Compassion International. Read more about it HERE.

This week I’m in Ecuador with a group of pastors and ministry leaders, including our family pastor Michael Bayne, and my good friend Casey Graham.

We are here on behalf of Compassion International seeing the work they do to improve the life of children around the world.

We will see first hand where an individual’s monthly dollars to support Compassion children goes. I look forward to reporting to you what I see. I’ve never been to Ecuador, but so far it looks much like countries I have seen, such as Costa Rica, Brazil, and Mexico. I have learned, however, that there is a rich uniqueness about each people group. We just arrived late last night, so I’m excited to explore this great country and it’s culture and people.

Please pray for our team and check out the ministry of Compassion International.

Have you ever been to Ecuador?

Are you familiar with the ministry of Compassion?