Jesus, Chris and Street People

Chris — Street Minister

Well folks.  There’s all type of people in “this-here-part” of Carolina.

Even though I just landed here in the mountains, I’ve been allowed to participate in the largest annual photo-documentation-thingy there is around here…”A Day in the Life of Asheville”.  It’s an annual project to document a specific 36-hour day in Asheville.

Kinda neat to be invited and allowed to participate.  There’s about 83,000 folks that live around this town…and only 80 or so are documenting life in this mountain town.

Anyways, I saw this person on the street.  That’s him in the picture.  His name is Chris.  He’s a street minister here.

He’s got a MDiv from a Southern Baptist seminary, although you wouldn’t know it from looking at him.  Kind of a cool guy though…really.  His approach to people (mainly street people and the homeless folks) mimics the approach I think Jesus had in mind.

“You’ve gotta catch your fish first and then clean ‘em”

In other words, Chris (and Jesus) aren’t/isn’t telling people to…

…talk like this

…dress like this

…attend this service

…or that church

AND THEN WE’LL LET YOU IN!

Nope.  Chris and Jesus are ready, willing and able to meet people where they are and then taking them to where they need to be. 

Kind of a refreshing approach to the Gospel, don’t ya think?

Catch ya later…I’m gonna have a cup of coffee with my new buddy Chris.