One of those places for me was Sugar Brown’s Coffee Shop in Lubbock. It was my safe haven during college and I loved to be there. The wonderfully rich aroma of coffee filled the air even before I walked through the glass doors of the shop. It was like the welcome mat for the store.

It was an eclectic place, filled with a hodgepodge of tables, comfy chairs that looked like they each had a story to tell and random art from local artists. It had a homey yet creative atmosphere, offering soft light for a good chat or study session.

Often I would get a brown sugar latté and sink into a soft chair with a book or the homework I had to tackle. I loved this place because I always knew a college buddy would be present there, ready for a chat. It was a safe, fond place that I loved to frequent.

I wish all places in our lives were like this… fond, safe, warm places to be. But they are not. Some places are where we don’t like to be present, maybe because they are frightening, maddening or even seem unsafe to us. These are places we wish didn’t exist, and I’m sure there is a good reason for that.

We live in a fallen world where there are dark, hard places to be. But that doesn’t excuse our presence there, specifically as Christians. We don’t get the opportunity to bail when places seem difficult, risky or scary.

We serve a God that took the form of a man and became the incarnate Jesus so that we don’t have to face these scary, maddening or unsafe places on our own. While on earth, Jesus spent much of his time in dark places with people who needed hope and the light that he offered to clean out the deepest, darkest strongholds in their lives.

In Matthew 5, Jesus said to His followers, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Jesus came to earth to be present, to live life with us, to pour love on us and to bring us hope. But it wasn’t just so we could have a peachy, safe life. It was so we would take this same restoration to others caught in dark places. This call, this example is now ours as Christ follower to live out.

The call isn’t just about taking this light and hope to places that are already lit. It’s about running into the dark places, knowing that darkness flees from light, especially the light of Christ.

It’s easy to speak about these things, but harder to put them into practice. We are people of habit and comfort. There are times when we would rather and choose to live close to family, take a Sunday afternoon nap, buy ourselves coffee, head out on a vacation (those these are not bad in themselves) than be obedient and take Christ’s love to places that are messy, to people who aren’t in the safest of locations.

But Christ has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control in Him (2 Tim. 1:7). He has called us to boldly be light, knowing that His Spirit is walking with us in this task.

There is a fresh call today to be present where the Lord has called you. Be present, living out the light and hope of Christ, making a difference in the lives of our families, of our neighbors and coworkers. Be present when it is easy and fun. But also be present when it is difficult and messy. And even be present when the Lord is calling you to risky places or places that don’t seem logical by earthly standards.

We are called to engage our world, not just pass through it. And as believers, we are called to connect with those in the world on a deep, personal, sacrificial level because that is the example that was set before us. That was the example of Jesus.

He didn’t love or care just when it was easy. He cared and gave and loved and poured out his life until it took all of Him, until He became the sacrificial lamb that provided us the opportunity for eternal life and a relationship with Him.

Doing the same can be tough and uncomfortable at times.

But more is at stake than our comfort and our pleasure. There are billions of people beyond our doorsteps that do not know that Hope has come, that Hope is here.

Don’t just follow God in the safe places you love. Follow God even to the risky places, knowing his grace is enough for all you encounter for the sake of the gospel.

Keep watching the blog this month as I share several stories from people who have followed God’s call to risky places to when others didn’t think it was the wisest decision. You won’t want to miss seeing how God is working through His faithful followers!

If you took my family and went back one generation to my grandparents and my husband’s grandparents then listed every sin in the Bible, it could be matched to a name and face on my family tree.  Murder, stealing, lies, big things, small things – we are the faces that represent the destructive choices people make.

Just a few, short years before my birth, my mother and father were rescued from homelessness, drugs and abuse.  Rescued because someone went to them - loved them. Someone told them of Amazing Grace. It’s the fingerprint of our family – where sin abounds, grace is found even more.  Simple, exponential, running over. Amazing Grace. Grace that is enough.

There is a message that needs to be heard that says stop being busy… and remember to love.  It’s the message Jesus conveyed in the story of The Good Samaritan. The people who passed by weren’t bad people; they were just busy people. And in the mayhem, someone saw the madness of a society too busy to love.

This Samaritan man broke open, and his actions screamed at injustice, “Not on my watch will you win!” Instead of being overwhelmed by the problem, he became the solution.  In his ordinary coming and goings, in his everyday business, he loved one person well. God isn’t always looking for outrageous, radical, super-stars, but everyday men and women who will love well.  And one person who loves another well, will change a family’s history.

So I ask, “look at my picture- do I look hungry?  Do you think I have enough to eat? Do I look like the child of homeless parents?”  And your answers should be a resounding, “NO.” That is Amazing Grace!

It’s love that comes to fragmented pieces and brings restoration and hope. Love remakes a finished product that doesn’t resemble the former ways of life!

 My family’s experiences shaped me significantly. I didn’t go to church as a child to hear about Bible stories. I went to church because I was a part of God’s story – His thrilling story where broken, awkward people are rescued and put back together in a way that makes them newer, fresher, upgraded somehow.

When I read about the murderer who was forgiven, I see the family face saddened by her crime. And when I hear the story of the lonely and devastated who were hungry, I see my mother, and it all feels so very personal!  It compels me to strive for a lifestyle where I live in such a way that my choices reflect the grace I have lived. There is a longing deep inside me to stay in His story, to wake up each day and find out where He is and what He is doing.

I have to be very honest and say that following Jesus and loving others, it is awkward – and messy – and it isn’t comfortable or even safe. I can never imagine all the ways that the cross was very awkward and how Jesus made sense of the messy lives somehow. He never commands those who love Him to aim for comfortable or stay close to home and play it safe. But He said He would always be right beside those who choose His ways. His presensce is the prize and His presence is with me.

So when I see His presence not yet come in hurting people, it breaks me open inside. I hear God’s heart saying, “Bring them along. They can come too!”

So riding in Bike Out Hunger is a natural response for me – a speed bump in my life that reminds me, I need to stop and respond.  I think it makes Jesus smile to see his children play in a way that helps people – bringing one’s love for athletic sport and passion for helping those in need into a singular-focus. Bike Out Hunger brings the best of those two worlds together.  It is why I ride!

By Charity Stephens, a rocking wife and mom of three from Waco who loves Jesus, helping others, running marathons and photography!

The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace through faith. The Bible also adds in the book of James that if our faith is not accompanied by action, then our faith is useless or even considered dead.

Simply put, we are to care for the needs of others. My motivation for riding in Bike Out Hunger is to do just that. First, to care for the needs of those who are hungry in our state. We may not see them or even be aware that they are there but there are many around us who do not have meals to eat everyday. I know in my own community that the majority of meals offered to some children are done so through the school system. I am thankful that we take up an offering to assist in the recognition and resource of feeding the hungry in our state.

Second, we are to care for the spiritual needs of those in our state. Yes, there are many who in Texas do not call Jesus Lord, nor walk in His ways. For some to hear the gospel of Christ there needs to be a silencing of the groans in their stomach. When they know we care about them as individuals totally, physically and spiritually, hopefully they will trust the message we share.

Third, I feel God has called us all to take care of ourselves for as long as we can with Godʼs help to make a difference in our world. As I ride my bike for exercise, I do so with the hope of maintaining a strong Christian witness for as long as God grants. As I prepare for Bike Out Hunger I do so with the combined thoughts of others and self. Everyone gets benefit when we do for others as we do for self.

I am grateful for Texas Baptists and their commitment to meet the needs of individuals and families in our state. I am blessed to be a part of such a group as we combine our efforts and God given passions to affect the Kingdom of God. I am looking forward to riding for others and prayerfully the opportunity many will have to share food physically as we prepare to share the spiritual food that will not only change their lives but their eternal destinations as well.

To be an ambassador for the relief of hunger seems to go hand in hand with the call to serve as an ambassador to be used for Godʼs glory in reconciling the world to Himself.

By John Wheat, Pastor at First Baptist Church in Kennedy.

It all started when my daughter was invited to ride in the HHH100, which is by far the premier bike-riding event in Texas. After finding a bike to rent and cloths to buy and stuff to get, we were off to one of the best organized sporting events that I had ever been to. I immediately fell in love with the sport of cycling. With much thought and prayer, we bit the bullet and bought bikes so we could enjoy riding in more events together.

At the same time I was praying that God would help me find a way to use my bike for His glory. That’s when it happened. While searching the Internet for riding events, I stumbled across a YouTube video of the first Bike Out Hunger event and I knew that The Good Lord had directed me to this event at this time.

All the food taken to the food closet, all the Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets and all those times my wonderful wife Kandy would tell me to turn the car around and go buy cheeseburgers and fries so we could give them and $5 to the person on the corner came flooding back in my memory, letting me know that God had a plan for me, and He was getting me ready for the day that I would make a great sacrifice for people I don’t even know.

Matthew 25:40 says, “The King will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you. As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” Much to my dismay the day that I found out about BOH was the first day of riding for the 2011 ride. Even though I was very disappointed that I couldn’t ride the 2011 event, I realized that God was once again looking out for my best interest.

I was just starting to get over the sticker shock of quality bikes – how on earth could I be prepared for a multi-day ride? This “time in waiting” gave me the opportunity to start talking to everyone I knew that rides bikes about my chance to help feed hungry people here in Texas through this amazing riding event called Bike out Hunger.

Most of the people I have talked to think the way I used to about cycling. Why would you want to ride your bike more than a block or two? And all I can say is that God is giving me the chance to help feed hungry people and hopefully I will have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus.

By Scott Farr of Pilot Point, Texas. Scott considers Bike Out Hunger to be his “first mission trip.”

This week during Bike Out Hunger, a team of 25 Texas Baptists amateur cyclists are pedaling mile after mile, more than 400 total, not just for the thrill of it, but to let people know that hunger is right here in Texas and that we as Christ followers need to be doing something about it.

Since you can’t do something about a problem you may not notice or know much about, let’s look at a few hunger facts about our state and nation.

Texas

• Texas ranks second highest in the nation for food insecurity.
• In Texas, 18.8 percent of the population is Food Insecure.
• Texas ranks fifth highest in the country for childhood food insecurity, with more than 1.7 million children in the state at risk of hunger.
• Nearly one in five Texans (4.41 million) are living in poverty.
• More than 6 billion dollars of private and state funds designated for hunger related programs in Texas went unused in 2010.
• Only 50% of Texans eligible for SNAP (formerly food stamps) participate in the program.
• Of the more than 2.4 million students in the state who get a free or reduced-price lunch at school, less than 1.4 million (56 percent) participate in the School Breakfast Program.
• Only 12% of the 2.8 million Texas children that qualify for free or reduced priced meals during the school year participate in the Summer Meals program.

The Nation

• 14.5% of US households are food insecure (compare to 18% of Texas Households).
• 6.2 million children live in food-insecure households.
• Every SNAP dollar spent generates $1.87 in economic returns.
• 23 million Americans live in food deserts, areas of the country that lack access to healthy foods. Often gas stations, fast food restaurants, and convenience stores are the only options.

Stats taken from FRAC, Texas Hunger Initiative and Feeding America.

Riding my bike is easy.

Riding from San Antonio to Dallas… easy.

I get to rest every 20 miles. I am off my bike by 2:30 p.m. (usually). The view is incredible. The conversation is rich. I get plenty to eat and drink along the way. Texas Baptist churches love and feed us every night. I sleep in a comfortable bed every night. Easy.

Riding my bike gives me an opportunity to worship God. The wind breezes past my body and it reminds me that God is near. The road reminds me that I am on a journey and must submit to what’s ahead. Looking too far ahead can crush your spirit. You must focus on the immediate. The breeze hits and reminds you that God is near. The moments after cresting a hill are great…God is near. In the frustrating moments when you missed your turn eight miles back…God is near. When God is near, we are drawn into worship. It is all worship.

When times seem difficult on my bike, I am reminded of people who really struggle. Parents who must decide between paying the electric bill or grocery store. Children who sleep face down to trick their aching stomachs. Families who watch children die because they do not have proper food. The aide workers and missionaries who work year after year to change broken systems. The pastors who are overwhelmed with the need outside the sanctuary doors. This is hard work.

In some small way, I have allowed myself to believe that riding my bike across Texas is making a difference but it just seems too easy. But my bike reminds me that we are on this journey together. We struggle together. We give. We sacrifice. We encourage. We change our way of living. We make a difference. The difference is more than a bike ride. The difference is my willingness to associate with those in need. To put myself in a place where my life can be changed. It seems easy but on the road you find out that it is hard. In the hard moments the breeze hits and reminds me that it is all worship. The hard work… worship. The sacrifice… worship. The conversation… worship. The awareness raised… worship.  Bike Out Hunger… worship.

Written by Scott Shelton, a graduate of Truett Theological Seminary who currently serves as the Student Pastor at FBC Athens. He is married to the incredible Stephanie Shelton and together they have thee kids, one dog and three chickens. Scott is joining 25 amateur cyclists to ride 400 miles through the Texas Hill Country this week through Bike Out Hunger, an effort to bring awareness and raise money for hunger issues in the state and around the world. This is Scott’s second year to ride in Bike Out Hunger.

I’m a girl of traditions and am quite thankful for these fun aspects that bring my family together. But I also know that there have been years when Easter came and went, and I was the same girl at the end of the day. I didn’t let Easter change anything. I missed the significance deep within my heart.

My husband and I are in a Life Group at our church, meeting each Sunday afternoon with three other young couples for a time of community and accountability. A few weeks ago, we watched a Nooma video called You that caused some stirrings in my heart.

In the video, Rob Bell shared about the culture surrounding the early church and how they grasp that the resurrection and redemption that Christ brought change everything about their lives in that first century society.

At that time, it was commonplace for people to profess allegiance to Greek or Roman gods who claimed to be born of virgins, ascended into heaven or be raised from the dead. The Roman Emperor Caesar at this time even claimed to have been sent to earth by the gods to bring about a universal reign of peace and prosperity, which he attempted to claim through military might.

So when the first Christians shared that they were following Jesus, who was born of a virgin, resurrected from the dead and ascended to heaven, it seemed typical in that society. And though it seemed they had a similar story, their message spread like a wildfire and the numbers joining the church grew daily. Why?

“These first Christians believed that Jesus’ resurrection had implications for the entire universe. Their tradition had taught them that the world is broken and desperately in need of repair and that at some point in the future, God was going to put it all back together. For them, this future restoration had nothing to do with leaving this world; it was all about the restoration, the renewing and the reclaiming of this world,” Bell said.

That’s why we see such a movement and impact on society by the early church, noted in Acts 2:42. Their belief in Jesus wasn’t just head knowledge. It was intentional action that touched EVERY crevice of their lives and the lives of others.

Because of Christ’s resurrection, not only did they have assurance of eternal life, but they also knew that the gospel changed life for them right at that moment. The gospel was about “serving the world, especially those on the underside of the empire,” Bell said.

Why the gospel?

In that day, gospel was a secular term. Whenever Caesar succeeded in one of his conquests, he would send out heralds to share his good news. These men were called the Greek equivalent for “evangelicals.” These men were sharing Caesar’s gospel.

But for early Christians, the gospel had nothing to do with military conquests but everything about societal and heart change.  They used the term “gospel” and brought new meaning to it, describing “this new world that Jesus and his followers were making right under the nose of the empire.”

Also, in that time, Caesar used the term “ecclesia” (the Greek equivalent of “church”) to mean complete cities or villages that worshipped him as the son of the gods.

“These first Christians took this empire term “ecclesia” and they used it to describe their gatherings, the one where they confessed Jesus is Lord. Obviously the way they were living and the things they believed raised all sorts of questions for those around them,” Bell said.

The early Christ followers were trying to reclaim their culture by living differently, intentionally. The Christ followers lived life with people around them in their cities, but they intentionally invited people to eat with them, to celebrate and suffer with them. Their days were filled with feeding the hungry, bringing dignity to the poor and loving the lonely.

When society saw this intentional community, this left many questioning who they  thought was Lord – Caesar or Jesus?

“To them (the early followers), the gospel was an invitation to a whole new way of life. And they lived this way because they had this profoundly mystical understanding of what they were doing with their lives… They believed the church was a living, breathing display of a whole new world God was brining about right here, right now.”

The believers in the early church not only had powerful convictions, they had mighty actions that backed their beliefs. They believed the gospel could and would change the world now and they acted accordingly.

As I sat watching this video, soaking in the picture of the generous, abundantly loving early church, the Lord spoke sweet words to my heart, “This is what Easter is about. It’s about not only believing that Jesus is alive today, but that the power of the resurrection brings redemption right now and in the life to come.”

At that moment, I think I realized why past Easters have come and gone without me paying much attention – I had forgotten that the gospel changes life now and I wasn’t letting that redemption be lived out in my life each day or flow to others around me.

Just like the early church, we still live in an angry, messed up world that needs to know there is hope, that there is a way to bring restoration to the brokenness that exists.

When Christ followers live displaying compassion and generosity, by extending grace to others, others start believing that God hasn’t given up on the world.

“That’s the gospel… the gospel is the good news that God has not given up on the world. That the tomb is empty and a giant resurrection rescue is underway and that you and I can be a part of it,” Bell said.

When your life is lived in a way where Christ’s redemption flows to every part of your being, you become a beacon of light for others who need the same hope you now have, the same redemption that has flowed through you. You become the gospel, an example of the good news!

“Broken, flawed vulnerable people like you and me are invited to be the hands and feet of a Jesus who loves us just the way we are but loves us way to much to let us stay that way,” he said.

Signs of Christ’s resurrection and redemption are all around us. Do you see them? Do you notice these redemptive signs and movements in your own heart, your own life?

This Easter, let’s celebrate the redemption Christ poured on us when He conquered sin and death. Let’s live in such a way that the good news of Easter, that extreme love and grace is played out before those around us each day where they are left asking, “Will I follow my way? Or will I follow Christ?”

Though the Beach Reach ministry engages the spring breakers with the gospel through free van rides and pancakes, much of the ministry begins with prayer – prayer for God to move in the hearts of Spring Breakers before any conversation takes place and prayer that God will guide the words and actions of the Beach Reachers.

Prayer also plays a vital part while the ministry was taking place. As Spring Breakers pile into the vans to catch a ride across the island, Beach Reachers attempt to get to know the riders by name, hopefully learning about their life and where they stand with Christ.

As the names are shared, the van navigator uses Twitter to send messages (Tweets) back to the prayer room at the mission base so that other Beach Reachers can specifically be praying for the people in the van. Before the Spring Breakers are dropped off, the Beach Reachers on the van ask to pray for the group, often asking God to keep them safe and for them to see how much God loves them.

Specifically mentioning the Spring breakers by name is no coincidence.  If these students are not connected to Christ or to a community of faith back home, how often do you think someone prays specifically for them by name? Probably not very often.

This is a way that Beach Reachers and others can ask God to move specifically in their lives and bless them, hopefully meaning someday that they come into a life-giving relationship with Christ.

When was the last time you specifically prayed for someone by name that they would come into a saving, life-giving relationship with Christ? When was the last time that you consistently talked with the Lord about a specific person coming to know Him, asking that His Spirit would stir in the heart of that person before you even utter a word about Christ?

Before Spring Break, I had no personal connection with the Spring Breakers at South Padre Island.  I didn’t know their names. I didn’t know their stories. I had no clue about their hopes, dreams and hurts. But now I do know some of these things, and I have a responsibility.

After giving rides to Nick, Isaiah, Denise, Brian, Jennifer, Ariel, Janelle, Quinton, Bejah, Devin, Tyler, Tony, Ben, Joaquin, Italia, Katelyn and Chandler (just to name a few), they aren’t random people to me anymore. I’ve heard some of their stories and now I know them by name. And now I am compelled to come before the Father, asking that He would protect them, show Himself to them and move in a way where they will understand the grace He is offering them.

Though I’m now back home and hundreds of miles away from most of these Spring Breakers, they are still in my prayers by name. Connecting with the lost, those who don’t know Christ, and praying that God moves in their lives can be something that happens now, daily, and not just on a mission trip.

Today, take the time to realize God has placed you in relationships, given you personal connections for a reason. Write down the names of the people in your life who you know don’t have a relationship with Christ and begin praying for them daily by name.

God can do amazing things through this. And as you pray for these people by name, God can begin moving in your heart as well, creating opportunities for you to share about the hope you have in Christ.

Need some ideas on what to pray? Take some time to pray these scriptures over the people God has placed in your life who don’t have a relationship with Him.

• Pray they understand they were made in God’s image – Gen. 1:27
• Pray they see that God is their safe place and salvation– Psalm 62:6-8
• Pray they understand God has a plan for them – Jer. 29:11
• Pray they see that God is good – Psalm 119:68
• Pray they connect with and accept His freedom – 2 Cor. 3:17-18

What we do and say starts deep within us with what we believe about life (our worldview), what convictions we hold and how we relate to the world around us.

But we aren’t always truthful with others and ourselves about these convictions. We say we believe one way to conform to the social norms or the groups around us or just because of comfort. Yet, many times our actions don’t follow through with our talk.

As Christ followers, we talk about how important it is to share our faith with others, to participate in evangelism efforts and to make a difference in our communities. But how often is this just conversation with little or no action?

For many, when the opportunity to put these things into action comes, the responsibility is politely pushed to someone else. I’ve been guilty of this myself because I wanted to live in a worldview of convenience and self focus, not of Christ.

We talk one way and act another, following our own way rather than that of truth and of God’s plan.

A worldview is defined as the perspective by which people see and interpret the world, the morals and standards that guide their lives. On a personal level, a worldview is an individual’s belief about the realities of the world and how it all ties together. In essence, it is the framework for which we see reality and make sense of the world and life around us.

We can figure out our worldview by answering a few questions.

1. Is there a god and what is he like?
2. What is the nature and origin of the universe?
3. What is the nature and origin of man?
4. What happens to man after death?
5. Where does knowledge come from?
6. What is the basis of ethics and morality?
7. What is the meaning of human history?

Typically, five major lenses emerge from the answers to these questions – Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism. Beyond these major views, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witness and Scientology come into play.

The Christian worldview stems from having the mind of Christ – to think like Christ, love like Him, to act as He would. This is what we could call a biblical worldview.

Though this is the standard for a biblical worldview, many Christians do not live life under this lens. In 2003, the Barna Group conducted research about the current state of the evangelical, American church. The study showed that only 9 percent of born-again American Christians believe in a biblical worldview. Even within the church, a true Christian worldview often isn’t found.

We pick and choose the biblical truths that we want to follow, leaving out the others we find difficult to grasp or too uncomfortable to follow.

In Colossians 2:6-8, Christ followers are challenged to be able to discern and discard false philosophy –  worldviews. To do this, we Christians must know what Christ has called us to, what He has done, why we can trust that He is the Savior of the world and stand in these beliefs. This partly comes through personal time in the Word, discipleship relationships, worship and service.

We are bombarded with non-biblical worldviews each day through movies, TV shows, social media, books, academics and more, so much so that we can easily begin believing some of these falsities.  Because we are human, these ideas we see appeal to our core selfish natures and begin to slip into our lives if we are not intentional to recognize them and hold them against Christ’s commands.

As we continue on this month in our look at loving the lost, we first have to take a look at our own lives,  viewing the lens in which we see our relationship with God and our connection to the world. Our decisions and actions will reveal what we truly believe, what priorities we hold and what we want to see happen in the world.

If we really claim to have a Christian worldview, it is time for us to put this into action, to study the claims of Christ and to follow in His footstep, which means seeking out those who are lost in their pursuits of things that won’t eternally fulfill them and their journeys caught in the ways and worries of this life.