Together, bringing God’s inspiration into action/reality
Why the name Judea and Samaria Ministries?
In August of 2014, I was sitting on my front porch in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo reading international news about a young black man who was shot by a white police officer in St. Louis, Missouri and the uprising that followed. My fiancé called from France. She asked me if it was safe for her to go to Missouri. I, a small-town Missouri boy, said to my now wife, a black French woman, “Of course it is. The media is making a bigger deal out of this than what it really is.” Those words were spoken out of ignorance. I am still ignorant about many things that have erected the dividing walls of hostility within the body of Christ but I am learning.
Several mentors of mine have helped me understand life in America as black and Christian. Walking the streets of France, Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and now Florrisant, MO, USA with my bride have helped me see things in a way that I had failed to see them before. The Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) and the Southern Kingdom of Israel (Judea) were divided. In the days that Jesus Christ walked the earth, Jews did not eat with Samaritans. There is a divide in the body of Christ today that needs attention. Healing will not come without intentional efforts from all of us and a divine intervention. We must live into the healing power of the cross to experience unity in the body of Christ. Jesus paid the ultimate price so that we may be reconciled to Him and to each other. “It is finished!”
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would come upon us, the church, and we would be witnesses to Jerusalem, and all of Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Jesus never wastes words. He was speaking to his disciples before ascending into heaven. He intentionally spoke of Jerusalem (those like us), Judea (our surrounding neighborhoods), Samaria (those on the other side of the tracks that we don’t invite over for dinner), and the ends of the earth (all nations). We only represent the fullness of the Kingdom of God when all nations are at the table. May the church be reconciled, and in some cases, conciled for the first time. Jesus has done it and he is still doing it. Join us!
Together we will be His witnesses to the nations!
Mark and Lydie Verslues - founders of Judea and Samaria Ministries
Pray For The Lou
Pray for the Lou has a passion to “mobilize a people who will pray and go with the gospel all over St. Louis! What is divided will be united as we continue to go there!” We are partnering with Pray for the Lou to pray for our city and encourage unity in the body of Christ.
prayforthelou.org
WORKDAY - Restore St. Louis
A Ministry of Restore St. Louis, WORKDAY seeks to “spread God’s love and hope in impoverished communities by meeting basic, physical needs and providing a safe home environment for the elderly and disabled - all in Jesus’ name.” We are partnering with teams that come to St. Louis to be a blessing to our elderly. In return, eternal relationships are formed and nourished.
restorestlouis.org