A Bowl, Some Soap, and Water

As I reflect on our time here in San Jose, I can’t help but think that even though our time here wasn’t long, this place has really impacted me. Not only did I fall in love with the graffiti-painted city streets, but the people of these streets. Til He Returns is a church here that is small, yet it’s making a huge difference. Again, their ministry is so anointed it’s changing more than the city, my team and I have only been here a week and have shared tears of how moved we are by this church. 

Micah and Melisa, the founders of Til He Returns, have captivated the community with their love for human relationships. In this ministry no matter who you are, no matter where you come from, whether or not you are free of sin or still walking heavily through it, they welcome you with open arms.

This morning we had service and it was the purest form of church I think I’ve ever seen. Among the congregation, you saw people nicely dressed in skirts and button up’s along with people dressed in crop tops and baggy jeans. This didn’t stop any of them from greeting each other excitedly. Everyone was hugging one another with the biggest smiles on their faces. Nobody was judging anyone, I could tell by the way they loved one another.

Before service started they turned on music and danced together, krumping, break dancing, anything was game! Even if it’s not what religion see’s as glorifying the Lord, they praised God together by using the fun, special gift He has given them. Micah opened up the service by asking if anyone had anything they’d like to share, either it being something the Lord was speaking, testimonies from the week, or prayer requests. Instead of preaching a message, Micah sought to the needs of his congregation. 

One man, a volunteer in the church, boldly asked for prayer saying he was sick of serving and didn’t want to have a hard heart in serving. Micah could have said a simple prayer and gone on to preaching what he had planned for the day, but he didn’t. He had the team bring out a big bowl of water, some soap, and a towel. In the middle of the church service, Micah stopped everything and washed this volunteer’s feet. Imagine it, dear reader, sitting in your church and your pastor stopping in the middle of service just to wash your feet, to serve you, and to tell you how loved you are.  What a beautiful picture of what it means to pastor. To ditch the message he had for the ninety-nine and wash the feet of the one. A beautifully written message isn’t what this man needed, a simple prayer isn’t what this man needed, it was to be served the way Jesus served his disciples. 

14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

John 13:14-17

This is the same for the people we lead as well. People don’t always need an encouraging bible verse, a scheduled time to talk about what’s wrong, a simple prayer, or our advice. Sometimes all we need is a bowl, some soap, and water to serve people the way Jesus did.