The hallways of our Clinic are constantly in motion with medical personnel going from room to room tending to those impacted by the consequences of unhealthy sexual choices. While some may be the voiceless victims snuggled deep within the womb, others are the reckless perpetrators carrying a deadly disease, and still others are the wounded weary who simply went looking for love and hooked up with more than they ever bargained for.
To some, these are the “lepers” of our day – don’t they deserve what they get? Play with fire – get burned! Aren’t these are the “notorious sinners” as described in Luke 15:1-2??
Todd Morrison shares,
There is no hierarchy of sin. Jesus forgave the unforgivable and touched the untouchables who’d been cast to the fringes of society by religious people.
Six months ago, we invited Forge Joplin to begin infiltrating our organization to assist in forming a culturally relevant missional/incarnational approach to our work. This revolutionary journey has transformed our focus from being an STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection)/Pregnancy Clinic, to being a Spiritually Transmitted Infection Clinic, specifically equipped to spread the “infection” of the gospel, like a virus through our community.
What better way to be postured for impact within the youth culture of our day, than being positioned for action in their time of most intimate crisis?
Proximally, we are in the neighborhood. We are the advocates “under the bridge” – our doors are open to the fearful and forgotten.
Being in their Presence we have the privilege of abiding, deeply immersed in the inner most place of their deepest point of physical and emotional heartache – here their burdens are hoisted off their shoulders as we choose to walk beside them through screenings, exams, treatments, pregnancy and yes, even at other times on the flip side of their choice to abort.
The humility of our own Powerlessness gives way to sharing the good news they long to hear for their survival for today. Just a cool drink of water – nothing more, nothing less. Just a touch – just an hour to be still and listen to their cry.
Through the actions of acceptance, the reality of relationship, we forge a bridge to their heart -- we earn the right for Proclamation. When they asked the “Man in the Sky” questions – we can respond with a personal, undisputable joy from our own journey.
Our motto at LifeChoices for the past three years has been - “Reach, Rescue, Restore and Replicate.” Forge Joplin is opening our eyes to the growing individual opportunities we have of being incarnational practitioners through intentional pathways into our community. We are renewed, energized, and poised - and we are on mission.
by Karolyn Schrage, Executive Director of LifeChoices & Forge Joplin Missional Coach