Our 3 main ministries
Help the homeless and destitute. Preserve and protect nature. Unification of the tribes as a sovereign people.
Helping the homeless and destitute:
The Master Jesus was homeless most of his life. He was no stranger to sleeping in uncomfortable spaces in extreme weather and with a hungry belly. He was imprisoned, although innocent. He spoke often on the matter of caring for the church (the people). Jesus repeatedly showed his practical concern for homeless people. There are many recorded instances where he helps rehabilitate people from their lost state to return them to being able to maintain a normal and stable home life again.
That service takes on different forms of rehabilitation for different people. In (Mark 5:1-20) Jesus restores a man possessed of a disturbing spirit who is sleeping in the cemeteries like a wild man. Jesus casts out his evil spirits and restores him to be able to function in society again. He is able to return to his home when he was liberated from his demons.
A leper came close to Jesus in spite of mandates for lepers to be exiled from healthy society, fell at his feet and said: ‘If you choose, you can make me clean’ (Mark 1:40-45). Jesus had compassion for the man, homeless due to health issues; he touched his ravaged face and cured him. The homeless leper no longer had to sleep in the cold streets but could now return to his home and family.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus told the story of a traveler who had been robbed and assaulted and left for dead at the side of a country road. He gave the man his clothes, cared for his wounds, fed and bathed him and put him up for two months in an Inn. He also paid the Inn Keeper to care for the man. And yet, there was a rich man in town who passed the wounded man in the street and ignored him. Though he professed to be a religious man, the rich man did not recognize his opportunity to save a life, blinded by his riches and pride.
The very face of Jesus is the face of homelessness
In the description of the last judgment (Matt 25:31-46) there are placed before us six kinds of people: the hungry, the thirsty, the aliens/outcasts/foreigners, the naked, the sick, and prisoners. Most of the people who are in the homeless population belong to those six types of people. In speaking of the last judgment, however, Jesus identifies himself with those in terrible distress. He is the asylum seeker, he is the one with no pillow to rest his head, he is the hungry and broke beggar, he is the wounded traveler, he is the prisoner sleeping in a cell, he is the paroled felon looking for a second chance, he is the diseased covered with sores. Such people bring us the very face of Jesus. In and through the homeless, the refugees, the prisoners, the widowed and elderly, the hungry and sick, Jesus continues to be in agony; in them his mission continues...
The Old Testament prophets vigorously reminded their audiences to care for widows, aliens/foreigners/outcasts, orphans and other people in distress. But none of them went as far as Jesus did by identifying himself with the homeless and all others in terrible need for healing or sustenance. This remains the crux of his challenge to all of us. Jesus, the homeless and afflicted one, have mercy on us as we have mercy on those in need.
Jesus spent the better part of three years depending on the charity of others (Matthew 8:20, Luke 8:1-2, and Luke 9:58). In turn, He and His disciples preached the gospel (good news) to the poor (Matthew 5:3, Matthew 11:5, Luke 4:18, Luke 6:20, Luke 7:22, and John 12:5) and gave generously to the destitute and needy (Matthew 26:9, Mark 14:5, and John 13:29).
What’s more, Jesus didn’t just ‘say’ the words of the Gospel, he LIVED them: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9 NIV). He gave everything willingly.
So, it’s no wonder that Jesus promised eternal blessings for those who care for the homeless and destitute (Matthew 19:21, Matthew 25:31-40, Mark 10:21, Luke 11:41, Luke 12:33, Luke 14:13, Luke 18:22, and Luke 19:8). Jesus also warned about eternal losses for those who spurn the needs of the poor (Matthew 25:41-46; see also Proverbs 19:17 and Proverbs 28:27). Later, Jesus’ half-brother, James, echoed a similar stern warning (James 2:1-9). Many of the apostles also experienced homelessness in their ministries.
Beware of oppressing the poor and homeless. There are stiff consequences.
God will break the arm of these oppressors and call them into account (Psalm 10:14-15). He will use their own weapons to destroy them (Psalm 37:14-15). He will rebuke them to their face for their evil deeds (Psalm 50:21). He will bring them down to everlasting ruin (Psalm 52:5). He will blot them out of the book of life (Psalm 69:22-28). Unjust judges will surely fall (Psalm 82:7). The proud oppressors will be destroyed (Psalm 94:23).
Those that help the poor and afflicted are blessed.
Such a person is compassionate, lending or giving money freely, without thought of usury or returns (Psalm 15:5 and Psalm 112:4-5). With amazing generosity, he scatters abroad his gifts to the poor (Psalm 112:9). Those in positions of high authority have a special responsibility to defend the afflicted, save the children of the needy, take pity on the weak, save them from death, and crush the oppressor (Psalm72:4 and Psalm 72:12-14).
If you would like your name remembered in the book of life, there's no better way than to help those in need. God longs to use you and me to assist the homeless and afflicted. We are working hard in our ministry to fulfill this mission in special ways for our time. We see the people in our communities who need relief, and we do whatever it takes to serve them in whatever capacity we feel called to by spirit.
- Do you truly care for the destitute?
- How much do you truly long to see them blessed and back on their feet?
- Are you offering spiritual and material assistance to the needy?
- Do you trust God to judge and punish their oppressors?
- What acts of compassion will you show today?
If you're looking for ways to serve our community, consider participating in our ministry to restore people to dignified and responsible position to care for themselves. Often, that means we must do a service for them they cannot do for themselves until they're able to do it for themselves again. In the process of "teaching a man to fish" he will eat for a lifetime.
Our main ministry to restore the homeless is to help those people offset and displaced by hyperinflation, rising rent and cost of living, health issues from pandemics, job loss, etc. If you or a loved one is facing homelessness, please contact our ministry to see if we can help.
Facing homelessness? Contact our ministry to see if we have the ability to help you at this time. We will help in whatever capacity we are led by spirit to assist, and in whatever means we have to help. We are most compelled to help those willing to play an active role in their own recovery. In other words, we first help those who help themselves. The process to recovery is often most profound when we let faith take seed in us and we trust in divine power to help us get back on our feet with good choices and active participation in our own path to recovery.
Please Note*** If you are homeless because of drug addiction or mental illness, we are not equipped to serve you properly. Please find a non-profit or government organization that has the proper tools for helping with rehab and mental illness. Since our facilities are FAMILY oriented, we often help families with children. We have an obligation to protect the innocent in our care from those who would use the church without taking proper steps to fix their own situation. And that is our MAIN focus, people who are ready for help by partnering with us in their own recovery.
We are able to help people who are homeless because of:
Job Loss/Unable to find employment/Low Wages
Raised Rent/Evictions
Unable to get approved for loans or housing
Social Stigma (you're an outcast because you're 'different')
Down on Hard Times after Injury or Illness
Personal Hardship
No Affordable Housing Available (Poverty)
Physical Disability
Escaped an Abusive Situation and you don't know where to go
Lack of Support Group/Family/Friends who can help
Paroled and you desperately need a Second Chance (as long as you are NOT a felon with child endangerment charges/crimes of violence/ or sexual predatory criminal record) Felons handled on a case by case basis.
We may be able to help!
Preserve and protect nature; Caring for nature and animals.
We adopt trees to people for planting, teach people how to grow food and how to forage etc. We also combine efforts with other local ministries to rehabilitate and adopt out stray or abandoned/orphaned animals or to release a rehabilitated animal back to the wild.
Proverbs 12:10 "A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel."
Proverbs 27:23 "Know well the condition of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds;"
Job 12:7 “But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you" Part of this is by engaging in an active nature ministry to protect all life and maintain a healthy balance in our ecosystem by caring for an preserving the natural habitat of animals and plants. The animals communicate to those pure enough to understand.
Genesis 2:15 "Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it."
Matthew 10:29 "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father." Not one tiny animals cries without being heard by the heavens.
Psalm 50:10-11 “For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. “I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine." Every sentient being is a part of God. When you are showing compassion for animals and the balance of nature, you are in the service of God.
Luke 14:5 And He said to them, “Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?” There is a reminder in the Bible that we are not as good as nature sometimes because we lack faith in our good instincts, for nature is obedient to their purposes and follows the laws that govern their purpose.
Matthew 6:26-30 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin..."
Sometimes animals and eco system NEED our protection from other predators, including mankind and their destructive capacity when operating from evil or ignorance.
Isaiah 40:11 "Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes." In our nature ministry, we tend the gardens and help animals whenever we recognize a need to take action.
We also dedicate sanctuary for the preservation and protection of ecosystems and wildlife.
Unification of the tribes:
Matthew 20:28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus made clear that He came not to be served but to serve. And who did Jesus come to serve?
Everyone, including pagans. If you call yourself a Christian and yet shun or persecute pagans, you are a hypocrite and fail to understand the ministry of Christ. Jesus despised all religion which was not of the genuine heart and continuously reminded us to LOVE AND SERVE ONE ANOTHER. The vain practices of the pious devotees, the exterior strictness, which trusted to formality and strict obedience for salvation, had in him a mortal enemy. A pagan may actually be more devoted to their heart centered faith than one who professes to be a 'Christian'.
"This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." Isaiah 29:13
To the good Samaritan who helped the wounded traveler, he helped a man who was a pagan to his own faith. He was a good example of the kind of love we should have for all people. There are a great many 'pagans' more true to their gods with their good and honorable hearts than the pious 'Christian' with a hateful heart inwardly who outwardly professes to love god.
Many gods were worshiped in the ancient world – Egyptian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Celtic, Norse, etc. Some of these were fertility gods, who brought the change of seasons and the rain necessary for the growth of crops; some were ‘mystery religions’, whose worship was limited to initiates.
The Free Church of the Magi treats our 'Christian ministry' as a mystery religion, rather than one of dogma and strictrules. Our ministries are maintained by oath-bound initiates to serve ALL the people. One's relationship with the divine is a very personal journey and should NEVER be forced upon another against their will. Therefore, the wise ones of the 'church' includes ALL wise people from all walks of life whohave the capacity to seek for light and wisdom and to be filled with love in their hearts. That path may look very different from one individual to the next. This church is facilitated by those who have shown spiritual meritocracy through the evidence of their faith in working miracles among the people.
Our sacerdotal class may include Christians AND Pagans who show genuine talent in their chosen ministries. Those who are proven master servants to the people in spiritual service, are chosen by the church for ordination and protection in their ministries.
In Corinthians 12, we are shown some of the gifts of the spirit: The 9 Gifts of the Holy Spirit listed there include (but are not limited to):
The Word of Knowledge.
The Word of Wisdom.
The Gift of Prophecy.
The Gift of Faith.
The Gifts of Healings.
The Working of Miracles.
The Discerning of Spirits.
Different Kinds of Tongues.
The Interpretation of Tongues.
These gifts may arise in anyone coming from any walk of life, therefore it's by one's own meritocracy that these gifts present themselves as genuine. We seek to unite ALL good people into one unified tribe and to continually remind the people that we are all brothers. Therefore it is our mission to see peaceful co-existence among people of all faiths to unite together to protect liberty and freedom for all.
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