A little over a year and a half
ago, I met Jackie Pullinger and Nicole Montague
at one of the Fuller Seminary offices.
And I had already read Jackie's book, and
I was just awestruck, because I was so
touched by the book, and I remember being
so excited, running over to tell me, Jackie
Pullinger is here.
She's sitting with Carol Wimber, and we went
up there afterwards and we talked to Jackie.
And Jackie just reminded me the other day
that I told her that I felt like
the Lord was telling me that her ministry
and our ministry were going to be linked
together someday.
And I thought, boy, that was awful bold
of me to say that.
But I'm really grateful to the Lord that
he has done that.
Now, every China team that we send to
China, they go through Hong Kong, and we
try to introduce all of them to Jackie's
ministry.
So often we don't get to introduce them
to her, because she's so busy and out
on the street so much.
But she tries to make herself available, but
between her and Nicole and some of their
co-workers, they meet our people and take
them to the Walled City and introduce them
to the ministry.
And so I feel like the trip to
China is a double ministry trip, in that
people get to see China and they also
get to see a ministry to the poor
that is a very, very powerful one.
I believe one of the ministries that touches
the heart of God, because these people are
doing it out on the streets.
And it's really a privilege to have Jackie
here with us tonight.
She's going to tell us about her ministry
and some of the things that God has
been doing.
The thing that impressed me, and I'm not
trying to puff up Jackie or whatever, but
the thing that drew me to them was
the book.
And then when I went over there and
met them about a year and a half
or so ago, George and I were there
shooting the movie, and we called them up
and invited them to dinner.
And they said they couldn't come because they
were helping some heroin addicts to come off
of heroin.
And so they ended up fitting us in
sometime in the middle of the night.
But we were so impressed because they've been
doing this for so many, many years, and
yet they were still doing it.
If I was there, I would have delegated
it.
But they were still staying up all night
long and praying for people all night long
to come off of drugs.
And that's the way the ministry is there.
They don't have enough help, and so they
go at it all the time.
I'll let Jackie explain the story to you.
So why don't you just welcome Jackie Pullinger.
I'm really glad they turned the lights on
because I like to be able to see
people's faces.
And what I've come to share with you
tonight is about people, individuals.
See, I don't understand crowds.
I get frightened by lots of people.
A lot of people I meet have a
vision for millions.
Mine's terribly small.
My vision is for one.
It's for the hungry man next to me,
or the one who is painful around the
corner, or the one who's begging at the
gate.
And that one is my responsibility.
And that one is yours.
For that one, I have no excuse.
And for that one, you have no excuse.
For if you will not reach him or
her with the love of God, if you
will not tell him or her that there
is a God who loves them, loves them
enough to die, to make them whole, who
will?
That is what God is saying to me.
That is what the Lord is saying to
each one of you.
That's why he's allowed you to remain here.
He could have taken you straight to heaven.
It was a job that the angels longed
to do.
He gave it to you and to me.
Not just the responsibility, but the joy and
the privilege of sharing good news with those
who are lost.
Today, we were out at the ranch, and
I felt quite silly because we were sitting
in the buggy, driving along, and I saw
some children ahead of me riding their ponies.
And tears came to my eyes because they
were just little things, and they were so
much enjoying the fresh air and having a
pony to ride, and there was so much
air and so much space and a whole
pony for one boy and parents who loved
him and who cared whether he stayed on
and how he felt and when it was
his turn.
And I thought of the many children I
know who are locked in all day because
their parents have to go out to work,
and it's safer to keep the children locked
in.
It may be dangerous if there's a fire,
but that's just about all the space that
most of them will ever have to play
in because nearly all the families I know
live in one room, and it may vary
from about six feet by ten feet to
about 20 feet by 20 feet.
That's average for one family, and you do
everything in that room.
You sleep and you eat and you watch
television and you make love and you do
your homework and you cook and you wash.
And I wasn't really jealous of that little
boy.
I was really happy for him because he
was living how God meant us all to
live, enjoying the best.
There are many, many psalms that say this.
If you look through them, you'll find there's
no end to the people that God perfects
in him.
There's something for everyone.
Psalm 34, he says he's close to the
broken-hearted.
He saves those who are crushed in spirit.
He redeems his servants, and no one who
takes refuge in him will be condemned.
In Psalm 132 it says, I will bless
Zion with abundant provisions.
Her poor are satisfied with food.
The Lord upholds all those who fall, and
he lifts all who are barred down.
The eyes of all look to you, and
you give them their food at the proper
time.
You open your hand and satisfy the desire
of every living thing.
The Lord upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
He sets the prisoners free, and he watches
over the alien and sustains the fatherless and
widow.
He secures justice for the poor, and he
upholds the cause of the needy.
Even animals, in Psalm 104, even animals.
I love that psalm.
I love that psalm, because everybody gets something.
While donkeys quench their thirst, there's grass for
cattle.
The trees are well-watered, and the stalk
has a home in the pine trees.
And the crags are a refuge for badgers.
This is the Lord that you've been singing
to and worshipping.
This is the Lord that I believe most
of you have welcomed into your hearts when
he died for you.
This is the Jesus who, after he was
filled with the Holy Spirit, went into the
synagogue and preached.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.
Because he has anointed me to preach the
gospel to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for
the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the
blind, to release the oppressed, and to proclaim
the year of the Lord's favour.
I want to thank you very much, because
there are many in this fellowship, and I
believe most of you, directly or indirectly.