Special Guest Editorial: Homeward Bound
by Kwaku Sarkodie, Ministry Intern- New York City International Christian Church
If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.Hebrews 11:15-16
In August 2004, I packed all my worldly possessions into two suitcases and left my home in Accra, Ghana to travel to Portland, Oregon where I was to attend college. When I left home that day, not knowing if I would ever return, the only thing I knew for sure was, it was simply time. When I arrived in Portland, I felt all alone, a stranger in a foreign land and I didn’t know where to turn. I thought that no matter how strange and foreign the city was, at least in a church I could find a home, a place where I would belong.
After visiting several churches in the city without finding one I felt at home in, a classmate happened to casually mention the Portland International Church of Christ. I decided to check it out that weekend and from the first moment I walked in, I was blown away! The singing was joyful, the fellowship was warm and inviting and all the people were from diverse backgrounds. The preaching was amazing and when at the close of service the congregation sang “Sanctuary”, my favorite church song, I was hooked! I made a decision that very moment that this was it, I had finally found my home; this would be my church, the place I belonged. Before I made it out the door, the campus minister for the congregation approached me and introduced himself. After a brief conversation he invited me to study the Bible and about a month later I was baptized as a disciple.
Being a young disciple in the Portland church was the most wonderful thing I had ever experienced up to that point in my life. Every church meeting was electric with so many baptisms and miracles and I also got to build great friendships with the other disciples. I knew I was living in the church described in the Bible. But you have come to mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. Hebrews 12:22-23
At this point in time, everything in my life made sense; this is what I had been searching for my whole life. This is why God had called me to leave my home in Ghana, so I could be a part of his family, so I could truly come home! Sadly, in the fall of 2008 the Portland Church that I had come to love and call home went through a challenging time. After the change in leadership, the church began to fall apart before my eyes. The faith and zeal of the church started to wane, the loving friendships I had enjoyed became strained and distance in relationships and mistrust seeped into the church. There were rampant rumors about what was going on behind the scenes and most terrifying to me, an imminent split. Unfortunately, the church did split and I felt like my spiritual home was torn apart before my eyes, I was sad, discouraged and confused.
In the midst of this chaotic time, I received an invitation to move to New York City to help start a new congregation. I took some time to prayerfully consider this invitation and after a month I made my decision to move to New York City. Once again, I packed everything I owned into two suitcases and moved, not knowing what lay ahead of me but simply trusting that it was simply time.
When I arrived in New York City, I joined a group of disciples who wanted to do something special for God. We desired to build a church where men and women could come and find safe refuge from the darkness of this world. We desired to build a spiritual home for all the lost, lonely and hurting people in this city, a place that we could all call home. From this small band of 20 disciples, God has blessed the New York City church with now almost 120 disciples, a new church planting to Boston and several disciples sent out to strengthen other congregations in Paris, London, Eugene, Portland, Chicago and Los Angeles. The singing in our congregation is joyful, the fellowship is warm and inviting and all the people are from diverse backgrounds. The preaching is amazing and yes we do sing “Sanctuary” on occasion. This is truly home and not only did I get to find it, but I also got a chance to help build it.
It has been the greatest privilege and honor of my life to have been used by God to help start this church and to now serve it as an intern. As I reflect on the various challenges, victories and miracles that have occurred here, a few things stand out to me. This world is filled with lost, lonely and hurting people and God desires to bring them all home into his everlasting kingdom. As disciples of Jesus, it is our calling to go find all the lost of this world and bring them home to God. Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.Luke 14:23 Just like I felt all alone before I found a congregation of true disciples, all the lost of the world will find no peace or true joy until they are brought home. The challenge for us each day then becomes, am I doing all I can to “make them come in”?
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.Revelation 22:17 As I write this, my two suitcases sit in the corner waiting to be packed with all that I own. Although I know not what lies ahead, one thing remains certain, it is simply time. I have the honor of being asked to move to Los Angeles to be a part of the City of Angels International Christian Church. In Los Angeles, I will have the opportunity to train for the full time ministry, then Lord willing in 2016 move to South Africa to help start a new church in Johannesburg. Prayerfully, this new church planting will be the spring board for planting churches all over the continent of Africa so that in time all the lost, hurting and lonely people in Africa will have a spiritual home to belong. The master’s call rings out loud and clear, the Father longs for His children to come on home. Let us be a people ready to obey God’s call as we journey home to our Father’s house, which He has been preparing – for it is time!
Much love,
Kwaku Sarkodie
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