PLAYING GANGBUSTERS' ROLE, THE JESUS WAY

Guns, violence, murder: City headlines shout this in virtually every issue.

Gangs fighting for control of the drug trade have spiked our city's
crime rate. Young people murdered, bodies dumped in ditches, drive-by
shootings in family neighbourhoods.

I'm tired of nightly newscasts proclaiming "Another shooting in
Abbotsford!" or last month's dubious Murder Capital of Canada award!

What's this got to do with the Bible Belt of B.C.? Bit of a paradox?
With all our churches, has the Bible Belt lost its buckle?

Who is in control here: God or the drug gangs?

Rather than react in denial or defeat, the Church of Abbotsford needs
to respond pro-actively.

The solution is not building bigger barns or jails. Nor is it blaming
Mexican-Colombian drug wars for British Columbian problems.

We need to fight these issues by faith solutions here in our city.
Demand here stimulates supply there. We need to cut off the drug
trade at its Source: addiction, hopelessness, helplessness here.

Empty lives here in Abbotsford need filling. Wounded hearts here need
healing. Touting supposedly greater church attendance statistics than
drug use is futile. Real salt and light affect their environment.

Saying they're only drug users is ignorant of the facts: too many of
those murdered young men were raised in Christian homes and schools.
The devil laughs at such religious vanity.

We need more than caving in to criminals, stricter law-and-order
measures, or hiding in religious buildings. He'll let us be
comfortable in our churches if we give him our city. I believe the
Holy Spirit is leading us through this. Are we willing to follow?

The Bible reveals Jesus defeated the works of the devil at The Cross.
His kingdom faith and power give us dominion over violence. Jesus
commanded devils to go and they simply had no choice. We have this
same power over devils and drug dealers. The devil only has as much
power as we give him, so let's give him nothing.

God is calling His church to rise in faith for our city! We have good
news for Abbotsford - Jesus has a better way!

Prayer-warriors, be encouraged in the midst of battle: victory is
sure. Stand together, united under Christ's authority, on his sure
foundation. Proclaim his victory against the forces of darkness. They
will flee. Our community needs his light.

Psychological strategies are not enough. Only the simple gospel
effectively pulls down these strongholds. Christ has commissioned us
to save this embattled generation Satan has targeted to wipe out in
senseless carnage.

Light overcomes darkness; truth defeats lies. His life always
triumphs over death and violence.

Henry Schmidt is an Abbotsford pastor. E-mail him at henryerica604@gmail.com.