His Mansion Web Site
His Mansion Mission Trip
Here is a little talk on His Mansion Ministries I gave at our church when I got back from the mission trip.
They are found in every country, every culture, every city, every town and every remote area. They speak every language and together they comprise the largest unevangelized subculture on the planet. They present the greatest challenge of every mission field; and yet they are invisible to the church. Rarely embraced by the Great Commission, they are often excluded from vast resources spent on missions. They are the modern day Samaritans, the outcast who perceive themselves as misfits. Unworthy of acceptance, they are the citizens of the fourth world. The alcoholic, the drug addict, the sex addict, the abused the dysfunctional, the displace the abandoned; they are the youth adrift on a sea of life’s complexity. Tossed, on the waves of family breakdown, divorce, violence, pornography, eating disorders and depression. Where can the refuges of the fourth world go to find a place of belonging?
His Mansion is a long term residential program, where the root causes for fourth world citizenship are addressed in the context of healing community. Participants experience personal transformation and character growth in an intentional work environment. Shared task and responsibilities like planting, growing, and preserving food for the ministry, Chopping the wood for fuel, maintaining machinery, preparing and serving meals, cleaning duties and barn chores. All make His Mansion unique interdependent organism.
This is a real life environment, one of laughter, tears, correction, and affirmation. Physical exercise, discipline, praise, and learning in a Christian community. Life skills are developed through Bible study, and classes in money management. Career planning and job placement.
His Mansion equips young adults to think differently about how they live. Students are lovingly confronted to deal with the roots of rejection, shame, and unforgiveness. They are empowered to make wise choices by obedience to God’s word, and an ongoing accountability to interns who functions as mentors.
When we arrived, we were assigned to many areas of work, from gardening, painting, canning, to carpentry. I even was able to repair a computer. Whatever the job assignment may be we worked with the residents and interns. We were not only were able to hear the stories of how the residents ended up at His Mansion, but we able to share our personal testimony.
Our main function while we were there was to build a deck on, as the interns call it, the long house. The original house, before three additions was built in 1766. The deck was 14 feet by 110 feet. We sawed the logs to planks, planned and edged the planks. We then used those planks as decking.
As I got to know, Ryan one of the residents. I was reminded of the story of Jesus hanging on the cross, His eyes fell upon John. His heart was troubled. He looked at John and said lovingly, "My dear John, hereafter, My mother Mary is going to be your mother.” Only then He closed His eyes.
Just as John was given the responsibility of looking to the needs of Mary, we have the responsibility of looking after the needs of those around us.
If you, a family member or friend has a need of this ministry, please, please, contact me after the service.
Let me conclude with a statement from C Everett Coop, MD, former Surgeon General of the United States.
“Growing up is never easy and going through adolescence can be extremely difficult. But becoming a well- adjusted adult in today’s world is threatened more than ever because of declining family values, increasingly violent society, the exploitation of sex, and the rising use of alcohol. His Mansion Ministries mends broken lives and bring hope and healing to disenfranchised young people. We applaud this ministry and recommend it wholeheartedly for support in every way.”