Serving Those in Crisis by Pastor Jeff Perry

Serving Those in Crisis
Pastor Jeff Perry

Jeff Perry is Senior Pastor of St. Louis Family Church, a life-giving, Jesus-centered, Bible-based church in the St. Louis area.

He is also the Founder of Service International, an organization that reaches out with compassion to people in desperate situations—such as floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and wars—all over the world with a goal of empowering individuals and communities to help themselves through crisis situations.

Click here to read Pastor Jeff’s complete bio.

Early on in my Christian walk, I learned not to underestimate the value of everyday life. The least-noticed things and the most “invisible” people are often facilitating the greatest impact. The real world-changers in World War II were not just the guys on the battlefield—they were also the people under the ground digging up the coal to fuel the world. The real changers are the Rosa Parks of the world, who take a stand for justice at the end of a hard work day, or Mrs. Everest, Winston Churchill’s nanny, who cared for him when no one else did and took the time to tell him about Jesus. These people in their normal everyday lives shaped the future.

God delights in using ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

We live in a world that is aimless and narcissistic, but God has called us to translate our days into fruitfulness. Jesus said: “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:8). I’m not talking about workaholism or using good works to become worthy — God looks at the heart, and He is looking for people who will give their hearts and lives to Him. He’s not looking for methodology or fancy pants know-it-alls. God is looking for people He can use—people of prayer, people who are yielded to and following Him, people who are sensitive to the Holy Spirit, people who are available to serve. These are the kind of people who are at the heart of Service International.

In the Beginning
Service International (SI) began in 1985 with a goal to carry the Good News to the furthest areas of the world, but its focus took a more local turn in summer 1993. Our headquarters were submerged in ten feet of muddy floodwater during the Great Flood of ’93, which covered the Chesterfield Valley of Missouri and damaged towns throughout the Midwest. SI, along with hundreds of other businesses and individuals, had to decide: Let the overwhelming circumstances defeat us, or work to rebuild.

Overcoming the Flood
SI chose to rebuild. As the representative of our congregation, I was appointed to the Mayor’s Task Force on disaster recovery, and we accepted the challenge of spearheading the clean-up effort. During those months of restoration, SI coordinated over 8,000 volunteers and provided $350,000 in resources to help clean up and rebuild the Valley, assisting each business and individual who asked.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 nasb

Disaster Relief
After a major disaster, communities are left with incredible needs, and often they don’t know how or where to begin the massive work of cleanup and rebuilding. We took our own disaster experience and the personal understanding we gained from it to help other communities recover from floods, tornados, hurricanes, war, famine, and more. Seventeen years later, SI continues to serve people who are trying to recover from natural disasters and other crises at home and abroad. We provide reconstruction materials and supplies, on-site disaster management, food and water, leadership training, medical and dental services, and hard-working volunteers. When disaster happens, SI works with other relief and charitable organizations to get help to the people who need it most – in Kosovo, New Orleans, Sri Lanka, Nashville, South Africa – wherever the Holy Spirit sends us.

The people who know their God will display strength and take action. Daniel 11:32b nasb

Honor God. Help People.
It’s a simple mission statement, but it’s one that God gave me when I was a student at Bible College. He has a mission for each of us and it includes using our life moment to communicate Jesus to our generation. It’s about lifting up Jesus and obeying the voice of the Holy Spirit in your everyday life– not just when you’re a volunteer mopping up floodwater or rebuilding ruined houses, but also when you go to the grocery store, get gas, go to work at the office, or hang out with your kids at the playground.

Other people are attached to your obedience. There are gifts for you to give, talents for you to express, and people for you to reach that no one else can. Keep looking for opportunities to honor God by serving others. Whether it’s sending one underprivileged child to camp or helping to feed thousands during summer break – praying for your sick neighbor or rebuilding hundreds of houses in a hurricane zone, you’ll find a great sense of purpose as you impact people’s lives in your own neighborhood or halfway round the world. It’s amazing what God can do with an obedient heart!

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For more information about Service International and how you can be part of our work around the world, visit www.serviceinternational.org.