Arloa Sutter’s book, The Invisible: What the Church Can Do to Find and Serve the Least of These, is one of the finest examples one can find today of two things:
What missional means.
What witness looks like.
Arloa has labored for three decades or so in Chicago’s cracks, finding the homeless, ministering to those in need, and this book is nothing but — and I’m grateful it is just that — a simple, clear witness of a life devoted to “the invisible,” those whom we ignore, those who go unnoticed, and those who are often within our vision — if we will but look. Those who know Arloa love her, and there is ample witness here too in her blurbs — Shane Claiborne, Ray Bakke, Don Cousins …
The book is laced together with her story — from Iowa to Chicago to a pastor’s wife in Iowa and back to Chicago. She was at First Free near North Park and is now at River City Community Church and heads up Breathrough Ministries. That word — breakthrough — forms the them for what we need (a breathrough) and of other themes: shalom, presence, Spirit led, stewardship, discipline, joining a movement, and racial understanding.
This is a good book. Full of stories. Straight witness. The power of one. Here’s what missional means.
Arloa and Breakthrough are great. I would encourage anyone in the Chicago area to get involved in this important ministry. And to get their church involved too.
Sounds like my kind of sister, and a worthy read, Arloa’s book. Thanks for the rec.
If love isn’t about more than words, if it isn’t seeking to heal and make whole, then the “mission” loses me. I go AWOL.
Witness: “withness” / “withmess”.
Kingdom: A society known for its love.
A pastor once spoke these wise words that I have never forgotten: “Someone won’t care what you know until they know that you care.”
I was reminded recently of Henri Nouwen. He came to understand that in reaching out a healing hand to “the least of these”, he was healed with them in the process. There’s a beauty and simplicity in God’s plan!
Wow! Thanks Scot!
this book is life-changing. Arloa clearly states the problem facing our country and our churches when it comes to the poor, but more importantly, offers practical solutions of how we can obey the biblical mandate to love the poor and care for those who are disenfranchised. I highly recommend this book! Arloa is a woman who walks the talk!