Counting the Cost of Freedom

The lights in the room are turned off, music plays, lyrics flash on the screen in the room.

Twenty seven young men sit and watch as the words flash in front of their eyes:

I won't stay here another night

If I gotta sacrifice

Who I am on the inside

I'd rather be an outsider

And you can stay if you'd like

I'll see you on the other side

I wanna live the free life

I'd rather be an outsider [5x]

Yeah

Outsiders

I really can't tell if I'm over-dressed or I'm under-dressed

If I'm under-paid, or just over-stressed

If I'm cynical, or just over this

Cause I'm tired of trying to get over them

Man, it's over then, party's over

You probably couldn't tell that we over here, because you hardly sober

Double shots in that ego

They laughing at us, yeah, we know

Maybe at the bottom, but we not forgotten

The directors plotting that sequel

Till' then we live on the outside

And it might storm and we might die

But, I'd rather go where my fist high

Standing outside of your inside

I tried my best to fit in

Looking for a suit to fit in

Standing outside of your prison

Trying to find ways I could get in

Now I realize that I'm free

And I realize that I'm me

And I found out that I'm not alone cause' there's plenty people like me

That's right there's plenty people like me

All love me, despite me

And all unashamed and all unafraid to speak out for what we might see

I said there's plenty people like me

All outsiders like me

And all unashamed and all unafraid to live out what they supposed to be

Uh

I know what they asking for, I know what they asking for

But, how you gonna come and charge me, my life is sold, and then turn around and ask for more

Time to go, plus the line is long

I'ma color the outside, but lines a drone

If you wanna exclude me, for being the true me

It's Gucci, I already found my home

Homesick

Homeless, if I'm on this

Cause' my home is somewhere I ain't never been before

I'ma own this here gift, even if it doesn't fit in the box that'll bleed these folks

Some of ya'll don't need these quotes

I ain't tryna' eat, I'm tryna' feed these folks

Martin, Mandela, yeah, we need these folks

We believe these folks

We can be these folks

Yeah

But they want me to take an L

Tired of taking losses, so they can call me a failure

I failed at being you, but I'm winning at being me

I'm winning at being free, ain't no competition but me

See I realize that I'm free

And I realize that I'm me

And I found out that I'm not alone, and there's plenty of people like me

I said there's plenty of people like me

All outsiders like me

All unashamed and all unafraid to live out what they supposed to be

Outsiders!

You spend your time

So many lives

Turn on the lights

Open your eye

We'll be running through the night

It's brighter on the other side

Somethings bigger than You and I

Brighter on the other side [5x]

The lights turn on and they are looking at a fisherman of Jesus. His heart is full and his passion is intense. He is overwhelmed with love for the boys who are seeking the Christ, a Savior. He is not eloquent, he did not receive a Bible degree or any degree for that matter. He is like Peter. An entrepreneur, who left all he had to follow Jesus. When Jesus said walk on water, Peter said, “Yes Lord.” Peter was the only one of his followers who said yes. It is true with this 21^st century Peter. When the Lord said, “Trust Me, Follow Me, Believe Me,” he said yes.

The young men listen intently, yet they are still young men. Giggles, phones flashing off and on, fidgeting, pushing each other to move, getting up to go to the bathroom, take a phone call or get more food. There are only males in the group. No young girls to distract them from hearing the Holy Spirit. I see them crowded around the room, on couches, laying on the floor, sitting on the fringes and realize they have become brothers. They are becoming a family. They are open and honest, they share their struggles and fears and weaknesses. They cry in front of each other, confess sin to each other, grow with each other.

They are learning how to be an Outsider. Learning how to Rebel against the world. They are multicultural, coming from very different backgrounds and experiences. Their hearts are torn into pieces from a life that isn’t fair. Many of them do not have fathers that are present. Raised by single moms or grandmothers, they long to know what a REAL MAN is. They are desperate, hungry for TRUTH. They want to be different. They want to be Men of Honor, Men of Character, Men of Integrity.

So the group grows. It started with 6 young men, 2 of which were our own. Some young men gave their lives to Christ at a football camp, but had no place to grow. The fisherman saw that they needed a place, so started a little Bible Study, called Real Talk. He gave them space to come as they were. Rough, cussing, drinking, smoking pot, having sex - young men, followed the fisherman to grow in their new found faith. That was September 2012. Those 6 young men were discipled and loved, and learned how to be a follower of Jesus. The next year, September 2013, the young new fishermen started sharing their faith with others. One by one new boys started coming. One by one young men gave their lives to Christ. One by one young men made a public profession of faith and were baptized. The group grew; in faith and in number.

Then, it happened. Something I used to read about in Revelation. Something that seemed so far off from my everyday life. Christians being beheaded for their faith. Twenty one young men, going about their lives, were abducted and brought to an ISIS camp for the purpose of terror and threat. They weren’t much different from our young men sitting in the youth room we meet in. Men, on their way to work, newly married, looking for a job. Men who were fathers, sons and husbands. They weren’t radical Christians, they were everyday Christians. Men, who went to church, who worked, who loved their families. My image of what the beheaded Christians looked like in Revelation was very different than what I saw on the news. They are us, just in another country. They were once new believers, walking away from the world and walking in faith in a country that denies it. They were Outsiders who died for their faith, who were killed simply because they loved Jesus.

I look around the room and see the two young men who just gave their lives to Christ this weekend. I wonder if they know how much it costs to follow Jesus. I wonder if they would lose their life for Him, knowing that they would spend eternity with their Savior. For these boys a beheading is far from their minds. But death is not. Just the week before another young life was taken by gangs. They are familiar with it. They know how short life can be. The fisherman reads Romans 12; Do not be conformed to this world, but renew your mind. For this group of young men walking away from the world, it is the biggest challenge of their lives.

They are learning to be Outsiders. They are beginning to believe that they are free, they are realizing who they are and that there are plenty of people like them, all love them, despite them; all unashamed and all unafraid to speak out for what they might see. Outsiders who aren’t afraid to live out what they are supposed to be.

And so, this group of Outsiders becomes a family. They stand outside the prison, door open and encourage others to follow them to the place where freedom is.

Please pray for our Christian men. They are being devoured by the enemy. Please consider partnering with what God is doing in our West Fresno/Easton area.

For more information about how you can partner with us call 559-776-9313

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Real Authentic Worship