Steve Smith was only a child when the seed was planted.

    That was more than 30 years ago. Now Steve leads an exciting, growing young church in the northwest area of Sydney, Australia — along with Peter, Martin, Mario and worship leader Shep. Steve also recruits church planting teams for the South Pacific.

    These players on the Sydney leadership team have been ‘mates’ for decades — some since childhood. They are men of prayer. Their money flows generously to the ministry. And the time they pour into the life of this church — beyond their hours in the marketplace — is nothing short of astounding. What a generous hearted team! Best of all — they share a remarkable bond. Shep and Steve seem especially close — as they have been fast ‘mates’ since they were only seven years old.

    It all started this way:

Steve’s house was next door to the church — which he and his family had never attended. But some church kids invited him to summer camp. When Steve walked into his cabin that first day and faced a room full of strangers, he was scared and already a bit homesick. And no one welcomed him — no one, that is, except Shep!

Shep motioned Steve over to a corner, reached under his bunk and pulled out a box which Shep’s mum had packed for him. Shep lifted the lid so Steve could feast his eyes on the dazzling contents.

    Just last month Steve told me this story. Even after all these intervening years, Steve still beams as he explains, “The box was stuffed with biscuits and lollies” (biscuits being Aussie for cookies, and lollies being Aussie for candy).

“This is for us” magnificently represents God’s heart.

    Shep gave Steve a deep look into the box of camp treasures and then announced to Steve, “This is for US.” Those four words describe their relationship across more than 30 something years since. This is for US!

    These words also describe the culture of the church that Steve, Martin, Peter, Mario — and Shep lead. “This is for us.” “We want to lift the lid of God’s goodies to our community and tell them inclusively, ‘This is for US.’”

    In fact, “This is for us” magnificently represents God’s heart. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit long to share the rich and beautiful bond of a loving ‘community’ celebrated in heaven. So Jesus showed up in our cabin with a treasure trove from beyond and said, “This is for US!”

    This is Jesus’ point in his parting prayer when he prayed, “May they be one Father, just as You are in me and I am in You, may they also be in Us.” (John 17:21-23)

    And the gift goes on. What we have received from Jesus — the joy of fellowship with God and with each other — is too good to keep to ourselves. A frightened and homesick world desperately needs the welcoming smile of churches that lift the lid to God’s goodies and warmly announce the inclusive news, “this is for US.”

© 2002, Lynn Anderson. Used by permission.

Title: "This is for US"
Author: Lynn Anderson
Publication Date: April 24, 2002

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