Why Not Today

Book excerpt: In a hotel room in Bangalore, a California pastor wrestles with God—and himself . . . “I draw in a long, slow breath of Indian air. The room is dark and still. I have only one thing more to say: ‘Lord, I’m in. I am so in.’” When Matthew Cork, lead pastor of a church in a comfortable corner of Orange County, first encountered the Dalit (untouchable) people of India on a visit to Hyderabad, he was shaken to his core. Children begging at the airport. Elderly women sweeping gutters. Families living in discarded concrete pipes. He learned of the systemic bondage they had been in for thousands of years. As Matthew came face-to-face with this suffering, he knew God was summoning him to help. He knew that the greatest hope for the Dalits lay in educating their children—something long closed to them. So God gave Matthew a vision that would transform him and his church, taking them on a journey from the suburban comfort of the US to the slums and villages of India. Today a new movement is sweeping over the world, a movement to set oppressed people free—free from slavery, sex-trafficking, poverty, and political and social injustice. Why Not Today is an invitation—and a challenge—to join in the efforts to bring freedom and hope to people suffering all over world. Perhaps God has stirred a passion in you to help the poor and overcome injustice. This story shows what God can do when we are willing to respond to that stirring. Why not start today?