Book Describes Insights from Christian's Journey Into Homeless America
by Allie Martin
December 7, 2005
(AgapePress) - - A Christian author and speaker who spent five months living on the streets as a homeless person says Christians in the United States often shun those in their midst who are living in desperate conditions. In his book, Under the Overpass, Mike Yankoski recounts his journey to the margins of society and what it revealed about the Church in America. Yankoski, a 22-year-old graduate of Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, took six months off from college between his sophomore and junior years to go live as a homeless person on the streets of six different metropolitan cities. He says he was inspired to do this after hearing a sermon by his pastor -- a message that encouraged young people like himself to embrace a more radical faith.
During his five months on the streets, Yankoski lived as the homeless live, sleeping in shelters or out in the open, panhandling from strangers, and simply trying to survive. He says he and his traveling companion received help from a few churches but were also turned away by many. This led him to conclude that many Christians have what he describes as a misconception of missions -- a misunderstanding of their responsibility as believers to go "into all the world," sharing the gospel and demonstrating God's love and concern for the poor and the lost.
"We have these grandiose ideas about how to do that," the author explains, "about maybe going overseas next summer or something like that, which are very good ideas. But we miss the fact that God may want to use us today with the person He brings across our path as we're walking back to our car in the parking lot."
For that reason, Yankoski is working on an initiative called World Wide Open, a program designed to connect individuals, ministries and churches worldwide. "I believe, from having spent those five months out on the street, that the American Church has a lot to do," he says. "We have a lot more to offer than we are right now."
Under the Overpass goes beyond chronicling Yankoski's experience to attempt to impart to other believers some of the spiritual insights he gained from his encounters on the streets of America. Among other things, he says his months of homelessness gave him a new perspective on faith and reliance on God -- a perspective he feels compelled to share with other Christians.
The young Christian author observes, "I just feel like, where we're at in our society and our generation and in the church culture right now, we all need to just sort of take a deep look and say, 'Hey, do we really trust this Lord of ours -- the one who says 'I am who I am: Trust me' -- and [can we] then step out in faith and go where He wants us to go and do what He wants us to do?" He says he has come to believe that taking that step is "a huge need for all of us."
Yankoski, who is now considering attending seminary, says he wants to challenge other believers to be more intentional when it comes to trusting God and reaching out to those less fortunate. He says he is excited to use the story of Christ's love and calling in his life to captivate and motivate fellow Christians to pursue a deeper walk with God and a stronger, more "out loud" style of living out their faith.
Allie Martin, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
