Friday, June 16, 2006
Social services
When I first was inspired to go in to Christian ministry, I saw the needs of families, the homeless, the hungry, and the just plain beaten down. As I went through my theological training, I became distracted from my original drive to serve others. The classes focus on the Bible of course, but they also focused on administration of the church. Both are needed, but there was little that was "preaching" to the students. There was an occasional professor here or there but nothing that reminded my initial calling to make the world better for those around me. I became frustrated over time in church work, where most of the churches were moving away from social ministries and focusing solely on evangelism. The Southern Baptist seminaries' social service programs have been shrinking over the past 15 years or so and social ministries have become equated with "liberals" in evangelical circles. I believe that churches are abdicating their role in social ministry and seeing the government as the primary support system for families. I know that churches can support families better than the government can, because they provide the moral frame work and social (in the friends sense) support to meet goals. The government has to rely on formulas and artificial standards in who will receive aid. The church and individuals may benefit from the use of such formulas but they can also use common sense to provide more personalized assistance. The church needs to step up to the plate.
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2 comments:
I agree with the frustration you express towards a lack of social activism from the church. I've heard over the past few years that we should be salt and light to those around us, and this includes evangelism, but I see few church goers involved in social activism. I've overheard church leaders make fun of these "Christian liberals" and refuse to condescend to recycle because they believed the rapture would occur soon so why bother? I was appalled by the apathy towards people in our area who suffer daily, but the call to fund overseas families and missionaries. I agree with financially and prayerfully supporting overseas brothers, sisters, and the lost. But meanwhile we sit here at home making fun of the lost in our hometown. My husband finds himself torn between evangelism-only and practical ministry. He likes to share the gospel with others but also provide a need if possible. It's funny to us, because he is recovering from surgery and is on workers' comp, but no one from the church we were going to has offered to help him in any way. Meanwhile, our neighbor who is severely obstinate about not going to church offered to trim our hedges. He has horrible allergies, but was willing to suffer to help Patrick. Our neighbor on the other side of him is our former pastor, who has never lifted a finger of physical labor in his life because he was in sales, and his wife does all the house and yard work. So it's unrealistic to expect him to offer help, but he hasn't so much as asked how Patrick is feeling. When the same pastor went to the hospital for a pinched nerve, my husband left a get-well note on his door, and the pastor's wife called to thank him in place of the pastor. I guess some people just feel their only call in life is to preach the gospel from the pulpit but not live it. The same pastor makes fun of the people in our area (liberal Santa Cruz) and calls it his "ministry of mockery."
I guess some people just feel their only call in life is to preach the gospel from the pulpit but not live it.
Sure. Even people who preach the gospel are people, and as flawed as can be.
I think it's generally best if we each concentrate on our relationship with the Holy Spirit and the direction and comfort we receive through that. Quite obviously it's very easy to complain and be dissatisfied with The Church.
Putting it in such lofty terms distances us from the reality of sitting in judgment on our brethren. So, the best thing we can do is live according to the guidance of Christ in all things and not be blinded by Man.
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