What's your focus?

As I have thought about various strategies for kingdom-planting in an overseas context, I have asked various leading Christian thinkers about how to incorporate justice and evangelism into an effective kingdom ministry. I have gotten two very different answers. I remember eating lunch with Doug McConnell, Dean of the School of Intercultural Studies at Fuller, during my last quarter at Fuller, and he told me that when I was doing justice ministry, I would be immersed in the community. These relationships that I would build would be a perfect place to begin planting a church, and it would almost happen naturally. I have asked others, though, who have more of a church-planting focus, and they have told me that when you are overseas sharing Christ with people, you can't help but see the needs of the people and want to meet them. So the question still remains, "What is your focus?" Do you focus on justice and let evangelism happen simply because you have built relationships with people in the community? Or do you pursue evangelism and assume that your heart will be moved to bring justice to the people? I haven't really decided yet what I'm going to do. All I know is that from my experience, it is challenging to maintain a balanced focus on both of these important areas of ministry. And from the answers I've gotten from missionaries and Christian thinkers, it seems that most of them have a hard time balancing these two issues as well.

Sex Trafficking... On the Heart of God

Some "kingdom" problems seem so big that people choose to do nothing. We might choose to watch inspiration movies on social problems, like "The Constant Gardener" as it pertains to problems in Africa, or "Trade" for sex trafficking, but often we choose to do nothing about these issues because we feel they are too big. We are thankful, though, for a God that came and touched our lives individually, even though there is a whole world full of sin that he could have left alone because the problem seemed too big. There are some people who are full of kingdom passion and realize that even a small dent in a huge problem is still a dent. This includes a life group started by my wife and Pearl Esau. They are hosting an event this Friday about sex trafficking, a chance for people to learn more about this important issue and how to get involved. If you're interested, check out this invitation All are welcome.

I'm back...

So I have a new goal... it's to post to this blog at least once a week. I find myself having thoughts throughout the week about the kingdom, and it's time to start consistently posting them to this blog. So get ready for this.

My most recent thought occurred while I was talking to a friend, and the conclusion of our conversation was this: "True transformation cannot happen apart from Jesus Christ." As we seek justice and transformation of our communities, as we work to bring the poor out of poverty, to find reconciliation between people who have previously been at odds with each other, to counsel the hurting, we seek change. We want to see communities look more like God's kingdom. However, there is a limit to how far this transformation can go apart from people having a personal encounter with Jesus Christ . I think of some of the clients at my shelter. I want to see them get permanent housing, I want to see them get jobs. And ultimately, I want them to submit their lives to Christ, so that they can experience the full freedom that only He can bring. How to offer that transformation to individuals within the context of social services, I still haven't figured out. But at least at this point, I know that it's important, I know that my work is only partially complete apart from people submitting their lives to Christ.

It's Gotta Be About the King

In my studies this morning, I was reminded about the fact that God must be at the center of everything. I was listening to worship music, and reading verses that talked about bowing our knees before the Father. In the midst of my stream of thoughts, I began to wonder, "What does this have to do with seeking justice and telling people about Jesus?" Then I remembered the whole purpose of this blog. It really comes back to the kingdom. If we are seeking His kingdom, then we are seeking that everything in this world be subject to the King. But in our efforts to seek the kingdom of God, we must make sure that we do not lose sight of the King, that we don't forget that this Kingdom has a King at its center. Sometimes we get so busy in giving money to the poor, or in forming groups around a cause, that we forget the King at the center of this kingdom.

The Kingdom and the Church

I've been a part of the missions world for several years, and I've begun to notice something: When many people speak about mission, they only talk about the advance of the church. They strategize about planting new churches and about there being new believers, and this is where they stop. I think that this comes from a fundamental misunderstanding of what Jesus called us to seek. He said, "Seek my kingdom" and "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Both of these references speak of a broader expansion, something that includes the church, but is not limited to the church. It includes the healing of the sick, the feeding of the hungry, the setting free of the captives. In other words, if we are to align ourselves with Jesus and His mission, we cannot merely be church planters. We must also be people who seek to heal the social ills of our world, who seek to minister to the poor and the broken, and who seek to bring justice to the world.
At the same time, it is important to understand that the church is given a specific responsibility to administrate this kingdom. The church has a role to play. Jesus said to Peter (the one upon whom He would build His church), "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 16:19). In other words, the body of Christ is given a special power to bring people out of darkness, to set the captives free, to heal the sick. Let us not forget our calling as the church to not merely expand our numbers, but also to be stewards of the full extent of Jesus' kingdom.

The Kingdom at Saddleback Church

Most of us have heard of Saddleback Church, the mega-mega church in SoCal where Rick Warren, writer of the Purpose-Driven Life, pastors the original Purpose-Driven Church. It's exciting to hear that they are fully on board with the idea that God's kingdom must come to every section of society. Check out their website, www.peaceplan.com, where they describe a plan to try and defeat the "five global giants": spiritual lostness, corrupt leadership, poverty, disease and lack of education. They have had a great influence on many churches with their books and training, and we can only hope that their P.E.A.C.E. Plan will spread to churches throughout the world.

"Not Far"

I was just doing a word study this morning on the Greek word for "far", and lo and behold, it appeared in Acts 17: "That they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." This is the passage where Paul is talking to the people of Athens, looking at all of their foreign idols, and he begins to tell them about one of their idols, the "unknown God." In the midst of his sermon, he says that God is "not far" from each of us.

I still can't reconcile this with all the other places in Scripture where it says that we have been separated from God, that we are far from Him. Perhaps we can be a people who hold both truths in tension. Although we know that people are vastly separated from God, we can see the truths in their culture and in their lives that show a God who is already at work, who is already near in their lives.

Near or Far from God? Which one is it?

I'm having a hard time figuring this out. Before you experience Christ, before you invite Him to come dwell inside Your heart, are you far from God, or are You standing at His doorstep?

As I read Scripture, it seems like I find both ideas. For instance, I was just reading Ephesians 2:12, where it talks about the Gentiles who were estranged from the promises made to Israel, having "no hope and without God in the world." I was also reading John 3, where Jesus says that unless you are born again, you "cannot see the kingdom of God."

But what about Acts 17, where Paul says that they were worshipping a God who they do not know? He seems to be emphasizing the idea that they're not as far from the God of the Old and New Testament as one might think. And people who pursue social justice will pick up on these verses and show us how God is moving in the lives of those who have never placed faith in Christ. And yet the straight-up evangelicals will preach distance, alienation, estrangement, separation.

Which one is it? Until you become a Christ-follower, is he near, or is he far?

“A Hand Up, Not a Hand Out” - Part 3

Doing “social justice” ministries is not an easy task for the church. Inspired by the story of the Good Samaritan, people begin or start ministries out of a sense of calling or conviction that the church must be involved in the lives of the poor and the broken. These groups of passionate Christians feel they are taking the gospel, or good news, to the streets. Many of these well-intentioned folks start feeding ministries. Every Saturday morning, they serve breakfast in the parks, or Tuesday nights, they can be found scooping out dinners in Skid Row. Their motivation and their passion are inspiring, and the opportunity for people in the church to be exposed to the poor is unmatched.

However, the motto, “A Hand up, Not a Hand Out”, seems to be speaking directly to these church ministries. In helping the homeless and the poor, giving out free lunches and dinners isn't really going to solve their problems. The reason why churches are able to build such lasting relationships with the homeless is that the same people are there every week, ready to greet our team with a glowing smile and a “thank you” for our continued generosity. These people need more than just our “hand out” (which will leave them on the streets). Instead, they need a “hand up.” Back to the story of the Good Samaritan.

When the Good Samaritan saw the man on the streets, poor, hurting, and broken, he stopped what he was doing, and he did more than offer him a lunch and a prayer. He cleaned up his wounds, he put him on his donkey, and he took him to an inn (transitional living facility), and paid for the guy's stay until he could take care of himself. In other words, the Good Samaritan offered the broken guy a hand up, not a hand out.

As a church, we need to be prepared to offer a hand up to the poor and the broken. Paying panhandlers or giving out lunches is simply not enough. We must be prepared to take the time to learn about the various housing options for the poor in our community, and if there are no housing options, we must encourage our government to provide more, or begin to build some more ourselves. And then we must take the poor to these places and provide for them until they can get back up on their own... “A Hand Up, Not a Hand Out.”