"All the believers were together, and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need." -Acts 2:44-45
I've had a number of conversations lately with various folks that I work with that have boiled down to this: how can we justify the lifestyle of the North American church, given what we expect our brothers and sisters around the world in the body of Christ to make due with? How can we justify building campaigns and new organ purchases and paying professional staff to do the work of the North American church and then pinch pennies in ministry in the developing world? Is it is really biblical to expect all the community leaders and pastors we work with to serve joyfully (and for the most past voluntarily) while eating once a day, walking miles for water and lacking funds to pay for the health care of their children, while the majority of us (N.A.) don't even feel the pinch of a tithe? Instead, we create fancy rhetoric about "empowering" people, about the disasterous consequences of "handout" how God has given all people capacity to develop and become co-creators with God in the building of the Kingdom; all of this is true, of course, but we talk about having an integrated, biblical world and life view like it's something just the people we work with need to internalize, when in fact the North American church needs this message just as much or more as anyone I know here in Nicaragua. The message that everything you have belongs to God, and all the talents and resources we've been given are meant to serve His purposes of justice and mercy in the world--whether you are a pastor, a teacher, a businessman, an artist, a community leader, or a student.
Maybe if we all really got this message a little better, the global church might start to look a little more like the Acts 2 church described above, which, accompanied by signs and wonders, genuine community and worship, also sold their "own" possessions and gave to anyone who had need. And what was the result of the integrated world and life view in the early church?
"Praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people...and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
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3 comments:
You're not quite clear whether you are talking about Christians in the developing world or people in the developing world in general. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you mean the non church goers too.
Which brings me on to the next point - this is not a Christian issue. It is an issue for all of us. How can we live the way we do when so many people have so little? Being equal in terms of posessions seems so way off but, as an examples, what we spend on pet food could probably feed a family in Nicaragua. Send that money alone and great strides are made.
Your mention of organs, staff etc as regards the church is just one of the many reasons I am a confirmed atheist. There is so much money being poured into the church which most of it have virtually no charitable connection.
How much does the pomp and ceremoney actually cost?
As regards how we expect people in the developing world to live, what about Iraq? Their civil liberties are virtually zero now, the death rate is sky high, our countries dividing up and profiting from their natural resources? How can we justify that when we live largely freely? That is not a Christian question it is humanitarian. Seeing as these people are Islamic does your Christian concern spread to them?
I like your question that you blog poses. And I agree with you. But, this is not a Christian question. Does it ever cross your mind that you help and care because you are a good person, not because you are a Christian? Why should God take the credit?
Non Christians care and help too. What is their motivation?
The first world has too much. It is also wasteful, polluting and has blood on its hands from promoting wars in the name of profit.
The developing world has too little. It is bullied and stolen from.
These are world issues it seems to me. Not Christian issues.
WOW to ourman...points to ponder. I feel that I've turned more to prayer than church for those very same reasons. When Jesus said 'upon this rock I will build this church' I really don't think the million dollar cathedrals were what He had in mind. Churches in North America do serve a purpose... in a world where we are losing sight of faith and family I think physical church structures are an important part of keeping what still exists in place. And so many still feel their faith in the physical structure...including the bible studies, youth groups, church picnics, and teachings. No doubt there is a happy medium, but I think there is an overall problem with greed and wealth vs poverty that can't be blamed on the church
ourman,
you make a lot of good points. absolutely this is not a christian issue but a human issue to consider the injustice and inequality and suffering around us, and do something about it.
i think i just wanted to make the specific point in this post that while the church claims the words and teachings of jesus, who had a special preocupation with the poor and the suffering, a lot of the way we ¨do church¨bears no resemblance to how i imagine christ desiring the church to prioritize its activities and resources.
we all have humanitarian impulses, of course. but i am especially disillusioned when i see the kind of hypocrisy and selfishness that pervades my faith family...and i want them to change. i want them to think more deeply about what i really means to follow jesus in the world. and to me it means doing more of exactly the kinds of things you mention.
absolutely, it´s not just about money. it´s about the structures and systems that create, promote, and sustain the injustice and poverty that we both want to alleviate.
so thanks for the comments. i appreciate your perspective.
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