Jordon Cooper has a recent article, " Mustard Seed Sized Solutions ", in Next Wave e-Zine about the complexities of homelessness, and social services, and the disconnect churches have in understanding, and engaging them. He says churches are outside of the system for the following reasons.
An awkward relationship with the social gospel. Fundamentalists equate it with liberalism, while many evangelicals see it as secondary mission.
Despite humble roots on the fringe of society, evangelicals have become upper and middle class over time. Part of it is most larger churches are upper middle class and full of people who choose to live in the suburbs to get away from the social problems of the core neighborhoods. It isn't just a quality of housing and financial differences, but a difference in values.
While much of the discussion on poverty and homelessness deals with financial issues, this is often a superficial treatment. It isn't just financial problems that lead people to the streets. There are complex mental health issues that haven't always been addressed and in some cases, the people refuse to address them. Those issues take a lot of time, training, resources and physical presence to overcome and in case you haven't noticed, in times of tough economy, coming up with the money to have a long term presence if you are all not committed to the cause, is a tough, tough sell.
FINALLY TO MANY CHURCHES SEE THE PROBLEM AND SEE THEMSELVES AS THE SOLUTION AS OPPOSED TO BEING A SMALL BUT AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SOLUTION.
Please read Jordon's article in full...there is much wisdom to be gained for churches that are seriously thinking of how to engage in local social justice issues.
This sounds harsh, but for much of my church experience we deal with the social issues of the inner city with not more than saying, " the cheque is in the mail." We try to treat it rather sterile, from a distance so we don't get infected. I'm not going to name the church, but a friend and I tried to get the church to partner with a small local food bank. What we thought would be an easy sell, turned out to a saga of committee and endless excuses. There was the issue of ownership, the church was insistent that it's banner be flown. The issue that the partner was a non-christian organization. The reality was the church was not big enough by itself, nor had the facilities, nor the experience and expertise to pull it off alone...the existing food bank, needed some resources, staff, and a cash influx. A merger made logical sense. Sadly religious politics won out in the end, a partnership never happened. " The cheque is in the mail."
Again, the church could have been the " light " in that situation without waving a Bible, or denominational flag...just by being a mere faithful servant and presence. It would have had a tangible connection with poverty, would have been able to connect with other agencies involved working with poverty and other social issues. I believe it would have learned more than years of sermons, the depth of the Gospels, and the redemptive imagination of the Kingdom that Jesus revealed through word and action.
Working with the First Nations people on a local reserve north of Victoria what used to make my blood boil was the comment by my evangelical friends, " have you saved anyone yet." I know that Jesus can perform miracles, but if there is some realm out side the box of miracles that would be it. To think that confessing Jesus as your personal savior is going to end instantaneously years of dysfunctional community and family, poverty, illiteracy, health issues, addictions brings your faith into the realm of delusion.
We've been there for just over three years. Most people would look to see what we've accomplished and think nothing. We haven't built a church, or got them into a church. It took almost three years before we could talk about faith. The process is pain staking slow.
For almost 3 years we listened to stories about the community, their culture, and their history. We played with the youth, they take their sports seriously...broken toe, broken finger and bruised ribs. We met parents, grandparents, the band council and elders, and the health unit on the reserve. We ate meals together.
For 3 years we listened, and built a relationship...we became friends. Their came a point where we didn't have to push, it just evolved to the place where our actions of faith and the Kingdom...became words also. Nothing of this process has been dictated by us, it's more through relationship that they led us to places where we could talk about the issues, and build bridges to connect them with various social agencies to help.
Beware, that this is a long term commitment. I see myself being their for a long time. They are wary of what I call, " looky loo " ministry. Where you drop of a food hamper, maybe stay for an afternoon. They are suspicious of all that. They are looking for relationship, someone who's going to be there through the good, bad and the ugly.
Another thing that really challenged me over the years was the responsibility of the pastor and the church. I would see a social justice issue in the community and bring it to the attention of the Pastor, or the church and expect action. After awhile it became a cop out...if the church didn't do anything...then I didn't do anything. If the Pastor didn't do anything, well, then I didn't have to do anything.
Yes, social justice is a church issue but "it" can't do everything. But it is my, and your responsibility...it's everyone's. So you yourself, get involved. Or get a few friends and partner with an agency or a church that is tackling the issues of poverty, homelessness, addiction...
I think to when we see these buzz words like Missional Church, we tend to get over whelmed. I love Jordon's idea of Mustard Sized Solutions...think small, think local...planting your one small seed of faith will pay big dividends. Might not increase the size of your church, or add coins to the church offering...but it will vastly increase the size of the Kingdom.
