11.28.2005
51 Churches
Sorry that it has been a while since I posted, but Amy, Alora, and I were visiting my family for most of last week, and I didn't feel like using my parents dial-up internet service. (It is horribly slow and frustrating.) Anyway, while eating at my Grandfather's house, I noticed a newspaper clipping on the refrigerator. The clipping was a "letter to the editor" from a man who was currently in a local jail. In the letter, the man explained that he was in jail because he had lost his job and was unable to pay child support. While he has been serving time, has been writing letters to different churches in order to ask them for prayer and advice. Yet, out of the 51 letters letters that he sent, only one pastor took the time to write him back. After thanking the pastor who responded to his letter, the man asked, "What has happened to our churches?" I believe the man has a very good question, though I am sure that many of the churches were unaware that the man tried to contact them. So, maybe the question should be "what has happened to pastors?" Although I realize that pastors can get very busy, this doesn't mean that they (or the churches) can ignore/neglect those who are seeking help.
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2 comments:
Politics? Possibly. Maybe being busy got in the way of loving.
Rita, thanks for your comments. I believe that you were correct when you stated that a lot of churches do not even know where to begin in regard to responding to social issues. While most churches are very good about discussing and participating in the Great Commission, I believe we have failed to see that "social justice" is a way in which the Church shines as a light in the world. Or to put it another way: social action can be (and should be) a wonderful "apologetic" to the world.
I also think that you "hit the nail on the head" when you stated that "the government has had to develope social programs to cover our jobs for us." This is a sad reality, because this is not the role of government. I am all too familiar with this reality, because Amy and I had to have government assistance during her pregrancy. Although Amy and I worked multiple jobs, we did not have insurance, so we had to go to the government for help. Honestly, most churches either do not know how or chose not to respond in these type of situations.
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