Miller said:
Anchor said:
Action always reveals belief; belief is verified by action. Churches and other Christian institutions have responded to community needs in times of crisis for all our combined memory. Think Katrina, the Christmas tsunami of several years back, tornadoes across the south and midwest last year, and a plethora of other local and international crises. Nothing new to see here. It is commendable for Liberty to do this, but they are far from alone in living out a belief in caring for the needs of others.
That being said, serving a community in crisis is not the same as reaching them with the Gospel. I commend them for putting their faith in action. I hope that Liberty will use this exercise to confront as many as possible with the Gospel message. If the Gospel is not he pinnacle of their focus in this effort then this effort will prove to be nothing more than "wood, hay, and stubble" as are so many church charity efforts. It is the Gospel that is the test of care for individuals and a community.
Agreed, what Liberty did was a great start, and I believe that they should be commended for it, but the Gospel must be offered as well. Otherwise they are nothing more than the Red Cross. Bruinboy mentioned Jesus feeding the 5000, but He did so after preaching and teaching to them.
So, does that mean they have to hand out a tract/make them listen to a sermon with every meal or bag of ice or their ministry is discounted in some fashion? Doesn't it follow that if their human needs were met without reservation, they are more likely to listen or gain respect for the ministry because of the show of love and concern for their physical need? (BTW, that has already happened based on feedback from the community).
Maybe it is immediate, maybe it is months or years from now, time is not really a major factor is it? We are called to witness/minister, not to worry about the results, that is God's job.
I am going to try and use this as a lesson in my personal life. I know I can have a more positive impact on others by being kinder and caring more about the needs of others................................................................ just not here.
No fun being too nice.
Anchor: They even let black people in too.
Time to go, got some doors to knock on and order the world's largest ice cream sundae for the weekend.
Nothing wrong with those (I guess), but based on my experience, much more centered on man than real ministry. They are obviously focused more on the superficial, used to gather a crowd and count people.
