Running Gator Posted September 15, 2016 Group: Royal Member * Followers: 8 Topic Count: 91 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 10,596 Content Per Day: 3.70 Reputation: 2,743 Days Won: 25 Joined: 06/16/2016 Status: Offline Share Posted September 15, 2016 13 hours ago, SavedByGrace1981 said: That's part of it, but when it comes to what we see on a daily basis there is also advancing an agenda at play. This is a website that promotes a Christian worldview - therefore I assume most of us here (myself included) have compassion for the poor and homeless. Personally, we do what we can - through our church and privately - to help. My criticisms, such as they are, are not directed to those here. Many advocates for the poor and homeless however have ulterior motives - creating bigger government being one of them. Back in the 80s when issues of the poor and homeless were gracing our TV screens daily, the purpose was at least in part to make Reagan and his calls for cutting government spending seem cruel and heartless. Why do I say this? Look at what happened. Did the problems of poverty and the poor and homeless suddenly disappear with the election of Clinton and the democrats in the 90s? Were the issues miraculously solved? No - of course not. But the media "moved on" to cover other things. Since the establishment media generally favors Ds (because Ds generally favor bigger more centralized government) - when a D is in power the media will not cover anything that makes them look bad. That's why you're not hearing as much about the homeless problem now. Human misery - whether it takes the form of poverty, homelessness, addictions, whatever - is something we as Christians should care about and we should do what we can to alleviate suffering. Christ did say "the poor, you will always have with you"; but at the same time He commands us to be compassionate. My point isn't not to be caring or concerned about these issues. My point is to be suspicious of groups or individuals who "use" people to advance an agenda. Blessings, -Ed The problem as I see it is that the church in America has failed miserably to take care of the needy. There is a book called "The hole in our gospel" that I would recommend everyone read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmuffet Posted September 15, 2016 Group: Royal Member Followers: 34 Topic Count: 1,990 Topics Per Day: 0.48 Content Count: 48,688 Content Per Day: 11.83 Reputation: 30,343 Days Won: 226 Joined: 01/11/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted September 15, 2016 1 minute ago, Out of the Shadows said: The problem as I see it is that the church in America has failed miserably to take care of the needy. There is a book called "The hole in our gospel" that I would recommend everyone read. I think you are right. I sure do not think God would support the Church ignoring the homeless and needy. Some people have no empathy what so ever and are very merciless regarding them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SavedByGrace1981 Posted September 15, 2016 Group: Royal Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 104 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 2,923 Content Per Day: 0.61 Reputation: 462 Days Won: 2 Joined: 04/02/2011 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/22/1953 Share Posted September 15, 2016 (edited) 57 minutes ago, Out of the Shadows said: The problem as I see it is that the church in America has failed miserably to take care of the needy. There is a book called "The hole in our gospel" that I would recommend everyone read. I'm sure that in some cases that is true. I just hesitate to paint with such a broad brush. As I've mentioned before, I am a member of church of an evangelical Protestant denomination. Our church is small - averaging between 40 to 45 attendees on any given Sunday. I also happen to be the treasurer of our church, so I have knowledge of the church's finances and its giving. Even though we are small, we are blessed to be able to give to our denomination's world mission funds, and to support three children overseas. We have given to help local needs at times; and we give to a local teen crisis pregnancy center. I don't mean to "toot our own horn" - indeed, I suspect if one were to examine the finances of many small churches like ours one would find similar examples of giving. We can all cite examples of extravagance that seems to be all too common in some ministries. That is what makes news. Helping the poor and needy; following Jesus' commands - not so "newsworthy". Blessings, -Ed Edited September 15, 2016 by SavedByGrace1981 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other one Posted September 15, 2016 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 29 Topic Count: 596 Topics Per Day: 0.08 Content Count: 56,043 Content Per Day: 7.56 Reputation: 27,788 Days Won: 271 Joined: 12/29/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted September 15, 2016 On 9/13/2016 at 1:30 PM, ayin jade said: This is one glaring error right here. This tent city is a prison. Not a place where homeless reside. Well, they are kind of homeless LoL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other one Posted September 15, 2016 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 29 Topic Count: 596 Topics Per Day: 0.08 Content Count: 56,043 Content Per Day: 7.56 Reputation: 27,788 Days Won: 271 Joined: 12/29/2003 Status: Offline Share Posted September 15, 2016 16 hours ago, SavedByGrace1981 said: The plight of the poor and the homeless was a fixture on the nightly news back in the 80s when Reagan was POTUS, but not so much now. Anyone care to speculate as to why? Blessings, -Ed In central Oklahoma I would think it is because we take care of the homeless more than others seem to. I live in Shawnee and Oklahoma City is the other large homeless population. Her in Shawnee we only have a population of about 30 thousand people, but we have more than one feeding site for the homeless and places for them to go when it's really cold or hot. When the state turns someone out of mental health care onto the streets they give them a one way bus ticket to either Shawnee, or Oklahoma City for they know that they will be taken care of. I don't know of any church that is geared up to take care of permanent homeless people. I don't know where the people who feed them get the finances, but I know that much of it is non government grants from private donations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running Gator Posted September 15, 2016 Group: Royal Member * Followers: 8 Topic Count: 91 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 10,596 Content Per Day: 3.70 Reputation: 2,743 Days Won: 25 Joined: 06/16/2016 Status: Offline Share Posted September 15, 2016 (edited) 12 hours ago, SavedByGrace1981 said: I'm sure that in some cases that is true. I just hesitate to paint with such a broad brush. As I've mentioned before, I am a member of church of an evangelical Protestant denomination. Our church is small - averaging between 40 to 45 attendees on any given Sunday. I also happen to be the treasurer of our church, so I have knowledge of the church's finances and its giving. Even though we are small, we are blessed to be able to give to our denomination's world mission funds, and to support three children overseas. We have given to help local needs at times; and we give to a local teen crisis pregnancy center. I don't mean to "toot our own horn" - indeed, I suspect if one were to examine the finances of many small churches like ours one would find similar examples of giving. We can all cite examples of extravagance that seems to be all too common in some ministries. That is what makes news. Helping the poor and needy; following Jesus' commands - not so "newsworthy". Blessings, -Ed There are pockets of people doing good things like your church, but this book looks at the numbers as a whole for the US, and they are actually embarrassing. I applaud you and your church for the work they are doing, we need more to do this, but in my experience too many are too focused inwards and not outward. Edited September 15, 2016 by Out of the Shadows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SavedByGrace1981 Posted September 15, 2016 Group: Royal Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 104 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 2,923 Content Per Day: 0.61 Reputation: 462 Days Won: 2 Joined: 04/02/2011 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/22/1953 Share Posted September 15, 2016 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Out of the Shadows said: There are pockets of people doing good things like your church, but this book looks at the numbers as a whole for the US, and they are actually embarrassing. I applaud you and your church for the work they are doing, we need more to do this, but in my experience too many are too focused inwards and not outward. As to numbers as a whole for the US, I suspect you are correct. I'm reminded of Jesus' parable about the widow's mite. Sometimes affluence is NOT our friend. Blessings, -Ed Edited September 15, 2016 by SavedByGrace1981 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayin jade Posted September 15, 2016 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 44 Topic Count: 6,178 Topics Per Day: 0.88 Content Count: 43,795 Content Per Day: 6.22 Reputation: 11,242 Days Won: 58 Joined: 01/03/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted September 15, 2016 Just to make that easier to read ... The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain thatgenerations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment - this was the time - when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals. Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America. Obama's Nomination Victory Speech In St. Paul June 3, 2008. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebula Posted September 15, 2016 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 5,823 Topics Per Day: 0.76 Content Count: 45,870 Content Per Day: 5.96 Reputation: 1,897 Days Won: 83 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/19/1970 Author Share Posted September 15, 2016 Question: Did the first century church have programs to care for the entire poor population of their city, or just for the brethren? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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