Many needs of people are not met in church

[BrideForChrist]

If you read John 5:1-3, you will find that the Jews went to Jerusalem to celebrate their feast. But verse 3 says that at the pool of Bethesda, lay a great multitudes of sick people. The bible did not say few people, but great multitudes. This is a picture of the present church that the Lord showed me, and i weep over it.
Many needs of people are not met in church, and the church is celebrating Jesus. Nothing wrong with celebrating Jesus. But isn't the church called to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. freely ye have received, freely give (matt 10:8). Judging by so many new hospitals built in Singapore, i doubt the church of Singapore has met their needs. Lets intercede and rise up to fulfill matt 10:8

[No124get1952]

Bride of Christ,

You are exactly right. I have a lady in our church who has the exact same view. Unfortunately, depending upon the size of your body of believers, often there is not enough surplus to reach outside the doors of the church. After all, we are supposed to look after those "in" the Body of Christ first....and oftentimes there is not even enough to go around for them either. You are correct that judgment is building against churches who are not doing all that you said. But step back a moment and let me provide some perspective based upon what happens in my church.

My church is less than 500 members, so it is not a large church. We are new there so I do not know all of their outreaches. Yet they just had a sort of service day where they gave away about 500 backpacks with school supplies. At the same time the did oil changes, haircuts, makeup and as many other things as they could on this day. They also preached the gospel while the people were there. About 25 souls were saved, yet the unmet needs in our local community still exist. We have a Christian school and I know we provide housing for a few needy people. Then the resources run out and the needs to do not....and THAT is the crux of your question. What do we do?

First, we pray. We see the need, we are responsible to ask God to meet the need. And when I say pray, I mean deep intercession where we learn what the need is, why it is there and begin to pray against the roots of society that created the need. For example, we have people nearby our church that live in tents in forested lots. We do not have resources for them, but there IS a spiritual and physical root to that problem. We need to ask God to provide jobs and low cost living options.

After prayer, if the burden is still on our hearts, we need to begin collecting information on city, county, state and federal programs that may be available for assistance to the needs we see. We must extend ourselves IF God has placed that burden on us. If God has not placed that burden on us, we pray for God to send those with finances, a calling and energy enough to take on that burden.

Finally, if we find no help available, God may be calling us to be that divine representative. We may have to develop an outreach, a ministry. We may have to fill out the papers for federal or state help. We may be hearing God's voice for US to be the action leader. If this is the case, take your burden to your pastor and ask him to help you determine if you really are hearing God's call. Then begin to ask your friends to pray for your burden, for your guidance and for your prosperity as you take on this ministry.

DO NOT do like the lady in my church with the same burden. She goes from one person to another in the congregation and makes the needs known, THEN she complains that nobody in leadership is listening or even desiring to help meet the needs she sees. She brings accusations against leadership of the church and does not seem to have any respect for any meeting or any group, only her own agenda. This sows discord in the church and it does not meet the needs. So she comes off looking like a false prophet/teacher/advocate and everybody ignores her (which they should do), but the sad thing is....the needs she advocates for are real and need to find an advocate within the church.

What do I do? I pray the lord of the harvest to send workers into the field, for the fields are white unto harvest. What does this actually mean? It means that if you take up a ministry in the name of Jesus and glorify Him, your ministry WILL NOT fail!!! Praise Jesus!!!

So, ask God to give you discernment....you may be receiving your Divine Call to service

Blessings

[kwikphilly]

Blessings Bride

    Welcome to Worthy,I sent you some posting info....the Seekers Lounge is for unbelievers,seekers & guest to ask us questions about our Faith....I noticed in your Welcome Thread that you are a Christian......The Sections/Forums are explained in your PM(envelope icon)    Here all replies must be approved by a Moderator before they will be posted so it is time consuming as they are submitted & the order they are received they are reviewed.....you will get many more replies when posting in the appropriate Forum    

    There is a big difference between a "church" that one attends & "The Church"(The Body of Christ)       Indeed many "churches" celebrate Jesus and that is wonderful but we do not see much productivity or effectiveness simply because it is merely a gathering with a mixture of Born again Believers,believers & unbelievers.....that is not The Church. Is it possible to find "a church" that has within it the Body of Believers that can meet the needs of the people,I don't know the answer but in my experience,no   I have been to churches that meet some of the needs some of the time but "all of the needs ,all of the time "   ,not yet anyway    That does not prevent me from going to one church to be useful for some things & another church to be used for another thing and then yet another church for some other thing.....

   I understand why you wept over what you have been shown.....No124 has given a great suggestion,seek Gods Will ,His Direction & perhaps He Will Lead you to an effective Body of Believers to begin a Ministry or are already busy serving the Lord to give God the Glory in the Mighty Name of Jesus!                With love-in Christ,Kwik

[Neighbor]

 Individuals simply will not ask. It is the individual that thwarts help from the body of Christ Jesus. Because in their pride they will not ask for assistance. Their individual needs cannot be met if they are not made known. They will not allow themself to ask for assistance. If found to be in need, they more often than not will not accept a gift even in the name of our Lord Jesus.

We give at Lord's Supper toward the need of widows, orphans, and really anyone with  a need they cannot handle themselves. We have thousands of dollars in the fund and always have far more in monetary  and personnel resource than  we ever have need for. We put in septic systems,  roofs, handicap facilities, make utility or even mortgage payments, really anything that is a real need or might be an aid.

Yet there are almost no takers for almost no one will confess a need, nor say "help". Then, someone will come along,  see a church member in trouble, and  presuming the worst of the church body will criticize the  church.

It is always a hard game to endure.  Pride is counter productive in many ways.

 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Neighbor

[hmbld]

The ecclesia is non-denominational and powerfully important!