Recently, Messy Christian posted about Mega churches, and there resulted such a split discussion that I feel led to write about it here. Having to do with building buildings against feeding the poor, my article will not mince words, so if you are lighthearted and unwilling to face the truth today, better that you do not read this.
Much of what is said here today is taken from a book I am reading called Revolution in World Missions, by K.P Yohannan. Thanks to Elaine for bringing me this book. To get to the point, Yohannan quoted Economist Robert Heilbroner, who describes the luxuries a typical American family would have to surrender if they lived among the one billion hungry people in the third world:
“We begin by invading the house of our imaginary American family to strip it of its furniture. Everything goes: beds, chairs, tables, television sets, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a kitchen table, a wooden chair. Along with the bureaus go the clothes. Each member of the family may keep in his ‘wardrobe’ his oldest suit or dress, a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family, but none for the wife or children.
We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out, so we turn to the cupboards….the box of matches may stay, a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt. A few moldy potatoes, already in the garbage can, must be rescued, for they will provide much of tonight’s meal. We will leave a handful of onions and a dish of dried beans. All the rest we take away; the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned goods, the crackers, the candy.
Now we have stripped the house; the bathroom has been dismantled, the running water shut off, the electric wires taken out. Next we take away the house. The family can move to the tool shed….Communications must go next. No more newspapers, magazines, books – not that they are missed, since we must take away our family’s literacy as well. Instead, in our shantytown we will allow one radio….
Now government services must go next. No more postmen, no more firemen. There is a school, but it is three miles away, and consists of two classrooms. There are, of course, no hospitals, or doctors nearby. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle, provided the family has a bicycle, which is unlikely.
Finally, money. We will allow our family a cash hoard of five dollars. This will prevent our breadwinner from experiencing the tragedy of an Iranian peasant who went blind because he could not raise the $ 3.94 which he mistakenly thought he needed to receive admission to a hospital where he could have been cured.”
How would you like to live there? Not much time, or money for that matter, to build a church building, is there? Now read what Yohannan says next.
“These extravagant buildings are insanity from a Third World perspective. The $ 74 million spent on one new building here could build nearly fifteen thousand average sized churches in India.”
That’s not to mention what it could do for feeding the people, and improving their way of life. How many “church” buildings are going up in America, all the while brothers and sisters in Christ are dying of starvation? Where is our compassion for them?
We can worship God in a tent. We can worship God in an outhouse, if need be. Why the need for ever growing glorious buildings? Why? To draw them in? I don’t think a family who is looking for a way to buy a meal tonight is going to feel too comfortable in a fifty million dollar mansion called a church. That’s just my opinion, but I think it is a fairly accurate one.
I have heard all of the excuses, and quite frankly, they are nothing more than justification. My own church is building an addition, and this addition has caused me more heartache than I care to admit. I cannot justify it, when I read about the people starving. Not even “for God”.
Jesus, interestingly enough, never built a building. He never left behind instructions on how to do it, or how big it should be, or how much it should cost. That’s saying something.
But the insanity doesn’t end there. One thing that the economist forgot to mention that would go would be American savings accounts, and retirement accounts. Yes, that right, nothing to retire on. There are people who have socked away well over one million dollars who cannot lift a finger to help the starving persecuted church because then they might not have enough to retire on. Many people are sitting on fortunes of one hundred thousand dollars and more, while their brothers and sisters starve for lack of food, or die of exposure, for lack of heat. I have heard people say that they can’t just give and give, otherwise they would be the ones in need. So, instead, they hold onto their money so that they can be in control. Where is the trust in that?
Buildings? They suck the life out of the local church. God is not glorified by bricks and stone, and flashing lights. He is glorified when we love one another.
A building is a cold, flat, unfeeling religious relic, unable to feel anything, not even the behinds that sit in its chairs. Our hearts, where God sits, are able to feel. Well, what do you feel right now? Yeah, I know, it can feel like one big guilt trip, can’t it? That’s not my purpose. But let’s open our eyes, and SEE. Because what we do is not right in God’s eyes. Not right at all.
I am going to be investigating and planning , and then carrying out how I can do more. I am led to find out what it would take to go there, and be with them, those starving, and those who don’t know Jesus. You may have a different leading. But whatever it is, don’t ignore it any longer.
Much of what is said here today is taken from a book I am reading called Revolution in World Missions, by K.P Yohannan. Thanks to Elaine for bringing me this book. To get to the point, Yohannan quoted Economist Robert Heilbroner, who describes the luxuries a typical American family would have to surrender if they lived among the one billion hungry people in the third world:
“We begin by invading the house of our imaginary American family to strip it of its furniture. Everything goes: beds, chairs, tables, television sets, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a kitchen table, a wooden chair. Along with the bureaus go the clothes. Each member of the family may keep in his ‘wardrobe’ his oldest suit or dress, a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family, but none for the wife or children.
We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out, so we turn to the cupboards….the box of matches may stay, a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt. A few moldy potatoes, already in the garbage can, must be rescued, for they will provide much of tonight’s meal. We will leave a handful of onions and a dish of dried beans. All the rest we take away; the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned goods, the crackers, the candy.
Now we have stripped the house; the bathroom has been dismantled, the running water shut off, the electric wires taken out. Next we take away the house. The family can move to the tool shed….Communications must go next. No more newspapers, magazines, books – not that they are missed, since we must take away our family’s literacy as well. Instead, in our shantytown we will allow one radio….
Now government services must go next. No more postmen, no more firemen. There is a school, but it is three miles away, and consists of two classrooms. There are, of course, no hospitals, or doctors nearby. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle, provided the family has a bicycle, which is unlikely.
Finally, money. We will allow our family a cash hoard of five dollars. This will prevent our breadwinner from experiencing the tragedy of an Iranian peasant who went blind because he could not raise the $ 3.94 which he mistakenly thought he needed to receive admission to a hospital where he could have been cured.”
How would you like to live there? Not much time, or money for that matter, to build a church building, is there? Now read what Yohannan says next.
“These extravagant buildings are insanity from a Third World perspective. The $ 74 million spent on one new building here could build nearly fifteen thousand average sized churches in India.”
That’s not to mention what it could do for feeding the people, and improving their way of life. How many “church” buildings are going up in America, all the while brothers and sisters in Christ are dying of starvation? Where is our compassion for them?
We can worship God in a tent. We can worship God in an outhouse, if need be. Why the need for ever growing glorious buildings? Why? To draw them in? I don’t think a family who is looking for a way to buy a meal tonight is going to feel too comfortable in a fifty million dollar mansion called a church. That’s just my opinion, but I think it is a fairly accurate one.
I have heard all of the excuses, and quite frankly, they are nothing more than justification. My own church is building an addition, and this addition has caused me more heartache than I care to admit. I cannot justify it, when I read about the people starving. Not even “for God”.
Jesus, interestingly enough, never built a building. He never left behind instructions on how to do it, or how big it should be, or how much it should cost. That’s saying something.
But the insanity doesn’t end there. One thing that the economist forgot to mention that would go would be American savings accounts, and retirement accounts. Yes, that right, nothing to retire on. There are people who have socked away well over one million dollars who cannot lift a finger to help the starving persecuted church because then they might not have enough to retire on. Many people are sitting on fortunes of one hundred thousand dollars and more, while their brothers and sisters starve for lack of food, or die of exposure, for lack of heat. I have heard people say that they can’t just give and give, otherwise they would be the ones in need. So, instead, they hold onto their money so that they can be in control. Where is the trust in that?
Buildings? They suck the life out of the local church. God is not glorified by bricks and stone, and flashing lights. He is glorified when we love one another.
A building is a cold, flat, unfeeling religious relic, unable to feel anything, not even the behinds that sit in its chairs. Our hearts, where God sits, are able to feel. Well, what do you feel right now? Yeah, I know, it can feel like one big guilt trip, can’t it? That’s not my purpose. But let’s open our eyes, and SEE. Because what we do is not right in God’s eyes. Not right at all.
I am going to be investigating and planning , and then carrying out how I can do more. I am led to find out what it would take to go there, and be with them, those starving, and those who don’t know Jesus. You may have a different leading. But whatever it is, don’t ignore it any longer.
After all, how can we justify spending millions of dollars on buildings in the face of millions of starving people? How can we justify our "nest eggs" when even a small portion of them could help a brother and sister in Christ so much? What will we answer to Jesus when He asks us, "Why did you not feed me when I was starving?". Will we ask back, "Lord, when did we see You starving?"
3 comments:
MC, Yeah, you know it is a good thing to be myself, and be unafraid to speak what God puts on my heart. Thanks again for your help in reminding me of that, even if you didn't know you did it..
Elaine, Not a big fan of Lucado, although I think he is an excellent writer. His ministry, though, is to shepherd a flock of the local church. My ministry seems to be changing. I know there is time, because I have so much I need to learn. But I do truly thank you for reminding me, and everyone else, to pray. You are absolutely right, it is the one thing we all can do regardless of financial situations, and it is a great thing we do when we remember those less wealthy than us. But, let prayer not be all that most consider, because most can do more, and most sometimes just hide behind prayer, as a rock to pin down THEIR money.
I just talked with someone recently about his troubles financially. He told me that people would ask how it was for him and his family. When he told them it was very hard, very tight, the only response he would get was, "I'll pray for you." This man needed prayers, yes. But one thing he also needed was a gift from someone who would put flesh to their prayers.
Maybe the trouble is people aren't listening to God, because God is not dumb, He speaks. The other problem is, if one has never experienced great financial trouble, they have a difficult time, very difficult, relating to someone who has. They just don't get the desparation and fear that a man or woman can feel when they don't know how they are going to pay for rent, or food. I certainly do not pray that they get to feel it. But I do pray that the Lord open their ears and eyes to hear and see the OBVIOUS. In the meantime, you keep praying. I know you could use help, too. I pray that someone puts flesh to the prayer for you. If I could, I would. I hope you know that.
Elaine and Diane,
Prayer is definitely a great power. What I do not like is people who have been given the ability to help others, who hide behind prayer, and do nothing. There is a time to pray, and there is a time to DO.
What would Jesus do? I don't often have to ask that question. I know what He would do. If I have the ability to help someone, then that is what I should do. Why do I need to spend hours mumbling to God about it? A simple thank you, Lord, for letting me go to work with you today is enough.
The Bible says, and I'm not going to look it up, but it's in proverbs, , "do not withhold good from those who deserve it." In other words, if we have the ability to help someone, we should help them. Prayer reveals God's will to us, and that part of His will has been revealed to me since my Christian infancy.
I guess my question is, if someone approaches me and needs a handout, and I have it with me to give him, do I need to walk away from that person and pray to God before I give it? My opinion, which you should take with a barrel full of salt, is that no, I know what to do, because God has already taught me. My experience with that is that it works out quite nicely. But that's just me, it may not be that way for everyone.
I know everyone has their own perspective on this, but from my perspective, a lot of people are making a lot of bad excuses. My voice, and other voices are also in God's control. So.......................That says something, and when I remember what my train of thought was, I'll be sure to write another comment. Sorry. :) God bless you both greatly.
Diane,
Okay, so here is where I sound weird to most people. I pray during all of those times you mentioned. Now how in the world do I do that? Because my inner dialogue is USUALLY one long prayer, a converstaion that to some might seem one sided and abnormal, but to me, is perfectly normal, and decidedly not one sided. The only time it is not a prayer is when I am way too focused on me, me, me. But, there are many times also that I set aside for much deeper prayer, much more silent, or pointed prayer. I'm not really babbling with this inner dialodue. It's just a way of telling God about everything.
I wouldn't have even known what to call it were it not for a friend of mine telling me that was prayer. That was a long time ago, but it was at the start of my walk with God. So, who do I pray to? God. How often? Pretty often. But do I need to make a special event of it to help someone? I think it really, really depends on the Holy Spirit. After all, since He is with me all of the time, as He is with you, we don't always need to make a special appointment with Him. I find inner dialogue praying to be the most beneficial way to walk in this world. Without talking with God in my mind, I don't think I could have gotten through what I got through.
Have I ever been dirt poor? I would never consider myself dirt poor, even were I not to work again for another year. You see, I have all this crap that we call possessions, which makes me a very, very wealthy man according to the world's standards. But do I know what it feels like to worry about how I am going to make it through? Yes. But I have also received from God provision of the most awesome sorts. The "just in time" sort, the "better late than never" sort, and the "I'm giving you another chance" sort.
I own a small business, Diane, and I am currently out of work. Should I be worried? Strangely enough, I am not. But I also do not have thousands to fall back on. Locally speaking, I can relate to someone in need. And if I have it, I give it, whether it be money, or service without charge. Listen to this arrogant ass toot his own horn. ;(
Sorry, I just don't like "reporting" what I do. Now, I get to write my post for the day, which reports on something having to do with my business. Hope all is well. Take care.
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