So I just finished another Quarter of my seminary career!!!!! It is hard to believe that by August I will be done and ready to move on to whatever the Lord has for me. This whole things called my life has been an adventure, and I hope that it never ends being one. One of the things that I love about seminary is that I often get to write papers over things that I am very passionate about. Here is one of the those topics (don't worry I am not posting my whole paper, just the highlights)
So I wrote on the churches responsibility in poverty, and this is a subject that I thought I knew a lot about. I have been on both sides of the coin, and have loved to see how God has provided in that. One of the things in the research for my paper that was "Do the poor feel welcome in your church?"
My first reaction was of course, most churches I have attended have always been open to the poor. Then I continued to read...the next major question was "Does everything that you do at your churches ask people to spend money to do it?" It could be asking people to pay a fee, bring food, or a donation. This struck me that often that is what we do. If we as a body are going to hang out often it is going to eat together, or doing some type of activity together that you have to pay to get in.
If a person is in poverty, then can they fully participate in the body's activities without having the means to pay for the events. This helps perpetuate the cycle that they do not always belong. That they just don't really fit in. Now I know no church is actually saying that, but it is what it can cause for those in poverty.
So what is the answer, I thought ohhhhh well offer scholarships, or discounted rates for big events to help them feel like they can come. Then as I read even more and also thought back over my own life, it is not fun having to go ask for a scholarship because I can't afford something. There are times I would just rather not go than to ask for that kind of help. It is hard for some that at every event they have to ask for the discount. This can again continue the idea that you are not really a part of the body.
This got me thinking there has to be a solution...however I don't know what it would be. This topic of poverty stretches across more than just the church. We however sometimes sit by and watch it happen. We as the body should be reaching out to those in need in any way that we can. Even though we may not cancel every event that has a fee to it, maybe we could work on having events that are free. This means that there will be extra planning or even extra budgeting, but I think that it is something that we need to work on to better serve those in need.
Ok stepping off my soap box :)
I hope that you are having a wonderful holiday season, and that you see the Lord move in great ways. He is so big and has so much in store for us when we run to him.
So I wrote on the churches responsibility in poverty, and this is a subject that I thought I knew a lot about. I have been on both sides of the coin, and have loved to see how God has provided in that. One of the things in the research for my paper that was "Do the poor feel welcome in your church?"
My first reaction was of course, most churches I have attended have always been open to the poor. Then I continued to read...the next major question was "Does everything that you do at your churches ask people to spend money to do it?" It could be asking people to pay a fee, bring food, or a donation. This struck me that often that is what we do. If we as a body are going to hang out often it is going to eat together, or doing some type of activity together that you have to pay to get in.
If a person is in poverty, then can they fully participate in the body's activities without having the means to pay for the events. This helps perpetuate the cycle that they do not always belong. That they just don't really fit in. Now I know no church is actually saying that, but it is what it can cause for those in poverty.
So what is the answer, I thought ohhhhh well offer scholarships, or discounted rates for big events to help them feel like they can come. Then as I read even more and also thought back over my own life, it is not fun having to go ask for a scholarship because I can't afford something. There are times I would just rather not go than to ask for that kind of help. It is hard for some that at every event they have to ask for the discount. This can again continue the idea that you are not really a part of the body.
This got me thinking there has to be a solution...however I don't know what it would be. This topic of poverty stretches across more than just the church. We however sometimes sit by and watch it happen. We as the body should be reaching out to those in need in any way that we can. Even though we may not cancel every event that has a fee to it, maybe we could work on having events that are free. This means that there will be extra planning or even extra budgeting, but I think that it is something that we need to work on to better serve those in need.
Ok stepping off my soap box :)
I hope that you are having a wonderful holiday season, and that you see the Lord move in great ways. He is so big and has so much in store for us when we run to him.
PS here is a pic of me and a friend. I baked him cookies for finals week.
