Today is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty . One of the best quotes I heard this week at CCDA was from Robert Guerrero who was quoting the Micah Network’s Declaration on Integral Mission…
Integral mission or holistic transformation is the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel. It is not simply that evangelism and social involvement are to be done alongside each other. Rather, in integral mission our proclamation has social consequences as we call people to love and repentance in all areas of life. And our social involvement has evangelistic consequences as we bear witness to the transforming grace of Jesus Christ. If we ignore the world we betray the word of God which sends us out to serve the world. If we ignore the word of God we have nothing to bring to the world. Justice and justification by faith, worship and political action, the spiritual and the material, personal change and structural change belong together. As in the life of Jesus, being, doing and saying are at the heart of our integral task.
This means that ending poverty is essential to God’s mission in the world and our task as the people who participate in that mission. The fact that we carry on our ordinary lives consuming and participating in injustice must make God weep. I don’t want to be a total downer, because I saw so much hope this week in obscure people who are striving for God’s justice in their community.
So, it’s a good day to reflect on the poverty right under our noses as well as the poverty we create by our consumer lifestyles. We have the means to end poverty, just not the will. How can you (and me) be a part of making that happen?
Thanks for sharing that, Lucas. That’s what I need to hear over and over again as I seek a holistic life driven by a holistic mission for a holistic God.
you’re welcome… just don’t steal that for your BTT paper
what are we doing in “justification of faith”. interesting set of words, please explain.
our justification is in Jesus Christ. we cannot justify our faith.
help me understand.
well, i think you’re referring to the statement i quoted. But the end of that statement is pairing up things that we don’t always hold together. often we either emphasize the spiritual and ignore physical needs or vice versa. so the beginning of that sentence “justice and justification by faith” expresses one of the ways we divide these things in two when they really are part of the same thing.
hope that makes sense. i like this statement because it says that evangelism and social action not only go together but are the same thing. proclaiming the gospel is a political act that challenges the orders of this world and working towards social justice is an embodiment of that message and a proclamation in itself.
I don’t see that “ending poverty is essential to God’s mission” nor is it by Christ’s own words attainable. I do however see that meeting people at their needs is essential to the Gospel and I whole-heartily agree with this message.
I of course disagree that consumption causes poverty. It is quite the opposite. It causes wealth. Basic economics tells you that. It is governments that create poverty.
When you have free trade, people put work into raw materials (whatever they may be) and create something of greater value which consumers pay for in cash. That additional value is the producer’s wage which he/she can in turn can trade for something of value. It is tit-for-tat, sort of a global co-op. It is governments that stop free trade that create problems in the system.
Hey Luke! I just wanted to thank you for your timely reminder of the need to be good stewards of our blessings right where we live. Although I do agree with Richie that the elimination of poverty is not necessarily essential to God’s mission nor do I think it is an achievable goal since we human creature were given free will and we make too many irrational choices, I do believe that it is a part of our responsibility as Christians to care for each other and that’s what reducing poverty is all about. I have met too many people (remember our mission trip to El Paso?) who live in poverty who have a greater understanding of the concept of blessings and are closer to God than many who have inordinate wealth. Poverty is not the deterrant to God’s mission that apathy is and that is why your post is so relevant.
For Richie – I would have to differ with you about government responsibility for poverty. The trade system is not perfect and has inherent faults as illustrated by the recent problems with trade from China (lead based pain in toys, contaminated dog food, etc.) but it is intended to protect through restrictions – not cause poverty. I only know of one system that is perfect and that is the one God put in place where man cares for his brother through stewardship. The big problem with that system is that here in our earthly world not everyone buys in to responsibility for his fellowman. I am glad to see that the issue is being discussed and efforts made to redistribute various resources for the benefit of those less fortunate.
Love Ya,
Mom
[...] we carry on our ordinary lives consuming and participating in injustice must make God weep.” -Lucas (0) [...]
Lucas,
Once again, you’re just NOT paying attention… The DECIDER has told us all very plainly that the EVIL-DOERS (minions of Satan, we can presume) will have won “the battle” if we do not go to Disneyland and buy new washers and dryers biannually.
Jesus wants us to win the battle and the Decider will lead us to that victory! Sheesh, don’t you know that it was a bunch of Commie redadctor-fractors who added all that gibberish about how we’re supposed to help “the least among us” to the Gospels hundreds of years after Jesus’ death!? Jesus’ primary concerns were a two-way tie between 1) maintaining consistent, linear, economic growth FOREVER, and 2) no gay but-sex for ANYONE.
Sheesh, pay attention! Since I’m not in Cove with you anymore, it’s more important than ever…
mpr
non satyrical comment to follow…
Why is it that I know all kinds of people from impoverished countries (like the former soviet block, central America, and African nations) and ATHIESTS who believe that it is both possible and desirable to end poverty…
…and I also know lots and lots of American Christians who believe that the existence of poverty is as inevitable as the waxing and waning of the moon?
I have a pretty good idea…
mpr
nice michael… you made me laugh out loud.
[...] we read the Bible instead of the other way around. Economics is a reality we have to deal with as Richie well pointed out, but the Bible teaches us how to deal with [...]