History and Practice of Mercy Ministry

• Chris Barksdale
• Jan 11, 2010
• Series: Mercy Ministry
• Categories: Church Planting Articles

 Chris Barksdale | Lead Pastor | Hollywood Church | Hollywood, CA

 
 Chris Barksdale, “The History and Practice of Mercy Ministry”
Unpublished document © Chris Barksdale
 

The History and Practice of Mercy Ministry

 
Intro:
 
We have spent the last four weeks looking at Jesus’ teaching in Luke 10 on good
Samaritan, Matt 25 on sheep and goats, overview of OT and NT. Today I want to answer
some practical questions but I first want to look at history! Did the early church get this
message of mercy and justice? Did they practice it? I think we will find a resounding yes
and actually see that much of the growth of Christianity was due to these very things!
 
You see, the common accusation made against the church today is that it doesn’t really
care about people but that is not what it was like for the early Christians. Karl Marx back
in the 19th century observed that church members who are deeply involved in the church
reflect a sense of alienation from the world, a desire to escape from it through
attachment to the church, a wish to have their church escape from the world with them.
As a matter of fact, survey’s show that the more theologically conservative a church is,
the less it tends to be concerned about the people it is around. David Mobeg made this
observation in his book “The Great Reversal” in 1970:  
 
David Mobeg “Those who place a high value on salvation are
conservative, anxious to maintain the status quo, and unsympathetic or
indifferent to the plight of the marginalized and the poor.”
 
Thus we have today churches that either; love theology, believe the Bible and preach
the gospel but care nothing for people around them; or churches that love the poor,
involved in social action and don’t care much about the Bible or theology. As I’ve said all
along in this series. If we are to have an impact in this city we have to more committed to
the gospel than the most conservative church and at the same time more committed to
mercy ministry and social justice than the most liberal church. We have to be a mercy-
minded missional church, which is just what the early church was!
 
The church started off with a burst. By 40AD there was at least 5,000 Christians but by
100AD probably no less than 10,000 because of persecution and Nero killing off
thousands himself. Eusebius, an early church historian, tells of some of the martyrs and
how they stood firm in their faith during this time. One was Valentina before Maximinus
as she saw one of her sisters in Christ being tortured:
 
Eusebius “Unable to bear the merciless, cruel, and inhuman scene
before her, and with courage exceeding all, she exclaimed against the
judge from the midst of the crowd, ‘how long, then, will you thus cruelly
torture my sister?’ He, the more bitterly incensed by this, ordered the
woman immediately to be seized. She was then dragged into the midst
and attempts were first made to bring her over to sacrifice by persuasion.
But when she refused she was dragged to the altar by force. With intrepid
step, she kicked the altar, and overturned all on it, together with the fire.”
 
But the church pressed on! Its growth became extraordinary. By 150AD it was up to
40,000; by 200AD it was 200,000; by 250AD it was 1.2 million; by 300AD it was 6
million; and by 350AD it was 34 million and over 56% of the population!! In doing so, it also became the official religion of the Roman Empire and dominated the big cities.
Rodney Stark, in his book “The Rise of Christianity”, made the following observation:
 
Rodney Stark “In the cities, and especially in the cities of Asia Minor and
North Africa, was where we find not only the first churches, but, during the
first four centuries, the most vigorous Christian communities.”
 
But what did the early church fathers believe about mercy and justice? Did they immerse
themselves in the culture around them or separate and keep to themselves? Did this
mindset contribute to the growth of the early church?
 
2nd Century
 
Justin Martyr was one of the earliest church fathers. One of his most prominent writings
was his dialog with Trypho who was a Jewish theologian. In the following quote Trypho
is baffled by the Christians belief that they are different from others yet don’t separate
from others. Instead they love and serve those who are different than them:
 
Trypho “The precepts in what you call your Gospel are so marvelous and
great that I don't think that anyone could possibly keep them. For I took
the trouble to read them. But this is what surprises us most, that you who
claim to be pious and believe yourselves to be different from the others
do not segregate yourselves from them, nor do you observe a manner of
life different from that of the Gentiles, for you do not keep the feasts or
sabbaths, nor do you practice the rite of circumcision. You place your
hope in a crucified man, and still expect to receive favors from God when
you disregard His commandments”
 
3rd Century
 
Tertullian tells us how the Christians lived around and loved the people in the cities!
 
Tertullian “For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither
by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they
neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech,
nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. But, inhabiting
Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them
has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to
clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us
their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their
own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all
things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign
land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a
land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but
they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a
common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh.
They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They love
all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned;
they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many
rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor are glorified. They are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are
persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign
any reason for their hatred.
 
Tertullian then tells us how they really impact the culture and what it is that sets them
apart:
 
Tertullian “It is our care of the helpless, our practice of loving kindness
that brands us in the eyes of many of our opponents.”
 
Tertullian also noted how the church collected money for helping the marginalized unlike
the pagans who spent it on themselves. The pagan temples would collect money and
then use it for their own selfish ends to throw themselves parties and such.
 
Tertullian “For the funds are not taken and spent on feasts, and drinking
bouts, and eating houses, but to support and bury poor people, to supply
the wants of boys and girls destitute of means and parents, and of old
persons confined to the house.”
 
Then there was Cyprian another church father from the 3rd Century. Upon reflecting on
Matthew 25, he said the following:
 
Cyprian “Feed Christ. For you are offending God even in this very point,
if you believe that wealth has been given to you by Him for the express
purpose of enjoying it without thought of the poor.”
 
He believed that passages like Matthew 25 and passages in Proverbs, where Jesus
identifies himself with the marginalized, provided some of the greatest motivation
towards mercy and justice:
 
Cyprian “How more could He have stimulated the works of our justice
and mercy than by having said that whatever is offered to the poor and
the needy is offered to Him? So that he in the Church, who is not moved
by consideration of his brother, may indeed be moved by contemplation
of Christ, and he who does not give thought to his fellow servant in
trouble and in need may indeed give thought to the Lord abiding in that
very one whom he despises.”
 
Pontianus, another pastor at the time, observed how Cyprian instructed his church on
caring not just for each other, but for those who are not Christians:
 
Pontianus “The people being assembled together, he first of all urges on
them the benefits of mercy. Then he proceeds to add that there is nothing
remarkable in cherishing merely our own people . . . but that they should
be practicing a merciful kindness like that of God and should love his
enemies as well . . . Thus the good was done to all men, not merely to the
household of faith.”
 
4th Century
 
This is when Christianity really erupted and became a majority in Rome. Chrysostom
was a church father at the time as well who noted how the time, talent and treasure we
have is to be used to serve those around us, especially the poor:
 
John Chrysostom “The rich man is a kind of steward of the money which
is owed for distribution to the poor. For his goods are not his own, but
belong to his fellow servants.”
 
John Chrsostom "It is the poor man who holds out his hand, but it is God
Himself who receives whatever you give to the poor."
 
St. Augustine was another such man who contested for the church’s ministry to the poor
and marginalized:
 
Augustine:  "Give those things to the poor which you cannot keep—that
you may receive those things which you cannot lose."
 
Now historians agree that extraordinary growth took place between 250AD to 350AD in
Christianity. It went from 1 million to 34 million! How did it get there? What happened at
the end of the 3rd century and into the early 4th  to cause such an explosion? Well, it
wasn’t massive crusades or political maneuvering that caused Christianity to grow. It
was through service, mercy, sacrifice and fighting for justice that the gospel was heard
and believed in!  
 
History tells us that Christianity began in this period with having a major impact on the
wealthy and influential first. As a matter of fact, Christianity spread first among the
educated more rapidly than among the uneducated. We see this in Acts and places like
Philippians where Roman guards had come to know Jesus! But these people began to
use their power and influence and pour themselves out for the marginalized and
serve/love the cities they were in! And they would be thrust into a situation that would
allow them to display how firmly they really believed the gospel, to show mercy and do
justice. That situation was the plagues!  
 
In 165AD the first appearance of smallpox sprung up and lasted for 15 years until 1/3 of
the population died. Historians at the time noted the caravans of carts and wagons
hauling the dead from cities. Certain cities were completely lost to the epidemic! In
251AD the first instance of measles appeared. At its height, 5,000 people a day were
reported to have died in the city of Rome alone. Now, notice the dates: 250AD was the
time that Christianity really took off! Let’s look at how people responded to these
epidemics:
 
Pagan Response to Plagues
 
The basic response of the pagans was to only care about themselves. They did
everything they could to keep from catching the diseases. When push came to shove,
they shoved. Bishop Dionysius made the following observation:  
 
Bishop Dionysius “At the first onset of the disease, they pushed the
sufferers away and fled from their dearest, throwing them into the roads
before they were dead and treated unburied corpses as dirt, hoping
thereby to avert the spread of the fatal disease.”
 
But it wasn’t just the Christians who observed this about the pagans. You might think
that the Christian historians and pastors tweaked history to be in their favor. But note the
following pagan historian:
 
Thucydides “People died with no one to look after them; indeed there
were many houses in which all the inhabitants perished through lack of
any attention. The bodies of the dying were heaped one on top of the
other, and half-dead creatures could be seen staggering about in the
streets or flocking around the fountains in their desire for water. The
temples in which they took up their quarters were full of the dead bodies
of people who had died inside them.”  
 
Upon discovering that most of the best doctors fled Rome and moved to Asia Minor till
the plague was over, Rodney Stark (sociologist at University of Washington) said the
following:
 
Rodney Stark “It was what any prudent person would have done, had
they the means—unless, of course, they were “Galileans”.
 
The Christians acted completely different! Instead of running and caring for themselves,
they cared for their brothers and sisters in Christ. But even more shocking, they stayed
behind and took care of the pagans who were dying when their family and friends left
them behind!
 
Christian Response to Plagues
 
They first of all had a hope that this world was not the end and that God had all things
under control, even the plague. It was their theology that caused them to stay:
 
Rodney Stark “The central doctrines of Christianity prompted and
sustained attractive, liberating, and effective social relations and
organizations.”
 
Imagine being a pagan (non-believer) at this time. Everyone around is dying and
everyone is asking why and maybe you are next. You look to your pagan priest for
answers but they not only don’t have any answers, they are nowhere to be found
because they fled for their lives. William McNeill (historian from University of Chicago) in
his book “Plagues and Peoples” made the following observation about the Christian’s
beliefs sustaining them:
 
William McNeill “Another advantage Christians enjoyed over pagans was
that the teaching of their faith made life meaningful even amid sudden
and surprising death . . . Even a shattered remnant of survivors who had
somehow made It through war or pestilence or both could find warm,
immediate and healing consolation in the vision of a heavenly existence
for those missing relatives and friends . . . Christianity was, therefore, a
system of thought and feeling thoroughly adapted to a time of troubles in
which hardship, disease, and violent death commonly prevailed.”
 
But they had more than hope in the face of death. They sacrificed their lives for those
around them. It was during this time that Christians both cared for one another and their
neighbors. Rodney Stark says that they got to put their theology into practice:
 
Rodney Stark “During the crisis, Christians fulfilled their ideal of
ministering to everyone, and there were many pagan survivors who owed
their lives to their Christian neighbors.”
 
Bishop Dionysius gave this description of what was going on:
 
Bishop Dionysius “Most of our brother Christians showed unbounded
love and loyalty, never sparing themselves and thinking only of one
another. Heedless of danger, they took charge of the sick, attending to
their every need and ministering to them in Christ, and with them
departed this life serenely happy; for they were infected by others with
the disease, drawing on themselves the sickness of their neighbors and
cheerfully accepting their pains. Many, in nursing and curing others,
transferred their death to themselves and died in their stead.”
 
You see, love through sacrifice was a revolutionary idea to the pagans! The Christians
had a theological basis for sacrificing their lives because they worshipped a crucified
Savior! The pagans couldn’t get their people to sacrifice because there was no
motivation, no gospel!!!
 
Rodney Stark “Emperor Julian urged pagan priests to match these
Christian practices, but there was little or no response because there
were no doctrinal bases or traditional practices for them to build upon.”
 
But how did the Christians help? Science at the time knew nothing about treating such
epidemics. It was through sacrifice and the risk of their own lives that they cared for
them. They simply cared for the basic human needs of the people around them! They
were willing to die to serve and love their neighbors. William McNeill tells us that
stopping the plague basically required people who were willing to meet the basic human
needs:
 
William McNeill “When all normal services break down, quite elementary
nursing will greatly reduce mortality. Simple provision of food and water,
for instance, will allow persons who are temporarily too weak to cope for
themselves to recover instead of perishing miserably.”
 
Modern medical experts believe that conscientious nursing without any medications
could cut the mortality rate by 2/3! Thus after consecutive epidemics those remaining
were either Christians or pagans who had been nursed through their sickness by
Christian neighbors! The response to seeing people willingly give up their lives caused
the pagans to listen to the gospel and become Christians themselves! This is why
Christianity grew the way it did! The church was known as being merciful!

By 350AD, when Christianity had become a majority, Roman emperor Julian (the last
pagan emperor who tried to stop Christianity and revive paganism, who hated the
Christians), noted how they were growing in influence because of their work with the
poor and love for their neighbors! He noted how when the poor happened to be
neglected that the Christians filled in the gap and served and took care of them! He
noted how they always talked about being their “brother’s keeper” and “doing unto others
as you would have them do onto you” and that it was “more blessed to give than to
receive!” These are all verses taken from the Bible: Genesis, Matthew and Acts!
Scripture was memorized to keep them motivated! Julian became very upset that his
attempt to revive paganism was failing and that Christianity was an unstoppable force!
 
Roman Emperor Julian "These irreverent Galileans not only feed their
own poor, but ours as well, everyone can see that our people lack aid
from us.  They are welcoming them into their agape, they attract them, as
children are attracted, with cakes. While the pagan priests neglect the
poor, the hated Galileans devote themselves to works of charity, and by a
display of false compassion have established and given effect to their
pernicious errors. See their love-feasts, and their tables spread for the
needy. Such practice is common among them, and causes a contempt for
our gods."  
 
Julian eventually conceded that the Christians outshone the pagans in their devotion to
charitable work. But what happened after that? Christians invaded the cities and cared
for people! They lived in cities plagued by poor sanitation and ethnic tension: they lived
in a culture that radically constrained the freedom and dignity of women; they lived in a
society that exposed or drowned unwanted infants. They also lived in a society that was
full of strangers. New people were constantly coming into the cities and most died before
they were 30 years old.  They also lived in places ridden with crime. It was so bad that
Jerome Carcopino in “Daily life of ancient Rome” said:
 
Jerome Carcopino “Night fell over the city like the shadow of a great
danger, diffused, sinister, and menacing. Everyone fled to his home, shut
himself in, and barricaded the entrance. The shops fell silent, safety
chains were drawn behind the leaves of the doors.”
 
But the Christians served the city and loved the people. They were an unstoppable force
not because of their badgering but because of their love and service:
 
Rodney Stark “To cities filled with the homeless and impoverished,
Christianity offered charity as well as hope. To cities filled with
newcomers and strangers, Christianity offered an immediate basis for
attachments. To cities filled with orphans and widows, Christianity
provided a new and expanded sense of family. To cities torn by violent
ethnic strife, Christianity offered a new basis for social solidarity. And to
cities faced with epidemics, fires and earthquakes, Christianity offered
effective nursing services.”

5th Century through 16th Century
 
By the Middle ages Christians started to idolize the poor and started entering
monasteries thinking Jesus just wanted them to be poor. But eventually the church
gained money and power and the poor began to be pushed aside. David Flood in his
book “Poverty in the Middle Ages” noted the following:
 
David Flood “As the Middle Ages sagged, the poor man ceased to evoke
the presence of Christ as in earlier centuries. He aroused suspicion
rather, and society lumped him together with the vagabond and criminal
elements.”  
 
In other words, being poor put you in the marginalized category. And the poor were all
considered a danger to society. And this became an even greater problem for this
philosophy of society. When the plagues hit in the 1300’s the poor became a much
larger number (75% owned no property). Nuremberg, Germany, for example, had about
20,000 residents with 12,000 to 15,000 being poor. People started shunning anyone that
wasn’t like them in fear of disease and such. By 1350, if a homeless person was caught
on an English road without a proper pass, he would be branded with a hot iron. Many
towns forbade homeless people to stay more than one night on “pain of death by
hanging.” By 1500 the affluence of the Church was evident everywhere. And the church
began to use the money it collected to spend it on themselves and shun the poor.
Bonnie Patterson in her book “Poverty in the Theology of John Calvin” notes the
following:
 
Bonnie Patterson “The landholdings and power of the Church extended
to every corner of Western Europe. Monasteries became laden with the
wealth and estates of their benefactors. The skyline of every major city in
Europe was dominated by cathedrals filled with painted furniture, ornate
sculptures, lavish tapestries, expensive paintings, and embellishments of
gold and silver. By Calvin’s day, the ruling ministers of the Church lived
like aristocracy who acquired all the trappings of the social elite. Most
bishops resided in homes that resembled palaces and enjoyed the
indulgence of servants and privileges, luxuries, and power of princes. All
this grandeur lay in stark contrast to the squalid realities of the poor and
indigent. According to Calvin, the Church appeared to be more concerned
with its elaborate ceremonies and magnificent displays of wealth than in
going about its business of ministering to the needs of the poor.”
 
So the marginalized went from being treated with compassion and mercy (100-500AD);
to being treated like a god and used as merit (500-1200AD); to eventually treated as a
criminal and sub-human (1200-1500AD)!
 
At this time was when the Reformers stepped in and began the Reformation (16th
century). They had to rid the church of its merit system in caring for the poor and stop
the injustice of dehumanizing the poor. They taught that mercy and justice was the most
important work that a Christian could possibly do. So two of the most important acts of
reform Luther went after was the soteriology and the social concern of the Catholic
Church! Luther began with tackling the soteriology of the Catholic Church. He sought to
reform the idea that giving to the poor merited you favor with God and that buying
indulgences would give you forgiveness of your sins. So Luther came in with guns
blazing on sola fide (faith alone):  
 
Martin Luther “Christians are to be taught that he who sees a needy man
and passes him by, yet gives his money for indulgences, does not buy
papal indulgences but God’s wrath.”
 
Luther really got upset as he observed how the Catholic Church was using the money of
the poor to build St. Peter’s basilica and other great cathedrals. At least 8 of his 95
thesis’ he nailed to the door of Wittenberg dealt with this very issue:  
 
Martin Luther “Beware, therefore, O man! God will not ask you at your
death and at the Last Day how much you have left in your will but he will
say to you, ‘I was hungry and you gave me no food; I was naked and you
did not clothe me’ (Matt. 25:42-43). Take these words to heart, dear man!
The important thing is whether you have given to your neighbor and
treated him well.”
 
Martin Luther:  “A man who will not help or support others unless he can
do so without affecting his safety or property will never help his neighbor”
 
Luther constantly called for justice. Poverty was not a virtue to be idealized but the
blasphemous result of a greedy Church. Luther’s call to believers was not to sanctify
poverty, but to abolish it. And Luther practiced what he preached. During the plague he
stayed back and housed them in his home with his wife. His two brothers died from the
plague. Luther considered it his duty to remain back to care for people and he
admonished his people to do the same.
 
During this same time John Calvin arises in Switzerland to push the Reformation in
Geneva while Luther tackled German. Calvin constantly preached on the need to show
mercy and do justice in the city. He saw that our time, talent and treasure was given to
us by a sovereign God to be used for the benefit of the people around us:
 
John Calvin “The lawful use of all benefits consists in a liberal and kindly
sharing of them with others. No surer rule and no more valid exhortation to
keep it could be devised than when we are taught that all the gifts we
possess have been bestowed by God and entrusted to us on condition that
they be distributed for our neighbor’s benefit.”
 
He also took note of his own culture and how Christianity was far from what it was
supposed to be on this issue:
 
John Calvin:  “Today the poor get nothing more of alms than if they were  
cast into the sea. Therefore, the church is mocked with a false diaconate .
. . there is nothing of the care of the poor, nothing of that whole function
which the deacons once performed.”
 
Preaching on Matthew 25, Calvin says that we should be motivated to serve Christ as
we serve the marginalized:

John Calvin “As Christ has just now told us, by a figure, that our senses
do not yet comprehend how highly He values deeds of charity, so now He
openly declares, that He will reckon as done to Himself whatever we have
bestowed on His people. So then, whenever we are reluctant to assist the
poor, let us place before our eyes the Son of God, to whom it would be
base sacrilege to refuse anything.”
 
This was a constant theme of Calvin’s teaching as the following quotes indicate:
 
John Calvin“…it has come to pass, that most men give their alms
contemptously.  Such depravity ought not to have been tolerable even
among the pagans; of Christians something even more is required than to
show a cheerful countenance and to render their duties pleasing with
friendly words.  First, they must put themselves in the place of him who
they see in need of their assistance, and pity his ill fortune as if they
themselves experienced and bore it, so that they may be impelled by a
feel of mercy and humaneness to go to his aid just as their own…”
 
John Calvin “Christ has shown us in the parable of the Samaritan that
the term ‘neighbor’ includes even the most remote person (Luke 10.36),
[and therefore] we are not expected to limit the precept of love to those in
close relationships.”
 
John Calvin “Each man will so consider with himself that in all his
greatness he is a debtor to his neighbors, and that he ought in exercising
kindness towards them to set no other limit than the end of his resources;
these as widely as they are extended ought to have their limits set
according to the rule of love.”
 
John Calvin “Yet the great part of people are most unworthy to be helped
if they be judged by their own merit.  But here Scripture helps in the best
way when it teaches that we are not to consider that men merit of
themselves but to look upon the image of God in all men, to which we
owe all honor and love…”
 
John Calvin “Therefore, whatever man you meet who needs your aid,
you have no reason to refuse to help him.  Say, ‘He is a stranger’; but the
Lord has given him a mark that ought to be familiar to you, by virtue of the
fact that he forbids you to despise your own flesh.  Say, he is
contemptible and worthless, but the Lord shows him to be one to whom
he has deigned to give the beauty of his image.  Say that you owe
nothing for any service of his; but God, as it were, has put him in his own
place in order that you may recognize toward him the many and great
benefits with which God has bound you to himself.  Say that he does not
deserve even your least effort for his sake; but the image of God, which
recommends him to you, is worthy of your giving of yourself and all your
possessions.  Now if he has not only deserved no good at your hand, but
has also provoked you by unjust acts and curses, not even this is just
reason why you should cease to embrace him in love and to perform the
duties of love on his behalf. (Mt.6:14,18:35,Luke 17:3) You will say he has
deserved something far different of me. Yet what has the Lord deserved?  
While he bids you forgive this man for all sins he has committed against
you, he would truly have them charged against himself.”
 
John Calvin “Assuredly there is but one way in which to achieve what is
not merely difficult but utterly against human nature, to love those who
hate us, to repay their evil deeds with benefits, to return blessings for
reproaches.  It is that we remember not to consider men’s evil intention
but to look upon the image of God in them, which cancels and effaces
their transgressions, and with its beauty and dignity allures us to love and
embrace them.”
 
Calvin also reasoned theologically of why the poor even existed. Since God is
sovereign He could remove all poverty and marginalization. He saw the poor as a divine
test sent to awaken the Church spiritually. How the poor are treated reveals the spiritual
character of the Church and authenticates its worship. True worship was the
fundamental problem as Calvin saw it! Because we really don’t see Jesus as valuable
and worthy of our time so we don’t see the poor and marginalized as worthy of our time.
 
John Calvin “Why does God permit men to be poor down here, but only
to give us occasion to do good? Therefore, let us not attribute it to fortune
when we see one man rich and another one poor; but let us understand
that God disposes things in this way, and that it is not without reason.”
 
He reasons that Jesus wants to test our love for Him by putting the poor around us.
 
John Calvin “He sends us the poor to be as those who receive in His
place. And although the gift is given to moral creatures, so it is that God
accepts and acknowledges this, and reckons it in His account as if the
things which we give to a poor person were placed into His own hands. It
is as if the mercy we show was addressed to Him.”
 
John Calvin “God ordained that we should have an open hand to the
poor and God offers them to us so that we shall have no excuse.”
 
John Calvin “And when we see a lot of poor people in need, let us
understand that our Lord is alerting us, as if He wakes us up so that we
do not remain asleep.”
 
Just like Luther, Calvin practiced what he preached. In 1559 founded a school for
training children as well as a hospital for the poor.  In the hospital he also brought in
people to train the poor in a craft or skill so that when they got healthy they could find a
job! He also assigned deacons from his church to work there as he saw their central role
as being work in social welfare! (see “Cambridge Companion to John Calvin” by Donald
McKim). Thus, through the life and ministry of John Calvin, the city of Geneva was
reformed not just theologically but socially.
 
Bonnie Patterson “Through the ministry of a lay diaconate and
generous gifts, the hungry were fed, orphans were placed in families,
refugees were housed, and the sick were cared for. History indeed bears
witness to the effects of Calvin’s pastoral leadership and teachings on
the social ministry of Geneva, as well as on the power of the gospel to
reform the Church.”
 
One historian at the time made this astounding remark in 1588 about the church plants
of Calvin in Geneva:
 
Lancelot Andrewes “Calvin’s churches were able to do so much good
as not one of their poor is seen to ask in the streets.”
 
17th and 18th Century
 
George Whitefield was an evangelist who preached from town to town on horse back
and yet while he is known for his preaching, a little known fact is that he started an
orphanage in Georgia called “Bethesda” which still exists today! John Wesley, together
with Whitefield, made it their emphasis to reach out to the marginalized.  Wesley and
Whitefield were forced into the fields to preach and that was where the poor were. Thus
a great number of the alienated poor were brought into the church.  
 
Jonathan Edwards is considered the greatest theologian in American history. He, though
known for his theological reasoning ability, preached over and over that Christians
should be the ones who helped the marginalized. Some of his greatest books were
teachings on the area of showing mercy and doing justice: “The Nature of True Virtue”
and “Charity and its Fruits”. But what he persuaded his people with to show mercy and
do justice was the gospel. Grace was the ultimate motivation for getting people to serve
in this manner:
Jonathan Edwards “Serving the poor is especially reasonable,
considering our circumstances, under such a dispensation of grace as
that of the gospel.”
Jonathan Edwards “Christ loved us, was kind to us, and was willing to
relieve us, though we were very evil and hateful, of an evil disposition, not
deserving of any good so we should be willing to be kind to those who are
of an ill disposition, and are very undeserving.”
Jonathan Edwards “If they are come to want by a vicious idleness and
prodigality; yet we are not thereby excused from all obligation to relieve
them, unless they continue in those vices. If they continue not in those
vices, the rules of the gospel direct us to forgive them . . . . [For] Christ
hath loved us, pitied us, and greatly laid out himself to relieve us from that
want and misery which we brought on ourselves by our own folly and
wickedness. We foolishly and perversely threw away those riches with
which we were provided, upon which we might have lived and been
happy to all eternity.”
This was the constant teaching of Edwards as witnessed by the following quotes:
Jonathan Edwards:  “Many make an objection against doing good to
others, saying ‘If I do, they will never thank me for it; and for my kindness,
they will return abuse and injury:’ and thus they are ready to excuse
themselves from the exercise of kindness, especially to those who have
shown themselves ungrateful. But such persons do not sufficiently look at
Christ; and they shew either their want of acquaintance with the rules of
Christianity, or their unwillingness to cherish its spirit.”
Jonathan Edwards “To be much in deeds of charity is the way to have
spiritual discoveries.  If we would seek spiritual discoveries in a right way
we must not only abound in the duties of the first table, we must also
spend a great deal of time in the duty of prayer, crying earnestly to God
for the discoveries we need and the desire though that be a great duty
that must be attended, we must also abound in the 2nd table duties and
particularly in the deeds of charity and the works of love.”
Jonathan Edwards “There is nothing seems to be more inviting as it
were to the God of Love to dwell among a people than the prevailing of
such a spirit and practice their abounding in deeds of Love…”  
Tim Keller, who has been a tremendous force on this topic in our age, made the
following comments about Edwards and his teaching:
Tim Keller (on Jonathan Edwards): “Another text Edwards looks to more
than once is Gal 6:1–10, especially verse 2, which enjoins us to "bear one
another's burdens."What are these burdens? Paul has in view, at least
partially, material and financial burdens, because Gal 6:10 tells us to "do
good to all men, especially the household of faith." Edwards (rightly,
according to modern exegetes) understands "doing good" as including
the giving of practical aid to people who need food, shelter, and financial
help. Most commentators understand "burden-bearing" to be
comprehensive. We share love and emotional strength with those who
are sinking under sorrow; we share money and possessions with those
who are in economic distress. But what does Paul mean when he says
that burden-bearing "fulfills the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2)? Edwards calls this
"the rules of the gospel." Richard Longenecker agrees, calling this
"prescriptive principles stemming from the heart of the gospel." As Phil
Ryken points out, the ultimate act of burden-bearing was substitutionary
atonement in which Jesus bore the infinite burden of our guilt and sin.
Again we see Paul reasoning that anyone who understands the gospel
will share money and possessions with those with less of the world's
goods.  And if it is the gospel that is moving us to help the poor, Edwards
reasons, our giving and involvement with the poor will be significant,
remarkable, and sacrificial. Those who give to the poor out of a desire to
comply with a moral prescription will always do the minimum. If we give to
the poor simply because "God says so," the next question will be "How
much do we have to give so that we aren't out of compliance?" That
question and attitude shows that this is not gospel-shaped giving. In the
last part of his discourse, Edwards answers the objection "You say I
should help the poor, but I'm afraid I have nothing to spare. I can't do it."
Edwards responds, In many cases, we may, by the rules of the gospel, be
obliged to give to others, when we cannot do it without suffering ourselves
 
. . . else how is that rule of bearing one another's burdens fulfilled? If we
never be obliged to relieve others' burdens, but when we can do it without
burdening ourselves, then how do we bear our neighbor's burdens, when
we bear no burdens at all?”
Again, like those who went before him, Edwards practiced what he preached. The
greatest theological mind in the history of America spent the last years of his life
teaching Indians English on a 3rd grade level! Not only did he pour out his life in teaching
them the basics of English but he also defended the Indians by publicly protesting the
whites abuse of them.   
In this same span of time we hear a lot of about the Puritans. The modern concept of
them is that they were isolationists who separated themselves from the world and only
cared for their own but that is far from the case. They had a very strong social dynamic.
They created a culture that was the polor opposite of the rugged individualism of today.
They started public institutions such as colleges, hospitals, libraries and free schools.
They, interestingly enough, got much of their thoughts on mercy and justice from Calvin.  
 
One example of how serious they took the homeles was the laws they put into action.
They actually reached out to the homeless and made it a law that everyone had to be
housed by families (law in Connecticut in 1636)! They also took justice so seriously that
Robert Keayne of Boston, who charged excesive prices for food at his store, was
brought before the church and almost excommunicated! And what is most interesting is
that it was their work with the poor that separated them from the rest of the world—even
more than theology! Many trees were killed in publishing Puritan writings! But here are
some samples of their teaching on mercy and justice:
 
John Winthrop “We must be knit together in this work as one man, we
must uphold a familiar commerce together in all meekness, gentleness,
patience and liberality, we must make others’ conditions our own, rejoice
together, mourn together, labor and suffer together, always having before
our eyes our commission and community in the work.”  
 
William Perkins “He abuses his calling, whosoever he be that employs it
for himself, seeking wholly his own, and not the common good. And that
comon saying, ‘Every man for himself and God for us all’, is wicked.”
 
Samuel Willard “Every man in his place owes himself to the good of the
whole and if he does not so devote himself, he is unjust.”
 
Thomas Hooker “Any person who chooses to enter a society must
willingly bind and engage himself to each member of that society to
promote the good of the whole.”  
 
John Preston “We ought to love all others with a love of pity, we should
show abundance of this love to all mankind.”
 
John Owen:  “Whoever readeth the Word of God with any attention or
understanding, and withal considers the various disposal of the conditions
of mankind, of Christians, of believers in this world, according to the
sovereign pleasure of His holy wise Providence, cannot but [discern?],
that among all the external duties which are required of us in this world,
there is none more necessary, none more useful, none wherein the glory
of God is more concerned, than the due and abundant exercise of the
fruits of charity towards it proper objects.”
 
Richard Baxter “Take heed that you lose not that common love which
you owe to mankind.”
 
Richard Baxter:  “God can relieve the poor, and do good to other men
without us, but it is our honor to be made his stewards, and his great
mercy to us, to receive that honor, yea, to have a willing heart though we
want a purse.”
 
Thomas Watson:  “Do you have money to feed your lust and pride—and
nothing to relieve the poor members of Christ? Let us admit this excuse to
be real, that you have no such estate—yet you may do something
wherein you may express your mercy to the poor. You may sympathize
with them, pray for them, or speak a word of comfort to them. Isaiah 40:2
says, "Speak comfortably to Jerusalem." If you can give them no gold—
you may speak a word in season which may be as apples of gold in
pictures of silver. You may be helpful to the poor by stirring up others who
do have estates, to relieve them. If a man is hungry, the wind will not fill
him—but it can blow the sails of the mill and make it grind corn for the use
of man. Just so, though you have no estate yourself to help those in
need, you may stir up others to help them. You may blow the sails of their
affections, causing them to show mercy—and so may help your brother
by a proxy.”
 
Thomas Watson “Unmercifulness is the sin of the heathen. While you
put off the affections of charity, you put off the badge of Christianity.”
 
Thomas Watson “When you are distributing to the poor, it is as if you
were praying, as if you were worshiping God. There are two sorts of
sacrifices: expiatory sacrifices (the sacrifice of Christ's blood); and thank
offerings (the sacrifice of alms). This, said holy Greenham, is more
acceptable to God than any other sacrifice. Acts 10:4: "The angel said to
Cornelius, 'Your acts of charity have come up as a memorial offering
before God." The backs of the poor are the altar on which this sacrifice is
to be offered up!”
 
19th Century
 
After the Puritans things started to shift again. It seems that every century the church’s
emphasis upon mercy and justice changes. In the 19th centurty the church began to
shun the marginalized again. Following the Industrial Revolution in England the people
in the country were forced to move into the city to work at factories to make a living but
the churches didn’t reach out to them. They became the working poor but the church
wouldn’t care much for them. George Hunter in his book “Christian, Evangelical . . .
Democrat?” said the following:
 
George Hunter “Church leaders reasoned like this: ‘How could these
new people become Christians? If they did come to church, they would
not know when to stand up, when to sit down, or when to kneel. The
clothes they wear are not fit for church. They have never acquired a
church etiquette, they cannot afford to rent a pew, and they do not read
well enough to navigate the Book of Common Prayer. How could such
people become Christians?’”
 
This led to men like Robert Murray M’Cheyne to preach against this abuse. He, being
only in his late 20’s, noticed how the church, especially in England, had failed to show
mercy and do justice.  
 
Robert Murray M’Cheyne "I fear there are some [professing] Christians
among you to whom Christ will not say "Come Thou Blessed…inherit the
kingdom". Your haughty dwelling rises in the midst of thousands who
have scarce a fire to warm themselves at, and have but little clothing to
keep out the biting frost; and yet you never darkened their door. You
leave a sight, perhaps at a distance, but you do not visit them. Ah! Dear
friend! I am concerned for the poor but more for you. I know not what
Christ will say to you in the great day…I fear there are many hearing me
who may know well that they are not Christians because they do not love
to give. To give largely and liberally, not grudging at all, requires a new
heart; an old heart would rather part with its life-blood than its money. Oh
my friends! Enjoy your money, make the most of it; give none away, enjoy
it quickly for I can tell you, you will be beggars throughout eternity."
 
M’Cheyne even saw this in his own heart. The culture of his day had hardened his heart
to the marginalized all around him and he knew he needed to repent!
 
Robert Murray M’Cheyne “Made my rounds through some of the most
miserable habitations I ever beheld. Such scenes I never before dreamed
of. Ah! Why am I such a stranger to the poor of my native town? I have
passed their doors thousands of times; I have admired the huge black
piles of building, with their lofty chimneys breaking the sun’s rays--why
have I never ventured within? How dwells the love of God in me? What
imbedded masses of human beings are huddled together, unvisited by
friend or minister! ‘No man cares for our souls’ is written over every
forehead. Awake, my soul! Why should I give hours and days any longer
to the vain world, when there is such a world of misery at my very door?
Lord, put Your own strength in me; confirm every good resolution; forgive
my past long life of uselessness and folly.”  
 
Other pastors noticed this shift as well and sought to do something about it. J.C. Ryle
was one such man who upon getting to choose which area of England he would serve
as a pastor, chose Liverpool which was by far the poorest area. At his funeral he had
thousands of poor and homeless people there, far out numbering those who were not in
that category.
 
John Paton, before going on a ship to preach the gospel to the unreached people of the
New Hebrides, chose to do his missionary work first in the city of Glascow. It was here
that he worked as an inner-city missionary and held his church services in a hay-loft for
the poor.
 
Charles Spurgeon was another man who was known for being a preacher but people fail
to recognize that England in his day was rampant with poverty and crime (it was the time
of the book “Oliver Twist”). As a result of what he saw around him he started the
Stockwell orphanages to house children off the streets. He was also known as the pastor
who worked with the poor, prostitutes and alcoholics. One historian said about the poor
and destitute that “no one but the nonconformist minister was their friend”, thus
referencing Charles Spurgeon. Spurgeon himself said the following:
 
Charles Spurgeon:  “These places of worship are not built that you may
sit here comfortably, and hear something that shall make you pass away
your Sundays with pleasure.  A church in London which does not exist to
do good in the slums, and dens, and kennels of the city, is a church that
has no reason to justify its existing any longer.  A church that does not
exist to reclaim heathenism, to fight with evil, to destroy error, to put down
falsehood, a church that does not exist to take the side of the poor, to
denounce injustice and to hold up righteousness, is a church that has not
the right to be.  Not for thyself, O church, dost thou exist, any more than
Christ existed for himself.  His glory was that he laid aside His glory…To
rescue souls from hell and lead to God, to hope, to heaven, this is the
church’s heavenly occupation.  O that the church would always feel this.”
 
There were also men like George Mueller who started many orphanages for the children
on the streets in England. And finally, men like William Wilberforce ,turned the tide of the
19th century by showing how Christians were to be about showing mercy and doing
justice. He was the key player in abolishing the slave trade! John Pollock in his book “A
Man Who Changed His Times” said the following:
 
John Pollock “There is little doubt that Wilberforce changed the moral
outlook of Great Britain . . . The reformation of manners (morals) grew
into Victorian virtues and Wilberforce touched the world when he made
goodness fashionable . . . Contrast the late eighteenth century with its
loose morals and corrupt public life, with the mid-nineteenth century.
Whatever its faults, nineteenth-century British public life became famous
for its emphasis on character, morals, and justice and the British business
world famous for integrity.”
 
John Newton was another man in the early part of this era who knew first hand what it
was like to do injustice as a slave trader. He had the following to say after he converted
to Christianity:
 
John Newton:  “For the most part, we take care, first, to be well supplied,
if possible, with all the necessaries, conveniences, and not a few of the
elegancies of life; then to have a snug fund laid up against a rainy day, as
the phrase is . . . that when we look at children and near relatives, we
may say to our hearts, “Now they are well provided for.” And when we
have gotten all this and more, we are perhaps content, for the love of
Christ, to bestow a pittance of superfluities, a tenth or twentieth part of
what we spend or hoard up for ourselves, upon the poor. But alas! What
do we herein more than others? Multitudes who know nothing of the love
of Christ will do thus much.
 
Toward the end of the 19th century, Christians started organizations like the YMCA,
YWCA and the Red Cross. They even invented such things as Braille script to help the
blind be able to read!
 
20th Century
 
Once again, with the birth of Darwinism, the church began to get sucked into the cultural
morale. Social Darwinism, along with eugenics, became very popular in the early 20th
century. Thus the church, along with the rest of society, began to treat the poor and
marginalized as second-class citizens (just like the 14th and 15th centuries). The concept
of survival of the fittest was applied to society and thus if one was poor then it was
because they were not “selected”. Thus the higher class felt no compulsion to serve or
help the marginalized.
 
The church saw this happening and responded with the “Social Gospel” movement. In
doing so, they left behind much of theology and the Bible to show mercy and do justice.
In essence, they swung the pendulum too far. Then segments of the church noticed this
abandonment of theology and started the “Fundamentalist” movement. In leading the
charge back to the Bible they left behind works of mercy and justice and in essence,
swung the pendulum too far the other way. This movement, coupled with the fight over
slavery, alcohol, war and the popularity of premillennialism, caused men like D.L. Moody
to abandon the work of mercy and justice for the sake of theology. The Fundamentalists,
along with Moody, argued that the church should solely deal with spiritual matters and
not get involved with social issues. And with a shift in eschatology towards
premillennialism, the people felt that the world wasn’t going to get better but worse and
thus they felt no motivation to help mend it. Henry Ward Beecher, a pastor at the time,
noted the following about Moody and the Fundamentalists:  
 
Henry Ward Beecher “Moody thinks it is no use to attempt to work for this
world. In his opinion it is blasted—a wreck bound to sink—and the only
thing that is worth doing is to get as many of the crew off as you can, and
let her go.”
 
Evangelicals started hiding and started Bible schools where the post-Darwinian world
could not overwhelm them. Richard Lovelace says the Delta effect took place and
everyone escaped to their comfort zones, their specialties.  And thus we have the liberal
church today who doesn’t believe in the inspiration of the Bible but shows mercy and
works for justice and a conservative church that does believe the Bible and doesn’t show
mercy and do works of justice. But this didn’t sit well with certain men of the 20th century.
Carl F.H. Henry, who was deeply involved in the Fundamentalist movement, wrote a
book called “The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism”. In the book he
attacked the withdrawal of fundamentalists from culture and from the call to do justice
and show mercy.
 
Billy Graham was constantly preaching against racism and concern for the poor. And of
course, Martin Luther King Jr., stood up for much of the injustice of racism in America.
Men like B.B. Warfield, theologian at Princeton, called the church to wake up to this
travesty. He got tired of hearing all the excuses and addressed them with the gospel as
follows:
 
B.B. Warfield “Now dear Christians, some of you pray night and day to
be branches of the true Vine; you pray to be made all over in the image of
Christ. If so, you must be like him in giving… ‘Though he was rich, yet for
our sakes he became poor’…Objection 1. ‘My money is my own.’ Answer:
Christ might have said, ‘My blood is my own, my life is my own’…then
were should we have been? Objection 2. ‘The poor are undeserving.’
Answer: Christ might have said, ‘They are wicked rebels…shall I lay down
my life for these? I will give to the good angels.’ But no, he left the ninety-
nine, and came after the lost. He gave his blood for the undeserving.
Objection 3. ‘The poor may abuse it.’ Answer: Christ might have said the
same; yea, with far greater truth. Christ knew that thousands would
trample his blood under their feet; that most would despise it; that many
would make it an excuse for sinning more; yet he gave his own blood. Oh,
my dear Christians! If you would be like Christ, give much, give often, give
freely, to the vile and poor, the thankless and the undeserving. Christ is
glorious and happy and so will you be. It is not your money I want, but
your happiness. Remember His own word, ‘It is more blessed to give than
to receive.’”
 
James Montgomery Boice, pastor in Philedelphia from 1968 to 2000, made the following
comment about the state of the church in his day:
 
James Montgomery Boice “The only times in history in which the church
has been really godly and really strong have been times when it was out
rubbing shoulders with the poor and helping them.  Revival has always
borne fruit among the masses. John Wesley and George Whitefield
preached in the fields to common people, not in cathedrals to the
privileged. But most of us do not even know the poor. We will give
contributions to help them, sometimes—if we are not asked for too much.
But we are not a church of the poor. We are not even a church of the
masses. We need to repent of our elitist dispositions . . . There is a city in
which a suburban white Christian school got into financial trouble and the
evangelical community immediately aroused itself to help out. But in the
same city the struggles of an inner-city school were ignored. Young Life
thrives in the suburbs. In poor areas, Young Life can barely find money to
pay a skeleton crew, yet the problems of the cities are greater than those
in the outlying white areas. We raise money to feed the poor in
Bangladesh, so long as the campaigns do not cramp our own materialistic
pursuits. But we do nothing to feed the poor on our doorsteps. We need
to repent of such wickedness.”  
 
Richard Lovelace, commenting on the 20th century evangelicalism in his book “Dynamics
of Spiritual Life”, said the following:
 
Richard Lovelace “The classical evangelical position has been that of
holistic witness to the gospel including evangelistic preaching directed
toward the redemption of individuals conjoined to works of love and
prophetic social action. The church should neither withdraw from
involvement in the structures of society nor try to dominate them in the
Constantinian fashion, but should operate as a transforming agent both in
changing hearts and changing structures.”
 
This brings us to the 21st century where the secular culture has done a better job than
the church at showing mercy and doing justice. But the church, in America, has begun to
repent of its lack of mercy and justice. Men like John Piper and Tim Keller have helped
lead the charge in our day for Evangelicals to get to work. Also, the whole church
planting movement and growth of the church in the cities of America has also lead to a
greater social concern. The reason being is that missions movements have always
carried with them two things beside the gospel: prayer and social concern. As a matter
of fact, every missionary understands this! Even if the sending churches are socially
passive, the missionaries know this can’t be true of them on the mission field. This is
why church plants get involved with the city and show mercy and do justice.  
 
 
Questions:
 
1. Why don’t more Christians see this? Why isn’t the conservative church
more involved in mercy and justice?
 
I believe part of the problem is ignorance. I know I never had a class or single class
discussion on this in my 9 years of theological education! I believe also that great
emphasis has been put on theology and preaching and that this has been pushed aside.
Which is ironic considering that your theology should drive you to this position. It is like
saying we need to talk about loving God but we fail to talk about loving our neighbor,
which Jesus said goes together!
 
Also, from a practical side, I believe the church has an identity crisis. The gospel is not
the identity of many Christians. When your identity is found in your money, or your
reputation or your comfort or your safety then they will all trump doing acts of mercy and
justice! If money is your identity you won’t give it away, if reputation is your identity you
might serve if you get credit for it, if comfort is your identity you won’t love anyone
different than you and if safety is your identity then you won’t venture out for the cause of
Christ!
 
But when you are secure in the gospel and know that although you are more sinful than
you ever dared thought and at the same time more loved than you ever dared hope, and
that Jesus now accepts you not based on your current obedience level but on His
perfect life, you will serve with no fear, no doubt, no pride! You’ll know that He is with
you and will never forsake you!
 
Isaiah 41:8-10  But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen,
the offspring of Abraham, my friend;  9 you whom I took from the ends of
the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, "You are my
servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off";  10 fear not, for I am
with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will
help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
 
2. What about panhandlers? How should I respond? Haven’t they done this to
themselves?
 
Actually, the Bible reveals at least three causes for marginalization (per Tim Keller):
 
Injustice and oppression: This refers to any unjust social condition or treatment that
keeps a person in poverty (Ps 82:1–8; Prov 14:31; Exod 22:21–27). The main Hebrew
word for "the poor" in the Old Testament means "the wrongfully oppressed." Examples
of oppression in the Bible include social systems weighted in favor of the powerful (Lev
19:15), high-interest loans (Exod 22:25–27), and unjustly low wages (Eph 6:8–9; Jas
5:4).
 
Circumstantial calamity: This refers to any natural disaster or circumstance that brings or
keeps a person in poverty. The Scripture is filled with examples such as famines (Gen
47), disabling injury, floods, and fires.
 
Personal failure: Poverty can also be caused by one's own personal sins and failures,
such as laziness (Prov 6:6–7) and other problems with self-discipline (Prov 23:21).
 
Very rarely is a person marginalized because of just one of these, usually it is the
combination of all three in some way. And in light of the gospel, we can’t look at people
like the world does: deserving and undeserving. For we know that the gospel tells us that
we are all undeserving and Jesus died for us anyway!
 
So for panhandlers I would say first of all to be involved with showing mercy and doing
justice. Many times we feel guilt by people holding signs because we are not doing
anything and thus should feel guilty. Second, I would say let the Spirit lead you as to
when and how. If you have the time and ability, meet the need. Thirdly, I would say give
no money. The principle Jesus gives is “love your neighbor” and giving cash to someone
may only be hurting them as they go buy drugs or alcohol. Practically, carry around $5
McDonald arch cards and bus tokens in your wallet. If you have time take them into a
store to get food and sit down with them for a meal and thus show hospitality.  
 
3. I am extremely busy as is, how do I add another thing to my life like mercy
ministry?
 
We are going to introduce to you many opportunities to get involved through the HC. But
one very important way is prayer! You should be praying for social renewal in Hollywood
and for the poor/marginalized in our city! Use the LA Times and local news as a template
for prayer!
 
Richard Lovelace “We have the right of declaring war in prayer against
every leader on earth who violates the will of God by oppressing the poor
and deforming society. Wherever we see satanic power structures
planted in American culture, it is our responsibility to take arms against
them in prayer, ‘for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have
divine power to destroy strongholds.’ (2 Cor. 10:4).”
 
Let me also say that it is going to take sacrifice! You can’t just “fit” mercy and justice into
your schedule. It is going to be hard and Satan will oppose this work as much as
possible. But you have to put yourself out there! You will get rejected and you will get
taken advantage of but so was Jesus! The only other option is to become a hard hearted
Christian as C.S. Lewis tells us in his book “Four Loves”.
 
C.S. Lewis “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your
heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make
sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to
an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all
entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.
But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not
be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”
 
4. What can I do personally?
 
Use what God has given to you and meet the needs of those most close to you.  What
elements of time, talent and treasure has Jesus given you that you can share? What
about your education? Or your ability to listen? Look at your family, church body, and
your neighborhood and use the thread Jesus has given you to start mending.  If you are
good with your hands then look at something you can fix. If you like to read then find kids
to read at the local library. If you have the ability to drive then look at how you can
provide transportation. If you are into pets and have something like a dog that likes kids
and go to places like the L.A. Children’s Hospital.  
 
Fredrick Buechner “Your calling is found where your deep gladness and
the world’s deep hunger meet.”  
 
5. What can we do as a church body?