Messed up in reality
Once again my favorite author is messing with my head again. I smile as I wrote that last sentence. I am lying in my bedroom escaping the blaring TV in the other room listening to my new favorite genre of music. A middle aged white guy listening to Modern Gospel. A guy who spent the morning handing out food to convicted arsonists, alchoholics, prostitutes and just the general poor public. God is pulling me to a path that I never expected but I'm having the time of my life!
Back to my favorite author Brian McLaren. His latest book titled "Everything must Change" calls for a radical change in the way in which we in the fundamental Christian community interact with the culture we live in. There is not room to write all he talks about. I would highly recommend reading this book. But beware if you read it! I might find you handing out food to the poor! Or at the very least questioning the suicidal path our world seems to be spiraling down towards.
It is rediculously idealistic to think we could ever live in a world where everyone loves their neighbor (we don't even know them nowadays) and we use our military for humanitarian aid. How about global warming? That seems to be a hot subject. I admit I know nothing about the subject. The deeper question to me would be should we as followers of Jesus care about the planet? Or are we just supposed to use up all it's resources because Gods going to destroy it all in the end anyways? Or so that's what been taught.
Lots to ponder, study,think and talk about.
All I know is if it weren't for my faith in Jesus I wouldn't be optimistic. Only through the power of God can this world be changed. Glad to be a servant in the fight!
God Bless!
Back to my favorite author Brian McLaren. His latest book titled "Everything must Change" calls for a radical change in the way in which we in the fundamental Christian community interact with the culture we live in. There is not room to write all he talks about. I would highly recommend reading this book. But beware if you read it! I might find you handing out food to the poor! Or at the very least questioning the suicidal path our world seems to be spiraling down towards.
It is rediculously idealistic to think we could ever live in a world where everyone loves their neighbor (we don't even know them nowadays) and we use our military for humanitarian aid. How about global warming? That seems to be a hot subject. I admit I know nothing about the subject. The deeper question to me would be should we as followers of Jesus care about the planet? Or are we just supposed to use up all it's resources because Gods going to destroy it all in the end anyways? Or so that's what been taught.
Lots to ponder, study,think and talk about.
All I know is if it weren't for my faith in Jesus I wouldn't be optimistic. Only through the power of God can this world be changed. Glad to be a servant in the fight!
God Bless!
posted by Randy W. @ 8:20 PM
5 Comments:
At Nov 19, 2007, 1:39:00 PM ,
Anonymous said...
"global warming seems to be a hot topic"... did you mean to write that, or were you accidentally funny?
i'll care about global warming once the empirical evidence points to the reality. until then, i'm not going to let al gore and the liberal right scare me into a new ideological belief system.
i'm not saying i don't care about the environment and see our responsibility as Christians to care for the world God has allowed us to enjoy; i'm simply saying that the environment and global warming is another ideology that smacks of secular religious fervor.
At Nov 19, 2007, 1:45:00 PM ,
Anonymous said...
randy,
an honest question for you... not trying to play devil's advocate here...
does the angel food program have a track-record of long-term effectiveness? or does it encourage people to count on subsidies? don't get me wrong; i'm sure it helps the person who picks up a loaf of bread or bag of potatoes. but does it encourage people toward self-sustaining habits and practices that will eventually wean them off public assistance?
i'm simply asking because i don't know that giving someone a fish is as valuable - long-term - as teaching them to fish. so does angel food hand out fish or teach people to fish?
At Nov 19, 2007, 8:58:00 PM ,
Randy W. said...
Hey Ken,
Thanks for the question. I may not have explained myself well enough. I was handing out the food that these people had ordered earlier in the month. This food is offered by the box at a discounted price. $25.00 buys a box of food that would last a single person about three weeks. So for the poor and people on food stamps this is a great savings. Actually anyone is allowd to save money and buy food. Spring Valley in town is now doing this ministry and averaging about 100 people a month. Some I know are from AWC.
I don't get hung up on the food so much as I get excited for Adam and Christies vision for reaching their neighborhoods. If they start utilizing this program they will know who and where we are. Starting relationships is the exciting part!
Hope this helps!
I'd invite you to check out their website www.angelfoodministries.com
At Nov 19, 2007, 9:57:00 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Ken and Randy-
Just another thing I'd like to add to both of your postings about Angel Food. The Angel Food Ministry program also gives back to the churches who are the host sites for these programns. For each box of food that is ordered, they donate $1 back to the church's Benevolence/Mission Fund. Which in church's like Randy's and mine (Spring Valley) we are able to put that money right back into the community in so many ways. I like your analogy Ken, regarding the whole give them a fish thing. I think what AFM and our churches are doing is teaching them to be good stewards of their money or, tend to their line, keep it strong, then teach others how to fish. The greatest thing I have seen is so many of our "patrons" becoming volunteers. And we have volunteers of all ages. Our youngest was 5, he handed out the flyers, and boy was he proud of himself at the end of the day! It's not about the food, not at all. It's about the relationships. Check it out, maybe you'll find it could be helpful in your church too!
At Nov 20, 2007, 8:13:00 AM ,
Anonymous said...
Mistelle, great stuff. I thought Angel Tree was a completely free program, so it's good to know how it operates.
Randy, I agree... stuff like this can help you get known in a community, and what a great reputation to develop.
We will always have the poor among us, so I hope you know that I'm not in any way suggesting we don't help them. I simply prefer implementing programs that don't create an unhealthy dependence on subsidies or remove incentives for hard work, discipline, and autonomy.
Thanks for the thoughts, Randy and Mistelle.
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