The original post spoke about the Christian community as a whole. but I'm speaking more specifically about the urban Protestant Evangelical community. I remember my mother use to say you can tell when you are in a black neighborhood because you have a church and a bar on every corner. However that is not a testimony of our (Black People) faith it speaks about our failure to support one another. 50 storefront churches in a 30 block area can not serve the community as well as 8 churches in that same area can. If the major goal of the church is to pay rent and keep the lights on than the church will never be able to serve the community. We can't expect people that grew up in less fortunate urban areas want better when our churches and expect better.
In response to what was written on the global problem with Christian supporting other Christians I wrote this more local problem specific to the African-American, and non-catholic Latino Community.
below is my response. Please feel free to comment.
This problem [Christian fail to support other Christians] runs deeper that Christians failing to support our brothers and sisters in different country. I have seen Christian fail to support a dying Christian [that lives] right next door to them. We support anything the world says is ok but we forget to support our own.
There can be two Churches on the same street. On one corner a Pentecostal church, on the other corner Baptist church they pass each other going to worship each Sunday, yet they could not tell you the name of the Pastor of the church on the opposite corner if it wasn't for the marquee [on the wall]
They act as though their church is fighting the devil all by themselves and the world is just watching and waiting for them to realize victory. Most churches are not even able to pay rent on their building so they can't meet the needs of the local community. Is there any wonder they neglect the needs of their brothers and sisters around the world that are suffering for Christ?
There can be two Churches on the same street. On one corner a Pentecostal church, on the other corner Baptist church they pass each other going to worship each Sunday, yet they could not tell you the name of the Pastor of the church on the opposite corner if it wasn't for the marquee [on the wall]
They act as though their church is fighting the devil all by themselves and the world is just watching and waiting for them to realize victory. Most churches are not even able to pay rent on their building so they can't meet the needs of the local community. Is there any wonder they neglect the needs of their brothers and sisters around the world that are suffering for Christ?
I welcome and desire responses to this post.
Your Brother In Christ
T.Charves FireSpeaks
About the Author:
Troy Pearsall is the author of FireSpeaks prayer and meditation blog, a blog dedicated to the practice and discovery of Christian Prayer and meditation http://firespeaks.blogspot.com
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How can a church (place of worship) support another when there are Christians who watch, and even participate, in evil behavior twarted against another Christian. They are afraid to stand up for Jesus ... to stand up for what is right. Christians ought to support one another, regardless of denomination. Jesus said that we will know true Christians (disciples) by their love for one another. This is not happening much these days. There are too many so-called Christians who want to both sides of the fence. Now, just how does God see that? On that terrible day, many are going to say, "Lord, Lord ........" Jesus is going to say, "Depart from me ......."
ReplyDeleteA place of worship is not a Christian it is a place where Christians go to worship. Remember every Christian is working on his own salvation with fear and trembling. Yet the church should be Bethesda ( A house of lovingkindness) So where one Christian is weak, another is strong, in this way the local body is always made healthy. But if this does not exist, then the Local body thinks more of itself than of the kingdom (Health of the All Churches) and there is no help given because of selfishness. Remember what Peter instructed Paul to do in Galatians 2:9-10? The poor he was speaking of was not poor people. Paul was going to the gentile which had the money while, Peter and John were sent to the Jews which were poor. Peter was asking Paul to help the poor Jewish churches with the resources of the rich gentile churches. Ans noticed that Paul response was that that was the very thing he was eagar to do
DeleteMatthew 5:42 the most ignored of Christs commands. today Christian churches do the bidding of the societal norms and the IRS. Maybe we should stop being CHURCHES and start following Christ. Jesus said follow him, he was demonstrating who we are to become and what we are capable of, "These things I do ye shall do also and greater things" "It will be done unto you as you believe". We thing our great work is to go to church on Sunday and say nice things. Evil Triumphs when good men do nothing. Why does evil triumph because they support each other and we Christians suffer because we do not. To me we insult God and deny Christ every time we turn our backs on any human being.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this honest and thought provoking insight. Let our prayers be as much for the church as it is for the unsaved.
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