Most Americans believe their church is doing enough to help the poor but recorded increases in the national poverty level indicate that Christians are disconnected with the reality of people in need.
A national survey, released Monday, showed 67 percent of Americans – over half of whom attend church at least once a month – agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, "My church already does enough to help the poor in my community." Less than half (42 percent) said their church spends more money on itself than on the community.
But Steve Haas, vice president for church relations at World Vision, believes Christians are just "scratching the surface" when it comes to serving their communities.
Pointing to the latest U.S. Census Bureau statistics that show the national poverty level increased from 11.7 percent in 2001 to 13.3 percent in 2005, Haas highlighted the discrepancy between what Christians believe and what's really happening.
The reason for the disconnect, he says, is ignorance and a level of fear.
"The definition of outreach typically of the church is proclamation. [But] outreach is my reaching out in some form of compassion that could be listening or an act of service," Haas told The Christian Post. "Actions speak much louder than words."
Giving churches an impetus to take church outside the buildings, World Vision partnered with two other Christian organizations – Outreach and Zondervan – to launch Faith in Action two years ago. The campaign, which takes place on April 27 this year, invites churches to take a "time out" by closing their doors on Sunday and mobilizing on service projects within their communities.
Faith in Action encourages Christians on a Sunday morning "to break the routine which is heavily set on this 'being the church," said Haas. "That is a building in which we meet. The church is the people who are sitting in those pews. We're releasing them to go 'be the church.'"
The majority of survey respondents (60 percent) said they would support their church if it occasionally canceled traditional services to donate that time to help the poor. Sixty percent also said they would be more involved in helping the poor if they could do so with members of their church.
This year, over 300 churches have registered to close their church doors and serve their community Sunday morning. But not all churches have welcomed the idea.
"Where's the Gospel? When are you going to share the Good News of Jesus?" some have asked.
Haas finds such critical questions laughable, noting that when hundreds of churchgoers descend onto a community to clean up or feed the poor for hours, someone is bound to ask where they came from and why they're there.
"At that point, the church can share 'I've been loved by an eternal lover who cared enough for me. My greatest response is to meet someone else in their time of need.'" said Haas. "The door's wide open," Haas said, to share the Gospel.
Responding to critics, Haas commented, "The importance isn't shuttering the doors on Sunday. If people get wrapped up in that, they missed the reason for the exercise. It's being church to their community. The meaning of that isn't lost on Sunday."
While doors close Sunday morning, congregants come together that night after a day of helping their community for a celebration service.
Haas says evangelism is both the proclamation of the Gospel and responding to human need. Neither can be neglected for the other.
Without "faith in action," faith stagnates, Haas noted. And with more churches hopping on board to help the needy, Haas believes the Gospel is being proclaimed in bigger ways.
"What we're excited about is the church is coming alive because they realized the robust expanding nature of the Good News of Christ."
The survey was conducted on behalf of Faith in Action on Feb. 14-18 among 2,853 adults ages 18 and older, of whom, 1,703 ever attend religious services at a church.
Comments
'Are churches doing enough to help the poor'? I wonder where all the money went when believers give their tithe on sundays 4x a month. and recently this website wrote an article regarding waste or inefficiency of money given to charities.
Finally, I wonder how tele evangelist & pastors able to afford buying luxury cars & multi million $$$ homes or private jet or this website had published that an average salary of pastors is $7800/month
pauljhurley
Thanks for the link to your website.
God loves His poor people and some day everyone else is going to find out just how much....
We preach The Word at each of our venues; Free Food Distribution Center. Orphanages, weekly Bible Studies at 3 different locations around Ternopil and every chance someone asks. catch our webpage at www.hministries.com IF you have any interest.
PJH
pauljhurley
May God bless the ministry of you and your wife. In what ways do you help these people? Do you have opportunity to preach the Word of God and to share the gospel with them?
I think the Christians in the Ukraine need to be challenged with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It seems to me that they are either lost or have never made Jesus the Lord of their life, or this is an area of their life that is not right with God and they are needing of repentance.
The rich Christians in Romainia are the same way. The don't care at all for the poor Christians in their country.
I live in America and see they same thing. I think it is a universal problem.
pauljhurley
Re: My wife and I have offered our mercy ministries to the people of the Ukraine for 12 years now and our experience with the organized church here is disappointing to say the least. They contribute nothing to benefit the poor of this country....they make demands on the poor that can be devastating to some. ...I have no experience with any American church
You'll find some American Christians who are the same way; they care nothing or very little for the poor.
A Christian who cares nothing for the poor is a 'believer' whose heart is not right with God.
1 John 3:17 - "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?"
My wife and I have offered our mercy ministries to the people of the Ukraine for 12 years now and our experience with the organized church here is disappointing to say the least. They contribute nothing to benefit the poor of this country....they make demands on the poor that can be devastating to some. I asked an Orthodox priest once 'what do they do to help the poor of their people' his answer to me was '....I send them to you...."
I have no experience with any American church except one that has sent us a few dollars to help do our work here. Slava Bohu for that one.
pauljhurley
seed "Are Churches Doing Enough to Help the Poor?
We can never do enough. The key is too do the right thing. That does not always mean giving money. There are reasons why the poor is poor, sometimes it is a lack of traction while other times it is a lack of education (I'm not speaking of merely academic training). "
indeed, well stated
kc95819, you didn't answer my question. I will ask the question again:
How many millions have John Hagee and Pat Robertson made peddling religion and will they die as wealthy millionaires?
scitsonga-
"QUESTION: How many millions have John Hagee and Pat Robertson made peddling religion and will they die as wealthy millionaires?"
If you knew the good around the world Robertson & Hagee have done you would hang your head in shame. Since you are being prideful and offering lies, you must not know about the tremendous good they do. Do some research before you sound off on something you have only heard the socialist "mainstream media" lie about. Hagee have orphanages in Africa where 100% of donations go to the welfare of the children. Unlike Hollywood idols who make big deals about themselves doing something nice once in awhile, many, many churches and ministries give constantly always have , always will WITHOUT shouting to the world look at me and what I am doing. While you sleep they do good works.
citsonga, For once I have to agree with you. The problem is that you do not recognize the fact that one day they will have to give an account.
Are Churches Doing Enough to Help the Poor?
We can never do enough. The key is too do the right thing. That does not always mean giving money. There are reasons why the poor is poor, sometimes it is a lack of traction while other times it is a lack of education (I'm not speaking of merely academic training).
The interesting thing about the personal touch in helping the poor is that very few are doing it. Why is that? Could it be that some of the ways we can help the poor is to feed them, house them, train them and help them find work that provides an income sufficient to their needs? Could it be that sometimes it just take a little cash to get over the hump? maybe a 100$ would do it, maybe a 1000 whatever. No matter, they all take money and miracles. What it really come down to is this. We are more than happy to help the poor IF it doesn't cost me anything. If I don't have to give up anything I need or have to help somebody else. If it doesn't take away from my family time, or my working time, or my game time or whatever. No, helping th epoor takes a commitment that most of us won't make. It's so much easier to just toss 5 bucks in the plate and hope somebody else does the work so we can get all warm and fuzzy feeling about doing all we can to help the poor. If any one of us did as the good Samaritan did in todays market could it be done for under 1000 or 1500 dollars? Whats a night in the ER cost? Get real, it takes a lot of money to help the poor and it take somebody to do the work.
Yes! I totally agree with the article, it's time for Christians to show themselves to the world and come from the confines of the four walls of the Church. The battle against the devil is in the world, yet we as Christians sit in Church and not use the power God has given us to get involved. And we wonder why the world around is going to hell. I recently visited a site www.areyouachristian.org which talks about Christians being visible or I'll say invisible to the world. Visit this site it's powerful
It takes money to get a church going, and to keep it going. If we would give from a cheerful heart like the Word states, then half of these preachers wouldn't be doin what they are doin. It doesn't make it right that they beg for money. That is wrong, wrong, wrong. I personally believe that it is a stench in God's nostrils. You will never find in scripture where Jesus did this. He never said that you will have to pay your way into heaven
QUESTION: How many millions have John Hagee and Pat Robertson made peddling religion and will they die as wealthy millionaires?
i personally feel the church is all about money. give money to them and who knows where it goes. personal action is much more effective.