“People who are starving and dressed in rags don’t want to hear someone read a list of propositional “good news.” They want to see the good news in action. The church doesn’t hold revival meetings and call it a day — we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, dig wells, and staff medical clinics. Social action isn’t an optional part of evangelism; it is evangelism. This is an important correction to the overspirituality that dominated evangelical Christianity just a generation ago. But the both/and of holistic mission still misses the heart of Jesus if we don’t see that the church needs the poor as much as the poor need the church. Jesus didn’t embrace the poor only because he pitied them or because he knew he had the resources to help them. Jesus embraced the poor because they were rushing into the kingdom ahead of the scribes and Pharisees — those who called themselves God’s people. Jesus welcomed people who knew poverty because they were ready to receive what he had to offer. Religious people, he said, could learn something from them. Our spiritual lives are linked to the material conditions of our life. When we feel like we don’t need much materially, we often have trouble remembering why we need God. We comfortable Americans can go through an entire day without thinking of God. But Jesus gave the poor more than food to eat and relief from their sickness. He restored them to God’s beloved community.” JesusCommunityPovertyRestoration Book:God's Economy: Redefining the Health and Wealth Gospel Source: God's Economy: Redefining the Health and Wealth Gospel
“We learn to dwell with God by learning the practices of hospitality, listening, forgiveness, and reconciliation- the daily tasks of life with other people. Stability in Christ is always stability in community” PeopleChristCommunityPracticeListeningTasksStabilityHospitalityReconciliationDaily Tasks Book:The Wisdom of Stability: Rooting Faith in a Mobile Culture Source: The Wisdom of Stability: Rooting Faith in a Mobile Culture
“Since Moses was in Egypt land, Gods people have been struggling for justice while singing freedom songs. Theology can be clarifying. A good sermon has its place. But nothing is more essential for the life of faith in a community than liturgy that invites us to sing the freedom songs that are sung around the throne of God. Brother Ken Sehested is a song leader in that great cloud of witnesses. Receive his words as gift-and keep singing.” PeopleHas BeensSongCommunityJusticeLeaderStruggleLandBrotherEssentialsSingingCloudsTheologyWitnessInvitesThronesEgyptSermonsMosesLiturgyClarifying Author:Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove