The Least of Us

Dan Edelen did it again and pulled my chatty ring, this time on helping the needy in the church.

If you were to ask me what we need more of than anything else in our churches right now, it’s to let those who have a need stand up during the service and make their request before the congregation. Why this doesn’t happen in our churches is beyond me. Seriously, what is the Church for if not to bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ? And what can be a bigger burden than facing foreclosure or a a five-digit medical bill that can’t be paid?

Yet I continue to talk with people who suffer in silence. And I continue to hear church people tell me there’s no place for that kind of request in the Sunday worship service.

Bull.

Such ministry would require a number of things.

First, we'd have to admit that some people do have problems they need help with. You're not supposed to bring bad news to church, unless it's your aunt's hip surgery that gets put in the Sunday School or Wednesday Night prayer log. If someone asks "Howyadoin'?", heaven help you if you actually honestly give an less-than stellar answer.

Secondly, many churches, even if they aren't in the Word of Faith realm, act as if its sinful to be poor; if you had the right faith and the right prayer life, you'd have a job or have had God answer your need without having to ask. People would need to be comfortable with asking for help without looking like a spiritual leper for doing so.

Thirdly, you'd have to get away from the motif of helping the poor as an outreach. People are used to donating to the local food bank or homeless shelter, but actually helping someone inside the church would be a novel concept.

Next, you need to get the church used to helping. We're so use to welfare being a government job to think that is the church's job as well, especially when a lot of folks fall through cracks, where there isn't help for what they need. There might be homeless shelters but not help to squeeze an extra $150/month out of the budget to pay the rent. There might be unemployment insurance, but when the person had to quite to avoid an evil supervisor, they might forgo the right to any help by quitting.

Lastly, you have to make it the believer's job to ask. Many folks are weaned on stories where needs were met without the needy one asking. Such miracles can and do occur, but such an attitude can leave people waiting for help if they keep quite and insist that God do a miracle rather than just ask for help.

Lots of attitude changes, especially for suburban churches who don't want to think that things like that happen in Sparkle City.