Balancing Service and Solace
Paul Anderson
If we aren't making a difference beyond our walls, are we the church? But if we are making a difference, there's going to be battle fatigue.
—Paul Anderson
A few years ago, our church began to catch the vision: Christ our Lord was sending us out to be his agents in the fight against evil, suffering, and brokenness.
That was about the time churches in our community began to take more seriously our responsibility to the local needy. We started small, first opening a simple food pantry at one church, offering food once a week. Eventually sixteen churches were offering help several times a week.
We also "converted" a bar so that we could feed and minister to the homeless, destitute, and street people. Next a home was opened to disciple men who became Christians and wanted their lives changed. A women's home is now in the planning stage.
Our church became acquainted with the staffs at the local Alcohol Recovery Center and Eating Disorders Clinic. We were eventually asked to start a chaplaincy program at the hospital, as well as a Sunday morning worship service.
In addition, a twelve-step group was established at our church to help recovering alcoholics strengthen their roots in Christ. Another group worked with the sexually abused.
We continue to look for other ways to advance the gospel beyond the church walls.
We'd realized anew that Jesus does not want us to minister just to transplanted Lutherans but also to the poor and lost. So, pastoral care mainly meant getting people ready for battle. Our church was first and foremost an army barracks, from which members go out, march against the forces of evil, and establish outposts for the kingdom in enemy territory.
This concept is certainly justified by Scripture, from Jesus' strong words ...
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