The USDA has released a report showing that 49 million Americans are short on food. 17 million of these are children. That is an increase from 11% of Americans in 2007 to nearly 15% in 2008.
It is great that the government wants to set up programs to help these people. However, I wonder what responsibility the church bears in this area. How many churches have ministries to help those in their own community who lack the basic necessities for life? If my experience is the norm, there are not many.
The Church has the ability to assist the world with their greatest need – their sin, which separates them from God. However, if we are unwilling to help with basic physical needs, why would non-Christians turn to us at any time?
Has the Church become so specialized that it only deals with the “spiritual” and not the physical? It seems that ministering to the whole person – both the spiritual and the physical – is the biblical way. I am not sure we are doing that very well.
What are your thoughts?
