Matthew 28:19

[Seeker47]

These two events happened to me this month.

Over the years I became friends with an elderly couple who attend church. They are honest, loving Christians who sincerely try to live according to God’s commands. They’re the kind of people everyone loves and wants to be around. But both have been struggling with health issues. Their health problems have become critical; they are now house-bound. The wife, a serious heart patient herself, has difficulty caring for her husband who is terminal. How does the church help? They don’t. Except for a couple of uncomfortable telephone calls from friends offering prayer, they were left on their own. No one brought food, even though cooking meals is a major problem for them. No offers of help whatsoever.

There is also a widow living near me who is 88 years old. She is spry and energetic, but beginning to show serious signs of dementia. Her son and her grandson both live nearby, but are useless. She refuses to call them when she needs help because, “They’re busy and won’t help.” (Her exact words).

This woman has also been a pillar of support in a small local church. Her monthly donation goes a long way to keeping this little church alive. She stopped attending a couple of months ago due to memory problems; she simply cannot remember which day is Sunday. The response from her church? Crickets! Nothing! No calls, no visits, no offers to drive, nothing.

Previously I completed some research on church mission/vision statements. What I found was not surprising. The Most common bible verse included in mission statements by far is Matthew 28:19:*

Yet Jesus instructions to Peter, the pillar of his assembly, was clear. “Feed my sheep; Feed my lambs.” These are pretty clear instructions. This is what God wanted from his assembly. Early church history proves that is exactly what they did.

Why do so many churches, and especially evangelicals, focus so exclusively on missions? Every person who walks into a church, goes there because they are hungry, needing to be fed. Spiritual, emotional, physical, or social food. When people’s needs are ignored, that church has failed. Sending a donation to the local downtown food bank does not meet Yeshua’s command. Thousands for outreach and growth; nothing for support. No wonder church attendance is dropping so rapidly.

Make no mistake, seeking the lost is the duty of all Christians, but that is not the mission of church. Feeding is.


*See: https://helpfulprofessor.com (et.al)

 

[MsMediator]

It is due to multiple factors. People are more isolated. Also, with both men and women working nowadays, they barely have time to cook for themselves. People do not want to become too committed to take care of someone long term. Full time housewives or retirees may be in a better position to help with offering meals, as I believe this was more common in the past. Food is also more expensive. Every church really should have a ministry of dedicated people to take care of visiting and helping the needy. If the effort is more organized, it might be more successful.

 

[2ndTimeIsTheCharm]

These two events happened to me this month.

Over the years I became friends with an elderly couple who attend church. They are honest, loving Christians who sincerely try to live according to God’s commands. They’re the kind of people everyone loves and wants to be around. But both have been struggling with health issues. Their health problems have become critical; they are now house-bound. The wife, a serious heart patient herself, has difficulty caring for her husband who is terminal. How does the church help? They don’t. Except for a couple of uncomfortable telephone calls from friends offering prayer, they were left on their own. No one brought food, even though cooking meals is a major problem for them. No offers of help whatsoever.

There is also a widow living near me who is 88 years old. She is spry and energetic, but beginning to show serious signs of dementia. Her son and her grandson both live nearby, but are useless. She refuses to call them when she needs help because, “They’re busy and won’t help.” (Her exact words).

This woman has also been a pillar of support in a small local church. Her monthly donation goes a long way to keeping this little church alive. She stopped attending a couple of months ago due to memory problems; she simply cannot remember which day is Sunday. The response from her church? Crickets! Nothing! No calls, no visits, no offers to drive, nothing.

Previously I completed some research on church mission/vision statements. What I found was not surprising. The Most common bible verse included in mission statements by far is Matthew 28:19:*

Yet Jesus instructions to Peter, the pillar of his assembly, was clear. “Feed my sheep; Feed my lambs.” These are pretty clear instructions. This is what God wanted from his assembly. Early church history proves that is exactly what they did.

Why do so many churches, and especially evangelicals, focus so exclusively on missions? Every person who walks into a church, goes there because they are hungry, needing to be fed. Spiritual, emotional, physical, or social food. When people’s needs are ignored, that church has failed. Sending a donation to the local downtown food bank does not meet Yeshua’s command. Thousands for outreach and growth; nothing for support. No wonder church attendance is dropping so rapidly.

Make no mistake, seeking the lost is the duty of all Christians, but that is not the mission of church. Feeding is.


*See: https://helpfulprofessor.com (et.al)

God has called these people to your attention. Maybe He wants you to be the one to help them? Bring up their situations at church and create a ministry of watching out for them during the course of the week and helping them where needed. Hopefully plenty of people will volunteer. Your church should help you shoulder the burden, that way it wouldn't be overwhelming for you. Set up a schedule of checking in on them everyday and what individual tasks volunteers will do (so no one would be overwhelmed and stop helping). For example, have a regular volunteer pick them up to and from your church (including the old lady that went to another church.

Will pray for this and hope your church rallies to their aid!


🌷

 

[Seeker47]

It is due to multiple factors. People are more isolated. Also, with both men and women working nowadays, they barely have time to cook for themselves. People do not want to become too committed to take care of someone long term. Full time housewives or retirees may be in a better position to help with offering meals, as I believe this was more common in the past. Food is also more expensive. Every church really should have a ministry of dedicated people to take care of visiting and helping the needy. If the effort is more organized, it might be more successful.

I absolutely agree with your statement:

"Every church really should have a ministry of dedicated people to take care of visiting and helping the needy. "

Very few churches have operational plans in place to appropriately meet, greet and mentor visitors.

 

[Pilgrimshope]

These two events happened to me this month.

Over the years I became friends with an elderly couple who attend church. They are honest, loving Christians who sincerely try to live according to God’s commands. They’re the kind of people everyone loves and wants to be around. But both have been struggling with health issues. Their health problems have become critical; they are now house-bound. The wife, a serious heart patient herself, has difficulty caring for her husband who is terminal. How does the church help? They don’t. Except for a couple of uncomfortable telephone calls from friends offering prayer, they were left on their own. No one brought food, even though cooking meals is a major problem for them. No offers of help whatsoever.

There is also a widow living near me who is 88 years old. She is spry and energetic, but beginning to show serious signs of dementia. Her son and her grandson both live nearby, but are useless. She refuses to call them when she needs help because, “They’re busy and won’t help.” (Her exact words).

This woman has also been a pillar of support in a small local church. Her monthly donation goes a long way to keeping this little church alive. She stopped attending a couple of months ago due to memory problems; she simply cannot remember which day is Sunday. The response from her church? Crickets! Nothing! No calls, no visits, no offers to drive, nothing.

Previously I completed some research on church mission/vision statements. What I found was not surprising. The Most common bible verse included in mission statements by far is Matthew 28:19:*

Yet Jesus instructions to Peter, the pillar of his assembly, was clear. “Feed my sheep; Feed my lambs.” These are pretty clear instructions. This is what God wanted from his assembly. Early church history proves that is exactly what they did.

Why do so many churches, and especially evangelicals, focus so exclusively on missions? Every person who walks into a church, goes there because they are hungry, needing to be fed. Spiritual, emotional, physical, or social food. When people’s needs are ignored, that church has failed. Sending a donation to the local downtown food bank does not meet Yeshua’s command. Thousands for outreach and growth; nothing for support. No wonder church attendance is dropping so rapidly.

Make no mistake, seeking the lost is the duty of all Christians, but that is not the mission of church. Feeding is.


*See: https://helpfulprofessor.com (et.al)

I think probably God puts it on thoer hearts to reach places where the fospel hasn’t been heard as much like Paul he had a deep desire to preach it in places that hadn’t heard it before he was converted. So he went on his epic missions

While some might just be hearing the call to go that route , while others might be called to do other things like pastoring a church or to some other position God prepared then to serve in maybe Bible teacher or prophet whichever calling and forgets he’s given each true believer is going to call to them in thier heart is my point

most of us serve in humble everyday ways d share the gospel about Christ wit people as we are able and motivated not others are called to serve in ministry or even called to go far away like Abraham


“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:11-

 

[Bruce_Leiter]

These two events happened to me this month.

Over the years I became friends with an elderly couple who attend church. They are honest, loving Christians who sincerely try to live according to God’s commands. They’re the kind of people everyone loves and wants to be around. But both have been struggling with health issues. Their health problems have become critical; they are now house-bound. The wife, a serious heart patient herself, has difficulty caring for her husband who is terminal. How does the church help? They don’t. Except for a couple of uncomfortable telephone calls from friends offering prayer, they were left on their own. No one brought food, even though cooking meals is a major problem for them. No offers of help whatsoever.

There is also a widow living near me who is 88 years old. She is spry and energetic, but beginning to show serious signs of dementia. Her son and her grandson both live nearby, but are useless. She refuses to call them when she needs help because, “They’re busy and won’t help.” (Her exact words).

This woman has also been a pillar of support in a small local church. Her monthly donation goes a long way to keeping this little church alive. She stopped attending a couple of months ago due to memory problems; she simply cannot remember which day is Sunday. The response from her church? Crickets! Nothing! No calls, no visits, no offers to drive, nothing.

Previously I completed some research on church mission/vision statements. What I found was not surprising. The Most common bible verse included in mission statements by far is Matthew 28:19:*

Yet Jesus instructions to Peter, the pillar of his assembly, was clear. “Feed my sheep; Feed my lambs.” These are pretty clear instructions. This is what God wanted from his assembly. Early church history proves that is exactly what they did.

Why do so many churches, and especially evangelicals, focus so exclusively on missions? Every person who walks into a church, goes there because they are hungry, needing to be fed. Spiritual, emotional, physical, or social food. When people’s needs are ignored, that church has failed. Sending a donation to the local downtown food bank does not meet Yeshua’s command. Thousands for outreach and growth; nothing for support. No wonder church attendance is dropping so rapidly.

Make no mistake, seeking the lost is the duty of all Christians, but that is not the mission of church. Feeding is.


*See: https://helpfulprofessor.com (et.al)

I completely agree with you, as a retired pastor of 7 churches. In those churches, they had active deacons who, hopefully, looked after people's physical needs, while the elders took care of their spiritual needs.

We must reach IN to administer God's love to our members and also reach OUT to help people up where God has put us. The Bible balances the two approaches, and we must too.

 

[Eli1]

My church has this operational arm where they help the elderly who are alone or people who are in unfortunate situations which involve health and mental issues.
When i donate money to this fund i know where the money goes and this is who i'd like to help.

 

[Nehemiah6]

Why do so many churches, and especially evangelicals, focus so exclusively on missions?

There are several reasons, and they all have to do with departing from the NT pattern already given.

1. Verses 19 and 20 should always have been seen as one unit -- spreading the Gospel throughout the world , then teaching believers all things from Christ within the churches.
2. That teaching became "the apostles' doctrine" and it is now within the NT.
3. The Jerusalem church was designed to provide a pattern for all Christian churches. This was never done fully by evangelical churches.
4. The Jerusalem church had a plurality of Spirit -filled elders. Most evangelical and fundamental churches have just one man as "the pastor".
5. The Jerusalem church was focused on looking after the poor and needy believers, as well as widows and orphans. This is rarely the focus of most churches. It would mean knowing the condition of each member, and then responding accordingly.
6. The Jerusalem church also had Christians meeting in houses, and this is not too common.
7. Corporate prayer was important for this church, but often gets neglected.
8. The Lord's Supper was observed regularly, and it would have been on a weekly basis on the Lord's Day. This too is rare.