Do you help those less fortunate? Does your church? Or, do they build compounds in the suburbs?

Question

Why don't wealthy suburban churches build in the inner city? The truly hurting and needy people are primarily found in the inner cities?
How much time does your church spend helping those less fortunate? Do you ever leave your compound in the suburbs to help the needy?

Matthew 25: 37-40

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'


I ask this because I see inner-city churches closing their doors for lack of funds. I see homeless people wandering the streets of the inner city. But, I see Prestonwood Baptist in Plano, TX, ( a Dallas suburb)spend $200,000.00 per month on utilities....

Your thoughts?

Answer 1

my church does we have moved into the inner city in 2 parts of town. We have a school here that we just built, spent 3.5 million on it because we were in an old store. The members paid all but 1.5 of it the rest came from outside donations. We have been here for over ten yrs and our kids score the highest in the area on tests. we live in the neighborhood with them.We do mission work [ no churches built we do home churches even in America] We have a car lot where teens work on donated cars and they are resold to low income families at low prices and payments, we help them but the houses and have rehabed most of the neighborhood. If you saw how our area was you would be amazed. There are over 6000 people who are members of home churches . God is amazing!

Answer 2

They don't build in the inner city, because the residents there have lower incomes. It's much more profitable to put up a mega-church in the wealthier suburbs so you get more dollars in your collection plate. It has nothing to do with helping the poor, it has everything to do with making the leaders of these churches wealthy. Then justifying it by saying that God wants the best for His children. I'm sure God also wants the best for His children in the inner cities.

Answer 3

I understand your frustration. Sometimes I experience similar feelings.

I have been an active member of an inner city struggling church and a wealthy, 99.9% white, large, powerful, suburban church.

Every church I have been to has supported the poor and the needy in some way.

All Christians can afford to be more sharing with poorer/needier people. Each of us has a tendency to be selfish and self-centered. It is part of our fallen nature. It is up to each of us to follow the example of Jesus and resist our urge to be selfish. Jesus didn't wait for the rich to take the first step. Jesus held the rich accountable, while giving himself for us.

We are all poor and needy in some way. We are all broken, and sinful, and fall short of God's glory and perfection.

As a person from the inner-city, I am making a sacrifice to drive out to a rich suburban church and stand in the gap that separates us from each other. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much work they are already doing in the inner-city.

I know they can do more, and I know that God wants me there to help bridge the gap. It is an opportunity for me to reach out and challenge some folks in God's love.

This scripture has been very encouraging to me on this topic:

1 Corinthians 13 (NIV)

Love

If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Answer 4

I agree....but this stems from a major problem!!!
Jesus didn't say that "a" church was supposed to be responsible for the needy. He said "the" church, being each individual person within it. Church organizations have tried to control their people to the extent that the people depend on the church to do the outreach. That's backwards. A church needs to lean on the people who are doing the outreach. We would see much more being accomplished if we would go out on our own and help. My 2 cousins, a friend and I are volunteering at many local charities and shelters. We all need to volunteer and sacrifice our lives for others.

Answer 5

My church has a huge humanitarian relief fund. We also have church buildings in wealthy suburbs as well as in inner cities. Wherever we have enough members, a church building will be built.

Answer 6

Our church has welfare services set up all over the world. We have church meeting houses in areas proportionate to its members since we attend our church according to where we live geographically.
When natural disasters have hit the US gvt has turned to the mormons to help organize and carry out relief efforts because we already have the organization in place.
The church has its own farms to make food for the extensive welfare program. It also encourages members to play active roles in the communities around them and to involve themselves in all kinds of charity.

The church also, however, stresses self reliance. It teaches that you must be prepared for disasters and unfortunate events. It stresses heavily on education and job preparedness, not getting into debt, savings, and food storage and emergency prepardness. You are suppose to do everything possible you can to take care of yourself and your family and not mooch off of society.