Moving Beyond Relief

David came to us looking for food. He's 51 but life on the streets made him look much older. He would park his shopping cart in the shade of our Thrift Store/Food Pantry and slept there at night. Thrift shop manager, Kay Richardson called him our night guard, protecting our properties from vandalism.

Cathy McShane, one of our counselors, worked with David to get him an ID card and a debit card so he could receive his Social Security payments. He had $1600 available but could not access it without a debit card. Once this was settled, he was able to find a place to live.

David is one of many people who are unaware of available resources such as SNAP, medical care, free dental care, etc. It is easy to provide relief in the way of food and clothes to people in need but there are other issues that are less obvious and more important. Every person that comes to us looking for food sits down with a social work student. We work with the client to discover available resources and paths to greater independence.

Most of our social work students come from Our Lady of the Lake University and University of Texas in San Antonio. The students are fulfilling their field work requirements under the supervision of our Community Ministries Program Director Elizabeth Cruz. The students gain valuable, hands-on experience and provide a much-needed service to an under-resourced community.

People come to us with a variety of needs beyond food. One woman told a counselor, through tears, that she didn't need food. She had a job interview but lacked suitable clothes. We were able to find her an outfit in her size that was appropriate for an interview. Our thrift store offers some nice items at nominal prices (most things are less than a dollar). By charging something we take away the stigma of charity and preserve our client's self respect. The thrift shop is open to everyone, not just the needy. Purchases keep serviceable items out of the landfill. Proceeds help fund the food pantry and other community ministries.

Some folks come in to our thrift shop in dire need. A homeless man came in looking for some pants. He'd been wearing the same shorts for three months. He picked out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt from the ten cent bin. We did not charge him the the twenty cents.

Our clients receive more than material help. I met a young man one Sunday morning in church wearing a nice suit and some crude tattoos. He had been referred to our thrift store by one of our deacons who volunteers at a rescue mission. He was made to feel so welcome by the seniors who staff the thrift store that he came to church the following Sunday.

Come by our store at 848 E. Drexel if you would like to volunteer, drop off a donation or shop. We are open Tuesdays (9-4), Wednesdays (9-1) and Thursdays (9-1). We are closed Thanksgiving week.

Breaking the cycle of poverty

There is a story in Mark about a paralytic who was taken by four friends to see Jesus. The friends were not deterred by the man's inability to walk, they carried him. They were not deterred by the crowd of people who packed the house where Jesus was teaching. They knew that Jesus was the only way that their friend could be made whole. So, they carried their friend to the roof, dug a hole and lowered him to Jesus. As a result of the faithfulness of these four, the paralytic was received both physical and spiritual healing.

We need friends to guide us through tough times. They help us to find jobs, drive us to appointments, watch our children, and tell us when we have spinach in our teeth. Friends in high places help us to achieve greater levels of success.

A network of friends is often what keeps someone from falling into poverty. The Bible tells us, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity (Proverbs 17:17.)”

On the other hand, people without such friends fall into a cycle of poverty. They become dependent on government checks, fall victim to predatory lending, and lack the contacts and social skills to find employment. Churches and social agencies want to help but often perpetuate the cycle by enabling through handouts. Breaking the cycle of poverty requires more than canned food, used clothes and loose change.

A group called Open Table has developed a model where a group of 10-12 volunteers use their work and life experiences along with their personal networks to mentor an impoverished family for approximately one year. Working with the person a plan is developed to break out of the oppression of poverty.

Experienced trainers help to develop new Open Tables in other churches. The model has proven effective at moving people from poverty to wholeness on both a national level and here in San Antonio. Baptist Temple has been working on the issue of hunger and poverty for many years. Our current leadership has learned much during the past few years and we are ready to take the next step.

The commitment will require meeting an hour each week for 6-8 months. If you want to be a part of a team that makes a real difference in the life of a person in need, contact the church office.

The biblical basis for serving the needy

The immediate goal of a church benevolence ministry is to relieve human suffering. A secondary goal is to build relationships with hurting people. The ultimate goal ought to be bringing about genuine life change in individuals through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Our intent is to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ, not simply to provide services.

The Old Testament is filled with references about God’s desire that we help the under resourced such as the poor, the alien, widows and orphans. "For the poor will never cease from among the land; therefore I command you, saying, 'you shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.'" (Deuteronomy 15:11)

That teaching continues into the New Testament where we get a clearer picture of caring for our own. The New Testament church provided a mutual support network. “Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” (Acts 2:45)

Many early Christians had lost family, friends and jobs because of their faith. The church became their new family offering spiritual, emotional and financial support. They shared resources with one another, helping those in need with particular care for widows and orphans.

There are some similarities in today’s ministry context and the first century church. Although people in America don’t lose home, family and jobs because of their faith, church members do face financial hardships due to job loss and unexpected bills.

A church that enjoys true biblical community will bear each others burdens (Galatians 6:2). At the small group or Sunday school level, group members can take up a collection to pay an unexpected bill and help with childcare and meals during a crisis. One Sunday school department held a large yard sale to benefit a class member who, after being laid off, was in danger of losing his home.

Care can be shown for those outside the church as well. One church planter organized fundraisers for a woman in the community whose house had burned down. He, also, arranged for local builders to rebuild the house. The woman was an unbeliever but the love shown by Christians led her to faith in Christ. She was baptized and her home is a meeting place for a small group Bible study.

This type of love impacts the beneficiary, the helpers and the unchurched who are watching.

"A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
By this all men will know that you are my disciples,
if you love one another."   John 13:34-35

Do You Want To Get Well?

Offering help is complicated. Jesus once encountered a paralytic by the pool at Bethesda (John 5:1-15). He had been in this condition for 38 years but no one would take him into the healing waters. Jesus asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

Is this an insensitive question to ask this poor man? It may have addressed some other questions people had but would not voice.
“Why doesn’t he crawl?”
“Why didn’t his friends help him?”
“Where is his family?”

Jesus’ question cut to the very center of the man’s heart and exposed the motives that lay deep within. He had relied upon others to make his way in life. He would no longer have an excuse for the condition of his life. Healing would mean he would need to work and assume responsibilities.

Questions bring clarity and help us to understand the real need. Jesus asked many questions.
“Who do you say that I am?”
“Why do you call me good?”
"Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"
“Do you want to get well?”

Jesus often involved the person in the process of healing. He told a blind man to wash in the pool of Siloam (JN 9:7) and ten lepers to go the priest (LK 17:11-19). It seems to me that an individual seeking help needs to work harder than those who are offering help. Otherwise, wouldn’t our “help” actually be enabling. Jesus the told this man, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”

Another wrinkle is added when Jesus tells the man, “See, you are well. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”

Jesus is reminding us that crisis situations tend to have a spiritual dimension. To another paralytic Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven,” before healing him (MT 9:6).

A person seeking help has opened up a door for ministry. The church, both gathered and scattered, is a source of blessing to everyone who is in need. We must be good stewards not just of the resources provided to us by God through His people but, also, of the opportunity to have a life-changing impact on a person’s life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Offering help is complicated but asking questions, empowering the person to help themselves, and being mindful of the person’s spiritual condition can lead to a blessed outcome.

Benevolence

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. Acts 2:44-45

The second chapter of Acts is the model that everyone wants to emulate when it comes to being the church. The idea of helping each other in time of need is one of the core values of Christianity that goes back to the Old Testament.

For the poor will never cease from among the land; therefore I command you, saying, “you shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.” Deuteronomy 15:11

The harmony of Acts 2 is disturbed by the discord of Acts 6. It seems that there was a perception that the food distribution ministry was being mishandled (v.1). There were also some apparent abuses because Paul had to declare, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10b).

The early church selected some church members to manage the benevolence ministry so that the people’s needs could be met with the level of care that they deserved. Thus the deacon ministry was launched.

Two important principles emerge:
1. We need to support church members in a time of need.
2. The ministry needs to be organized so that people’s needs are met in a timely and appropriate manner.

Many churches have benevolence policies that address the disbursement of funds but the real need is spiritual. The easy thing to do is have a policy with a set spending limit and tell the person not to come back for six months or a year. Now, the church can’t be accused of not caring but has this person been helped?

People who fall into financial distress and turn to the church may be lacking a social support network. Acts 2 is all about that social support network. The early Christians were a tight knit community. You probably didn’t need to ask for help because everyone knew your situation.

True help does not come from the church or a well-written policy. True help comes from people. True help will come as a caring person (deacon, Sunday school teacher, etc) who will sit down, listen and ask questions to get to the root of the problem. What are all the needs? What are the available resources? Is this going to happen again? How can we help you help yourself?

Money is rarely the solution. Caring church members who will make some phone calls, do some internet research, and think through the situation can turn a person’s life around. Sunday school classes that offer support and follow up are worth much more than paying a bill.

Every situation is different and needs a personal touch. The issue can be complicated but we need remember that the type of help a church offers must be different than a secular social service agency. Our primary offering is Jesus.