Everyone Has Something to Offer

Joseph's welfare plan helped people in need while preserving individual dignity and the economy. (Genesis 41)

God revealed to Joseph that Egypt would face seven years of bumper crops followed by seven years of famine. Joseph's plan was for the government to buy grain at low prices and store it for the hard years that were sure to follow.

When the famine came, Joseph sold the food that had been stored by Egypt. It was not a give away plan. The people weren't destitute and had something to offer in exchange. Furthermore, Joseph preserved the value of the grain by selling it. He believed that free things have no value to the person receiving it.

Many poverty relief efforts magnify the superiority of folks with abundant resources and create a sense of helplessness among the poor. People will not take charge of their own lives when they know that, if they wait long enough, we will take charge. The poor have been trained to see themselves as consumers not producers. If your church is known as a place to go to for free food, it might have difficulty convincing people that they need to start working to earn their daily bread.

Poverty can be the result of personal sin, unjust systems or a calamity. Looking past the economic realities, our aim is to help people become fully devoted followers of Christ.

We need to affirm people's dignity and contributes to the process of overcoming their poverty of being. Although it is easier to provide food, clothes, shelter, and money, this is not sustainable and increases the feeling of helplessness and inferiority.

People and communities are full of God-given possibilities. We need to identify resources within the community and mobilize the people to free themselves from root causes of their poverty. Then, we can truly help people without short-circuiting the economy or creating dependency.

103 Years of Service to our Community

Whenever someone comes to visit the Baptist Temple Campus, they marvel at both its size and quality. The buildings were built to last.

As impressive as our facilities are, it is what happens inside that matters most. Baptist Temple continues to be a shining light in our community and a blessing to our neighbors. Every day we provide quality education for more than 400 children in a safe environment. We provide after-school activities and youth sports. Families in need receive counseling, spiritual support, food and material goods.

Wednesday nights have come alive. Our free Agape meal feeds an average of 80 folks followed by prayer and Bible Study in English, Spanish and American Sign Language. AWANA provides spiritual formation for children and youth starting at age four. Abundant Life University provides practical application classes related to health and finances. Another English Bible Study and choir practice follow, making Wednesdays the busiest day of the week.

On Sundays, four worship services provide a variety of opportunities to praise God.

Last year we began our Heartstrong for Christ Capital Campaign to raise the funds needed to ensure the ministry of Baptist Temple will continue into the future. The pledge amount is $330,000. To date we have received $158,504.36; that's 46% of the total. We are on track!

The roof is finished, lighting and sound have been upgraded and the chapel is almost finished. An extra blessing was the remodeling of the thrift store that houses our food pantry. Volunteer labor along with salvaged and donated material have extended the power of our capital campaign dollars. Crosspoint tackled the painting the chapel, saving us a significant amount of dollars.

As we celebrate 103 years of ministry at Baptist Temple, we reflect upon so many changes over the decades. Baptist Temple has been a pioneer in the areas of evangelism, daycare, youth ministry and community ministry, listening to the Holy Spirit and adjusting to the seasons in faithfulness to both the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

A year end n gift from you will help us to continue to show God's love to the people of our community.

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Why We Can't All Just Get Along

Martin Luther King, Jr. lamented, “the most segregated hour of Christian America is eleven o'clock on Sunday morning.”

This remains true nearly 50 years later. One reason for the racial divide in America is due to self-segregation. An article in The Atlantic reported that 75% of white Americans have entirely white social networks. On the other hand, 65% of black Americans have entirely black social networks. In our era of desegregation, equal opportunity and a dark-skinned President, we still choose to separate ourselves by race.

The church, to whom God has entrusted the ministry of reconciliation, may be the chief offender in this area. Self-segregation is actually taught in church growth seminars. The father of the church growth movement, Donald McGavran, called it “the homogenous church growth principle.” He taught that people are most comfortable in a church where they don't have to cross racial, linguistic or class barriers. This has led to rapid growth of first generation churches but has failed to address the racial divide that is hurting our nation.

The Multiracial Congregations Project found that 92% of American churches are predominantly mono-cultural (with 80% or more of its members representing one race). The usual explanation for self-segregation in the church has to do with worship style but that is a thin excuse. The Project found that Catholic churches, which are more likely to be multiracial than Protestants, had little socialization and interaction between ethnic groups.

This racial divide causes blacks and whites to view the causes and cures for racial inequality differently. It fosters distrust and denial and stifles meaningful dialog.

The church is God’s answer to racial and ethnic strife. It is to be an agent of healing and a witness to the world. The church was born in the multicultural milieu of Jerusalem where God-fearing Jews of many nations heard Peter’s message, each in his own native language. (Acts 2)

Christian radio preacher, Tony Evans, says, “It is especially critical during these days of tension and uncertainty that we in the body of Christ intentionally seek to bridge that gap.”

He admonishes us to work together so that greater manifestations of God's Kingdom will be experienced in our churches and our nation. “Pray that the differences endowed upon us by our Creator will not divide us, but rather in embracing them, they will highlight Almighty God’s ability to use diversity for His glory and our good,” said Evans.

It is time to for Americans who are followers of Jesus Christ to reach out to one another past personal preferences, past hidden racial bias, past fear, past anger, and past whatever excuse fits the moment. A nation where racial inequality exists (for whatever reason) cannot be one nation under God.

The underlying problem is sin and the ultimate solution is Jesus. Racial bias and all types of inequality demonstrates an absence of love. It is an issue that Christians of all ethnicities from the entire social-economic spectrum must address together.

First, we must fellowship; we must share meals; we must work together on projects of mutual interest. Then, we talk about deeper issues as friends, as true brothers and sisters in Christ.