Words from the WellRandom Thoughts on Christ, the Church and Technology

When I was a full-time member of a church staff I always dreaded the benevolence requests. I didn’t hate them, I just dreaded the uncomfortable feeling that I got. It was caused by my struggles between the commands of scripture and the realities of needing to determine the neediness of the person making the request. We have all been told that most people asking for money from a church just want to buy drugs, or alcohol; or that they don’t really need the money, they are just playing the system. So to combat this churches have come up with elaborate systems to make sure that they don’t get abused. These systems range from the “no cash” policy, to extensive databases that catalog requests. Now I am not saying that those systems and policies are wrong, but I am saying that I am afraid that they breed a form of fear, apathy and spiritual arrogance that is dangerous for the Church and it’s witness. Let me share with you two stories that illustrate my point…

The first story happened just a few days ago and really broke my heart. This is what happens when our attitude towards those less fortunate goes the wrong way.

I was at church early on Sunday afternoon for a Children’s Choir rehearsal. A man who didn’t look like me (or anyone else at church) entered the building and sat down in the sanctuary. At some point someone asked him if he was looking for someone and he said that he was looking for some gas money. My wife heard this and asked if I could help him since she was busy with the kids. I took the man to the office so that I could find a staff member to help him. I knew that the church has policies and resources that I personally don’t have. Since it was early, there was no one on staff at the church. I decided to do something that is contrary to what most churches allow. I gave the man some CASH! That’s right, I handed him $5 and looked him straight in the eyes and said, “You ARE going to buy gas with this, right?” He said yes and left. Now you’ve gotten this far and are wondering why this broke my heart. Here’s why. As he was walking out the door and I was walking down the hall one of our members came in the same door that he exited. She saw me and hollered down the hall to me, “Kenny, do you know that man?” ( I don’t know, but I am pretty sure that he was still within earshot.) The sub-text of her question seemed to say to me (and him?) “what was HE doing here?”, “what did HE want?”. About this same time, another member came down another hall, and asked the lady questioning me if she would walk her granddaughter to the sanctuary because she didn’t want her walking in the church alone after what she had just walked in and seen in the church (she was referring to the man that I had tried to help).

Now before you start making comments about all the reasons that these ladies had to be worried, concerned, etc. Let me say that I totally understand their comments, but, they illustrate a disease that the church suffers from today. This is why this story breaks my heart.

1. The first ladies immediate thought was that the man was an enemy that could not be trusted. I so wish that the first words out of her mouth were something like, “Kenny, did that gentlemen need some help?”
2. The grandmother’s statement was made in front of her granddaughter, it sent two possible messages, one was racial, the other was that people who don’t go to church here may be out to hurt you. So wrong on both counts.
3. I didn’t tell anyone but my wife that I gave the man cash, because I knew that I would what others would say about my breaking the rules!

Here’s the second story.

A pastor friend of mine was in his office one day when a homeless man entered the church office needing some assistance. My friend has told me that he really wasn’t “in the mood” to deal with this man. He was dirty and stinky and my friend had things to do. He knew that he HAD to deal with it but his heart wasn’t really in it. He spoke to the man and then went to get some paperwork. He took his time. When he came back he couldn’t believe what he saw. On the floor beside the man was the pastors secretary, on her knees, with a bucket of water and a wash rag. She had removed the man’s shoes and socks and begun to wash his nasty feet. BAM! There she was, being Jesus to this man. My friend said that he has never been the same. I never will be either.

My point? My point is that we should welcome the uncomfortable feeling that I described in the beginning. That feeling that is a struggle between just tossing money at everyone and being effective stewards of what God has entrusted to us. I gave that man cash because at the time I felt the Holy Spirit leading me in that direction, I decided to be obedient. What I long for is for us to rely more on what the Holy Spirit is leading than what our policies and procedures demand. I want the “least of these” to stir our compassion, not our indignation. I want the Church to become known for love, not for rules. I think that this is what God wants too.

If by some strange chance one of the people in these stories reads this. I am not aiming to judge you or your actions, you simply provide illustration for what I perceive as being a problem with the Church and Christians. It’s not personal.