I recently read an interview in Relevant Magazine with Pastor Rick Warren. Pastor Warren was able to put into words a lot of my feelings about the popularity of social justice and its associated causes, and what it really means to help those who need it most. If you want read the article go get the most recent issue of Relevant or just subscribe to the magazine for that matter. It only costs $12 a year to subscribe an after buying one issue your more than a third of the way there, however times are tough and we all know it, so Relevant has made the issues available online, so there is no real reason to not go read the article. Ill do my best to give a good summary, however I’m sure it will be insufficient.
Let me start off by saying one thing about Pastor Rick Warren, whom I respect, I believe him to be a entirely to ecumenical at times, as evidenced by his prayer to the Muslim god Isa , in his prayer at the inauguration of President Obama. (read the full prayer transcript here) This evaluation is not based on just one prayer however; Warren has repeatedly endorsed religious sects that do not endorse Jesus as the only way to heaven.
This however does not discount Warren’s ministry. I’ve listened to Warrens preaching many times and I believe him to be a brother in Christ, based on the evidence I have seen and heard. His ministry in California is without a doubt a city set on a hill.
His ministry is not simply a light in California though; Warren’s objectives are global. He has a heart for the poor and helpless especially in Africa and more specifically Rwanda like few others in his generation. His heart for these people is clearly a pastor’s heart. He longs to see these people truly helped, and he’s going about it differently than many others. Warren’s first objective is to get people to understand that money is not the problem, and money is not the answer. The United States has poured billions of dollars (1.5 trillion to be more exact) into this region and the standard of living is actually lower than it was 50 years ago when we started giving handouts. This is not to say that money doesn’t help, but it’s certainly not the answer. Money is typically the western answer to many problems because it appeases the conscience, but money is only a western answer, that works only in the west (and even that can be debated). The United States has used money to “solve” problems for years now, its been the answer to the public education crisis, to the aids crisis and humanitarian crisis around the world, it’s now the most recent answer to the economic crisis, the only problem is that doesn’t work, it just makes us feel better.
Warren makes another important point through out the article. Warren points out that throwing money at the problem robs people of their dignity. We ought never do for someone else what they can do for themselves, because handouts remove initiative. The goal is to take steps to get people out of the cycle’s that got them where they are in the first place. The goal is not to simply temporarily ease the pains of the cycle’s people are in.
This type of reform can take place through no better organization than the church, and this is the crucial aspect of what Warren does. Everything he try’s to do takes place through the ministry of the local churches in Rwanda, and through out Africa. Government’s rise and fall, aid organizations come and go, but the church will last forever, and therefore this type of ministry should take place through the church. The Christian church around the world is estimated to be 2.3 billion people (note: The term “Christian Churches” includes Catholic Churches) which is larger than the population on India and China combined. The church is the biggest network in the world. Warren talks about four unique things the church has that no government, or social program has,
1. Universal distribution: Meaning, the church is everywhere more so than hospitals, and clinics.
2. The most volunteers: Millions of people volunteer trough their local church, every year
3. Local credibility: The pastor has street cred (hopefully good) he is marrying and burying, counseling and praying with the people in the community.
4. A track record: For the most part the church has a 2,000 year track record of caring for the poor and sick.
Many of the principles of the government, and humanitarian aid organizations, are cultural, but only the Bible is trans-cultural, and therefore the primary responsibility for helping those who need most falls into the hands of the church. It’s high time for the local church to take leadership in these matters, and stop leaving it up to the government and NGO’s.
Since Warren believes that handouts lock people into reliance, he suggests that the answer to the problem is sustainable partnerships through the local church. This idea of sustainable partnerships emphasizes the need for church planting and missions work in the region. Warren’s plan exists to help those already in the region to be more effective. Warren’s plan is one of peace, P.E.A.C.E. through
Promoting Reconciliation: The primary need of any heart is Jesus. The need to be reconciled to Jesus first and others second, is the primary need Warren wants to meet.
Equipping Servant Leaders: Warren attempts to equip leaders after the pattern of Jesus. We read in scripture about Jesus who loved everyone, discipled twelve and mentored three. Jesus played favorites, and spent the maximum amount of time with those who would bear the maximum amount of the load after he left.
Assisting the poor: I don’t need to spend a lot of time here, but let it suffice to say for every verse on homosexuality in the Bible there are at least ten on helping the poor.
Care for the sick: Over one third of Jesus ministry was healthcare, Millions of people die every year around the world from disease the United States found cures for years ago like malaria.
Education of the next generation: Jesus clearly places an emphasis on children in the New Testament (Mat 19). The answers to the problems in Africa are not a quick fixes, it will take time to do things right and it will take generations worth of people.
Warren has trained men and women with the ideas of his P.E.A.C.E. plan and those men and women are training the men and women of Africa to train other men and women in Africa in the ways of P.E.A.C.E. Warren has made several trip to Rawanda to check on the progress of his program and to help in whatever capacity he can.
All of what has been said here is not say that money is not needed in Africa, because it is, what is being said here is that money is not the primary problem and money wont fix the primary problem, only Jesus will, and therefore the church should be the primary outlet for help.
I am well aware that there are needs outside of the local churches ability, such the need for healthcare reform, both in the United States and in Africa, this is where the universal church comes into play, but that is another post for another day.
Posted in Misc, People, Social Justice
