The Church's response to crises

“What” a church does to provide care is insignificant to “how” and “why” a church responds. The “how” and “why” reflects a church’s heart.

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV

Crises are not new to humanity. Whether nationwide or worldwide, every person throughout history has been impacted by a crisis. This universal, non-discriminatory experience heightens the Church’s responsibility to respond with Christ’s tangible love. The Church must posture its heart to restore the least of these spiritually and humanely.

Col. 3:23-24 and Deut. 15:10 Heart posture 

Crises further oppresses the vulnerable while shaking resilient foundations. When Jesus and the prophets responded to crises, they responded in confident empathy without a list of qualifications, or measuring a person’s worth. They restored individuals’ dignity and well-being to live the Abundant Life.

Dignity (noun) the quality or state of being worthy of honor or respect [source] 

The Widow of Zarephath needed access to income. Her and her son were experiencing food insecurity and grief in a famine. God used the Prophet Elijah to solve for the grieving woman’s root cause with a more-than-enough oil supply for her and her son to sell and live on. In her most vulnerable state, she was not belittled, or made to feel shameful about her predicament. She was restored to live the Abundant Life. None of this brought her husband back, but solving for her root cause brought comfort and energy to live on in dignity.

Jesus and the prophets were not grandiose and egotistical in their aid. Their confidence in whose they were and who they were made them the perfect vessel for God’s tangible love to abide to the least of these. Heart posture is the structure for conduits and catalysts to transport God’s transformational power.

Matthew 25:40-45 How we serve those in need, we do unto God.

Skilled and educated professionals leading these ministerial charges understand in order to support those in need, church leaders must be healed and whole. Pretentious churches offering its ministerial care through manipulation and abusive control must be held accountable. There must be a firm zero-tolerance policy to ensure safety for all of God’s children. Jesus never exchanged his help for a pass to harm others. Church leaders must demonstrate Christ’s love, not pseudo-elitism. Between surviving systemic oppression and the consequences of political administrations, the Church must be a spiritual refuge and a safe space.

A crisis will happen. A church must be in proper position to serve with a Godly heart posture and adequate tangible resources. To request funds from congregants for a church’s expenses and goals, then withhold funds and resources when congregants are in crises is cruel. Again, Jesus never exchanged help to do harm. WWJD in today’s crises?