The Social Gospel Slide

James 2:14–18 KJV 1900

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Faith acts...

If there is truly faith, then that faith in a loving God will produce actions that represent our Loving, giving Heavenly Father...

People who love the Lord love people and will do good to people because of this love and generosity...

God’s people are giving - and that is such a wonderful blessing - we have some great things in store for us as we look forward to future opportunities of ministry...

But we have be careful that we don’t end up on a slippery slope...

The Social Gospel Slide

Social Gospel Ministry focuses on humanitarian needs

food

water

clothing

housing

homelessness

medical

Social Gospel Ministries fulfill an urgent need

When you see food trucks going to the river bottoms

When you see feeding ministries like we supported in Africa

When you see doctors going to remote villages giving the needed care for the sick and afflicted...

These needs are urgent - for now...

Social Gospel Ministries fill an emotional sense of accomplishment

You feel like you impacted the world

You feel like you accomplished something of great value

Don’t get me wrong, I am not minimizing the doing of good - The Golden Rule -

the 2nd commandment -

people need a cause and want to have a cause -

David - when he heard Goliath’s challenge-

“Is there not a cause”

Social Gospel Ministries focus on the temporal but seldom get to the eternal

Good intensions aren’t enough

Everyone expects someone else is going to share the gospel

They don’t have a clear mission of reaching the lost -

There isn’t preparation for getting beyond the urgent need

The focus on the temporal seldom get’s to the eternal

Gospel Centered Ministry focuses on the Gospel

A Gospel Centered ministry...

Romans 1:14–16 KJV 1900

14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

A Christ Centered ministry… focuses on the eternal, never dying souls of man...

It doesn’t mean we can’t have a food kitchen -

Pacific Garden Mission - The oldest, continuously operating mission in the US

Mission slide: pgm

PURPOSE

To reach the lost with the Gospel of Christ.

MISSION STATEMENT

We serve with the compassion of Christ and minister with the transforming message of the Gospel.

VISION

We offer life answers through faith in Jesus Christ, through any season of life, so that our guests become fully functioning followers of Christ.

CORE VALUES

Faith • The Word • Truth • Love

Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. Psalm 119:140

iv. Ministry slide: PGM

PGM began in 1877 - 144 years of continuous service - When I was in college - I went down to the PGM - to see the impact that they are having - every meal, every bed, every recovery program revolves around the Gospel of Jesus Christ -

It is not the social services with the gospel added on, it is the Gospel with the social help added on...

Gospel Centered...

Gospel Centered Ministry focuses on obedience

Matthew 28:19–20 KJV 1900

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Go

Win

Baptize

Teach - disciple

Gospel Centered Ministry is not as socially accepted...

Mark 10:29–30 KJV 1900

29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

The work and labor in the mission of the gospel is viewed as un-important

It has caused a shift in the co-laborers in ministry to look for more immediate feelings of accomplishment and self worth...

The workers in the church have become more excited about picking up litter to better their community than passing out a gospel tract

The workers in the church have become more excited about working in a:

soup kitchen;

clothing distribution store

food bank

- than sharing the glorious gospel w/ a friend, family member or co-worker or neighbor

The workers in the church have become more excited about backpacks w/ school supplies for the under privileged

operation shoe box…

The workers in the church have become more excited about:

Drilling wells in Guatemala

Feeding huts in Africa

Homeless shelters in the inner cities

Orphanages in Mexico, Brazil and the Filipino Islands

People in the pews feel like the social gospel crowd are doing something that really matters...

IT IS A LIE OUT OF HELL!

It is a distraction

THE SOCIAL GOSPEL CROWD

good people

good things

wrong emphasis

“I feel good when I make you feel good”- everyone is happy - including the evil one - because he knows that that’s where it will stop...

It isn’t bad to meet the physical needs of people...

It isn’t wrong to have ministries to meet the urgent needs...

As long as the focus is that this is a door to open the conversation to the real need - salvation & restoration

THE SOCIAL GOSPEL MINISTRIES - AS A WHOLE HAVE VERY LITTLE EMPHASIS ON THE GOSPEL AT ALL...

Missions dollars

ministry dollars

Feel good focus...

I want to be clear on this - I am for helping people…

But we will not become a Social Gospel Ministry

This requires the support of the Leadership

This requires the support of the Membership

This requires the support of the lay people of BBC

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 KJV 1900

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

The Gospel has to be central!

There are some amazing things that some of the social gospel ministries and mega churches do, but when people come to BBC -

Many get saved, their children get saved… why? because the other ministries had some great ministries and some great people - but the Gospel wasn’t central...

BBC is known in this community for Evangelism - Bus ministry - soul-winning - outreach...

recovery, mission work… 48 years… 1973-2021

this community needs this church to stay true to it’s purpose...

The Gospel Mission isn’t just salvation - it is a lifelong mission!