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Friday, April 28, 2006
Thursday, April 27, 2006
"Politics of Love"
The Kingdom of Self-Emptying Love
Theocracy is in its very essence a politics of love. Love must be the central focus of any attempt to construct a "Christian" view of politics is a common enough assumption.But unless we clearly understand the special biblical sense of love as agape, we are in danger of misrepresenting the true force of biblical theocracy.
God's kingdom is the kingdom of love. We must always keep in mind, though, that the word "love" refers here neither to sentimentality nor to the pleasantries of friendship, but to the creative experience of discovering the powerful powerlessness of self-emptying. Not only does it require us to endure suffering, it also opens us up to the risk of exposing our own hidden hatred, the purging of which is one of the purposes for our suffering. For this reason, apathy is always an easier alternative to choose, though often more destructive than hatred in the long run.
Our model for understanding how to put this politics of love into practise must be the revelation of God's own self-emptying nature in Jesus himself. Ellul regards this as the principal defining characteristic of the biblical concept of God, whose power (even as "King of kings and Lord of lords" [e.g., Rev. 19:16]) is always "a self-limited omnipotence", so that God creates not "by a terrible explosion of power but by the simple Word" [E4:33]. Some defenders of democracy would see this as a justification for the "separation of powers" in a government, perhaps also interpreting Jesus' willingness to empty himself of his divine nature as providing a legitimate basis for emphasizing human rights-i.e., as suggesting that we must stand up for the rights of others, just as God in Jesus stood up for our rights [cf. pp.28-29n]. Along similar lines, Tinder claims that "Christianity ... implies democracy" [T4:178; see also S7:120], arguing that this conclusion follows directly from the Christian principle of agape [T4:175-178]! But a close examination of the relevant biblical passages reveals this to be a gross misinterpretation of the doctrine of divine kenosis (emptying).
A verse that is sometimes quoted out of context for such a purpose is 2 Corinthians 8:9: "though [Christ] was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich." Paul makes this statement in the middle of a passage [8:1-15] in which he is pleading with Corinthian Christians (who were known to have problems misusing spiritual gifts [see 1 Cor. 12-14]) to learn to practise the "gracious work" of giving [2 Cor. 8:7]. Thus, verse 9 is actually making the point that we should follow Jesus' example by willingly giving of our newfound riches so that those who are poor can also become rich enough to practise the grace of giving. Paul's vision is not equality through defending equal rights, but equality through willingly sharing with those in need [8:13-14].
The most explicit "self-emptying" passage [Php. 2:5-11] would also have to be twisted in order to regard it as a pattern for defending anyone's rights. For when Paul says Jesus "did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped [i.e., as a right]" [2:6], he does not go on to say that Jesus then defended the rights of humanity; on the contrary, after emptying himself of his divinity Jesus proceeded to empty himself of his humanity as well, "by becoming obedient to the point of death" [2:8; cf. Y1:241-242]. Indeed, the Bible consistently portrays the incarnation as being motivated not by God's desire to defend human rights, but rather by his desire to show love [see e.g., Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:6-8]. And if the Bible's message is that we should "have this attitude in [our]selves which was also in Christ Jesus" [Php. 2:5], then this clearly indicates that, as we saw in Chapter Two, the Christian Way is not meant to be one that involves (much less being based on) a defense of human rights. Christians are rather to give up their rights for the sake of loving their neighbor.
We must be careful not to assume, however, that the posture of self-giving love requires a person to have a low self-image. When Jesus gave up his divine rights, he did not give up his own realistic appraisal of his divine value in his heavenly Father's eyes [cf. pp.25-26n]. On the contrary, he must have had a keen awareness of his value as God's Son in order to have the faith to die willingly, trusting God to offer the gift of new life in return [cf. Rom. 1:4]. So also for the Christian, "dying to self" does not imply an attitude of selflessness ("I have no value"), but one of unselfishness ("I ought not to claim any rights as my own"); for if the self we give has little or no intrinsic value, then our self-giving love will not be of any use to the person on the receiving end.
A familiar, though quite controversial, example of such self-emptying love comes in Paul's view of the politics of family relationships, especially the bond of love between husband and wife. Feminists rightly reject the male chauvinism implied in the typical interpretation of Paul's account of the roles of husbands and wives in Ephesians 5:22-33. However, this is largely due to a common misunderstanding of what he means by "love": Paul is not saying that husbands can demand sex from their wives while wives must willingly cook and clean for their husbands! Once we realize that theocratic love requires self-emptying-that, as Paul himself says, a husband loves his wife by "[giving] himself up for her" [5:25]-then the political agreement he is proposing comes to appear, if anything, less "fair" to the husband. For Paul is asking husbands to die to their own self-interests, to seek always to do what is best for their wives. And what wife would complain about "submitting" to such an agreement? The wife is taking a risk, though, because she is supposed to submit even if her husband fails to love her in this way. The effect of Paul's outline for the politics of marriage is to divest the marriage agreement of any claim to "rights" by either partner.
Few would deny that the kingdom of love can be realized in the context of a household, and perhaps even within the family of a healthy church congregation; but can this kingdom really compete with the prevailing kingdoms of fear we see operating in governments, based as they are on worldly politics? On any non-theocratic view of Christian politics, the notion of a "politics of love" would certainly be a contradiction in terms, since love cannot actually be enforced as part of a legal system without destroying the spontaneity that makes it love. Worldly politics usually aims at maximizing the selfish interests of the citizen, whereas love requires us to pay at least as much attention to the interests of our neighbor. Especially in modern democratic and/or capitalist societies, a "politics of love" therefore tends to sound like an impossible dream. Yet this is because we have been blinded by the mediocrity of democratic ideas such as "equal rights" and capitalistic institutions such as "life insurance", which harden our natural impulse to love and fool us into believing selfish politics is a necessary evil. Perhaps a politics of love would not sound so crazy if the modern world had more countries ruled by kings (i.e., by good monarchs with real political power, rather than just figureheads).
In any case, regardless of the nature of our particular political climate, the Bible asks us to believe that as individuals begin, one by one, to live with the love of God in their hearts, then theocracy, the politics of love, will become more and more real. This indeed is the bottom line. Our belief in biblical theocracy stands or falls on whether or not we have the faith to believe in a politics of self-emptying love whose creative power can penetrate even to the darkest domineering powers of worldly politics. "There is no fear in love", so if we really believe "perfect love casts out fear" [1 Jn. 4:18] in our personal relations, then why are we so reluctant to believe the same is true for international relations? Probably the most common excuse is that, although theocracy may be a nice ideal, it is unrealistic and "utopian": it would work only if everyone turned away from sin at the same time and became theocrats all at once. But this is an utter falsehood! As Sider puts it in S2:51, Christians must not be fooled into thinking "that they ought to delay living Jesus' ethic until non-Christians do so. That is to turn New Testament ethics ... on its head. Rather, Christians will by grace model now what they know all people will live when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord."
Being the only political system really capable of combatting evil without itself becoming evil, biblical theocracy is very much intended to be implemented in the same, sinfilled world into which Jesus Christ was born. But Jesus never said we could submit ourselves to God's rule without great sacrifice. Thus, in order to apply theocracy to international relations, "a nation must", as G.H.C. Macgregor suggests, "be willing, if necessary, to incur the risk of martyrdom by refusing to equip itself against the possibility of aggression." In other words, it must "risk crucifixion" [quoted in A3:64-65; see below, Appendix B]. Indeed, the Bible's insistence on theocratic politics, its consistent vision of a humanity governed by the God-Man, is to be treated as an historical reality in precisely the same sense that Christ's resurrection was a real event in human history. And so Macgregor recognizes that a truly theocratic nation "might lose its own national life; but it would set free such a flood of spiritual life as would save the world." With the prospects of this potentially apocalyptic path to human "progress" in mind, it should come as no surprise that Paul's discussion of death and resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15 includes the revelation of the political significance of this pattern: "... then comes the end, when [Christ] delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power" [15:24].
Perhaps the most appropriate conclusion to a book which presents us with such ominous responsibility, and before which our own Christian walk so often pales in insignificance, is to pray earnestly for help and guidance. For this purpose, I can think of no better model than the prayer Jesus himself suggests in Matthew 6:9-13. When Jesus gives his followers what we now call "the Lord's Prayer", he does not tell them they must recite these very words in order to pray properly. For this would directly contradict what he has just finished saying about the meaninglessness of mere repetition [6:7]. Instead, he asks them to "pray ... in this way" [6:9], knowing that God already knows their needs "before you ask him" [6:8]. And this means he expects them to adapt this model to each situation, praying meaningfully about the concerns gripping their hearts. With humble hearts, let us therefore close this formal study of biblical theocracy by each bringing before God our Father the political powers operative in our own particular city, using the adaptation on the following page to focus our attention on the theocratic implications of Jesus' prayer.
Holy Father, unspeakable name,
Your heavenly kingdom is coming to this earth;
We see it, and so we acknowledge the presence of your perfect will in (name of city) today.
Open our hearts to receive daily the gifts of nourishment from your Spirit.
Forgive our selfish ambition to defend our rights,
Just as we now release from blame those who have hurt us by defending their rights.
Open our eyes to the temptations of the world,
And save us from the political and cultural traps set by the Evil One.
For this earth is your kingdom.
Our power is your power.
Our glory-
What glory can we claim except that which comes from you?
Theocracy is in its very essence a politics of love. Love must be the central focus of any attempt to construct a "Christian" view of politics is a common enough assumption.But unless we clearly understand the special biblical sense of love as agape, we are in danger of misrepresenting the true force of biblical theocracy.
God's kingdom is the kingdom of love. We must always keep in mind, though, that the word "love" refers here neither to sentimentality nor to the pleasantries of friendship, but to the creative experience of discovering the powerful powerlessness of self-emptying. Not only does it require us to endure suffering, it also opens us up to the risk of exposing our own hidden hatred, the purging of which is one of the purposes for our suffering. For this reason, apathy is always an easier alternative to choose, though often more destructive than hatred in the long run.
Our model for understanding how to put this politics of love into practise must be the revelation of God's own self-emptying nature in Jesus himself. Ellul regards this as the principal defining characteristic of the biblical concept of God, whose power (even as "King of kings and Lord of lords" [e.g., Rev. 19:16]) is always "a self-limited omnipotence", so that God creates not "by a terrible explosion of power but by the simple Word" [E4:33]. Some defenders of democracy would see this as a justification for the "separation of powers" in a government, perhaps also interpreting Jesus' willingness to empty himself of his divine nature as providing a legitimate basis for emphasizing human rights-i.e., as suggesting that we must stand up for the rights of others, just as God in Jesus stood up for our rights [cf. pp.28-29n]. Along similar lines, Tinder claims that "Christianity ... implies democracy" [T4:178; see also S7:120], arguing that this conclusion follows directly from the Christian principle of agape [T4:175-178]! But a close examination of the relevant biblical passages reveals this to be a gross misinterpretation of the doctrine of divine kenosis (emptying).
A verse that is sometimes quoted out of context for such a purpose is 2 Corinthians 8:9: "though [Christ] was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich." Paul makes this statement in the middle of a passage [8:1-15] in which he is pleading with Corinthian Christians (who were known to have problems misusing spiritual gifts [see 1 Cor. 12-14]) to learn to practise the "gracious work" of giving [2 Cor. 8:7]. Thus, verse 9 is actually making the point that we should follow Jesus' example by willingly giving of our newfound riches so that those who are poor can also become rich enough to practise the grace of giving. Paul's vision is not equality through defending equal rights, but equality through willingly sharing with those in need [8:13-14].
The most explicit "self-emptying" passage [Php. 2:5-11] would also have to be twisted in order to regard it as a pattern for defending anyone's rights. For when Paul says Jesus "did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped [i.e., as a right]" [2:6], he does not go on to say that Jesus then defended the rights of humanity; on the contrary, after emptying himself of his divinity Jesus proceeded to empty himself of his humanity as well, "by becoming obedient to the point of death" [2:8; cf. Y1:241-242]. Indeed, the Bible consistently portrays the incarnation as being motivated not by God's desire to defend human rights, but rather by his desire to show love [see e.g., Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:6-8]. And if the Bible's message is that we should "have this attitude in [our]selves which was also in Christ Jesus" [Php. 2:5], then this clearly indicates that, as we saw in Chapter Two, the Christian Way is not meant to be one that involves (much less being based on) a defense of human rights. Christians are rather to give up their rights for the sake of loving their neighbor.
We must be careful not to assume, however, that the posture of self-giving love requires a person to have a low self-image. When Jesus gave up his divine rights, he did not give up his own realistic appraisal of his divine value in his heavenly Father's eyes [cf. pp.25-26n]. On the contrary, he must have had a keen awareness of his value as God's Son in order to have the faith to die willingly, trusting God to offer the gift of new life in return [cf. Rom. 1:4]. So also for the Christian, "dying to self" does not imply an attitude of selflessness ("I have no value"), but one of unselfishness ("I ought not to claim any rights as my own"); for if the self we give has little or no intrinsic value, then our self-giving love will not be of any use to the person on the receiving end.
A familiar, though quite controversial, example of such self-emptying love comes in Paul's view of the politics of family relationships, especially the bond of love between husband and wife. Feminists rightly reject the male chauvinism implied in the typical interpretation of Paul's account of the roles of husbands and wives in Ephesians 5:22-33. However, this is largely due to a common misunderstanding of what he means by "love": Paul is not saying that husbands can demand sex from their wives while wives must willingly cook and clean for their husbands! Once we realize that theocratic love requires self-emptying-that, as Paul himself says, a husband loves his wife by "[giving] himself up for her" [5:25]-then the political agreement he is proposing comes to appear, if anything, less "fair" to the husband. For Paul is asking husbands to die to their own self-interests, to seek always to do what is best for their wives. And what wife would complain about "submitting" to such an agreement? The wife is taking a risk, though, because she is supposed to submit even if her husband fails to love her in this way. The effect of Paul's outline for the politics of marriage is to divest the marriage agreement of any claim to "rights" by either partner.
Few would deny that the kingdom of love can be realized in the context of a household, and perhaps even within the family of a healthy church congregation; but can this kingdom really compete with the prevailing kingdoms of fear we see operating in governments, based as they are on worldly politics? On any non-theocratic view of Christian politics, the notion of a "politics of love" would certainly be a contradiction in terms, since love cannot actually be enforced as part of a legal system without destroying the spontaneity that makes it love. Worldly politics usually aims at maximizing the selfish interests of the citizen, whereas love requires us to pay at least as much attention to the interests of our neighbor. Especially in modern democratic and/or capitalist societies, a "politics of love" therefore tends to sound like an impossible dream. Yet this is because we have been blinded by the mediocrity of democratic ideas such as "equal rights" and capitalistic institutions such as "life insurance", which harden our natural impulse to love and fool us into believing selfish politics is a necessary evil. Perhaps a politics of love would not sound so crazy if the modern world had more countries ruled by kings (i.e., by good monarchs with real political power, rather than just figureheads).
In any case, regardless of the nature of our particular political climate, the Bible asks us to believe that as individuals begin, one by one, to live with the love of God in their hearts, then theocracy, the politics of love, will become more and more real. This indeed is the bottom line. Our belief in biblical theocracy stands or falls on whether or not we have the faith to believe in a politics of self-emptying love whose creative power can penetrate even to the darkest domineering powers of worldly politics. "There is no fear in love", so if we really believe "perfect love casts out fear" [1 Jn. 4:18] in our personal relations, then why are we so reluctant to believe the same is true for international relations? Probably the most common excuse is that, although theocracy may be a nice ideal, it is unrealistic and "utopian": it would work only if everyone turned away from sin at the same time and became theocrats all at once. But this is an utter falsehood! As Sider puts it in S2:51, Christians must not be fooled into thinking "that they ought to delay living Jesus' ethic until non-Christians do so. That is to turn New Testament ethics ... on its head. Rather, Christians will by grace model now what they know all people will live when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord."
Being the only political system really capable of combatting evil without itself becoming evil, biblical theocracy is very much intended to be implemented in the same, sinfilled world into which Jesus Christ was born. But Jesus never said we could submit ourselves to God's rule without great sacrifice. Thus, in order to apply theocracy to international relations, "a nation must", as G.H.C. Macgregor suggests, "be willing, if necessary, to incur the risk of martyrdom by refusing to equip itself against the possibility of aggression." In other words, it must "risk crucifixion" [quoted in A3:64-65; see below, Appendix B]. Indeed, the Bible's insistence on theocratic politics, its consistent vision of a humanity governed by the God-Man, is to be treated as an historical reality in precisely the same sense that Christ's resurrection was a real event in human history. And so Macgregor recognizes that a truly theocratic nation "might lose its own national life; but it would set free such a flood of spiritual life as would save the world." With the prospects of this potentially apocalyptic path to human "progress" in mind, it should come as no surprise that Paul's discussion of death and resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15 includes the revelation of the political significance of this pattern: "... then comes the end, when [Christ] delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power" [15:24].
Perhaps the most appropriate conclusion to a book which presents us with such ominous responsibility, and before which our own Christian walk so often pales in insignificance, is to pray earnestly for help and guidance. For this purpose, I can think of no better model than the prayer Jesus himself suggests in Matthew 6:9-13. When Jesus gives his followers what we now call "the Lord's Prayer", he does not tell them they must recite these very words in order to pray properly. For this would directly contradict what he has just finished saying about the meaninglessness of mere repetition [6:7]. Instead, he asks them to "pray ... in this way" [6:9], knowing that God already knows their needs "before you ask him" [6:8]. And this means he expects them to adapt this model to each situation, praying meaningfully about the concerns gripping their hearts. With humble hearts, let us therefore close this formal study of biblical theocracy by each bringing before God our Father the political powers operative in our own particular city, using the adaptation on the following page to focus our attention on the theocratic implications of Jesus' prayer.
Holy Father, unspeakable name,
Your heavenly kingdom is coming to this earth;
We see it, and so we acknowledge the presence of your perfect will in (name of city) today.
Open our hearts to receive daily the gifts of nourishment from your Spirit.
Forgive our selfish ambition to defend our rights,
Just as we now release from blame those who have hurt us by defending their rights.
Open our eyes to the temptations of the world,
And save us from the political and cultural traps set by the Evil One.
For this earth is your kingdom.
Our power is your power.
Our glory-
What glory can we claim except that which comes from you?
posted by Anonymous at 2:16 PM
0 comments
Monday, April 24, 2006
Uganda: From Terror to Truth
By Randall MurphreeNovember 25, 2002
(AgapePress) -
Idi Amin -- just the mention of his name evokes nightmares and painful flashbacks for survivors of his vicious bloodbath in the1970s. It has been 23 years since the "Butcher of Uganda" was ousted from power after his eight-year reign of terror in the small African nation. He had slaughtered between 300,000 and 500,000 of his own people.
After seizing power in a 1971 coup, Amin promptly dispatched execution squads who were ordered to kill anyone who might be a threat to his regime. News reports throughout the 1970s documented the reality of his cruel hand -- victims mutilated, tortured and dismembered.
Political upheaval along with health crises and economic woes brought the nation to its knees. In this context, the truth of the Gospel has taken root. Christian leaders in Uganda say that despite lingering problems, the country is experiencing spiritual rebirth. Pastor Robert Kayanja recently told Charisma magazine that his 10,500-seat Miracle Center Cathedral in Kampala, the capital city, is filled for four Sunday services and one on Friday night.
The mega-church has planted more than 1,000 churches across the nation. It also helps feed, clothe and minister to Kampala's 20,000 street children. Kayanja estimates that half of Uganda's four million orphans were orphaned by parents who died of AIDS.
AIDS was first diagnosed in Uganda in 1982; the next year, 83 cases were documented. In 1991, new cases peaked at 10,235, and in 2000, new cases had dropped to 2,303. Decision magazine (Billy Graham Association, 11/02) reported, "More than 45 percent of Ugandans are now evangelical Christians, and their influence has helped Uganda become the first African nation to turn the tide against AIDS."
More than 900,000 Ugandans have died of AIDS-related disease. The Uganda AIDS Commission estimates that 9.5% of adult Ugandans -- 1.9 million -- are HIV positive. In 1990, life expectancy was 48 years; by 1997 it had dropped to 38 years.
The nation is fertile ground for the seeds of the Gospel. It is impossible to precisely quantify the church growth. While the Graham article suggests nearly half of the people are born again, Kayanja says 92% claim Christianity, and he estimates that 75% are truly born again. At either extreme, it is a dramatic turnaround.
Furthermore, for various reasons, the nation's neighbors are increasingly seeking refuge in Uganda. Nearly 250,000 have come from Tanzania, Sudan, Congo and Rwanda. Missionaries in Uganda are gratified to see local churches actively reaching out to the refugees.
Ministry to AIDS Widows and OrphansThe increase of missionary work has brought increased spiritual leadership and relief aid to Uganda. The AIDS epidemic alone has inspired countless ministries. Widow's Might, headquartered in Jinja, Uganda, is one such group, founded by the late Ferne Sanford. She and her husband John had served as missionaries in several African countries before his death.
Ferne went to Uganda in 1984 as a staff missionary with Global Outreach International. AIDS had just begun to tighten its grip on the nation. As a widow herself, she had empathy for women who had lost husbands in political turmoil or to AIDS.
In 1990, still with Global Outreach, she organized The Widow's Might. Ferne Sanford succumbed to cancer in December 2000, and leadership of the ministry now rests with Monique Ladosz, a widow from Switzerland.
Esther Adicho, administrative assistant at Widow's Might, revealed in an exclusive interview that the need is much greater than the ministry can presently meet. While new cases of AIDS are decreasing, the epidemic's consequences continue.
"We plan to increase staff as the Lord leads us," said Adicho, "because the need is bigger. We're just looking to God and trusting -- because we do not have funding."
Esther, a Ugandan widow, came to the ministry in 1992. Showing guests around the ministry, she is quick to give God credit for the beautiful, peaceful home. Once located in a busy Jinja commercial area, Widow's Might looked for a new home after the offices were burglarized in 2000. They moved to their current quarters in late 2001.
"Every missionary knew this house, for this is where a missionary lived for many years," said Adicho. "This home is good for us, quiet for us when we are sharing or teaching."
Widow's Might establishes partner-friendships between widows in Africa and those in other nations. About 2,000 widows and partners share their lives through letters, prayers and encouragement. At their headquarters, the ministry offers sewing classes and self-help projects as well as Bible studies. They recruit sponsors for AIDS orphans and teach street children to make items to sell for food.
Adicho says a gift as small as $10 provides a blanket for a widow, and $50/month supports an AIDS orphan. One hundred percent of gifts channeled through Global Outreach go directly to the specified ministry; administrative and clerical costs are funded by Global headquarters.
Widow's Might is one sterling example of how the Gospel's influence is bringing hope for life and light in a land that was, not so long ago, cloaked in death in darkness.
(AgapePress) -
Idi Amin -- just the mention of his name evokes nightmares and painful flashbacks for survivors of his vicious bloodbath in the1970s. It has been 23 years since the "Butcher of Uganda" was ousted from power after his eight-year reign of terror in the small African nation. He had slaughtered between 300,000 and 500,000 of his own people.
After seizing power in a 1971 coup, Amin promptly dispatched execution squads who were ordered to kill anyone who might be a threat to his regime. News reports throughout the 1970s documented the reality of his cruel hand -- victims mutilated, tortured and dismembered.
Political upheaval along with health crises and economic woes brought the nation to its knees. In this context, the truth of the Gospel has taken root. Christian leaders in Uganda say that despite lingering problems, the country is experiencing spiritual rebirth. Pastor Robert Kayanja recently told Charisma magazine that his 10,500-seat Miracle Center Cathedral in Kampala, the capital city, is filled for four Sunday services and one on Friday night.
The mega-church has planted more than 1,000 churches across the nation. It also helps feed, clothe and minister to Kampala's 20,000 street children. Kayanja estimates that half of Uganda's four million orphans were orphaned by parents who died of AIDS.
AIDS was first diagnosed in Uganda in 1982; the next year, 83 cases were documented. In 1991, new cases peaked at 10,235, and in 2000, new cases had dropped to 2,303. Decision magazine (Billy Graham Association, 11/02) reported, "More than 45 percent of Ugandans are now evangelical Christians, and their influence has helped Uganda become the first African nation to turn the tide against AIDS."
More than 900,000 Ugandans have died of AIDS-related disease. The Uganda AIDS Commission estimates that 9.5% of adult Ugandans -- 1.9 million -- are HIV positive. In 1990, life expectancy was 48 years; by 1997 it had dropped to 38 years.
The nation is fertile ground for the seeds of the Gospel. It is impossible to precisely quantify the church growth. While the Graham article suggests nearly half of the people are born again, Kayanja says 92% claim Christianity, and he estimates that 75% are truly born again. At either extreme, it is a dramatic turnaround.
Furthermore, for various reasons, the nation's neighbors are increasingly seeking refuge in Uganda. Nearly 250,000 have come from Tanzania, Sudan, Congo and Rwanda. Missionaries in Uganda are gratified to see local churches actively reaching out to the refugees.
Ministry to AIDS Widows and OrphansThe increase of missionary work has brought increased spiritual leadership and relief aid to Uganda. The AIDS epidemic alone has inspired countless ministries. Widow's Might, headquartered in Jinja, Uganda, is one such group, founded by the late Ferne Sanford. She and her husband John had served as missionaries in several African countries before his death.
Ferne went to Uganda in 1984 as a staff missionary with Global Outreach International. AIDS had just begun to tighten its grip on the nation. As a widow herself, she had empathy for women who had lost husbands in political turmoil or to AIDS.
In 1990, still with Global Outreach, she organized The Widow's Might. Ferne Sanford succumbed to cancer in December 2000, and leadership of the ministry now rests with Monique Ladosz, a widow from Switzerland.
Esther Adicho, administrative assistant at Widow's Might, revealed in an exclusive interview that the need is much greater than the ministry can presently meet. While new cases of AIDS are decreasing, the epidemic's consequences continue.
"We plan to increase staff as the Lord leads us," said Adicho, "because the need is bigger. We're just looking to God and trusting -- because we do not have funding."
Esther, a Ugandan widow, came to the ministry in 1992. Showing guests around the ministry, she is quick to give God credit for the beautiful, peaceful home. Once located in a busy Jinja commercial area, Widow's Might looked for a new home after the offices were burglarized in 2000. They moved to their current quarters in late 2001.
"Every missionary knew this house, for this is where a missionary lived for many years," said Adicho. "This home is good for us, quiet for us when we are sharing or teaching."
Widow's Might establishes partner-friendships between widows in Africa and those in other nations. About 2,000 widows and partners share their lives through letters, prayers and encouragement. At their headquarters, the ministry offers sewing classes and self-help projects as well as Bible studies. They recruit sponsors for AIDS orphans and teach street children to make items to sell for food.
Adicho says a gift as small as $10 provides a blanket for a widow, and $50/month supports an AIDS orphan. One hundred percent of gifts channeled through Global Outreach go directly to the specified ministry; administrative and clerical costs are funded by Global headquarters.
Widow's Might is one sterling example of how the Gospel's influence is bringing hope for life and light in a land that was, not so long ago, cloaked in death in darkness.
posted by Anonymous at 3:16 AM
1 comments
UGANDA'S CHURCH POLICY IN EDUCATION
UGANDA'S CHURCH POLICY IN EDUCATION
THE INTEGRATION OF FAITH IN CHURCH FOUNDED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Majority parents and guardians take their children in church founded institutions because of the Christian values that are imparted in learners. In recent years, gains in moral judgement have become one of the greatest expectations of an educational experience not just with maturation. Students at Christian related schools are exposed to a curriculum that leads to high moral judgement.Entering the gates of a church founded educational institution gives you the welcome warmth of God's presence with the mission statements, motto and church flag raised.
The mission of missionaries who came to Uganda in the late 1880's was to establish educational institutions that would help to spread the Gospel and making disciples for Christ Jesus. They founded educational institutions for developing a new generation of clergy and layleaders who will commit boldly to Christ and be characterised by intellectual excellence, moral and spiritual courage, and holiness of heart and life.
The church in Uganda has integrated faith in all its founded schools. There is a compulsory observance of Christian festivals that fall within the time that children are at school. These include Easter, Christmas, Martyrs day to mention but a few.
In every school, there is a chapel erected only as a place of celebrating and worshipping God. To that effect, children hold their every Sunday services from the chapel, and they hold their born-again fellowships and prayers from the chapel. All Christian activities in school are monitored by a chaplain who is appointed and posted by the founding church. The chaplain is assisted by a born again teacher selected from the school staff. The students have their administration that is elected every year to assist in chapel work.
In every school there is a Christian (scripture) union for those that confess Christ as their personal Lord and saviour. This works as a non denominational Christian association and so, cuts across the various church doctrines in Uganda.
Children are given the opportunity to attend fellowships within and outside the school upon approval of the school administration and the chaplain. The fellowships outside the school take the form of seminars, conferences and workshops in which children organise and invite speakers and participants under the guidance of scripture union patron/teacher and chaplain. In these Christian conferences, many children have received Christ as their saviour at such an early stage of life and consequently have been nurtured in Christian principles.
Finally, the church founded schools and government schools have incorporated into the curriculum a course of study called Christian Religious Education(CRE) that is taught by professional teachers. The aims of CRE are:
-To deepen the students' understanding of religious dimensions of life as contained in the Biblical revelation, Christian history, African culture, and contemporary Christian thought.
-To enable students to develop insights into religious values and to relate these values to life as a basis for judgements and choices in a changing and developing African society
-To give the students a deeper understanding of the basis of the Christian faith and its relevance to life today.
-To lay an adequate academic foundation for those who wish to pursue it at a specialist level.
To fulfil the last objective, the church in Uganda established theological institutions for those that feel called to serve God as ministers in church. In these institutions, almost all the bishops and great preachers attended.
Currently, some of these theological institutions that used to offer diploma certificates have been elevated to University status to offer degrees in faith courses( such as Bachelor of Divinity, Bachelor of Theology) as well as secular courses( such as humanities, social sciences).
In Uganda Christian university, for instance, secular courses have been made to take faith related course units such as Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey and Christian World View. These course units are compulsory for every student at University. Besides, every student must adhere to a Christian student code of conduct that must be observed. It stipulates the faith and virtues expected at University. Such is a glance of the Uganda's church policy in education.
THE INTEGRATION OF FAITH IN CHURCH FOUNDED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Majority parents and guardians take their children in church founded institutions because of the Christian values that are imparted in learners. In recent years, gains in moral judgement have become one of the greatest expectations of an educational experience not just with maturation. Students at Christian related schools are exposed to a curriculum that leads to high moral judgement.Entering the gates of a church founded educational institution gives you the welcome warmth of God's presence with the mission statements, motto and church flag raised.
The mission of missionaries who came to Uganda in the late 1880's was to establish educational institutions that would help to spread the Gospel and making disciples for Christ Jesus. They founded educational institutions for developing a new generation of clergy and layleaders who will commit boldly to Christ and be characterised by intellectual excellence, moral and spiritual courage, and holiness of heart and life.
The church in Uganda has integrated faith in all its founded schools. There is a compulsory observance of Christian festivals that fall within the time that children are at school. These include Easter, Christmas, Martyrs day to mention but a few.
In every school, there is a chapel erected only as a place of celebrating and worshipping God. To that effect, children hold their every Sunday services from the chapel, and they hold their born-again fellowships and prayers from the chapel. All Christian activities in school are monitored by a chaplain who is appointed and posted by the founding church. The chaplain is assisted by a born again teacher selected from the school staff. The students have their administration that is elected every year to assist in chapel work.
In every school there is a Christian (scripture) union for those that confess Christ as their personal Lord and saviour. This works as a non denominational Christian association and so, cuts across the various church doctrines in Uganda.
Children are given the opportunity to attend fellowships within and outside the school upon approval of the school administration and the chaplain. The fellowships outside the school take the form of seminars, conferences and workshops in which children organise and invite speakers and participants under the guidance of scripture union patron/teacher and chaplain. In these Christian conferences, many children have received Christ as their saviour at such an early stage of life and consequently have been nurtured in Christian principles.
Finally, the church founded schools and government schools have incorporated into the curriculum a course of study called Christian Religious Education(CRE) that is taught by professional teachers. The aims of CRE are:
-To deepen the students' understanding of religious dimensions of life as contained in the Biblical revelation, Christian history, African culture, and contemporary Christian thought.
-To enable students to develop insights into religious values and to relate these values to life as a basis for judgements and choices in a changing and developing African society
-To give the students a deeper understanding of the basis of the Christian faith and its relevance to life today.
-To lay an adequate academic foundation for those who wish to pursue it at a specialist level.
To fulfil the last objective, the church in Uganda established theological institutions for those that feel called to serve God as ministers in church. In these institutions, almost all the bishops and great preachers attended.
Currently, some of these theological institutions that used to offer diploma certificates have been elevated to University status to offer degrees in faith courses( such as Bachelor of Divinity, Bachelor of Theology) as well as secular courses( such as humanities, social sciences).
In Uganda Christian university, for instance, secular courses have been made to take faith related course units such as Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey and Christian World View. These course units are compulsory for every student at University. Besides, every student must adhere to a Christian student code of conduct that must be observed. It stipulates the faith and virtues expected at University. Such is a glance of the Uganda's church policy in education.
posted by Anonymous at 3:16 AM
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National transformation: what is God doing in Uganda!
Only 15 years ago, the world had written Uganda off as a hopeless case. The results of Idi Amin's plundering, his successor Milton Obote's reign of violence, and the brutal civil war of 1980-85 were an economy on the edge of collapse, the country bleeding from a thousand wounds, with inflation a rampaging 380% to 1000%. Tourism was threatened, and the Western embassies withdrew one after the other. Then came AIDS.
The world had no hope at all for Uganda.WHO experts predicted that the nation would collapse in 1997, with one third of the population dead, another third suffering, and the remaining third too weak to maintain the economy. The government saw no way out, so called church leaders together, admitting their predicament and asking "Can you find a ray of hope in this situation?"
One man spoke a prophetic word into the midst of this situation: "Whose report should we believe? The WHO experts', or God's word? God has a good plan for our nation, and a holy purpose." Not many listened to this voice, but those who did remained for prayer. The result was a movement which has since taken hold of the whole nation, bringing obvious change.
When the gospel arrived in Uganda in 1877, there was both a radical breakthrough and a spiritual battle. The first 36 Ugandan martyrs died at the hand of King Mwanga in 1886, but that did not hinder what is now seen as the roots of the East African revival, which started around 1920 in Uganda and Rwanda.
In 1971, Moslem General Idi Amin took over the government, starting an unprecedented and brutal persecution of all opponents, particularly Christians. He declared Uganda to be an Islamic state in 1975, despite the fact that only some 3% of the population were Moslems. Amin invited Gaddafi and Saudi Arabia's King Faisal to the 4-day ceremony, in which thousands of sheep and goats were ritually sacrificed. The Christians reacted by fleeing and prayer, and formed jungle churches, with 24-hour prayer. All differences between the confessions disappeared. "Someone's exact creed was not important, as long as they could pray," Mulinde remembers.
The return of peace after Amin's deposal in 1979 also brought a reduction in Christians' devotion to prayer; complacency and indifference set in. The church falsely believed Amin to have been the enemy.
Nation-wide prayer and fasting initiative!After recognising the mistake, an increasing number of Christians joined a nation-wide prayer and fasting initiative, with two aims: to unite themselves under God's aims for the nation, and to disarm the demonic powers behind their acute problems in prayer. The following is a sample of the many events which have since taken place (full report soon available on www.dawn.ch):
New covenant with the living God President Museveni repealed Amin's Islamic covenant, and gave the national flag to a group of intercessors as a prophetic symbol during a conference, re-dedicating the nation to the God of the Bible. That broke the dam.
Uncovering corruption Mulinde challenged the President to take more action against the tide of corruption in the nation. "We have our police and our system, but we cannot change people's hearts. That is the job of the church," replied Museveni. Together with the Christians, a public campaign for integrity and morality was started, which has spread throughout the nation. Museveni even appointed a Cabinet Minister for Ethics and Integrity, a born-again Christian, who started an investigation into bribery. Her appointment was sharply criticised by a number of Members of Parliament, and there have already been two attempts on her life. However, as a result of the President's backing and the prayers of many churches for the campaign, a growing number of corrupt officials have fallen from grace, and several high-ranking politicians have been forced to step down from office.
AIDS: values and condoms
The only nation in Africa in which the AIDS rate is decreasing
The government and churches united in a dual strategy: condoms and moral change through ethical renewal and a return to Biblical values - with phenomenal success. Uganda is the only nation in Africa in which the AIDS rate is decreasing, the dark predictions turned out to be false, and the WHO, facing a mystery, is investigating "the Ugandan phenomenon".
Inflation under control The inflation rate has dropped from 380% to between 6% and 8%.
The IMF and World Bank view Uganda as a prime example of economic recovery in Africa.
New unity among Christians God is drawing Christians of all confessions together to a new unity - the Uganda Christian Alliance, according to Mulinde. UCA is a network of ministries with the aim of "making disciples of the whole nation, and serving other nations".
Note: The video "National Transformation - what God is doing in Uganda" published in May 2001
The world had no hope at all for Uganda.WHO experts predicted that the nation would collapse in 1997, with one third of the population dead, another third suffering, and the remaining third too weak to maintain the economy. The government saw no way out, so called church leaders together, admitting their predicament and asking "Can you find a ray of hope in this situation?"
One man spoke a prophetic word into the midst of this situation: "Whose report should we believe? The WHO experts', or God's word? God has a good plan for our nation, and a holy purpose." Not many listened to this voice, but those who did remained for prayer. The result was a movement which has since taken hold of the whole nation, bringing obvious change.
When the gospel arrived in Uganda in 1877, there was both a radical breakthrough and a spiritual battle. The first 36 Ugandan martyrs died at the hand of King Mwanga in 1886, but that did not hinder what is now seen as the roots of the East African revival, which started around 1920 in Uganda and Rwanda.
In 1971, Moslem General Idi Amin took over the government, starting an unprecedented and brutal persecution of all opponents, particularly Christians. He declared Uganda to be an Islamic state in 1975, despite the fact that only some 3% of the population were Moslems. Amin invited Gaddafi and Saudi Arabia's King Faisal to the 4-day ceremony, in which thousands of sheep and goats were ritually sacrificed. The Christians reacted by fleeing and prayer, and formed jungle churches, with 24-hour prayer. All differences between the confessions disappeared. "Someone's exact creed was not important, as long as they could pray," Mulinde remembers.
The return of peace after Amin's deposal in 1979 also brought a reduction in Christians' devotion to prayer; complacency and indifference set in. The church falsely believed Amin to have been the enemy.
Nation-wide prayer and fasting initiative!After recognising the mistake, an increasing number of Christians joined a nation-wide prayer and fasting initiative, with two aims: to unite themselves under God's aims for the nation, and to disarm the demonic powers behind their acute problems in prayer. The following is a sample of the many events which have since taken place (full report soon available on www.dawn.ch):
New covenant with the living God President Museveni repealed Amin's Islamic covenant, and gave the national flag to a group of intercessors as a prophetic symbol during a conference, re-dedicating the nation to the God of the Bible. That broke the dam.
Uncovering corruption Mulinde challenged the President to take more action against the tide of corruption in the nation. "We have our police and our system, but we cannot change people's hearts. That is the job of the church," replied Museveni. Together with the Christians, a public campaign for integrity and morality was started, which has spread throughout the nation. Museveni even appointed a Cabinet Minister for Ethics and Integrity, a born-again Christian, who started an investigation into bribery. Her appointment was sharply criticised by a number of Members of Parliament, and there have already been two attempts on her life. However, as a result of the President's backing and the prayers of many churches for the campaign, a growing number of corrupt officials have fallen from grace, and several high-ranking politicians have been forced to step down from office.
AIDS: values and condoms
The only nation in Africa in which the AIDS rate is decreasing
The government and churches united in a dual strategy: condoms and moral change through ethical renewal and a return to Biblical values - with phenomenal success. Uganda is the only nation in Africa in which the AIDS rate is decreasing, the dark predictions turned out to be false, and the WHO, facing a mystery, is investigating "the Ugandan phenomenon".
Inflation under control The inflation rate has dropped from 380% to between 6% and 8%.
The IMF and World Bank view Uganda as a prime example of economic recovery in Africa.
New unity among Christians God is drawing Christians of all confessions together to a new unity - the Uganda Christian Alliance, according to Mulinde. UCA is a network of ministries with the aim of "making disciples of the whole nation, and serving other nations".
Note: The video "National Transformation - what God is doing in Uganda" published in May 2001
posted by Anonymous at 2:22 AM
0 comments
Uganda is leading Africa's boom in Christianity
Evangelical converts changing social and political landscape
By Shashank Bengali
Knight Ridder Newspapers Sunday, March 26, 2006
KAMPALA, Uganda — On a warm Sunday morning last month, in a spartan university lecture hall, a few hundred well-dressed young men and women sat mesmerized as a 25-year-old minister slowly worked them into a frenzy.
"Uganda belongs to Jesus!" David Othieno proclaimed as he strutted in front of the podium in a neat charcoal suit. The worshippers, gathered at Makerere University, a prestigious school nestled in the hills of this leafy East African capital, erupted in cheers and song. Behind the fresh-faced minister, a drummer struck up a vigorous beat.
Evangelical Christianity is flourishing in Uganda, leading a boom across Africa that's attracting millions of converts each year and changing the social and political landscape of the world's poorest continent.
Nearly 200 years after the first wave of missionaries arrived in Africa, Christianity is growing faster here than anywhere else in the world. There are more than 390 million Christians in sub-Saharan Africa today, up from 117 million in 1970, a trend due mostly to evangelism, according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity in South Hamilton, Mass.
Critics dismiss it as a new form of Western colonialism, but Christian leaders say Africa's evangelical movement is driven largely by Africans themselves.
"There's a lot in Africans' circumstances that makes Christianity really resonate with them," said Jonathan Bonk, the editor of the International Bulletin of Missionary Research in New Haven, Conn. "It's a faith of hope for poor people."
In Uganda, a lush but largely poor country about the size of Oregon, evangelical leaders estimate that at least one-fifth of the 28 million people are born-again Christians. Their number includes leading government officials, populist young pastors, DJs and other celebrities, and high school and college students.
Uganda's most prominent born-again Christian is the president's wife, Janet Museveni, who was elected to Parliament in February.
Ugandan evangelicals have forged close ties with the powerful evangelical movement in the United States. Backed by American contributions, Ugandan churches play a growing humanitarian role, building schools, health clinics and orphanages, including in the impoverished northern half of the country, which has been wracked by civil war for the past two decades. Aid agencies "come and phase out, but there's a sense that the church is here to stay," said Fred Ssekyewa, 41, the pastor of Gaba Community Church, which is in a lakeside slum outside Kampala.
The church gets nearly all its funding from American churches such as Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, Calif., Ssekyewa said. With the money, his church has launched a health clinic and AIDS education programs for its mostly poor congregation.
Like their American counterparts, Uganda's churches are a strong political force. Evangelicals helped shape Uganda's controversial, U.S.-backed anti-AIDS strategy, which emphasizes abstinence over condom use.
As a result, Uganda is one of the biggest recipients of money under President Bush's global AIDS-relief program — $239 million in the past two years — which earmarks money for abstinence programs. "There's a definite sense that the movement has grown in Uganda," said Martin Ssempa, the 38-year-old pastor of Makerere Community Church, on the campus of Makerere University, where the service was last month.
Speaking by phone from Las Vegas, where he was on one of his frequent U.S. tours, Ssempa said evangelicals' response to the threat of AIDS in Uganda had helped to fuel the church's rise. In the 1990s, Uganda had one of the world's highest rates of HIV infection, about 15 percent. Churches, backed by the government, launched an innovative program to educate Ugandans about the disease. By 2002 the HIV rate was down to 6 percent.
Now, thanks largely to Ssempa's 8-year-old church, Uganda's leading university has become a hotbed of Christianity, with more than 50 established prayer groups.
"My direction is to raise leaders for Christianity," Ssempa said, "and the best leaders are found on college campuses." The aggressive push by evangelists such as Ssempa to recruit believers doesn't sit well with leaders of the country's other major religions — chiefly Islam, which claimed 12 percent of the population in a 2002 census.
Although most Ugandans belong to Christian denominations, Muslim leaders don't like it when President Yoweri Museveni calls Uganda a Christian nation. And they often complain about evangelists using the airwaves — evangelicals own no fewer than seven FM radio stations and two television stations — to denigrate Islam. "Some of them go to the extreme," said Sam Ahmad Ssentongo, the imam of the Makerere University Mosque. "Evangelicals will fabricate a lot of lies against Islam."
At the Makerere church service last month, for nearly an hour, Othieno railed against Islam, Hinduism and foreign business interests in Uganda. They had "dedicated this nation to evil," he said repeatedly, as the young congregation murmured its approval. "For Indians, Chinese, South Africans," Othieno cried, "we are confessing on behalf of all foreigners who have dedicated this nation to their gods — it is wicked!" Interviewed afterward, Othieno said he hadn't meant to offend anyone. But the teachings of Islam, Hinduism and Uganda's tribal religions "go against what the Bible teaches," he said.
In the 1970s, under the dictatorship of Idi Amin, a Muslim, many of Uganda's Christians were persecuted and thousands fled the country. In recent years, with Christianity flourishing under a sympathetic government, Christians and Muslims are increasingly at odds on social issues. Last year, a leading imam threatened holy war over a proposed law that prohibited a man from taking a second wife without the consent of his first one.
Elsewhere in Africa, Christian-Muslim feuds have been worse. Last month in Nigeria — another country in which evangelical Christianity is growing rapidly — more than 120 people died in a week of rioting over the controversial Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. Even in relatively stable Uganda, there's a fear of religious violence, said Stephen Mugabi, the secretary of the African Evangelical Alliance, based in Kampala. "Uganda is traditionally an open society in terms of faith," Mugabi said, "but of late you hear many inflammatory things."
By Shashank Bengali
Knight Ridder Newspapers Sunday, March 26, 2006
KAMPALA, Uganda — On a warm Sunday morning last month, in a spartan university lecture hall, a few hundred well-dressed young men and women sat mesmerized as a 25-year-old minister slowly worked them into a frenzy.
"Uganda belongs to Jesus!" David Othieno proclaimed as he strutted in front of the podium in a neat charcoal suit. The worshippers, gathered at Makerere University, a prestigious school nestled in the hills of this leafy East African capital, erupted in cheers and song. Behind the fresh-faced minister, a drummer struck up a vigorous beat.
Evangelical Christianity is flourishing in Uganda, leading a boom across Africa that's attracting millions of converts each year and changing the social and political landscape of the world's poorest continent.
Nearly 200 years after the first wave of missionaries arrived in Africa, Christianity is growing faster here than anywhere else in the world. There are more than 390 million Christians in sub-Saharan Africa today, up from 117 million in 1970, a trend due mostly to evangelism, according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity in South Hamilton, Mass.
Critics dismiss it as a new form of Western colonialism, but Christian leaders say Africa's evangelical movement is driven largely by Africans themselves.
"There's a lot in Africans' circumstances that makes Christianity really resonate with them," said Jonathan Bonk, the editor of the International Bulletin of Missionary Research in New Haven, Conn. "It's a faith of hope for poor people."
In Uganda, a lush but largely poor country about the size of Oregon, evangelical leaders estimate that at least one-fifth of the 28 million people are born-again Christians. Their number includes leading government officials, populist young pastors, DJs and other celebrities, and high school and college students.
Uganda's most prominent born-again Christian is the president's wife, Janet Museveni, who was elected to Parliament in February.
Ugandan evangelicals have forged close ties with the powerful evangelical movement in the United States. Backed by American contributions, Ugandan churches play a growing humanitarian role, building schools, health clinics and orphanages, including in the impoverished northern half of the country, which has been wracked by civil war for the past two decades. Aid agencies "come and phase out, but there's a sense that the church is here to stay," said Fred Ssekyewa, 41, the pastor of Gaba Community Church, which is in a lakeside slum outside Kampala.
The church gets nearly all its funding from American churches such as Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, Calif., Ssekyewa said. With the money, his church has launched a health clinic and AIDS education programs for its mostly poor congregation.
Like their American counterparts, Uganda's churches are a strong political force. Evangelicals helped shape Uganda's controversial, U.S.-backed anti-AIDS strategy, which emphasizes abstinence over condom use.
As a result, Uganda is one of the biggest recipients of money under President Bush's global AIDS-relief program — $239 million in the past two years — which earmarks money for abstinence programs. "There's a definite sense that the movement has grown in Uganda," said Martin Ssempa, the 38-year-old pastor of Makerere Community Church, on the campus of Makerere University, where the service was last month.
Speaking by phone from Las Vegas, where he was on one of his frequent U.S. tours, Ssempa said evangelicals' response to the threat of AIDS in Uganda had helped to fuel the church's rise. In the 1990s, Uganda had one of the world's highest rates of HIV infection, about 15 percent. Churches, backed by the government, launched an innovative program to educate Ugandans about the disease. By 2002 the HIV rate was down to 6 percent.
Now, thanks largely to Ssempa's 8-year-old church, Uganda's leading university has become a hotbed of Christianity, with more than 50 established prayer groups.
"My direction is to raise leaders for Christianity," Ssempa said, "and the best leaders are found on college campuses." The aggressive push by evangelists such as Ssempa to recruit believers doesn't sit well with leaders of the country's other major religions — chiefly Islam, which claimed 12 percent of the population in a 2002 census.
Although most Ugandans belong to Christian denominations, Muslim leaders don't like it when President Yoweri Museveni calls Uganda a Christian nation. And they often complain about evangelists using the airwaves — evangelicals own no fewer than seven FM radio stations and two television stations — to denigrate Islam. "Some of them go to the extreme," said Sam Ahmad Ssentongo, the imam of the Makerere University Mosque. "Evangelicals will fabricate a lot of lies against Islam."
At the Makerere church service last month, for nearly an hour, Othieno railed against Islam, Hinduism and foreign business interests in Uganda. They had "dedicated this nation to evil," he said repeatedly, as the young congregation murmured its approval. "For Indians, Chinese, South Africans," Othieno cried, "we are confessing on behalf of all foreigners who have dedicated this nation to their gods — it is wicked!" Interviewed afterward, Othieno said he hadn't meant to offend anyone. But the teachings of Islam, Hinduism and Uganda's tribal religions "go against what the Bible teaches," he said.
In the 1970s, under the dictatorship of Idi Amin, a Muslim, many of Uganda's Christians were persecuted and thousands fled the country. In recent years, with Christianity flourishing under a sympathetic government, Christians and Muslims are increasingly at odds on social issues. Last year, a leading imam threatened holy war over a proposed law that prohibited a man from taking a second wife without the consent of his first one.
Elsewhere in Africa, Christian-Muslim feuds have been worse. Last month in Nigeria — another country in which evangelical Christianity is growing rapidly — more than 120 people died in a week of rioting over the controversial Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. Even in relatively stable Uganda, there's a fear of religious violence, said Stephen Mugabi, the secretary of the African Evangelical Alliance, based in Kampala. "Uganda is traditionally an open society in terms of faith," Mugabi said, "but of late you hear many inflammatory things."
posted by Anonymous at 2:22 AM
0 comments
Sunday, April 23, 2006
THE SERVANT OF THE LORD
Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations:
Before I was born the LORD called me;
from my birth he has made mention of my name.
He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow
and concealed me in his quiver.
He said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendor."
But I said, "I have labored to no purpose;
But I said, "I have labored to no purpose;
I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing.
Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand,
and my reward is with my God."
5 And now the LORD says—
5 And now the LORD says—
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to himself,
for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD
and my God has been my strength-
6 he says:
6 he says:
"It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."
7 This is what the LORD says—
7 This is what the LORD says—
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
to the servant of rulers:
"Kings will see you and rise up,
princes will see and bow down,
because of the LORD, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."
Restoration of Israel
Restoration of Israel
This is what the LORD says:
"In the time of my favor I will answer you,
and in the day of salvation I will help you;
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people,
to restore the land
and to reassign its desolate inheritances,
to say to the captives, 'Come out,'
to say to the captives, 'Come out,'
and to those in darkness, 'Be free!'
"They will feed beside the roads
and find pasture on every barren hill.
They will neither hunger nor thirst,
nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them.
He who has compassion on them will guide them
and lead them beside springs of water.
I will turn all my mountains into roads,
I will turn all my mountains into roads,
and my highways will be raised up.
See, they will come from afar—
See, they will come from afar—
some from the north, some from the west,
some from the region of Aswan. [a] "
Shout for joy, O heavens;
rejoice, O earth;
burst into song, O mountains!
For the LORD comforts his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me,
But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me,
the Lord has forgotten me."
"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me.
Your sons hasten back,
Your sons hasten back,
and those who laid you waste depart from you.
Lift up your eyes and look around;
all your sons gather and come to you.
As surely as I live," declares the LORD,
"you will wear them all as ornaments;
you will put them on, like a bride.
"Though you were ruined and made desolate
"Though you were ruined and made desolate
and your land laid waste,
now you will be too small for your people,
and those who devoured you will be far away.
The children born during your bereavement
The children born during your bereavement
will yet say in your hearing,
'This place is too small for us; give us more space to live in.'
Then you will say in your heart,
Then you will say in your heart,
'Who bore me these?
I was bereaved and barren;
I was exiled and rejected.
Who brought these up?
I was left all alone,
but these—where have they come from?' "
This is what the Sovereign LORD says:
"See, I will beckon to the Gentiles,
I will lift up my banner to the peoples;
they will bring your sons in their arms
and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
Kings will be your foster fathers,
Kings will be your foster fathers,
and their queens your nursing mothers.
They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground;
they will lick the dust at your feet.
Then you will know that I am the LORD;
those who hope in me will not be disappointed."
Can plunder be taken from warriors,
Can plunder be taken from warriors,
or captives rescued from the fierce [b] ?
But this is what the LORD says:
"Yes, captives will be taken from warriors,
and plunder retrieved from the fierce;
I will contend with those who contend with you,
and your children I will save.
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh;
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh;
they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine.
Then all mankind will know
that I, the LORD, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
ISAIAH 49
posted by Anonymous at 11:42 AM
0 comments
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Should we help the poor?????????
Should we help the poor?
Some biblical quotes that may help you decide for yourself.
Poor and rich are equal before God (Ex 30:15, Prov 22:2,29:13) but to neglect the poor is to deny God's Lordship (Lev 19:10, 23:22). We are to be generous to the needy (Deut 15:7) and to consider their circumstances in structuring our economic arrangements (Deut 24:15). Both poverty and wealth are created by God, therefore we are not to take credit for our wealth or blame the poor for their poverty (I Sam 2:7-8).
To take from the poor is to do injustice (2 Sam 12:1), and God will judge against those who have the spoil of the poor in their houses (Is 3:14-15).
The poor are protected by God (Psalms 12:5, 35:10, 69:23, 70:5, 86:1) who takes thought for them (Ps 40:17) and will give them refuge (Ps 14:6) from every trouble (both spiritual and physical) (Ps 34:6), who will maintain the cause of the needy and execute justice for the poor (Ps 140:12), and who will give happiness to people who consider the poor (Ps 41:1) Kindness to the poor is a loan which God will repay (Prov 19:17).
The mark of Zion, and by extension any Government whose leaders take God seriously, is that the needy will find refuge there (Is 14:32). At the day of God's presence, the poor will be joyful (Is 29:19); God is concerned that the poor have water to drink even when others fail them (Is 41:17), and will punish a country which allows the poor to be sold for a pair of sandals (Amos 2:6). To judge the cause of the poor and needy is to know God (Jer 22:16).
In the New Testament, Jesus opens his ministry by announcing, in the words of Isaiah, the he has come to bring good news to the poor (Luke 4:18); in the Beatitudes he says it is the poor who will inherit the Kingdom of God (Luke 6:20), and in the parable of the Great Banquet it is the poor who are invited into the Kingdom's feast after the rich have rejected it. (Luke 14:21).
Jesus knows that salvation has come to the house of Zacchaeus because Zacchaeus gives half his goods to the poor (Luke 19:8), and St. Paul indicates that Jesus had done the same, for "though he was rich, for your sakes he became poor." (2 Corinthians 8:9)
posted by Anonymous at 2:21 PM
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Thursday, April 13, 2006
The Life Journey of Jesus
The World Of Jesus Christ
1. Bethlehem ~Bethlehem Fact File
2. Nazareth
3. Capernaum ~The Fisher Peter
4. The Sea Of Galilee
5. The Jordan River~The Jordan Valley~John The Baptist
6. The Dead Sea
7. Jerusalem ~The Fateful Night ~Calvary
~How Did Jesus Christ Die? ~Kidron Valley
~The Garden Tomb ~The Mount Of Olives
8. Galilee
9. Samaria
10. Tyre
11. Magdala ~Mary of Magdala
12. Armageddon
13. Beersheba
14. Hebron
15. The Decapolis
16. The Mediterranean Sea
17. Bethel
18. Joppa
19. Lebanon
20. Mount Carmel
21. Mount Gilboa
22. The Negev
1. Bethlehem ~Bethlehem Fact File
2. Nazareth
3. Capernaum ~The Fisher Peter
4. The Sea Of Galilee
5. The Jordan River~The Jordan Valley~John The Baptist
6. The Dead Sea
7. Jerusalem ~The Fateful Night ~Calvary
~How Did Jesus Christ Die? ~Kidron Valley
~The Garden Tomb ~The Mount Of Olives
8. Galilee
9. Samaria
10. Tyre
11. Magdala ~Mary of Magdala
12. Armageddon
13. Beersheba
14. Hebron
15. The Decapolis
16. The Mediterranean Sea
17. Bethel
18. Joppa
19. Lebanon
20. Mount Carmel
21. Mount Gilboa
22. The Negev
posted by Anonymous at 10:40 AM
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God's identification with the poor
Proverbs 14:31 "He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God."
Proverbs 19:17 "He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done."
2 Corinthians 8:9 "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."
Proverbs 19:17 "He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done."
2 Corinthians 8:9 "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."
posted by Anonymous at 9:33 AM
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Biblical attitudes for believers toward the poor
Leviticus 19:15 "Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly."
Proverbs 29:7 "The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern."
Matthew 6:2-4 " So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
Luke 6:33-34 "And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full."
Acts 2:44 "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need."
Acts 4:32-35 "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need."
Galatians 2:9-10 "James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."
Ephesians 4:28 "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need."
1 Timothy 6:10 "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
James 2:5 "Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?"
Proverbs 29:7 "The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern."
Matthew 6:2-4 " So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
Luke 6:33-34 "And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full."
Acts 2:44 "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need."
Acts 4:32-35 "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need."
Galatians 2:9-10 "James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."
Ephesians 4:28 "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need."
1 Timothy 6:10 "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
James 2:5 "Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?"
posted by Anonymous at 9:28 AM
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Why one should not neglect serving the poor
Exodus 22:21-27 "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt. Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless. If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest. If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate."
Proverbs 14:31 "He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God."
Isaiah 10:1-3 " Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches?"
Jeremiah 5:28 "'Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not plead the case of the fatherless to win it, they do not defend the rights of the poor. 'Should I not punish them for this?' declares the LORD. 'Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?'"
Ezekiel 16:49 "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."
Ezekiel 22:29, 31 "The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD."
Amos 5:12 "For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts."
Luke 6:24 " But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort."
Luke 16:19-25 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.'"
1 John 3:17 "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"
James 5:1-6 "Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you."
Proverbs 14:31 "He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God."
Isaiah 10:1-3 " Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches?"
Jeremiah 5:28 "'Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not plead the case of the fatherless to win it, they do not defend the rights of the poor. 'Should I not punish them for this?' declares the LORD. 'Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?'"
Ezekiel 16:49 "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."
Ezekiel 22:29, 31 "The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD."
Amos 5:12 "For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts."
Luke 6:24 " But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort."
Luke 16:19-25 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.'"
1 John 3:17 "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"
James 5:1-6 "Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you."
posted by Anonymous at 9:14 AM
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Blessings on those who serve the poor
Deuteronomy 15:10 "Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to."
Psalm 41:1 "Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble."
Proverbs 19:17 "He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done."
Proverbs 22:9 "A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor."
Isaiah 58:10 "And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."
Jeremiah 7:5-7 "If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever."
Matthew 19:20 "'All these I have kept,' the young man said. 'What do I still lack?' Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'"
Luke 14:12-14 "Then Jesus said to his host, 'When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.'"
Luke 12:33-34 "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Psalm 41:1 "Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble."
Proverbs 19:17 "He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done."
Proverbs 22:9 "A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor."
Isaiah 58:10 "And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."
Jeremiah 7:5-7 "If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever."
Matthew 19:20 "'All these I have kept,' the young man said. 'What do I still lack?' Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'"
Luke 14:12-14 "Then Jesus said to his host, 'When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.'"
Luke 12:33-34 "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
posted by Anonymous at 9:07 AM
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God's commands concerning the poor
Deuteronomy 15:7 "If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother."
Deuteronomy 26:12 "When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied."
Leviticus 19:9-10 "'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God."
Nehemiah 5 Proverbs 31:8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute."
Isaiah 1:16-17 "Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."
Isaiah 58:6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?"
Jeremiah 22:3 "This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place."
Jeremiah 22:13-17 "Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor. He says, 'I will build myself a great palace with spacious upper rooms.' So he makes large windows in it, panels it with cedar and decorates it in red. Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?' declares the LORD. But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion."
Matthew 5:42 "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."
Luke 3:11 "John answered, 'the man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.'"
Luke 12:33 "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys."
2 Corinthians 9:6-9 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: 'He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.'"
1 Timothy 6:18 "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share."
James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
Deuteronomy 26:12 "When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied."
Leviticus 19:9-10 "'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God."
Nehemiah 5 Proverbs 31:8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute."
Isaiah 1:16-17 "Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."
Isaiah 58:6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?"
Jeremiah 22:3 "This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place."
Jeremiah 22:13-17 "Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor. He says, 'I will build myself a great palace with spacious upper rooms.' So he makes large windows in it, panels it with cedar and decorates it in red. Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?' declares the LORD. But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion."
Matthew 5:42 "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."
Luke 3:11 "John answered, 'the man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.'"
Luke 12:33 "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys."
2 Corinthians 9:6-9 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: 'He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.'"
1 Timothy 6:18 "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share."
James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
posted by Anonymous at 8:45 AM
0 comments
God's heart for the poor
Deuteronomy 26:6-9 "But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, putting us to hard labor. Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders. He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey."
Job 5:8-16 "But if it were I, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. He bestows rain on the earth; he sends water upon the countryside. The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away. Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; at noon they grope as in the night. He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; he saves them from the clutches of the powerful. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth."
Job 34:17-19 "Can he who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One? Is he not the One who says to kings, 'You are worthless,' and to nobles, 'You are wicked,' who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?"
Psalm 10:14 "But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless."
Psalm 12:5 "'Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,' says the LORD. I will protect them from those who malign them."Psalm 140:12 "I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy."
Isaiah 25:4 "You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall."
Isaiah 41:17 "The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them."
Jeremiah 9:23-24 "This is what the LORD says: 'Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the LORD."
Amos 5:24 "But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!"
Luke 1:52-53 "He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty."
Luke 4:16-21 "He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 'The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.' Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, 'Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.'"
Luke 6:20-21 "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours in the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh."
Luke 7:22 "So he replied to the messengers, 'Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.'"
James 2:5 "Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?"
Job 5:8-16 "But if it were I, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. He bestows rain on the earth; he sends water upon the countryside. The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away. Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; at noon they grope as in the night. He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; he saves them from the clutches of the powerful. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth."
Job 34:17-19 "Can he who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One? Is he not the One who says to kings, 'You are worthless,' and to nobles, 'You are wicked,' who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?"
Psalm 10:14 "But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless."
Psalm 12:5 "'Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,' says the LORD. I will protect them from those who malign them."Psalm 140:12 "I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy."
Isaiah 25:4 "You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall."
Isaiah 41:17 "The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them."
Jeremiah 9:23-24 "This is what the LORD says: 'Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the LORD."
Amos 5:24 "But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!"
Luke 1:52-53 "He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty."
Luke 4:16-21 "He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 'The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.' Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, 'Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.'"
Luke 6:20-21 "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours in the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh."
Luke 7:22 "So he replied to the messengers, 'Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.'"
James 2:5 "Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?"
posted by Anonymous at 8:38 AM
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