The Myopic Evangelical Church

THE MYOPIC EVANGELICAL CHURCH

In 1994, in the space of about 100 days, anywhere from 500,000 to 1,000,000 people were slaughtered in Rwanda, Africa. Most Americans do not know that nor do they really care. The genocide went on without much of an interest here in America. The human devastation was almost unfathomable. Mothers, fathers, and children died mercilessly. It is too bad they did not have oil or were in America’s national interest. Had they been white Europeans things may have been somewhat different.

And during this time we could assume the evangelical churches in America were at least fasting and praying in desperation? No, that would be massively inaccurate. So just what were the churches actually doing while such bloodshed raged? They were playing a game they so often like to play. Three Blind Mice.

This raises a profound question for all who confess Jesus as Lord. Are we to live with a vision for mankind that begins and ends in our national locale, or are we called to see the humanity without race, without social status, and without national citizenship? In short, are we called to care about all people around the world or are our interests primarily, or even exclusively, where we live?

Soon after the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came to seal and empower the first believers, the gospel went out into all the world. To have all the different Jews from all over the world in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost was a setting orchestrated by the Spirit of God. And when thousands believed on Jesus and were filled with the Spirit they went with Christ in their hearts and lives to the far flung corners of the world. And things of the Spirit began to happen at an amazing pace. The gospel bore fruit in almost unbelievable numbers and power until the rulers of this world became very nervous. No one seems nervous today.

And how did these new believers know to be concerned with brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world? Being so young in the Lord, and without the New Testament, how did they know to feel a sense of compassion for the lost and the poor? How did they know to support Paul’s missions and to give to the poor and needy people they had never met? And it was just that global vision that allowed the gospel to spread rapidly around the world. With no New Testament, with no Bible schools, with no television, with no Bible commentaries, with no church system for support, and yet many became missionaries purely upon the ministry and calling of the Spirit within their own hearts. Where is that today?

Millions around the world are starving to the point of death. Millions will die without medicine and proper medical care. Millions live in war torn areas with their very lives at stake every day. And billions walk in spiritual darkness. But with the knowledge of that situation we are colossal wasters of money and time. Walking a dry eyed and self serving existence we have constructed an ecclesiastical system which is supremely designed to meet our needs and wants with a small humanitarian corner designed primarily to soothe our consciences. I once mentioned to a very godly lady that people were dying around the world and she replied that we do not live in those areas. Yes, exactly.

Tragically the church in the west is just another consumer demographic. In fact many companies design some products in order to appeal to the evangelical community. A rich entrepreneur mentions that he supports traditional marriage and evangelical consumers by the millions flock to his place of business and purchase amazing amounts of his chicken sandwiches. Waiting in line professing believers reveled in their outward support of the already rich because it made them feel righteous. However millions of people were still starving. There we no lines to help them. Again, the evangelical community has become a narcissistic bastion of self righteousness.

We cannot plead ignorance. We know what is happening around the world. Oh we for sure do not know it as we should but we do know the unvarnished facts. And are we responsible to act according to God’s Word? Are there geographical boundaries for our responsibility? Surely we know the answer to those questions, and if the New Testament is true, and if the life and teachings of Jesus mean anything to us, then how can we wallow in wasteful abundance without any sacrifice? How can we turn a blind eye and a deaf ear toward those in such desperate need? What is this thing called Christianity all about anyway?

How myopic has the church become when we pass out voting record cards in the worship gathering and strongly urge people to exercise their Constitutional rights? That has become a passion within the church at the expense of following Jesus and His passion. We rush to confront the latest heresy and false teacher and yet just the way we live out the faith is heretical when juxtaposed upon the teachings of the New Testament. We are safe, contented, warm and well fed, and literally have need of nothing. The Spirit addresses that condition in the third chapter of Revelation.

All the issues of this fallen world have been adopted by us. All the economic and political issues and all the national and moral issues have become of great importance to the preacher and his pew dwellers. And when that becomes our focus, or even our hobby, we have lost the path of Christ. But once we have pinned down the doctrine of justification by faith and the exclusivity of Christ’s redemption are we then absolved from the responsibility to help meet people's material needs? Is ministering to the poor an elective? Has our doctrine muscled out ministry to the poor and needy or any worldwide vision, when in effect our doctrine, if Biblical, must compel us to be passionate about those things.

We all love to speak of the train to glory but do we love to be His living sacrifice while on that train? Could it really be possible that we will have to give an account to Jesus? Does the parable of the talents mean anything to anyone? The devil has provided a litany of false teachers and heresies so as to lull us to sleep concerning our own spiritual compromises and dilutions. The New Testament is replete with all kind of exhortations and admonitions about serving the needy and it makes no distinctions concerning the geographical radius from where you live.

I wish to provide you with some information which I hope you will receive in the spirit it is given. I have in 7 years only provided this information upon request. Approximately twenty years ago my friend and I started Uttermost Parts Fellowship which is a missionary outreach to places, primarily in Africa, which are in great need materially and of the gospel. My friend has the gift of administration and he has faithfully distributed the money to all the missionaries we support. He has never been paid one penny. He does it in love. We are tax exempt and send out tax information every year. If you are looking for a place where your money is assured of going to people who need it then I now provide you with the name and address of our foundation.

Uttermost Parts Fellowship

P.O. Box 61

Crystal Springs, Fl. 33524