I hope you are all enjoying the Perkins book. Below are a few reflection questions to get us thinking about this weeks readings.
Review the list page 22, which of these stats alarmed you? Which ones most convicted you? Which ones broke your heart? (If none of these stats broke your heart, you need to keep praying our Fransician prayer!)
On page 23 Perkins says “Sometimes our giving is motivated by guilt. When this is the case we are giving for selfish reasons – to make ourselves feel better.” What did you think of that comment. Can you give an example of a time when you responded out of guilt?
What do you think Perkins meant by his comment on page 24 “If the past thirty years have taught us anything about the poverty mentality it is that undisciplined giving can be just as distructive as the poverty it is meant to allieviate.”
Have you ever experienced the “wild card of race” Perkins mentions on page 25? Give an example
On page 29, Perkins asks “What should Christian Community look like in an hour such as this?” How would you answer this question.
Perkins says “A significant bond of trust develops when a leader is dependant on the people and the people see themselves as part of the leaders survival.” Have you ever been dependant on those you serve for your survival? What might that look like?
On page 35 Perkins summarizes the most significant human needs. Which of these needs have you personally experienced and how was your need met? How might you or your congregation help meet one or more of these needs?
How would you explain Perkins “Theology of Reconciliation” to a friend?
What do you think are the most important marks of the church?
Do you agree with Perkins that today’s church has ignored God’s call to be a blessing to the nations? (p 48) What might that look like in Richmond?
Have you personally experienced the truth of Perkins claim that “the love of God is most fully expressed where there is pain and suffering” ?” (p. 60)
How comfortable are you allowing God to teach you, encourage you, and reveal his love to you anew through the people you want to serve? (p. 63)
Filed under: Reflection Questions
These are heavy questions, I am still parsing out my assets and how I can best use them according to God’s plan for me. One I forgot to mention was time, it is a very important asset that we all have and it is one that we cannot necessarily place a monetary value on. When I was younger I wasted copious amounts of time. As I grow older I realize that my time here is finite and try to use my time constructively but admit I still do like to relax to recharge my batteries. As fare as the reading is concerned and the statistics on page 22, I have to say that they did jump off the page when I read them. I also looked to see when this book was published and can only imagine that some of these statistics are even worse now than they were in 1993, not better. The other thing that really hit me was the statement about the church being the body of Christ. I knew that but upon reading it in the context of what we are learning about it really made me stop and wonder. How are we at our church fulfilling that? Are we firing on all cylinders? Are we too self serving? Am I too self serving? Why do I attend church? I don’t have the answers to all of the questions but it is changing my mindset. I pray that I am moving in the direction that Christ wants me to as I walk with him out of my comfort zone into the realm of Christian Community Development. That’s all I have for now, people please read and respond and let’s get some good dialogue going around the questions, reading, and what we are all individually and collectively experiencing as we live the Second Baptist Mission Statement.
That stats on page 22 were heart-wrenching — more black people in the penal system (with the heavy downward thrust of that system) than the educational system (with the potential upward thrust of that system)? Only the Holy Spirit can cancel out the predictable impact of that disparity.
On page 24 “undisciplined giving can be just as distructive as the poverty it is meant to allieviate.” I was reminded of a story about how well-meaning Americans send containers full of t-shirts and other clotes to Africa every year thinking that such charity helps (and it may for a season), but that it wrecks the local economy because it puts the small textile manufacturers out of business because they cannot compete with “free” clothes. Accordingly, the locally owned business with a number of good paying jobs evaporates and sustainable economic improvement is defeated.
In entering into real relationships with black people, the “wild card of race” is often the unspoken elephant in the room for me. Fear of it, guilt about it, resentment of it — they all stifle open and honest sharing. While attending a class at Richmond Hill, I was eating dinner with several other folks who were attending the class — they were all black. The conversation was centered around how Richmond should respond to the real crises that confronts young black men. The discussion progressed to a certain point and then WHAM! — some candor leaked into the otherwise polite conversation and raw emotions were exposed — anger, hurt, resentment. The Presence of Christ mediated that situation, but it was still difficult. My experience has been that without the cleansing breath of the Holy Spirit, those noxious fumes choke to death any opportunity for a real relationship.
On page 29, Perkins asks “What should Christian Community look like in an hour such as this?” This is hard question for me, because it is very easy to react as the lawyer did when he questioned Jesus in Luke 10 — “How do I inherit eternal life? Well then, who is my neighbor?” Asking question after question to avoid the simple and plain command to “Go and DO this, and you will live.” For me, Perkins’ question becomes, “What should Tom look like in an hour such as this?” If you want to feel like Paul in the second half of Romans 7, that’s the kind of question you should ask. I know Who I am supposed to look like — I am relying on His promise to transform me.
Have you personally experienced the truth of Perkins claim that “the love of God is most fully expressed where there is pain and suffering” ?” (p. 60)
The cross. And when I am humble and contrite in my points of pain and suffering, that’s when I experience Jesus most — the love of God made manifest. I have heard this referred to as a “Theology of brokenness.”
Your comments are wonderful. You are both asking such wonderful questions. If we don’t know our own motivations for entering into this kind of work we can actually do more harm than good.
I wanted to comment on the wild card of race because I think that has been the thing that has most surprised me. At first I thought being white in a largely black community of Highland Park where we started would be a barrier but in the beginning it was an asset because people were curious about why I was there so they were willing to talk with me. Some respected me for my courage and some came along side me to protect me from my own ignorance about the streets.
However, I have found the race issue becomes most significant later in relationships and especially as it relates to positions of power. On more than one occasion the fact that I am white and in a leadership role has caused racial tensions that would not have been present if I were African American.
The first time I had someone accuse me of being racist; I was stunned. However, it has happened several times and it is always related to power. Individuals who believed they deserved higher positions of power and felt I was discriminating on the basis of race. Every time this has happened it has really hurt and I have felt that somehow I was doing something wrong to make people say such things.
Recently I sat with an African American man at a racial reconciliation dialog and he asked “Do white people sit around talking about black people?” and I said “No, of course not.” and to this he replied “Well black people spend a lot of time sitting around talking about white people…white people do this and white people do that.”
I was shocked to think that this could be true but it really helped me understand some of the comments I had heard over the years. If you have been brought up with the understanding that everything that is wrong is wrong because of white people and I am a white person in the way of you getting what you want then you are only going to see the color of my skin and see my actions as racially motivated no matter how pure they are.
One of my early friends was Phyllis Arrington and I will never forget the day she told us how she used to HATE all white people. it was not until she was in jail and was listening to TV evangelist Joyce Myers that she realized that not all white people were evil.
I want to be clear that I am not implying that all African American people think like Phyllis or that all people of color act like my friend said they did. Just like not all white people have pure motives.
Those of us who are white naively think that racial prejudice only goes one way, but it is important that we see through the eyes of those on the other side and begin to understand the wounds that are still in need of healing from years of racial injustice.
Perkins minces no words when he addresses the issues of the urban poor. He is as clear about the problems the black race brings to the situation as those from the white race. The bottom line is that what has been done in the past to fix the urban poor’s issues has not worked. And he sees that the true solution for this travesity is the true church of God. His description of the reconciled church is how I see each of us allowing God to work through us.
Members of the body of Christ united as one will have a tremendous, synergistic effect. It will be obvious to all that this Body is being led by the love and redemptive power of Christ. Are there any currently existing churches that truly are practicing in such a Spirit-filled manner? When members go to prison and bail each other out, protect each others’
families and properties, and truly treat each other as they wish to be treated, the church will be functioning as the reconciled body Paul is referring to.
Yes, I was appalled with those stats I read in the first chapter of Perkins’ book. I was even more taken back by the results of the AFDC program. I have seen such results played out with individual patients and clients I have worked with, but never realized what an overarching and prevailing affect it continues to have on this population of America.
So, what can I do to make a difference? How can I use the assets I have to respond to the call from God to be His hands and feet for this urban poor?
Personally I have the assets of good communication and ability to work effectively within a group to move to a plan of action that will include all members. Today that looks like I will continue to co-chair the homeless initiative between First and Second Baptist being careful to be sure who the interested parties are and what direction the entire group is committed to follow. As a plan is carved out, my asset of being a nurse will be valuable in establishing the medical care part of this plan.
I will continue to commit to prayer this opportunity to show Jesus’ love to others. I look forward to our discussions over the next several weeks and to development of the homeless project.