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Who cares for my soul?
Written by Peter Youngren on January 6, 2009Each soul has eternal value; it can be saved or lost. Jesus puts the value of the soul above “the whole world”. Yet, this simple fact has been deemphasized in evangelical Christianity. It is rare to come across a church or an individual believer who considers winning souls to be of supreme importance. Though lip service is paid to the task of evangelism, in practical terms buildings, musical instruments, programs for believers, feeding programs and a host of other activities get priority treatment way ahead of salvation of souls. We claim to believe in the value of souls, but not much of our offerings or people resources are committed to the cause of winning people to Christ. Yet, believers and unbelievers have one thing in common; God has put eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We are soul- and eternity-conscious. Why then does the question of eternal souls take a back seat?
Believers are irresistibly drawn to pictures of starving children, wounded bodies and victims of natural disasters. Meanwhile the Psalmist’s cry “who cares for my soul” (Psalm 142:4) remains unnoticed and unanswered. Easily 95 % of today’s missions work is exclusively humanitarian and social. If Jesus’ perspective, that a soul is worth more than the whole world means anything, we have put the cart before the horse. Our programs call for distribution of bread first, and only then, maybe the Bread of Life. Jesus and the Apostles pursued a different pattern; giving the Bread of Life first, and then address the concern for material needs.
Merely meeting people’s physical needs do not solve the problem. Look at Africa! Not only billions, but possibly trillions of dollars have been given in the last few decades to solve the AIDS –problem, starvation etc. Has it brought a solution? No, in fact, in many areas the problems seem to be increasing. Outward solutions without inward change bring little or no result.
The Gospels tell us that Jesus fed the hungry on two occasions. Meanwhile He continually told people in every town and village to “believe the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). Just before the feeding the 5000 Jesus sent His disciples to preach the Gospel and heal the sick. Notice, He gave the Gospel first and then He fed the hungry. Paul followed the same pattern. He first preached the Gospel and then later, in a situation of special need, Paul collected finances for the social needs of the churches that were living in famine. Once local churches were established those churches exhibited a concern for people’s physical needs. As the Word of God was taught, people learned to look to God as their source and special needs were met. The inevitable result of the proclaimed Gospel was that the social standard was raised.
United Nations, the governments of United States, Canada and European nations spend billions annually on meeting social needs but they do nothing to share the Gospel. Huge secular NGOs (non-governmental organization) such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation spend additional billions of dollars. On top of these there are numerous NGOs that operate under the banner of Christianity, but their focus is also on the social and material needs of people. There is a flurry of multi-billion dollar activities to relieve poverty and feed the hungry, while 7000 people groups remain without any witness of the Gospel, and their cry “who cares for my soul” goes unnoticed. The term “outreach” has become associated with feedings, car-washes, and events where the Gospel presentation is minimal at best. Who cares for the soul? Who cares that some are born, live and die without a single opportunity to hear the Gospel? Untouched! Unreached! Forgotten!
I feel this is a personal failure of myself and others who have a similar conviction. Yes, we have many wonderful, caring, loving partners. Thank God for each one! Yes, we have obviously failed to convince millions of fellow believers of the importance of a soul. In the 1920’s the average evangelical church in the western world committed 20 % of its income to world missions. That was at a time when missions were about winning people to Christ. The value of the soul was in focus. Today the average church allows just over 1 % to missions, and most of that money has little to do with winning people to Christ. It seems when the concern for souls is reduced, the entire focus of mission also goes downhill. There is much more to be said. I’ll make additional comments over the next few weeks. How do you see it?
Peter.
John Palermo
~ New York
Wow. I feel guilt and condemnation. Thankfully there is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus.
The other side is this:
Domestically, among many non-believers there is animosity towards the church and many don’t want to hear our message of the gospel. They have preconceived notions of our hypocrisy and are well aware of all the things that we are against.
Yet, we don’t let what some have done cast a shadow on us.
We let our light shine before men that they may see *good works* and glorify the Lord. Jesus’ compassionate, loving and caring heart, that is in us, desires to help those in need. Our humanitarian efforts are not done apart from the preaching of the gospel, but done to show who we are as believers.
Overseas, it is our aim not just to share the Gospel and leave, but to show the person of Jesus though our actions of love. James 2:15 says “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?”
John McCallum
~ Ontario
Sounds like a copout to me. It’s much easier to give lip service than to actually help people in need.
Fundy
Can some one tell me?
Why do Chrstians think they can know the real “hidden” feelings and intentions of people?Where did they get the idea that they can read other’s people hearts and minds? Because they think that everyone else thinks what they think, just like they think everyone is their religion and agrees with them.I think some of them project their shortcomings onto others.
Geoff
~ Ontario
Mr Youngren,
You’re better than this…“The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one.”
George Bernard Shaw
Fundy
Religion is a disease of the mind, born out of fear, which has done nothing but bring untold misery down upon the human race.
Paul Belcher
~ Fort St John, BC Canada
Yes Peter you are absolutely right. There are I believe many reasons why people are putting many programs and other things over and above Evangelism and the Great Commission and many you and your readers are probably well acquainted with. Let me share a few that I have noticed over the last while up here in Canada.
1)We have the church that have forgotten their calling. Busyness has taken over, and people are it seems more and more look to their homes, their jobs, their wife & children, their toys etc as an end in itself an not a means to an end; that being to use as a tool to expand God’s Kingdom.
2)Believers seem to be caught up in personal problems some put there by Satan himself to distract and pull them away from what they are called to do. enough said
3)far too many believers when they were brought to Christ were given the “pseudo” gospel which in short states that When you accept Christ, God will make everything better for you. The problem with this is that this gospel is not one of repentance, recognizing ones sinful state and asking God to deal with ones sins and asking him to come into ones life and becoming Lord of all, but is one that is self centered and fulfilling. No follow-up, discipleship or anything to aid in their spiritual growth is done. They are not shown how to share their faith, and disciple others. If they did they were given the gospel properly followed up on, discipled taught to evangelize and disciple others perhaps this would resolve the problem some. I think the church needs to get back to the basics again perhaps we need to consider 2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. While we can’t wait for everyone to be ready we as believers need to be urging other believers to seriously get right with God and seeking him for revival. There is no point in doing it in the flesh. Believers need to be equipped, trained and ready for battle. The war is already won, we just need to go out and fight the battles. We need to be right with God and have our spiritual armor on. When the Church is living and acting like the World and sitting on the sidelines like a spectator not much gets done Eh. Paul Belcher
Donald
~ Bangladesh
I think, as people are obsessed with materialism, their mission to purify the soul also goes downhil…
sober living
~ Tamil Nadu India
Hi Peter,
sober as I am right now, I passed no more blood, my liver was not swollen any more, my hands were not shaking,
Thanks
Adley
~ Hyderabad, Sindh, pakistan
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Adi
~ Karachi, Pakistan
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