Are Food Pantries Enough?

It seems to me that nowadays reformed evangelical churches are more involved in food pantries than any other type of mercy ministry.  Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any problems with food pantries.  It’s great that churches are involved in helping those who are less fortunate, especially those who don’t have anything to eat.  Think about the countless number of homeless men and women roaming our streets on the verge of starvation.  Yet the question I would like to raise is this, are food pantries enough? 

When it comes to mercy ministry in the church, I believe that food pantries are a good start, but it is not enough.  What happens after folks get fed?  Are they hearing the gospel?  Are they attending church, particularly the church of the one who feeds them?  I would guess that those whom churches feed through food pantries don’t end up attending those churches.  I would even go farther in surmising that those churches do not have any sort of evangelism or discipleship in mind.  Think about it.  Many reformed churches have members who want to get involved in some type of local mercy ministry, and food pantries are readily available to support and help serve.  I have served food in various food pantries, and the first thought that comes into my mind after I have finished is, “What a good thing I’ve done."  A sense of satisfaction in helping poorer people, gives me a good feeling inside.  But if I represent a church, is this enough?  I don’t think so.

The goal of every ministry should be the glory of God through the person and work of Jesus Christ.  John 1:14 (NASB) says, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  The Son of God came as a man and dwelt among us, why?  John 1:11-12 (NASB) states, “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”  Jesus Christ came as a man and dwelt among us so that we might become children of God and joint heirs with Christ.  Romans 8:16-17 (NASB) says, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ…”   

The purpose of Jesus’ incarnational ministry was to make a people who were not a people, the people of God.  If the end of our mercy ministry is not this, to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and invite them into your church and thereby making them members of your church family, then we have not followed the model of Christ.  Christ not only feed the five thousand, but he desired that all men might become children of God.  We, in the reform tradition, know that Christ died for the elect.  Nevertheless, God still desires that all men be saved.  2 Peter 3:9 (NASB) says, "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

Are the people we are feeding through pantries becoming members of our churches?  If not, then we need to rethink our strategies and look at Christ incarnational model of mercy ministry.

How the Seventh Day Adventist Church teaches us strategies of Urban Ministry

USA Today reported recently this year that the fastest growing denomination is the Seventh Day Adventist Church. A large part of this growth is due to the fact that Seventh Day Adventists give clear directions on how to follow the laws of God in every area of life. Strict observances to the dietary and moral laws are prerequisites for salvation. I believe that in addition to  the legalism that is preached in the Seventh Day Adventist Church, their view of man is the single most significant factor for their rapid growth in North America and all over the world. According to Ellen G. White, one of the founders of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, man is one in body, mind, and soul. Her monistic views helped to fuel the SDA Church's desire to use scripture to address the whole man, mind, body, and soul. Therefore their strict adherence to the Mosaic and dietary laws fit the monistic paradigm. God not only speaks to the spirit in holiness, but also to the mind in righteousness and the body in godliness.

The Reformed View of man seems to take on a dualistic understanding as described in the Westminster Confession of Faith and Louis Berkhof's Systematic Theology. The Westminster Confession of Faith states in Chapter XXXII - Of the State of Men After Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead that the bodies of men, after death, return to the dust, and see corruption: but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal substance, immediately return to God: the souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens...and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell..." (p.96-97). Louis Berkhof wrote in his book Systematic Theology on the doctrine of man saying, “The prevailing representation of the nature of man in Scripture is clearly dichotomic." (p.192) Much of the churches view on the dualistic nature of man is influenced indirectly from the Greek philosophers who believed that all physical matter is evil/bad and metaphysical matter (the mind/soul) is good. We see these dualistic comparisons in the debates of many Christians on what is sacred and/or secular.

In the book Planting and Growing Urban Churches: From Dream to Reality, Craig W. Ellison said, "Because of our Greek-mindedness, we talk about spirit, mind, emotions, and body as though these intricately interrelated dimensions of the person can be separated and adequately addressed in isolation. We tend to have a segmented view of human beings...This is crucial to understand because our view of human nature significantly affects our practice of ministry. Ministry priorities and methods are established in relation to our concept of persons." (p.98) What an insight into our hearts! I agree with Ellison’s assessment. Because we as the church view man compartmentalized we seek to save man's soul, reform his mind, but neglect his body. When we look at the urban setting, one sees many churches like the Seventh Day Adventist, African Methodist Episcopal, Church of God in Christ, and African Methodist Episcopal Zion addressing the felt needs of their communities in a wholistic manner.

Where are the Reformed churches? Where is the PCA when it comes to addressing the felt needs of the surrounding community? If we want to reach people in the urban setting and even if we want to reach people in our suburban communities, then we must address their spiritual, emotional, mental, social, and physical needs with the gospel. Jesus even taught the disciples to pray in Matthew 6:11 "Give us this day our daily bread..." We need to be evangelistic. However, we must not limit our evangelism. We need to address the whole man with the gospel. We must be prepared to follow the Micah 6:8 model, which is to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. God is concerned not only with our souls, but He is concerned about how His people do justice, love mercy, and walk in humility before the whole world.