I don't know what all people are calling mission work today but I do know of some that are not depending on what God can do that they cannot do with their human ways. Addiction, I believe, is not more powerful than what God can do in anyone, right where they are at. This argument that God cannot work miracles of salvation without man first getting a person's mind capable of hearing a higher message, to me, is limiting what God can and will do if we just share the message of the Gospel. It is the power of God unto salvation the scripture says.Ken wrote: ↑Wed May 08, 2024 6:54 pmI'm not saying that religion doesn't play a role. But these sorts of places like Kensington in Philly and the equivalent neighborhoods around the country are riddled with various missions. And none of that has turned anything around. Addiction is a more powerful demon than evangelism can deal with in most cases. I think there is an argument that many of these people need to get right mentally and physically before they are going to be ready to hear any higher message. And in many cases that is going to require coercion (tough love) rather than the enabling that comes with ham reduction approaches.Sudsy wrote: ↑Wed May 08, 2024 6:37 pmI agree that compelling people to show up for church is important and could be one of the issues. In my experience sometimes this takes more than an invitation but actually going and picking them up and bringing them to church to sit and listen to the Gospel. It also takes mingling with them during the week and talking to them about Jesus who can rescue them from the sins that bind us.Ken wrote: ↑Wed May 08, 2024 12:16 pm
That should not surprise you.
If the people in question had the discipline, habit, and socialization to show up for something like a Sunday church service without being compelled, then they would also have the discipline, habit, and socialization to show up for job interviews, work, housing interviews, and so forth.
Clearly they have none of those things or they wouldn't be on the streets living like addicted rats.
In my mind, the only way to help most of these people (the visible homeless) is by compulsion. FORCE them to get mandatory rehab, mental health care, etc. And probably the only way to do that is through the legal system. Arrest them, throw them in jail, and then use mandatory rehab and mental health care as off-ramps out of prison. Most of them aren't going to turn their lives around voluntarily.
The invisible homeless are a different story. These are the ordinary people down on their luck who might be living out of their cars or whatever, but are still functioning members of society, often working and just trying to get their lives together. They are the ones who can be helped by voluntary programs.
I disagree with compulsion methods but rather use compassion and prayer believing that some will listen and see if salvation from the effects of sin really works. My father was one who finally came out of curiosity and wanted to find out what made these people the way they were. Why so much joy and peace in these Christians. He had many invitations before this but one day he decided to check things out for himself and God miraculously saved him and in a short time he was in street ministry. Similar type conversions happened in that church and another church I was in.
This is not about making life better for some who still end up in hell. It is about the power of God that can radically change a person'e life. It isn't about man's programs to try to improve one's life but rather what God can do to them if they give Him a chance. There isn't anyone in any condition that God cannot save and live in them in the power of the Holy Spirit to radically change their life.
But who believes that ? It would seem many Christians don't and fall back on man's self improvement programs to solve the problems or they just don't care to be involved in patient soul winning work.
As the story goes of the little boy throwing starfish back into the ocean when there are millions he cannot help to save, his reply was 'it made a difference for that one'. That, is what mission work is about. Perhaps the lack of results is more due to the lack of belief in what God can do and it has more to do with the quality of faith of those in mission work. When we start to think we can do more than our part in changing other's lives, I think we are going down a wrong path. We have a role but real change is a miracle of God.