What the Thunder Said...

World Magazine's blog recently posted about the fact that, while FEMA and other federal programs have not sufficiently stepped up to help out those beleagured by Hurricane Katrina, the local church has.

This supports a claim made here on this blog, that Christians relief efforts should not go through federal accounts, but from local church to local church, from session to session. This puts faces and individual prayers with other individual faces and individual needs.

Think of it this way
A disaster strikes. Several communities are stricken and rendered helpless. The news relates the ruin. What happens next should be that the churches that are geographically close (but functioning) need to act as first response and the lifeline to other churches. They should be a Rome to Paul's missionary enterprise. Paul wanted to herald the Good News of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to Spain, and asked the church in Rome to be his last line of connection and support.

The churches geographically distant need to raise funds, clothing, and other needs. As a church, they should pool their resources, either to be sent as a lone church (Congregationalists, Baptists, most of evangellyfish America) or by their synod (presbyterian). Then the deacons, the ones whom God has appointed for times such as this, are to be the ones bringing the relief and the love and prayers of the people to those suffering.

Once the resources arrive, the over-abundance can be distributed to the suffering Christians, who will hopefully have enough to survive on, as well as distribute to neighbors. What an opportunity! Two people, both suffering from the same storm/disaster, and one can say, "Hey, look, some brothers and sisters of mine who all hold the same spiritual beliefs blessed me with all this extra food and clothes. Here you take some of it, and I just want you to know I'm giving you this stuff because I love you and care for you, but even more because I love and care for Jesus, and He will take care of you far better than I can." At this point, a person who has had their world shattered, has just seen the support, love, and strength presented in Christ. I would guess that many would be interested in hearing more about the Gospel at this point.

For how What the Thunder Said has talked about this before, go here.