Pure Religion in a Candle Lit Room

November 08 2011, 10:16 am | JT Scott

Mission. Discipleship. Love. Grace. Truth.

These words define the topics of conversations, sermons, and heart desires of the leadership and the people of The Summit Church. 

We have planted churches, developed multi-sites, fed the poor, discipled the homeless, given resources, sent missionaries all over the planet and the list goes on and on.  In January, we will be "honing" in on one particular command of God that deals with every one of those Summit DNA words. 

James 1:27 begins by stating that "Religion that God accepts as pure and faultless is this; look after widows and orphans in their distress..."  Widows and orphans (or fatherless) are coupled many times in scripture as people who are needy and unable to take care of themselves.  (Psalm 146:7-9 and Jeremiah 7:1-8, a particularly sobering passage which warns against placing trust in the presence of the temple while oppressing the fatherless and widows--an example of religion that is "deceptive" and "worthless."

In James, 'Look after' does not translate as a mere food box, or visit, but is the same verb Jesus used in Matthew 25:36 where He stated "I was sick and you looked after me." Those who practiced this are said to be welcomed into the blessing of God, while those who did not were cursed from the blessing. 

As a children's pastor, this verse became alive to me about 4 years ago as Kim and I dove headfirst into the possibility of taking orphans into our home to 'look after' them.  After a couple of years with the same fatherless child (who may be coming to the end of his stay with us soon-please pray for God's wisdom and sovereignty!), we ask ourselves if we can invest our hearts again into the life of one who is unable to care for themselves.  The more I consider that thought, the more ridiculous it sounds.  I am somewhat throwing myself out there by stating these things- and I may or may not be able to live up to what I'm blogging here. That remains to be seen in the coming days. 

That's what I don't know.

What I do know is this; the foster care system (which is run by state and federal government- likely an abomination in the sight of the Lord - He called the believers, the church to take ownership of this, not our government.) is overrun with children in the system who have no place to sleep, much less be 'looked after'.

Kudos to "The CALL", who recognize this and are turning the tide within the church!

We experienced this overrun system again last night as we got a call at 10:30pm from DHS with a 2 year old boy who was found by himself in a dark house with no electricity and no light (except a solitary lit candle) who would have to sleep on the police station floor had someone not said "yes, he can sleep at our home." 

I don't say that to pat ourselves on the back for taking him in, but I was struck with the ridiculousness that I even had to think about it.  Of course this beautiful boy can stay with us. By the way, after only 8 hours with us (mostly asleep), when I took him to the office to find him a placement family, he hugged me harder than most kids who've known me for years.  A hug that immediately brought crocodile tears to my eyes.  His name was Lyric, a name that Pastor Bill and our staff prayed this morning would truly describe his life - beautiful words in a beautiful song. God may it be so.

God has given us the ability and the resources to do just that.  He's even given wonderful under-staffed, over worked beautiful case workers in an incompetent, government-run system to us to help put this Biblical command in motion. (since we failed to do it ourselves as the global corporate church)

Why do I have to think about this? Will I continue to heed the call of God to "look after" the fatherless? Am I THAT selfish!?

It's almost like questioning whether I will continue calling Jesus "Lord, Lord." (God help me!)

I've included some sobering statistics about Pulaski County here from The CALL. The most sobering is 60% of orphaned children will be sent to another county because there aren't enough moms and dads in Pulaski County who will take care of them.  One of the most populated, wealthy, 'church building on every corner' counties in Arkansas and we send the fatherless away.

Our mission field is right at our doorstep.

God help us.

Pulaski County Foster Stats

The Call Foster and Adoption/Arkansas

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