Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Oikonomia

Home
Business, Finance and Religion
Gospel as Oasis: Bringing Economic Flourishing to Urban Deserts

Gospel as Oasis: Bringing Economic Flourishing to Urban Deserts

Last updated on: June 22, 2016 at 11:55 pm by Acton Institute

Gospel as Oasis: Bringing Economic Flourishing to Urban Deserts 2016-06-22T23:55:50-04:00 Acton Institute

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

By Joseph Sunde

“The Bible has a rich desert theology…He will cause rivers to flow, even in desert conditions.” –Christopher Brooks

Pastor Christopher Brooks and Evangel Ministries have demonstrated a unique model of urban ministry in Detroit, focusing not just on meeting immediate needs through traditional channels, but on fostering a vision of long-term, whole-life discipleship.

In a talk for the Oikonomia Network, Brooks offers invaluable perspective from his years of ministry, concluding that the gospel has the power to bring economic flourishing to impoverished communities. Poor communities are very similar to deserts, Brooks explains, where people feel trapped by the elements and desperate from the thirst. “These feelings of fear and vulnerability, and feeling overwhelmed, is exactly what the poor feel on a daily basis,” he says.

The good news is that Christ brings life and liberty to all people and in all places. “We preach a gospel that tells people they don’t have to relocate in order to experience the blessing and flourishing that comes from being in Christ,” Brooks says. “In other words, you shouldn’t have to change zip codes for the gospel to work for you.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVKvceTDgQI

Thus, Brooks and his church have sought not only to meet temporal needs, but to help communities see the gifts and resources they already have, harnessing and connecting them accordingly. This isn’t to say that it’s as easy as strolling into these communities and peeling open a Bible. It begins and continues with close and attentive relationships.

“Any program for poverty alleviation or economic flourishing that is not centered upon discipleship is a failed enterprise before it even begins,” Brooks says. “Poverty alleviation starts and is built around relationships.”

Brooks goes on to outline two other obstacles the church continues to face in serving poor communities —struggles that surely prevail in many of our prosperous neighborhoods as well.

1. The Sacred/Secular Divide

The greatest gap in the church is surprisingly not the racial gap or the generational gap or even the income gap. But it’s the gap between Sunday and Monday. Sadly, many Christians have not been able to bridge the enormous gulf between work and worship. So this presents to us another great challenge. We have to give them a rich and robust theology of vocational stewardship, helping them to see that God has given us these vocations so that we might love him as we work faithfully unto his glory, and that we might love our neighbors as ourselves as we work for the good of humanity and generosity.

2. Hyper Polarization on Anti-Poverty Strategies

On the one hand you have those who take a more parental approach, an extreme liberal approach of big government and massive relief programs as the only effective way of helping the poor. On the other hand, you have those who take an extreme libertarian approach…I believe the Bible presents to us a more balanced approach…that helps the church to realize that we were never called to operate in isolation in the desert. But that helping the poor requires us to collaborate effectively with civic organizations and social agencies and even the business community…

For stories and examples of how Brooks and his church have fought to overcome these obstacles and empower people in their communities, listen to the whole talk.

“I believe that God wants the church to operate like Moses did in the desert, when he opened up the rock and caused waters to flow,” Brooks concludes. “We’re supposed to bring the promises of the Gospel alive, and we do this through effective acts of compassion and unleashing the enterprising spirit of the individual. If we do this, poor communities will be transformed and the poor will rise out of poverty.”

Originally published at the Acton PowerBlog

Photo credit: Matt Taylor

Previous Post

June 14, 2016

3 Things to Know About Stewardship

Next Post

June 29, 2016 Consider Hiring More Christians. Here’s Why.

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art Charity Church Common Grace Culture Curriculum Economics Education Family Justice Order Theology Uncategorized Vocation Wisdom Wonder Work

Select a Month January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What holiday celebrates Jesus’ birth?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Easter Ascension Day Christmas Good Friday