Voice of the Church

[Ron Davis]

The past two weeks in my teen Sunday School Class I posted a list of random issues in our society and asked which of these the Church should be speaking out about. Since most agreed we should be speaking out about all of them I asked them to prioriize the list. The following list is in no particular order and not necessarily all inclusive.

1. Creation/Evolution
2. Abortion
3. Domestic Violence
4. Drug and Alcohol use.
5. Minimum wage
6. Poverty
7. Gay marriage
8. Divorce
9. Child abuse
10. Immigration issues
11. Racism
12. Discrimination
13. End of life
14. AIDS

Given that a local church cannot speak to every one of these issues due to limitations of people and other resources how would you prioritze this list in your local setting and why?

If this discussion generates any interest I will share some scripture that we explored to answer our question.

[Jeremy D. Scott]

Given that a local church cannot speak to every one of these issues due to limitations of people and other resources how would you prioritze this list in your local setting and why?

Wow, how do you prioritize that list? :eek: That's tough.

I would love the American church to do even more with the AIDS epidemic. We are so asleep on that one.

[Billie Goodson]

I would prioritize based on relevance within these groupings:

Issues they will face:

Domestic Violence
Drug and Alcohol use.
Divorce
Abortion

Church/Community Issues:
Racism/Discrimination
Poverty
Child abuse

Apologetics/Theology:
Creation/Evolution
End of life

World Issues:
AIDS
Gay marriage
Immigration issues
Minimum wage

Now..here are the exceptions: You come from some locations, the AID's topic may be much more pressing than say Creation..... or maybe Immigration Issues -- imagine a Church in a heavily latino community that sees this issue everyday in say Southern Cali. I think they should address the issues that are most immediate -- then work out/down. The issue of creation, as dear as it is to me is not going to really help some people in their realization of God's will in their lives. I do think there is no universal list -- other than helping people to seek God.

[Billie Goodson]

Scott -- your reply seems to indicate you believe the list as presented by Ron was in some order. His comment preceding the list seems to clearly state that it is not, in fact, in any order. Did I miss something?


The following list is in no particular order and not necessarily all inclusive.

[Regena Torres]

Numbers 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 13 &14 have all been addressed wither in Bible study or Sunday sermons in our church in the last year

[Wilson L. Deaton]

The issue of creation, as dear as it is to me is not going to really help some people in their realization of God's will in their lives.

I think many teens perceive this to be extremely important because there is a sense it which their entire faith rises and falls here. They go to science class and are taught one thing and they go to Sunday School (or youth group meeting, whatever) and are told something different. Too often they are incompatible so they think they must either throw out science or throw out the Bible.... If that is what they believe, its no wonder the issue is so important.

Wilson

[Marilyn Lawson]

I know I am not a minister, but there are a few things on this list that people wish would not to be around, but are.

Please don't forget about single families out here.
I know if people didn't do before they were married - this would not be an issue, but it is a fact of life for many.
These children fall through the cracks and unfortunately alot of the issues listed below become a fact of life.

Violenece as a whole - In cities like mine - violence is prevalent. 12 people shot since last Friday - most try and hide as it doesn't exsists, hello people it is here.

Drugs are here to stay - teach kids what what could happen to them or show them what happens - please don't just say don't do it. I have seen to many kids as young as 11 yrs old hooked on them.


The gay life style - I work and have to be around people that are gay (male & female), I was finally asked my views. So I told them I do not condone it - as it is written in the bible man should not be with man, but I do not have the right to throw a stone at them. It isn't part of my life style.
This is so much more than a gay marrige.

Is a church a cookie cutter place - I hope that every church could be open to studying why people do what they do and listen to otheres.
All these issues need to be discussed at all age levels. Some a little older.

But children as young as 4 can tell you what it is like to see someone get hit, drunk, the feeling of not being welcome, seeing someone sick, giveing a person a hug to make them feel better.
I know there are families on this bd that do not face these issues - I wish I was one.

But I believe I am a better person and am more open to discussing these issues as they arise. What have I to hide and maybe in the process a person could learn a little more.

Every single issues on this list - I have been touch BY, one way or another in church.

Including Aids - as a mother I knew in my old church has aids and passed it on to her unborn child.

Thank you for the list!!:fav18 Thank you for putting it this way Billie!

Marilyn

IN THE LONG RUN THEY ALL GET
FACED BY MANY IN CHURCH
WHETHER THEY WANT TO OR NOT

Domestic Violence
Drug and Alcohol use.
Divorce
Abortion

Church/Community Issues:
Racism/Discrimination
Poverty
Child abuse


Apologetics/Theology:
Creation/Evolution
End of life

World Issues:
AIDS
Gay marriage
Immigration issues
Minimum wage

[Billie Goodson]

I think many teens perceive this to be extremely important because there is a sense it which their entire faith rises and falls here. They go to science class and are taught one thing and they go to Sunday School (or youth group meeting, whatever) and are told something different. Too often they are incompatible so they think they must either throw out science or throw out the Bible.... If that is what they believe, its no wonder the issue is so important.

Wilson

I agree completely with that Wilson. I don't believe we have a responsibility to teach evolution in the church, but, I do feel that we should include a discussion of it in any discussions about earth origins. By properly handling the issue in a church setting, we can empower the teens to be better equipped to understand what the teachings of the theory of evolution are, and how to reconcile it to the biblical teaching of creation. You can't ignore the theory of evolution any more than you can ignore the hormonal urges that lead to sex. Ignorance to the existence of both can do lots of damages to teen groups.

[Paul Whitaker]

I think many teens perceive this to be extremely important because there is a sense it which their entire faith rises and falls here. They go to science class and are taught one thing and they go to Sunday School (or youth group meeting, whatever) and are told something different. Too often they are incompatible so they think they must either throw out science or throw out the Bible.... If that is what they believe, its no wonder the issue is so important.

Wilson


I would have my teen read the book "The Case for Creation" by Lee Stroebel. That solidified this man's belief.

[Bruce Carriker]

Poverty
Discrimination
Racism
Divorce
Child abuse
Domestic Violence
AIDS
Immigration issues
End of life
Drug and Alcohol use.
Minimum wage
Gay marriage
Abortion
Creation/Evolution

[Hans Deventer]

Given that a local church cannot speak to every one of these issues due to limitations of people and other resources how would you prioritze this list in your local setting and why?

I personally believe the church should not speak out at all, but live out.

[Roland Hearn]

Without putting too fine a point on it or making this about symantics I would like to respond to the idea of "speaking out". I always shudder a little when the church starts speaking aggressively about situations and concepts particularly if they can be categorized by "right" and "wrong". I think in-house disucssions of issues in a Sunday School class are absolutely appropriate but many times when the church starts to adress issues in the public forum it becomes condeming and strident. I would much rather we were finding ways of communicating grace then positions on particular issues particularly when those positions are not held by the church at large and can be seen to represent a smaller subset of the church. Most issues on this list are going to be most affectively addressed by an adequate response of grace. Opinions on issues become less relevant when society is transformed by the power of God's love. The greatest impact the church has had has been seen in transformed lives not publicised opinions.

[Ron Davis]

I personally believe the church should not speak out at all, but live out.

At least our speaking out should be matched by our living out.

[Ron Davis]

Should we then stay focused on transforming society through the power of God's love and let women and children suffer from domestic violence while we wait for society to be transformed.

I see speaking out as much more than publicised opinions. However, when literally speaking out about society's issues it needs to be opinion informed by our theology, and weighted heavily in the direction of grace. Speaking out should be the result of much prayer and thoughtful discussion on the part of the community of believers.

Would a transformed life ignore the poverty and suffering around them or begin a life of service. The difficulty with speaking out in my mind is that public discourse these days even in the church tend to be more shouting matches with very little listening going on.

[Roland Hearn]

No I think the transformed life lets others do the talking and actually does something about the problem. The women or child in domestic violence isn't going to be helped one iota by the church declaring such a thing is wrong, the whole of society all ready does that, what the transformed life does is get involved and long before the legislation has stopped her husband bashing her the grace of God has done so.

[Ron Davis]

No I think the transformed life lets others do the talking and actually does something about the problem. The women or child in domestic violence isn't going to be helped one iota by the church declaring such a thing is wrong, the whole of society all ready does that, what the transformed life does is get involved and long before the legislation has stopped her husband bashing her the grace of God has done so.

Actually I agree completely. Speaking out for me does not include a declaration that something is wrong. In my community a common problem is awareness that a problem exist. The general public does not perceive that we have a drug and alcohol problem in our schools, and is not aware that our domestic violence numbers are increasing faster than state and national averages. Speaking out is for the purpose of making people aware of the need and of the scope of the problem.

It is my belief that legislation is a nearly useless endeavor. I 'll say more about this later. I'm off to our District Sunday School Banquet.