Social Gospel

For my mother's birthday, we bought her a brood of chicks. No, she won't actually take physical possession of these baby chickens. Instead, we purchased them through Heifer International in her name to be given to a poor family in a developing nation. This family will raise the chicks and eat and/or sell the eggs from them.

This was actually a small gift to an organization that exists to help equip the world's poor with ways to produce food. A noble cause and worthy of a Christian's support. Right?

Let me tell you another story. When I was a new Christian, I went on a mission trip to a Central American country with an organization that called themselves a Christian organization. Their mission is to help families build houses and to feed children at the schools. The mission trip was pretty much a tour of what they do, though we did spend one day in the mountains delivering food to starving people.

We were able to give the Gospel in several of the schools we visited. But when we asked the president of this organization why they were not more evangelistic, his reply was that he had agreed not to be evangelistic so that they would not offend anyone.

Wait a minute! Offend someone? This supposed Christian organization is giving people new houses and food and they are afraid to offend someone by telling them about Jesus Christ.

This group has bought into the concept of the social gospel. They hang their hat on Matthew 25:34-40. But they ignore the five times, once in each Gospel letter and once in Acts, that Jesus tells his followers to go into all the nations and preach the Gospel.

This organization believes that by doing good, or in their words, "modeling the actions of Jesus" they will win souls to Christ.

One big problem. Romans 10:17 says, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." People need to hear the Gospel.

for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!" (Romans 10:13-15).

People must hear the Gospel. Our question to this organization was what good is it to give them temporary earthly relief, but to allow them to suffer for all eternity in hell. That's not being a responsible Christian.

The point of all this? As a Christian, you need to be aware of where your money is going and what the mission of the organization is that you're donating to. There are some great organizations out there that combine physical comfort with spreading the Gospel - telling people about Christ. Organizations such as World Vision and Samaritan's Purse are two great examples.

People are not saved by what we do. What we do may earn us the right to tell someone about Jesus. But, we must tell them.

Therefore, go and tell.