Love is an invisible source, but always has tangible retributions. Sure the gospel message is a huge benefit package initially of God’s love. But what if we advertised God through our own giving and our service? Of course we can’t do away with the gospel message and just rely on our good works to save others. So what if we start organizing and providing proper health care along with preaching the gospel message?
The Problem
47 million Americans are without health insurance. This means that they are not getting proper care, and that means many more in the world are doing even worse. What makes matters even worse is that people are turning to the government to cover their medical needs instead of turning to the Church. The government is not an efficient resource to organize proper care for individuals. It is not even the biblical responsibility of the government to perform this duty either.
God left the church in charge of the care for the sick and indigent. Outside of miraculously healing the sick, our resources should go towards providing proper health care through our money or services. People cry every day about the government not doing enough for them, when they don’t even know that it is the Church’s fault. We think that we are getting away from our responsibility, but I guarantee God does not overlook our neglection. Why should government spend time dealing with health care issues when their responsibility should be devoted to other issues?
The more responsibility you leave in the hands of the Government the more it will cost you. Read the account of Israel trying to replace the provision of God with the provision of an earthly king in 1 Samuel 8:14-15
“And [the king] will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants.”
The government will cost you more than what it’s worth. Sure, the church will no longer pay directly for the health care of individuals, but our taxes will pay for it. The opportunity that we lose to be a testimony is an even greater cost. We cannot neglect the health of human beings and still call ourselves a loving body. It is hypocritical.
Jesus did send invitations out addressing sinners, but he also addressed those who were sick and weary. He said, “come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” God allows sickness, and struggle in our lives to remind us to come back to Him. Jesus created many witness opportunities by calling the sick and weary. The Church’s negligence reminds people to go to the government, instead of God for their care.
We are so concerned with improving our entertainment programs, worship experiences, and facilities. What do you think the world sees? They see a self serving Church. Why would the unsaved want to come to a God who has representatives that serve themselves? Sure, we give to missionaries outside of our walls, but in their eyes we are still serving our own agenda. But what if they saw representatives that were more concerned with the health of others than their own?
The Solution
I can go on a rant all day about what’s wrong, but it would be more profitable to provide solutions. So here are 2 solutions to solve the healthcare dilemma:
1. Start a Health Care Fund
Initiate a program or start a fund in your church that pays annual health care costs to a set of individuals. All this will take a plan before this is approved by anyone. Here are a few simple steps to follow.
- Evaluate a process to find those in need
- Assess the cost of paying for healthcare
- Brainstorm ideas of how you can fund this operation
- Finally, go to your pastors or elders and propose ideas to them
It may be simpler to start this in your small group first, and work your way up, but you might as well present it to your church leaders. Something to remember is that you might not have the funds to pay for everyone that comes and asks for help, but the important thing to remember is that they see your love in action.
2. Adopt a person in need
Even if you can’t get this ministry approved by your Church, nothing is stopping you from doing something about it. Also, nothing is stopping you from spreading this idea around. Here’s how you can do that
- Write about it in a blog
- Share about it in your small group
- Share it with your friends
- Tell how you have been blessed through this
- Tell how the one you helped had been blessed by this
- Write a story about it in the church bulletin or website
Chances are, if the Church starts seeing others get on board with this idea or if they start seeing souls saved and hearts touched; then your democratic influence will change their minds also. Even if your idea never does get anyone on board, still do it. It’s worth eternal consequences.
No doubt the greatest needs are spiritual, but there’s no doubt that God left the care of the needy in our hands. What if the needy saw a Church, who cared and showed it through their actions? Would the invisible Church once again become visible?
I am going to do SOMETHING…God knows the what because I haven’t a clue as to the HOW to do the WHAT…I will move!
God is in the people business, government is in the opression business. You can rest assured their intentions is money, from us. We the people could eliminate this with a resurgence of doing what we are supposed to do anyway.
Great post.