Church Offerings – Essence of Collapse V

Church Offerings – Essence of Collapse V by Randolph Jason for Gospel News Network

This entire year, literally, beginning on January 3, 2019, I have focused primarily on the Essence of Collapse. Our society is collapsing around us and for those with eyes to see and ears to hear it is terrifying. Seeing our neighborhoods, communities, family, friends and colleagues, literally, die in the streets should be a wake up call for believers, but sadly, this is not the case. The reason I say this with such conviction is simple. Look at these handful of reports, with a new one scheduled for release in the next few days, and tell me which part is being addressed by believers. Which city is being descended upon by the five campuses of this church or the three campuses of that church – nowhere is this happening when it should be happening. every. single. day.

Tucker Carlson Explains The Essence of Collapse
The Essence of Collapse Part II
Rat Infested, Third World Conditions: The Essence of Collapse
Corporate Media, Politicians and Control: The Essence of Collapse Pt IV

There is a need for Jesus Christ in our world that is unprecedented in human history. Has the world experienced catastrophes, destruction and war on mass before? Certainly. What it has never experienced is 7.4 billion people with theses catastrophes on the scale we see today.

International missions have been around since the day Jesus Christ was resurrected and brought His love to save the world. When the Apostles were sent out two-by-two they traveled the known world spreading the Gospel far and wide. Because of their global ministry we have to this day global ministries where we find people who’s hearts are over flowing to carry the message far and wide. Not only is this necessary, it is Scriptural and how God has chosen people to carry His word. I am not one of those people. What God has placed on my heart comes from a different perspective.

Does your church offer mission work at the local Rescue Mission? What about a halfway house or drug addiction program? Does your church offer any local mission opportunities for the parishioners or are most of their mission efforts off shored? What role, if any, do you play in these offerings?

Have you seen the images and stories about the homelessness in Los Angeles, San Fransisco, Portland and Seattle? Did you know that New York City and Austin, Tx are rapidly transforming into the next San Fransisco? What about all the daily, weekly, monthly murders in Chicago, Baltimore and Detroit?

Left Behind: Homeless Crisis in San Francisco

When do we, as believers and regular attendees of weekly church service, begin to act like Jesus Christ? When do we begin taking care of our own?

Yes, I could go to the Congo or some other nation and help spread the gospel, but as stated this is for others who’s heart is on fire to carry the word around the world. Maybe you already have, maybe you are planning a trip halfway round the world to help spread the gospel. For me, God has placed on my heart the local mission and caring for our own has become paramount.

We are facing a humanitarian crisis that is completely ignored by the corporate press, independent media and, most importantly, large segments of the Christian community. It feels as if Tucker Carlson is the only person, in corporate media, taking this issue seriously. Maybe I’m wrong, and I pray to God that I am, but tell me where there is a mass effort being made by the Christian community to address any one of the nine cities listed above and the moral decay on display for the world to see. Where is the outcry?

On The Other Hand…

Most people will not be called to travel the world spreading the Gospel. The cost is going to be a deterrent for most people. Let’s say it cost $3,000 for someone to travel to another country to spend 4-5 nights (3-4 days) spreading the gospel, helping with a water system, building this structure or that structure. The $3,000 is just an individuals expense for airfare, accommodations and food, possibly a small portion would be counted as a donation to the project.

Let’s break it down a little further.

It takes another two full days (very conservative estimate), outside the travel and away time, to plan, prepare and unwind from such a trip. It takes, at the very least, an additional $300 over and above the initial cost (a very conservative 10% overage) for vaccines, gas to gather provisions and a wide variety of other real life “stuff”, and time, that is necessary for such an adventure. Clothes, shoes and passport, not to mention medical supplies if one is taking meds as part of their daily routine. Toys or other gifts for the locals. All of these additional items add up pretty quickly and require real, actual time and funding over and above the mission trip itself.

Another view…

I do not wish to take anything away from the awesome work of international missionaries. The goal is to paint a picture that most Christians will be able to participate, spread the Gospel and help rebuild their community in the Light of Christ. If we use half the resources of the example we just spelled out of an international mission trip we are in the $1,200 – $1,500 range and a lot of people will be able to pull that together over the course of a year. Some people can afford the full amount, and then some, of an international mission trip and put their efforts to good use spreading the Gospel.

I actually left the church a number of years ago due to the fact there was much more emphasis on spreading the Gospel off shore rather than right here at home.  My view has not changed in more than 30 years, nor do I see it changing before I leave this world. Don’t misunderstand I believe spreading the Gospel far and wide is a central part of our overall Christian life, for me however, charity begins at home and if one looks around they will see a growing need right in their home. As stated above, drug addiction, the growing tech tyranny and sexual perversion are running rampant throughout this nation.

Is the downtown area where we live as sexy as Nigeria? Are there just as many lives in our hometown that need to find Jesus Christ as there are in another country? How deep an impact would $3,300, 4 days of help multiplied by 6, 7, 10 or more people, what kind of difference could be made at home, right where you stand? Imagine if five churches in every community came together for this type of effort. Imagine if twenty churches came together with HALF the stated resources, time and people and were able to accomplish this 3 times in 2020 in 50 cities around the country? What would happen? What type of revival would America see in Christianity? What if there were an effort as large as the LGBT false-Pride efforts made around the country, but instead of spreading sexual deviance, the Gospel were spread – what would happen?

Just another consideration for those looking to be part of mission work and spreading the Gospel. Taking the Word to distant lands is great, but for me, the Word is spread far and wide when my heart is filled by Jesus Christ and the work performed through this vessel is witnessed as His work. The Light of Christ reaches all lands when a simple task, performed where each of  us stand, is performed in His name.

Have we lost sight of what Jesus Christ taught us in Mark 2 ?

13 Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them.
14 As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, Follow Me. So he arose and followed Him.
15 Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.