# Interfaith Ministry



## larryjf (May 16, 2007)

I hope this is the right forum. Otherwise, please move to the correct place.

There is an interfaith ministry that is being presented to our church that goes something like this...

It's a homeless mercy ministry.
A bus drops homeless folks at the church at 5pm and picks them up the next morning and takes them somewhere where they attend classes or pursue a job. Some members of the church spend the night with them.

Any time i hear "interfaith" my spider sense starts tingling. Any thoughts??


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## toddpedlar (May 16, 2007)

In what sense is it an 'interfaith' ministry? Who else is participating? If the 'ministry' (which word I have a hard time saying along with the word "interfaith") is one which will frown on sharing the Gospel with the people you are ministering to, then I would steer a wide path around it. To what degree would the church be bound to unbelieving faith organizations that are also participating in this venture?


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## larryjf (May 16, 2007)

I don't know many details as they are going to present the idea to our Deacons to present the details.



> If the 'ministry' ... is one which will frown on sharing the Gospel with the people you are ministering to, then I would steer a wide path around it.


That is going to be my first question to the organization. For my part I refuse to have the church involved in any ministry where the Gospel would be absent.



> One can cooperate with other Christians, even if they are different Christians.


It is definitely "interfaith" so we would be dealing with those outside of the Christian pale.


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## Davidius (May 16, 2007)

Aren't Christians allowed to just do nice things for people without feeling like it's necessary to give a Gospel presentation every time? "By the way, I let you borrow that hammer because you need to repent and believe in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, Jim." But I would guess that the difference would be between an individual and actually having the local Church as an organized body doing something. But I don't see why it would be wrong for individuals from different religions to work together as long as the endeavor isn't religious in nature. Muslims, Protestants and Catholics can build houses in a neighborhood.


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## larryjf (May 16, 2007)

David,

Yes, the point is that this would be a church function, not an individual Christian activity.

I am leaning toward thinking that it is o.k. as long as the organization does not seek to bind us to not speaking the Gospel.


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## toddpedlar (May 16, 2007)

CarolinaCalvinist said:


> Aren't Christians allowed to just do nice things for people without feeling like it's necessary to give a Gospel presentation every time? "By the way, I let you borrow that hammer because you need to repent and believe in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, Jim." But I would guess that the difference would be between an individual and actually having the local Church as an organized body doing something. But I don't see why it would be wrong for individuals from different religions to work together as long as the endeavor isn't religious in nature. Muslims, Protestants and Catholics can build houses in a neighborhood.



The main problem I have with it is exactly what some have already touched on (and what you hint at, David). What Larry has asked about regards official church participation in an explicitly interfaith venture. In short, this means the church would be going into it with eyes open, and with an intention to faithfully (as far as their interfaith partners are concerned) undertake the work in common with the unbelieving groups. To do so, "faithfully" generally (I would think, unless this is a VERY odd interfaith exercise) eschew proselytizing for one's own faith while working together. To do so implicitly agrees that all who are participating have a common reason for doing the work - and this is something (In my humble opinion) a church can't be involved in. It is NOT good for a church to give to the poor, build homes, serve the destitute, etc., with only a "humanitarian" foundation as the explanation for what they do. Doing things for "humanitarian" reasons, i.e. merely for the good of man, is insufficient if one claims the mantle of Christ. What we do is Christian service only if we are motivated, implicitly and explicitly, by our Christian duty, and our love toward the true and living God. If that foundation is removed, then (I say) participation in the venture should be nixed. 

(off soapbox)

Todd


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## KMK (May 16, 2007)

toddpedlar said:


> The main problem I have with it is exactly what some have already touched on (and what you hint at, David). What Larry has asked about regards official church participation in an explicitly interfaith venture. In short, this means the church would be going into it with eyes open, and with an intention to faithfully (as far as their interfaith partners are concerned) undertake the work in common with the unbelieving groups. To do so, "faithfully" generally (I would think, unless this is a VERY odd interfaith exercise) eschew proselytizing for one's own faith while working together. To do so implicitly agrees that all who are participating have a common reason for doing the work - and this is something (In my humble opinion) a church can't be involved in. It is NOT good for a church to give to the poor, build homes, serve the destitute, etc., with only a "humanitarian" foundation as the explanation for what they do. Doing things for "humanitarian" reasons, i.e. merely for the good of man, is insufficient if one claims the mantle of Christ. What we do is Christian service only if we are motivated, implicitly and explicitly, by our Christian duty, and our love toward the true and living God. If that foundation is removed, then (I say) participation in the venture should be nixed.
> 
> (off soapbox)
> 
> Todd



 Good soapbox, brother!

The church's primary mission is to go and preach the gospel to every creature and bring the world into subjection to the rule of Christ. 

The Bible teaches that individuals are to be merciful and kind even to their enemies.

The church is different. The church is not to show mercy promiscuously.

Deut 13:6-8



> If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which [is] as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; [Namely], of the gods of the people which [are] round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the [one] end of the earth even unto the [other] end of the earth; Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; *neither shall thine eye pity him*, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:



The church is not to have pity on people who speak against God. How are you going to ensure that if you join hands with others who do not believe or are even actively speaking against God themselves?

Deut 8:3



> And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but *by every [word] that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.*



As Todd stated above when the church shows mercy on people's physical needs but leaves off his spiritual needs, it shows that it does not believe this very verse. Feed a man bread and he will hunger again. What is the point? Feed a man bread *and* feed him the gospel!

Pro 3:12



> For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son [in whom] he delighteth.



If a person has turned their back on the Lord and has come upon dire straights, how can a church know if his situation is not brought on as an act of love from the Father? A church should not have mercy on a person who has turned their back on the Lord because it may get in the way of God's correction. That church may be retarding the repentance process.

2 Thes 3:10



> For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.



Pro 23:21



> For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe [a man] with rags.



If a person refuses to work then the Lord has commanded that he should not eat. The church should not be showing mercy to the slothful, the drunkard or the glutton because they are supposed to be impoverished. 


For these reasons a church cannot wisely show mercy promiscuously. There must be a system whereby the communicants of mercy must meet some kinds of standards. The gospel must be preached in addition to the bread. And the problem with most 'interfaith mercy ministries' is no regard is given to the whole counsel of God.

Let me just clarify that I am interacting with the ideas presented in this thread. We have not been given enough information to judge this particular church. These are just problems I have with the 'normal' interfaith ministry concept.


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## larryjf (May 16, 2007)

KMK said:


> Let me just clarify that I am interacting with the ideas presented in this thread. We have not been given enough information to judge this particular church. These are just problems I have with the 'normal' interfaith ministry concept.



And my church has not made a decision yet as it has not been "officially" proposed to use yet. The counsel that this discussion thread is providing me with is very valuable.

Would there be any problems if there were no limitations place on us in preaching the Gospel?

Though i was leaning towards a positive decision if we were not restricted in the Gospel, now God has reminded me of...

[bible]2 Cor 6:14-16[/bible]


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## KMK (May 16, 2007)

larryjf said:


> And my church has not made a decision yet as it has not been "officially" proposed to use yet. The counsel that this discussion thread is providing me with is very valuable.
> 
> Would there be any problems if there were no limitations place on us in preaching the Gospel?
> 
> ...



Excellent and wise scripture reference! I missed that one. 

To answer your question, in my opinion the opportunity to preach the real gospel of Jesus Christ overrides any objections in regards to the audience. (If I am wrong I welcome correction) That used to be the norm for church based missions. No one gets fed physically until they have been fed spiritually. And this was done with the knowledge that the Word of God is living. It changes people from the inside out. The best way to have mercy on someone is to give them the living Word of God.


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## larryjf (May 24, 2007)

I did a little research into the interfaith organization...

The main organization is called "Family Promise". 

Some online articles relating to it

(from http://eforum.reviewjournal.com/lv/showthread.php?t=6207)...
"Family Promise brings together Catholic, Jewish, LDS, Protestant, Muslim and many other religious groups to cross faith lines and work together for the common good of the community. *These organizations do not promote religion when helping the homeless*, but do promote good citizenship and community partnerships to assist local government with resolving homeless issues for families."

(from http://starbulletin.com/2006/03/18/features/adamski.html)...
One thing the guests will not hear from the staff or the church volunteers is a missionary pitch. "*We never proselytize to our guests*,"...he knew of two churches who were interested early on and thought it would be a Christian program. They pulled out when they found out they could not proselytize and that the goal is to be an interfaith network

(from http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Dec-03-Sat-2005/news/4588444.html)...
Family Promise is not a religious organization and *participating churches do not proselytize* the homeless families they host

(from http://dailychronicle.com/articles/2006/02/10/news/02interfaith.txt)...
Church volunteers will feed the families, but *no one is ever permitted to proselytize*, Edwards said.

Response from the organization itself



> Thanks for asking the question. No, churches and other faith congregations are not allowed to proselytize. They may hold their regular services, but these should be in a space not being utilized by the guest families. Also, they may not coerce a family to attend services. The only thing allowed is for the coordinator to make it clear to families that if they wish to attend services, they are welcome.
> 
> Many homeless families are afraid to receive services from programs connected to a religious organization because they fear proselytization and that they will be forced to attend religious services. Our main goal is to help families become housed and independent and anything that keeps them away from the program is counterproductive. In addition, many guests have their own faith beliefs and attend services elsewhere. They are free to continue that while in the program.



Thoughts?


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