Compassion Sunday

[jrdnoland]

Is anyone here sponsoring or participation in a Compassion Sunday?

Compassion Sunday 2011 | start small. think big.

 

[jwithnell]

It's not a bad idea in concept, but I would want to check with missionaries to find out how much good actually gets accomplished in the receiving country and see how gospel-oriented they are. We do participated in Operation Christmas Child each year.

 

[TimV]

It took about four clicks to get to the meat, and that's it's another arminian organisation. I can't imagine my denomination taking part in it, although we do have strong missionary efforts in places like Haiti and Africa with a humanitarian dimension.

Welcome to Who is Jesus-Really?

 

[jrdnoland]

Tim - could you give me the "click trail" you are referring to?

My wife and I have been Compassion sponsors for four years. I know that in a lot of the countries there is a strong catholic influence, but also that that is the only "religious" influence available in many of the countries.

We sponsor a girl in Honduras and have found that Compassion is one of the better organizations to help under privileged children because more of the donated monies reach the children than in most of the other comparable organizations.

Should we not try to help because they are catholic or arminian? Do you know of any better organizations that help in similar ways? If I could find one and the little girl we sponsor could be transferred to a better agency then I would certainly try to do that.

 

[TimV]

Jeff, I gave a link in my post. It's your business naturally to whom you give, but for me, it's a no brainer since Reformed people are doing the same thing as those arminians and doing it more effectively, at least according to my world view.

 

[Curt]

I s Compassion Sunday a scriptural holy day? Aren't we supposed to be compassionate every day?

 

[jrdnoland]

Jeff, I gave a link in my post. It's your business naturally to whom you give, but for me, it's a no brainer since Reformed people are doing the same thing as those arminians and doing it more effectively, at least according to my world view.

Tim - I see what you are talking about.

If you know of a reformed org working in Honduras then I would appreciate knowing about it.

Thanks!

 

[TimV]

Jeff, scroll half way down and here's one:
Mission to the World (PCA)
My experience is that both the OPC and PCA people in charge of missions are really good at answering emails. I'm sure it's true of other Reformed denominations as well.

---------- Post added at 03:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:54 PM ----------

PS look at the bottom of this page for the About Jesus link.
Christian Child Sponsorship - Compassion - The Compassion Mission Statement

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[Jack K]

It's good to give and to help the poor. If an organization like Compassion gets a comfortable American to give who otherwise wouldn't, that's good. I think it's best to work through one's denominational agency or direct connections one's church has established. But often this search for the "just right" agency ends up being a lot of work and the thought of giving at all fades away, so that it never happens.

My personal tendency is to reject an organization like Compassion, for any number of good reasons, but then fail to follow through on the idea of finding a better option. Given my problem in this regard, I hate to be too critical of people and churches that do make use of an organization like Compassion.

 

[jrdnoland]

Thanks Tim and Jack - My wife and I became sponsors with Compassion years before we became reformed.

Now, I'm faced with a dilemma - do we abandon the little girl we've been sponsoring because the organization doesn't believe as we do? Even the org that Tim linked to doesn't do what Compassion does; If I could simply swap out the agencies I would!

 

[Poimen]

If you know of a reformed org working in Honduras then I would appreciate knowing about it. Thanks!

URC missionary Rev. Ernie Langendoen labours in Honduras: http://immanuelurc.com/ebox/?p=4

 

[TimV]

Now, I'm faced with a dilemma - do we abandon the little girl we've been sponsoring because the organization doesn't believe as we do?

A wise man swears to his own hurt and does not change. If there's an obligation of any kind I sure wouldn't drop her.

But really, another benefit of dealing with people you are connected with and who are accountable to you and your church is that the percentage of money that you have been giving to that little girl that actually gets to her can be really, really small.

 

[Jack K]

Now, I'm faced with a dilemma - do we abandon the little girl we've been sponsoring because the organization doesn't believe as we do? Even the org that Tim linked to doesn't do what Compassion does; If I could simply swap out the agencies I would!

Will the particular girl you "sponsor" actually be left without if you stop giving? Or does Compassion mostly merge funds to help an entire community of children (which is way more efficient) and then assign individual kids to sponsors merely as a way of keeping things personal with their donors?

I don't know the answer to that question. A total cynic would say the you-sponsor-this-child thing is only a marketing trick to keep you giving forever. But I suspect Compassion has more integrity than that, and there are at least some ways in which your giving directly helps that particular girl. How much? Well, I also want to assume Compassion is honest enough that if you ask the right people about this, they'll tell you plainly what dropping out would and wouldn't mean to her.

Once you get that info you can better decide what to do.

In any case, it could hardly be a bad thing if you decide to keep up your support, despite some bad theology on their end, simply out of a concern for a less wealthy girl in some faraway land. Your instinct to not abandon her is a godly one.

 

[jrdnoland]

If you know of a reformed org working in Honduras then I would appreciate knowing about it. Thanks!

URC missionary Rev. Ernie Langendoen labours in Honduras: http://immanuelurc.com/ebox/?p=4

Thank you Daniel - I will investigate this lead!

---------- Post added at 04:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:37 AM ----------

Now, I'm faced with a dilemma - do we abandon the little girl we've been sponsoring because the organization doesn't believe as we do? Even the org that Tim linked to doesn't do what Compassion does; If I could simply swap out the agencies I would!

Will the particular girl you "sponsor" actually be left without if you stop giving? Or does Compassion mostly merge funds to help an entire community of children (which is way more efficient) and then assign individual kids to sponsors merely as a way of keeping things personal with their donors?

I don't know the answer to that question. A total cynic would say the you-sponsor-this-child thing is only a marketing trick to keep you giving forever. But I suspect Compassion has more integrity than that, and there are at least some ways in which your giving directly helps that particular girl. How much? Well, I also want to assume Compassion is honest enough that if you ask the right people about this, they'll tell you plainly what dropping out would and wouldn't mean to her.

Once you get that info you can better decide what to do.

In any case, it could hardly be a bad thing if you decide to keep up your support, despite some bad theology on their end, simply out of a concern for a less wealthy girl in some faraway land. Your instinct to not abandon her is a godly one.

Thank you Jack - you raise some good questions, of which I don't know the answers. I will see what I can do to find some answers.