Quotes for today
I am constantly searching for ways to do good
in this world. One of the best ways I know of to
do this is to bring social issues which I feel are
important to the attention of everyone, and
perhaps especially to the attention of my
Christian brothers and sisters, many of whom I
feel have neglected some of these issues. In my
search for information with which to make my
points, I recently came across a couple of
interesting quotes. The first is from Tony
Campolo, an ordained Baptist minister, Professor
Emeritus of Sociology at Eastern University, and
well-known Christian author:
"I have three things I'd like to say today.
First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000
kids died of starvation or diseases related to
malnutrition. Second, most of you don't give a
shit. What's worse is that you're more upset with
the fact that I said shit than the fact that
30,000 kids died last night." - Tony Campolo
He's right, isn't he? Some of you are more
upset that he said "shit" than with the fact that
30,000 kids died last night. Think about that.
It brings tears to my eyes. For those of you
reading this who are pastors, watch out if you see
me in your church some day; I just might stand up
and repeat Mr. Campolo's words.
I have noticed that a lot of pastors
generally don't preach on today's important
issues. Some of them think if they do it may be
perceived as political, and they don't wish to
make political statements in their churches. I
would argue that while some of the issues may also
be political, or the solutions may involve
politics, they are first moral issues, and
therefore they are Christian issues, and
appropriate material for sermons. With that
thought in mind, I bring you this quote from
Martin Luther, who probably doesn't require any
introduction to most of you:
"If you preach the Gospel in all aspects with the
exception of the issues which deal specifically
with your time you are not preaching the Gospel at
all." - Martin Luther
If you don't speak on those issues, you are
not preaching the Gospel. That's the words I've
been looking for, and Martin Luther said it so
well. If we don't speak out about all the people
in this world who live in absolute poverty, if we
don't speak out about all the people who don't
have enough to eat, if we don't speak out about
the people who will be adversely affected, or will
even die, because we live lifestyles that change
the global climate with our carbon emissions, if
we don't speak out about the people who we torture
and kill in our wars, we are not preaching the
Gospel.
I'll leave you with a "bonus" quote, from
another "Martin Luther", the Reverend Doctor
Martin Luther King, Jr.:
"The church must be reminded that it is not the
master or the servant of the state, but rather the
conscience of the state. It must be the guide and
the critic of the state, and never its tool. If
the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal,
it will become an irrelevant social club without
moral or spiritual authority." - Martin Luther
King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963.
in this world. One of the best ways I know of to
do this is to bring social issues which I feel are
important to the attention of everyone, and
perhaps especially to the attention of my
Christian brothers and sisters, many of whom I
feel have neglected some of these issues. In my
search for information with which to make my
points, I recently came across a couple of
interesting quotes. The first is from Tony
Campolo, an ordained Baptist minister, Professor
Emeritus of Sociology at Eastern University, and
well-known Christian author:
"I have three things I'd like to say today.
First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000
kids died of starvation or diseases related to
malnutrition. Second, most of you don't give a
shit. What's worse is that you're more upset with
the fact that I said shit than the fact that
30,000 kids died last night." - Tony Campolo
He's right, isn't he? Some of you are more
upset that he said "shit" than with the fact that
30,000 kids died last night. Think about that.
It brings tears to my eyes. For those of you
reading this who are pastors, watch out if you see
me in your church some day; I just might stand up
and repeat Mr. Campolo's words.
I have noticed that a lot of pastors
generally don't preach on today's important
issues. Some of them think if they do it may be
perceived as political, and they don't wish to
make political statements in their churches. I
would argue that while some of the issues may also
be political, or the solutions may involve
politics, they are first moral issues, and
therefore they are Christian issues, and
appropriate material for sermons. With that
thought in mind, I bring you this quote from
Martin Luther, who probably doesn't require any
introduction to most of you:
"If you preach the Gospel in all aspects with the
exception of the issues which deal specifically
with your time you are not preaching the Gospel at
all." - Martin Luther
If you don't speak on those issues, you are
not preaching the Gospel. That's the words I've
been looking for, and Martin Luther said it so
well. If we don't speak out about all the people
in this world who live in absolute poverty, if we
don't speak out about all the people who don't
have enough to eat, if we don't speak out about
the people who will be adversely affected, or will
even die, because we live lifestyles that change
the global climate with our carbon emissions, if
we don't speak out about the people who we torture
and kill in our wars, we are not preaching the
Gospel.
I'll leave you with a "bonus" quote, from
another "Martin Luther", the Reverend Doctor
Martin Luther King, Jr.:
"The church must be reminded that it is not the
master or the servant of the state, but rather the
conscience of the state. It must be the guide and
the critic of the state, and never its tool. If
the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal,
it will become an irrelevant social club without
moral or spiritual authority." - Martin Luther
King, Jr., Strength to Love, 1963.
posted by Jim Allyn at 3/25/2006 01:24:00 PM
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