A Gospel Bigger than the Streets of Calcutta...?

Recently I heard a sermon in which a statement was made that really bothered me. Normally in sermons, I simply give the minister the benefit of the doubt because I have been in their shoes and understand how sometimes the words we say can come across to some people in ways we never intended (which is why context is SO important to me). But after "hearing him out," discussing the comment in community, and reflecting further on the implications of such a statement, I have decided that there is legitimacy in my frustration. The comment stated was, "Some people have forgotten, recently, that we have a gospel that is bigger than the streets of Calcutta."

It's important that I establish up front my intentions for this blog. I do not intend to "sling mud" at the preacher (hence - I am not naming him nor where I heard the sermon), because I believe in the proverbial wisdom that when we "sling mud" at others (esp. fellow brothers and sisters in Christ) all that is accomplished is that we all get dirty and we lose a lot of ground. Therefore, it is important for me to communicate that my intention in this blog is to present and discuss an issue that is resting below the surface for Christians that has the potential for explosive misunderstandings. I hope this entry presents an opportunity for clarity and not further disparity on "The Relationship of the Church and the Poor."

There is a movement surging in the emerging generations that is renewing the call for the church to minister to the bodies of hurting people and not just their souls. This movement, being spearheaded by the likes of Shane Claiborne, Jonathon Wilson-Hartgrove, and others, is challenging the church to take seriously the consistent focus throughout the Bible to "care for the orphans and widows." This call, however, is not being welcomed with open arms, much to my chagrin, as is evident by the counter-call to this movement, "Some people have forgotten, recently, that we have a gospel that is bigger than the streets of Calcutta."

The first point of clarification I would like to resound is this: Do not react to this new call as if it were merely a re-emergence of the "social gospel." Ignorance seems to pervade the conversations about this new movement in that people opposing it are opposing a position that is not being purported. While it is true to say that some people become so consumed with helping people's physical needs that they neglect their spiritual one's (i.e., the social gospel, the salvation army, red cross, etc.), the current movement progressing through "The Simple Way," "Rutba House," and others like it are not arguing for the same mistake. Let me state this as clearly as I can: This movement is not one that is disregarding the soul by ministering to the body nor are they satisfied with disregarding the body and only ministering to the soul. Instead, they are committed to seeing the person as a whole person and ministering wholly to them.

While the social gospel castrated the message of Christ by ignoring the soul, so too does the teaching that reduces people down to only that which they cannot see and touch. Christ never made such an odd distinction when presenting himself to people and neither should we. As a matter of fact, the word sodzo in Greek means "I save, deliver or rescue." This word or concept, however, is not confined to either one's body or soul like many of our evangelistic efforts may be, but it actually describes the salvation of both body and salvation. In Matthew 1:21, this word is used to describe Jesus' saving power to rescue us from our sins (see also Matt. 19:25; Mk. 10:26; Lk. 8:12; 18:26), but this same word is used to describe the woman with the flow of blood's desire to be healed from her physical ailment in Matthew 9:18-22 to which Jesus replied, "Take heart daughter, your faith has healed you." (see also Matt. 27:42, Mk. 5:23, Lk. 8:36) This same word, then, is used to describe salvation of the soul (an already/not yet emphasis) and salvation of the body (an already/not yet implication). Similarly, our evangelistic efforts should be focused on rescuing the bodies of people along with their souls, because in my experience separating one from another is both theologically and ontologically impossible.

In other words, it is true to say that we do not have a social gospel but we must remember that our gospel demands us to be social. While the good news of Christ is that our soul is secure in his loving hands when we submit to him as our Lord and Savior, for some it is hard to hear this truth over the growls of their stomachs, the screams of their disease ridden bodies, and the cries of their hearts to be freed from the bondage of oppression and injustice. It is these sounds that filled the streets of the cities in Christ's ministry and home town, and it is these sounds that fill the streets of Calcutta. So while the gospel may be bigger than the streets of Calcutta to some, the beckoning sounds of these same streets would probably make Christ feel the most at home.

[For an atheist's call for Christians to spread the gospel in Africa by means of physically serving the needs of the continent please read Matthew Parris' article, As an Atheist, I Truly Believe Africa Needs God.]