Wasted Evangelism
  • Wasted Blog
  • Wasted Engaged
    • Wasted Evangelism in Action
    • Wasted Evangelism Training
    • Wasted Evangelism Speaking
  • Wasted Evangelism, the Book & more
    • Wasted Evangelism, the Book
    • Lay Commentary on Philippians >
      • Destroying Private Cities Sample Chapter
    • Wasted Evangelism Resources & Links
    • Samples from Wasted Evangelism
  • Learning Wasted Local
    • Wasted Hill Blog
    • CPC in The Hill NewsLetter Updates >
      • Past Newsletter Links
    • FY22 Church Bulletins & Order of Service
    • Hill Sermons & Teaching >
      • Gospel of Luke Sermon Series
      • Mostly Romans & FYs 20-21 Bulletins
      • 2018 Summer: In the Father's House
      • At the Table Series
      • Church and Liturgy
      • Book of Judges
      • Gospel of Matthew Series
      • 1 Peter Series
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
  • New Page

“Non-Ordinarily church”: so what if they only come for the food.

7/13/2022

0 Comments

 
PictureRain (which it is doing) doesn't keep folks away from the breakfast; and they waiting around for the service.
“But do you think they’d come if you didn’t serve a breakfast or hot dogs?”

Probably not, for the most part.


​


Imagine someone walking up to Jesus during the feeding of the five thousand and saying, “They’re only here for the food, you know?”

I can imagine Jesus’s reply: “So?”

I get this and similar questions and statements all the time about our weekly Saturday sidewalk breakfast and church service and the summer Wednesday evening Park BBQs. Usually, from the well fed and safely sheltered, I might add.

And, plus, what’s wrong with doing something that seeks to meet a perceived need, let alone a real life need, and, in this case with us, so also to be able to tell them about their eternal need of forgiveness and that Jesus paid that price for them?

Do not think
“ordinarily church” (regular Sunday-go-to-a-building church) doesn’t do the same thing . . . most of church programs are to meet perceived needs and attract people or to get them to stay . . . children’s programs and activities appeal to parents perceived needs, family functions appeal to family perceived needs, even friendships appeal to perceived needs . . . almost all church activities include the “don’t forget to invite your . . . [friend, neighbor, co-worker, family]” clause to get the unchurched to, well, go to church through these programs and activities. Most VBSs, Christmas events, even Easter activities are designed to “attract” through something that a person or family perceives as important or needed. This is never questioned.

But serve the poor and homeless food and the ordinary-gospel-church folks go crazy.

Nevertheless, also, let’s remember there is direct biblical precedence (inference) in joining gospel & food, church & food, even preaching/teaching & food. Food is an element in Jesus’ ministry whether it is around a table or in a field or on a mount. It is a founding element in the young, newly born church well into the first 150 years of early church history, and still hanging on up to 350 AD until Constantine put the church in a box (i.e., a building) and took it out of the home and away from the actual meal (supper) table.

We build ordinary on what we have always done and on the cultural, social, and structural habits we are accustomed to (e.g., a 5 day work/weekend–week for example or full time Monday-Friday jobs that give us evenings and weekends off—the young and early church knew of no such privileges). Making what we think is “ordinarily” based on our customs and culture—our own location in time, place, and space, we, then, read back into scripture and then affirm our
“ordinarily.” But a non-ordinary people in a non-ordinary place needs non-ordinarily church.

The sidewalk church in no way replaces the Sunday gathering. But it is church in a place and space where people will most likely never go to a building-church in a neighborhood outside (in most cases, way outside) their neighborhoods.

Two things, outside the “So if they come for only the food
” take: 

First, the homeless, the poor neighbors, those experiencing food scarcity (among all the other experiences of basic needs scarcity) can imagine an outside, year round (even in the rain and cold and snow) church being formed. It is hard for the well-buildinged (I made up a word here)—buildinged church, “an ordinarily church” to imagine such a church forming.

Second, while it is still small, average on any given Saturday on the sidewalk is about 10, but some Saturdays upward to 16 to 18 and as many as 20, the weather doesn’t determine the numbers—the attendance—of people who join us for Sidewalk Church. Pouring rain. Zero and single digit cold. Snow, even blizzard. Nor hail. And not even hot and muggy . . . stops folks from coming and joining us. The “ordinarily church” that meets in a building and is mostly accessed by car can’t even imagine such faith.

So . . . so what if they only come for the food . . . the breakfast . . . the hot dogs?


If these posts have been helpful or edifying to you, please consider contributing to our church planting and ministry in the Hill community of New Haven, CT. You may donate online through our website or send a donation to our anchor church marked for CPC in The Hill @ 135 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT 06510 (checks are to be made out to Christ Presbyterian Church or simply CPC; and in the memo please indicate Hill/CA). For more information or to receive our Hill News Updates (see site tab "Learning Wasted Local" above), please contact me, Pastor Chip, through this email address: ChipCPCtheHill@gmail.com.
0 Comments

Joseph's Storehouse Air Conditioner Project

7/26/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Joseph’s Storehouse needs Air Conditioning for its expanded warehouse. 

In America 40% of our food supply goes to waste. Joseph’s Storehouse seeks to remedy this and help our neighbors to alleviate their own food scarcity. Joseph's Storehouse is a non-profit food bank and co-op established in South Florida to supply food pantries and, as well, low-income single parents, individuals and families. The Storehouse has also donated over 37,000 pounds of food (over 18 tons!) in June alone to area food pantries, churches, and soup kitchens that do not have adequate resources or limited funding for their own food supplies. To date in 2015, they have been able to give away 84 tons of good, healthy food. Joseph’s Storehouse is able to support limited hours of operations from a minimum admin fee we collect, as well as, from small donations from our supporters.

Our first space was originally 1,800 sq. ft., out-growing it in about 8 months. The present warehouse where our families, individuals, and feeding programs shop in has, now, doubled to about 3,600 sq. ft. In order to cool the larger facility for both the food and our shoppers, Joseph’s Storehouse requires the purchase and installation of least 2 four-ton condensers and air handlers. We are currently utilizing a used 4 ton condenser that was donated and we bought the matching air handler. Though thankful for this unit, it is insufficient to cool our current space here in South Florida. The cost of the new units is $9,800. Along with some current support on hand, we are seeking the remaining $7,900 to complete the project.  Prayerfully and joyfully please consider giving to support our community efforts.  And, if you are in the area, come see us if you haven't already! (See Joseph's Storehouse Facebook page.)

Consider giving to Joseph's Storehouse air conditioner GoFundMe project

0 Comments

    Author

    Chip M. Anderson, advocate for biblical social action; pastor of an urban church plant in the Hill neighborhood of New Haven, CT; husband, father, author, former Greek & NT professor; and, 19 years involved with social action.

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All
    13th Amendment
    1 Corinthians 11
    1 Corinthians 12
    1 Corinthians 13
    1 Peter
    1 Peter 1
    1 Peter 2
    1 Peter 3
    1 Peter 4
    2 Chronicles
    2 Chronicles 18
    Abundance
    Acts 10
    Acts 2
    Acts 28
    Acts 6
    Acts 7
    Acts 8
    Affluence
    Affluent People
    Ahab
    Alan Hirsch
    Alan Kreider
    Alan Roxburgh
    Alien
    All Lives Matter
    Alongsiders
    Amos 4
    And Economics
    Andrew Davey
    Apologetics
    Application
    Asbury
    Baptism
    Beatitudes
    Beggars
    Bible Application
    Bible Interpretation
    Biblical Apologetics
    Biblical Social Action
    Black Lives Matter
    Black Missionary
    Blasphemy Of The Holy Spirit
    Bob Ekblad
    Book Of Judges
    Book Review
    Bottom-Demographics
    Brad Brisco
    Brenda Salter McNeil
    Brueggemann
    Building Centered Church
    Building-centered Church
    Call To Ministry
    CCDA
    Celebrity
    Charity
    Child Poverty
    Chinese Church
    Chip M Anderson
    Choosing A Church
    Christendom
    Christian And Missionary Alliance
    Christian Community Development Association
    Christian Faith
    Christianity
    Christian Leadership
    Christians And Politics
    Christine Pohl
    Christmas
    Church
    Church And Culture
    Church And State
    Church Crisis
    Church Growth
    Church Habits
    Church Human Capital
    Church In Uncool Places
    Church Leadership
    Church Life
    Church (local)
    #churchmatters
    Church Matters
    Church Planting
    Church Porn
    Church Shopping
    Church's Public Voice
    City On A Hill
    Col 3
    Colossians 3
    Come Unto Me
    Communion
    Conditions Of Poverty
    Confession
    Connecting To Poverty Fridays
    Connect To Poverty Fridays
    Constantine
    Cosmic Restoration
    Cost Of Doing Church Business
    COVID-19
    Craig Greenfield
    Craig Luekens
    Crown College
    Cruciformed Life
    Dangerous Devotions
    Daniel 7
    Danny Meyer
    David Fitch
    Deacon
    Death
    Declaration Of Independence
    Destroying Our Private Cities
    Dietrich Bonhoeffer
    Discipleship
    Domesticating Church Growth
    Dorothy Sayers
    Dualistic Faith
    Early Church
    Easter
    Ecclesiology
    Effects Of Poverty
    Ekklesia
    Elements Of Worship
    E. M. Bounds
    Empire
    Ephesians 2
    Ephesians 3
    Ephesians 4
    Ephesians 5
    Ephesians 6
    Epiphany
    Evangelism
    Evangelistic Social Action
    Exegetical Process
    Exile
    Exodus
    Exurban
    Ezekiel 34
    Ezekiel 47
    Ezekiel Temple
    Faith
    Fasting
    Faulty Interpretation
    Feeding The 5000
    Fighting Poverty
    Filling Of The Spirit
    First American Missionary
    Fishers Of Men
    Flesh And Spirit
    Following Jesus
    Food
    Food Scarcity
    Foot Washing
    For The Least Of These
    Friday's Connecting To Issues Of Poverty
    Fundraising
    Gal 2
    Gal 3
    Galatians 2:20
    Galatians 3
    Game Of Thrones
    Gary Haugen
    Gathered Church
    Gathered-church
    Gender Equality
    Generation Z
    George Liele
    George Whitefield
    G. K. Chesterton
    Global Poor
    God And The Poor
    God's Call
    God's Purpose
    God's Rest
    Good News
    Gordon-Connell Theological Seminary
    Gospel
    Gospel And The Poor
    Gospel Of Mark
    Gospel Of The Kingdom
    Gospels
    Greatest Command
    Habits Of The Heart
    Hauerwas
    Haustafel
    Haystack Prayer Meeting
    Health Of The Church
    Heavenly Places
    Hermeneutics
    Hinterlands
    Holy Kiss
    Homeless
    Homelessness
    Honor
    Horizontalization
    Hospitality
    House Church
    Household
    Household Baptisms
    Household Conversions
    Household-table
    Huffpost Religion
    Hunger
    Ibram X. Kendi
    Idolatry
    Idolatry And Poverty
    Idolatry Of Power
    Incarnational
    In His Midst
    Institute For Faith
    International Justice Mission
    Isaiah 56
    Isaiah 58
    Isaiah 61
    ISIS
    Issues Of Poverty
    Jacques Ellul
    James 5
    James K. A. Smith
    Jehoshaphat
    Jeremiah 7
    Jesus
    Jesus And Pilate
    Jesus Christ Of Nazareth
    Jesus' Table
    John 13
    John 18
    John 19
    John 3:16
    John Chrysostom
    John Wesley
    Jonathan Brooks
    Jonathan Edwards
    Joseph's Storehouse
    Journey Of The Magi
    Jr.
    Judas
    Judge
    Justice
    Justo Gonzalez
    Just Spirituality
    Keeping Covenant
    Kelly Johnson
    King
    Kingdom Ethics
    Kingdom Of God
    Lament
    Last Supper
    Leadership
    Lepers
    Lesslie Newbigin
    Letters From Birmingham Jail
    Leveling
    Life Together
    Light Of The World
    Liminal Space
    Lisa Sharon Harper
    Living Bread Ministries
    Lord's Supper
    Lost Sheep
    Lucy Shaw
    Luke 1
    Luke 14
    Luke 15
    Luke 16
    Luke 18
    Luke 2
    Luke 3
    Luke 4
    Luke 5
    Luke 6
    Luke 7
    Luke 8
    Luke-Acts
    Machiavelli
    Mae Elise Cannon
    Making Room
    Manna
    Man On The Street
    Marginal People
    Mark 1
    Mark 11
    Mark 1:1-3
    Mark 12
    Mark 13
    Mark 3
    Mark 3 Commission
    Mark 4
    Mark 6
    Mark Strom
    Mark T. Mulder
    Marriage
    Martin Luther King
    Martin-luther-king-jr
    Martin-luther-king-jr
    Mary's Song
    Matthew 10
    Matthew 11
    Matthew 12
    Matthew 14
    Matthew 2
    Matthew 21
    Matthew 24
    Matthew 25
    Matthew 3
    Matthew 4
    Matthew 4-11
    Matthew 5
    Matthew 6
    Matthew 8
    Matthew 9
    Means Of Grace
    Merciful
    Messy Crowds
    Micah 6:8
    Michael Card
    Michael W. Goheen
    Millennial
    Missiology
    Missional
    Missional Church
    Missional Ecclesiology
    Missions
    MLK
    Modern Missionary Movement
    Mother Teresa
    Movement Day
    Movements Of The Spirit
    Neighbohoods
    Noel Castellanos
    Non Ordinary Church
    Non-ordinary Church
    Not By The Numbers
    Old Testament Prophet
    Onesimus
    Open Air Preaching
    Oppression
    Orphan
    Outcasts
    Outcomes
    Outreach
    Outside Church
    Outsiders
    Over-abundance
    Parable Of The Sower
    Park BBQ
    Passion Week Wasted Thoughts
    Pastoral Call
    Patience
    Patient Ferment Of The Early Church
    Paul Johnson
    Paul Sparks
    PCA
    Pentecost
    People On The Margins
    Persecution
    Personal
    Personhood
    Peter Greer
    Peter Leithard
    Peter Maurin
    Philemon
    Philippians
    Philippians 2
    Philippians 3
    Philippians 4
    Picture Worth Words Enough
    Politics And Christianity
    Poor
    Poor In Spirit
    Poor Rich Readers
    Poor Vs Non-poor
    Poor Widow
    Poverty
    Poverty Industry
    Poverty Statistics
    Power
    Power (the Powers)
    Prayer
    Preaching
    Presbyterian Church In America
    Privilege
    Prodigal Son
    Prophetic Lament
    Proverbs 31:8-9
    Proverbs 31:8–9
    Public Square
    Public Voice
    Racism
    Randy Nabors
    Reading The Bible
    Reconciliation
    Refugee
    Refugee Services
    Reimagine Church
    Reimaging Church Growth
    Religion And Politics
    Religious Bureaucracies
    Repentance
    Resisting And Rethinking Church
    Rethinking Church
    Revival
    Richard Beck
    Richard John Neuhaus
    Richard Rohr
    Richard Rothstein
    Robert Jaffrey
    Robert Lupton
    Role Of The Local Congregation
    Romans 10
    Romans 12
    Romans 14
    Romans 15
    R T France
    Sabbath
    Sacred Space
    Salt Of The World
    Sanctification
    Satan
    Saturday Sidewalk Church
    Scarcity
    Scattered Church
    Scot McKnight
    Scott Boren
    Sean Benesh
    Second Coming
    Secular
    Seditious Households
    Self-righteousness
    Sermon: No King But Jesus
    Sermon On The Mount
    Sermon On The Plain
    Sexual Sins
    Shake Shack
    Shame
    Shepherds
    Sidewalk Church
    Significance Before Application
    Slavery
    Slaves
    Social Action
    Social Action Outcomes
    Social And Cultural Change
    Social Construction Of Reality
    Social Gospel
    Social Justice
    Social Justice Handbook
    Socio-rhetorical (interpretation)
    Solomon Temple Prayer
    Sons Of God
    Soon-Chan Rah
    Soong Chan Rah
    Soong-Chan Rah
    Søren Kierkegaard
    South Florida
    Spirituality
    Spiritual Journey
    Stangers
    Status Quo
    Strangers
    Suburban
    Suburbanization
    Suburbs
    Subversive-jesus
    Symposium
    Synoptic Gospels
    Syria
    Table Etiquette
    Table Fellowship
    Taking Up One's Cross
    Tax Collectors And Sinners
    Teaching Ministry
    TED Talk
    Temple
    Temple Church
    Temple-church
    Thanksgiving
    The Color Of Law
    The Cross
    The Forgotten Ways
    The Gospel
    The Inner Man
    The Margins
    The New Parish
    The Poor And Their Neighborhood
    The Public Good
    Think Deep About Christmas
    Thomas Merton
    Tiers Of Human Hierarchy
    Toxic Charity
    Tyranny
    Tyrion Lannister
    Unclean
    Uncool Places
    Upward Mobility
    Urban
    Urban Christianity
    Urban Reload
    Urban Youth
    US Constitution
    Views On Marriage
    Violence
    Voting
    Walter Brueggemann
    Wasted Book Reviews
    Wasted Books
    Wasted Church
    Wasted Evangelism
    Wasted Evangelism In Action
    Wasted Evangelism Mind
    Wasted Evangelism Organization
    Wasted Evangelism Quote
    Wasted Exegesis
    Wasted Narrative Exegesis
    Wasted Poem
    Wasted Quote
    Wasted Rough Cut
    Wasted Rough Cuts
    Wasted Sermon
    Wasted Sermon Prep
    Wasted Sermon Thoughts
    Wasted Thought
    Ways Of Doing Church
    Weak And Strong
    Wealthy
    Wealthy Christian
    Welcoming Church
    Welcoming The Stranger
    Widow
    Widows
    Widows In Our Courts
    William Booth
    Woke
    Women
    Word From God
    Work
    Worship
    Young People
    Youth
    Z-Gens

    RSS Feed

Pages

Wasted Blog
Engagement
Books & Resources

More Pages

About
The Book
CZ

Even More Pages

Contact
Learning Local in The Hill
Terms of Use
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Wasted Blog
  • Wasted Engaged
    • Wasted Evangelism in Action
    • Wasted Evangelism Training
    • Wasted Evangelism Speaking
  • Wasted Evangelism, the Book & more
    • Wasted Evangelism, the Book
    • Lay Commentary on Philippians >
      • Destroying Private Cities Sample Chapter
    • Wasted Evangelism Resources & Links
    • Samples from Wasted Evangelism
  • Learning Wasted Local
    • Wasted Hill Blog
    • CPC in The Hill NewsLetter Updates >
      • Past Newsletter Links
    • FY22 Church Bulletins & Order of Service
    • Hill Sermons & Teaching >
      • Gospel of Luke Sermon Series
      • Mostly Romans & FYs 20-21 Bulletins
      • 2018 Summer: In the Father's House
      • At the Table Series
      • Church and Liturgy
      • Book of Judges
      • Gospel of Matthew Series
      • 1 Peter Series
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
  • New Page