David Matthew Quinn

Geschichte

2012-01-25T20:16:00.000-08:00

The Beginning

I don't know much German, though my family on my dad's mom's side came from Germany. I can count to three in German (with a very bad accent), I like some of their beer, and they make great automobiles. Besides that, I know one other word in German; and I believe it is one of the most beautiful words in the whole world.

Geschichte means History.

It also means more than what Americans think of when we think of history. It is a story of the past. It is something the Americans could have never invented or perfected because we have too little of it to call our own.

The first time I heard the word was in HIST 300: Approaches to History at the University of Southern California. The description of the course was simple, "Approaches to history; intellectual and personal dimensions of the historian’s work. Required of all history majors." It is the second sentence that all students dread, but the thing which I now wish everyone could experience: 'required of all history majors'. We as historians were required to study the history of history. It made all the difference for me.

Herodotus, the "Father of History", was our first guide. Then it was on to Thucydides. Together they laid the foundation for our modern historical method. They called it historia - inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation.

Eventually, we got to the Germans. Nothing was off limits for the German philosopher-historian. He became a philosopher, a scientist, an artist. And I began to gather the tools and learn the field that would set me on a path of discovery, understanding, and insight into major world events, cultures, missionary movements, church denominations, sports, wars, politics, and too many other things to list now.

I'll continue a series of posts telling you some of the great things I've learned from history and why I think everyone needs to understand it. I'll give you some tools to study history, some great authors to read, and some of my thoughts on why history matters now more than ever. I hope you'll stick around.

Revised: What is Good Aid?: Oliberté vs. TOMS

2012-01-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

*Additional News*

After tweeting and writing the below post, we got a Twitter response from @tatewatkins, who wrote the article, letting us know "I wrote the piece, do understand how TOMS operates, and sought comment from them multiple times." It seems he did his due diligence. The negative sense I got from Oliberté was also clarified in a tweet they sent saying, "Just want to take a moment to say we're not "anti" @TOMS - they've gotten shoes to kids in need. We just have a different view and approach."

I think the title of the article and certain quotes made about TOMS made it seem more negative towards TOMS than intended.

I also removed my statement below about the article being "biased and poorly researched". I think I was overreacting and wasn't fair to the author.

An article written in the GOOD Business section sparked some good questions for me and my friends who have spent a lot of years working in relief and development (both non-profit and for-profit).

GOOD's comment section doesn't allow me more than 1000 characters and what I had to say in response to an article that seemed to present a negative view of TOMS from the people who were interviewed wouldn't fit in the space they gave me. So, here's my brief response which I would love to talk about more with anyone who is interested.

I appreciate the effort to make a comparison between these two companies, but I think you are really oversimplifying the issue of poverty and making one company look like it is so much better than the other, when they are really just trying to help people in different ways. Both ways can be good if done well. Either can make mistakes and end up being detrimental to community development. Neither will bring all the help that is necessary to someone living in poverty.

TOMS is providing shoes to children who otherwise would not have the ability to get shoes, because they don't have the money. Oliberte is providing jobs to those who would probably not make as much if they were doing something else. Both can be good for any given community in Africa, or on any other continent for that matter. Both are marketing that their products will help people beyond the consumer.

The quote that "TOMS is a good marketing tool, but not good aid" is misleading. It assumes that giving people jobs is always better. Are we advocating child labor here? What about the hundreds of millions of orphans, the majority of whom are in Africa? Giving an adult a factory job in no way guarantees that those kids are going to get what they need. The jobs are good for the community, but they are only a small part. And generosity is very powerful.

Saundra Schimmelpfennig also doesn't seem to understand the value of a gift given in love. That can often have a far greater impact on someone than a job, but in a different way. You can't begin to say that one has more impact than the other, without showing some good research demonstrating that providing a job to an adult (who may or may not "do good" with their money) is better than providing shoes to children in poverty.

I think both companies are doing some good things and they will both have opportunities to make improvements and make better decisions as they continue to grow.

Alcohol and the Kingdom of God

2012-01-04T10:20:00.000-08:00

Preston Sprinkle, a faculty member at Eternity Bible College (my new workplace), has recently written a series of blog posts on what the Bible says and does not say about drinking alcohol. I have had a lot of conversations about this topic in recent years and believe I have a healthier understanding of how a Christian can and should use alcohol than I ever had growing up. It involves understanding your culture, submitting to your church leadership, loving your brothers and sisters in Christ in every situation, and reading and believing all that the Scripture says about alcohol.

His posts are the best I've seen dealing with this topic and I suggest you read them all in order if you've ever had questions or problems with drinking. The final is by far the best and takes the conversation to a place I've never seen it go by others who either adamantly oppose drinking or those who freely drink more than they should. Both groups tend to impose legalistic rules and judgments on people who indulge or refrain. But if we really listen to what God says to His people about drinking, we will see that it is intricately tied to the hope of new creation, the kingdom of God, and how we are to live in community with others.

Read the following posts and the comments in order over at the Theology for Real Life Blog:

1. Wine (Dec. 27)
2. Beer (Dec. 30)
3. Cabernet Sauvignon (Dec. 31)
4. O'douls (Jan. 3)
5. Belgium Trippel Ale (Jan. 4)

New Pages

2011-12-09T17:30:00.000-08:00

I'm working on adding some new pages to the blog that will contain resources and ideas for Education, Missions, Poverty, History, Orphan Care and more.

Here are some sneak previews of two that are in progress

What do you think? Any other suggestions for additions to these pages or new pages?

Back to School

2011-10-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

As I finished up my B.A. in History at the University of Southern California in 2002, I began filling out applications and seriously praying about going to seminary. One of my best friends and I prayed together consistently and we were considering the same school. We had great plans to further our education, which would prepare us for lives of ministry. We were going to be missionaries. He was going to serve in inner city New York and I was headed to some jungle somewhere. After a lot of prayer we decided that formal education was not the route to take. We didn't want to keep reading. We just wanted to start applying what we already knew. He began working as a janitor at his church and I began working as a warehouseman at a Christian relief and development organization. We were going to learn humility in the school of service. And we did. Since then, both of us got married, we increased our responsibilities serving in our local churches, I traveled to over 20 countries teaching and learning from church leaders and missionaries all over the world all while serving children in need by providing for their most basic physical needs and teaching them about the God who loves them.

For the past 10 years I've thought often about returning to college and pursuing a graduate degree in history or some related field. I love learning and using what I learn to encourage others. But I've never been able to justify going back to school. It seems too much like an easy way out for me. I've known that I can't go back to school until I know exactly why I'm there. I would have to be studying something that could be directly applied to work, or that would really equip me for some new kind of work.

In September, I went back to school. But it wasn't in the way i was expecting. I started a new job serving in an administrative role at Eternity Bible College as the Director of Institutional Assessment. I have the awesome privilege and responsibility of helping gather data and improve our processes of administration, teaching and learning to make sure we are accomplishing our mission and values in everything we do as an institution.

I am back in school in a way I never imagined...and I love it.

Daniel's Diorama: Children's Hunger Fund Back to School Pak

2011-06-23T10:36:00.000-07:00

An Interview with Preston Sprinkle about "Erasing Hell"

2011-06-16T23:09:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has been following the recent debates about the existence and exact definition of hell will want to listen to this interview with Preston Sprinkle who is co-authoring the book Erasing Hell with Francis Chan, soon to be released.

You may watch the Interview with Preston and also pre-order the book at the EBC Faculty blog.

A Heart to Teach at ZOE Children's Homes

2011-06-16T12:01:00.000-07:00

There is a beautiful story on ZOE's blog that you need to read. It's about an unexpected path to God's perfect plan. I am constantly inspired by the diverse group of people that work at ZOE who bring a range of professional skills and hearts to serve children. Check out A Heart to Teach | ZOE Children's Homes

The Business of Giving

2011-06-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

Here is a great visualization of the companies, foundations and individuals who give the most money to charitable causes. It also includes the breakdown of categories that Americans think deserve the most funding.

#E2sday: The Business of Giving | The Future of Work

The Bible is Full of Riddles

2011-06-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

I am studying through the Proverbs on Monday mornings with some of our neighbors in need in Simi Valley before distributing food, clothes and other necessities to them. Reading through the Proverbs is a great way to impart wisdom to people who have experienced poverty from injustices, laziness, lack of understanding, interpersonal conflicts, addictions, and a whole host of other causes. The Proverbs have so much to say about human relationships and, ultimately, our relationship to God and how that affects all other relationships. They also give us great insights through observations of everyday occurrences which are just as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.

We are nearing the end of the Proverbs after almost a year and have come upon some very interesting riddles. In the final few chapters we transition away from Solomon and into hearing from a man named Agur son of Jakeh. I want to post one here to see if you can discern it's meaning.

Three things are too wonderful for me;
four I do not understand:
the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a serpent on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a virgin.
(Proverbs 30:18-19 ESV)

So, what do you think? What is the hidden meaning? What do all these have in common?

Christianity and the Poor

2011-06-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

Preston Sprinkle just started an excellent series about Christianity and the Poor over at EBC's blog.

Check it out at Christianity and the Poor: Part 1 | Eternity Bible College's Theology for Real Life

Civil War Diaries Transcription Project

2011-06-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

I have been reading a lot of great posts recently from AHA Today. Today they posted a story and link to a University of Iowa project, which allows the amateur or common historian like you or me to help transcribe written letters from the Civil War.

I already transcribed one. You should give it a try and be a part of history. It's amazing what you learn while doing it also!

Civil War Diaries Transcription Project - Civil War Diaries and Letters Digital Collection - Iowa Digital Library - The University of Iowa Libraries

Is Twitter a Waste of Time?

2011-06-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

If you've just started using Twitter, been thinking about using Twitter, or considering quitting using Twitter, you should read this article posted by ProBlogger asking the big question, "Is Twitter a Waste of Time?"

Study the Bible with the Experts

2011-06-04T13:50:00.000-07:00

What the H?!!

2011-05-28T15:14:00.000-07:00

The battle has been raging for the past few months over the understanding of hell within the American Evangelical realm. Where is hell? What is hell? Does it exist? If it exists, who goes there? If people go there, how long are they there and what is it like? Some of the young guns in American Evangelical Christianity are shooting it out in the streets, while some of the old guys are shooting from the rooftops and lobbing grenades.

If you’re new to the debate, or if you’ve missed some of the important contributors, here’s a sort of timeline (not necessarily in chronological order) that will catch you up.

Hell: Round 1
Rob Bell started it off with the video promoting his new book, “Love Wins”, published by Harper.

Hell: Round 2
He was followed by numerous detractors including Justin Taylor, Kevin DeYoung, and John Piper in the form of a Tweet (all very good “Reformed” folk by the way).

So, we had the bunch of Quick-Draw-McGraws sounding off as fast as they could, but then we even had the good pleasure of hearing from those who think Satire is the best way of dealing with stuff like this.

Hell: Round 3
Some level-headed Joes began pointing out the inadequacy of responding to a book that had not been read yet. These included Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Scot McKnight and others. At this point, if you've checked any of my links, you will find that almost all of them end up linking to the others and to many more that I'm not listing.

Hell: Round 4
The other’s who had read advanced copies or chapters started to give their input. No links here. Start investigating.

Hell: Round 5
It all hit the mainstream. Time Magazine had the cover story.

Then, everyone who was opposed from the beginning, read the book and started giving the expected critiques.

Some more old hands started chiming in. John MacArthur threw the False Teacher Bomb, as usual.

Hell: Round 6
I was really happy when N.T. Wright weighed in with his “You Silly Americans” routine brought to you by Kurt Willems at The Pangea Blog. People quickly responded to him.

Interlude
As i was tracking all of this, I began asking other kinds of questions. By the way, attempting to track all of this is extremely difficult and is really why i decided to write the whole post. It brings up an entirely different issue, which the InternetMonk talks about in his post on Harold Camping, Plowboys, and the Peril of Jouissance. Though he’s using the recent May 21st Judgment Day Scare as his example I think we can see that we are having the same problem, no matter what issue we’re talking about.

This whole process is fascinating to me. It is totally different than how the church used to have these discussions and it’s all because of changes in the way we communicate with things like social media (i.e., blogging, twitter, facebook. etc.), the instant availability of information, and the fact that everyone who can read a Bible can then say whatever they want about it.

Now, not only are blogs being written in response, but whole books. This can be both great and very confusing!

Hell: Round 6
Mark Galli started working on a response book God Wins: Heaven, Hell, and Why the Good News Is Better than Love Wins. Now Francis Chan along with Preston Sprinkle are submitting their own response in Erasing Hell: What God said about eternity, and the things we made up.

Of course, Francis appeared in a video which people are now responding to, without having read his book yet.

Here’s one response to Francis by Jeff Cook. Here’s a response to Jeff responding to Francis by C Michael Patton. And here’s John Shore responding to Francis and even bringing Preston into the picture, recognizing that if the author is listed as So and So #1 and So and So #2, then most of the book is probably written by So and So #2. That’s true. John tries his best to use logic to explain God and solve the whole problem, but he’s not helping us very much.

My Final Thoughts for Now

I applaud Francis for desiring to get everything out on the table. I always appreciate his heart and I think the book he’s working on with Preston will show more of what Scripture actually says as a whole about hell. All of this is producing a lot of disunity at the moment. I happen to know that unity is a big deal to Francis and Preston, so i’m trusting they will do a great job of bringing people together.

One problem is that there is not really one table where everyone is sitting. There are a bunch of little tables that don’t make room for everyone. And when one person overhears what was said at one of the little tables, they share it with all their friends at their own smaller table and usually get most of it wrong. I believe this is all a result of something Alister McGrath calls Christianity's Dangerous Idea: The Protestant Revolution--A History from the Sixteenth Century to the Twenty-First. Everyone can read and interpret the Bible for themselves. Protestants say we don't like Popes, but we actually just end up assigning a bunch of little ones to our liking. Now, a bunch of our new, young popes are fighting and we don't really know what to do about it.

My next post will contain all the hell related verses I could find that I assume Francis and Preston will talk about along with some of my thoughts about hell.

U.S. Education Spending and Performance vs. The World

2011-05-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

I love infographics and i've been thinking a lot about going back to school. Here's an interesting visual of what U.S. spending on education looks like versus the rest of the world. Spending more money doesn't necessarily mean greater effectiveness.

Source: MAT@USC

Rulers of the World

2011-05-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

First, Pray for All People

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. (1 Timothy 2:1-6 ESV)

Pray for the Rulers

If you've ever wondered who the current Rulers of the World are at any given time, now you can find out at Rulers.org. Not only can you see who has just taken power, you can find out who has lost it. You may have been aware that Dominique Strauss-Khan resigned from his position as Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund on May 18th due to his indiscretions. That that was big news. You may not have known that Oommen Chandy was sworn in as chief minister of Kerala in India that same day.

Also, remember to pray for Ikililou Dhoinine who took the office of president of Comoros on May 26.

This is a great way for you to keep up to date and pray for the worlds leaders, especially on behalf of the poor whom they have a responsibility to watch over. They don't always do a great job of it either. Sometimes the structure of a whole nation prevents the poor from even being recognized. A friend recently passed along this story about India's stingy definition of poverty which is a good illustration of that point.

Recognize the Ruler over All

Lastly, remember that Jesus Christ has all authority in heaven and on earth and oversees all the rulers of the earth. Pray that he will raise up the righteous rulers and cast down the unrighteous rulers.

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-17 ESV)

The Most Well-Read Cities in America

2011-05-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

Amazon says Cambridge, MA is the most well-read city in America. Either that, or they just like to buy lots of books to seem like they read a lot ;)

Here's the rest of the list if you're interested Amazon Media Room:News Release

I'm sad the closest city to me on the list is Berkeley, CA and I'm pondering, once again, moving to Seattle.

HT: Omnivoracious

"Must Read" Books if you want to Serve the Poor

2011-05-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

This is a short list of books you should read and incorporate into any plan you have of serving the poor in your local community or internationally. I will add another list soon that is on my to-read shelf.

When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor. . .and Ourselves [Paperback]

Neither Poverty nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions (New Studies in Biblical Theology)

Ministries of Mercy: The call of the Jericho Road

Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity

Walking With the Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development

Good News About Injustice, Updated 10th Anniversary Edition: A Witness of Courage in a Hurting World

Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life

Jesus is Returning, But Not When You Think

2011-05-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I heard a coworker mention a billboard he saw on the main street near our office. It said that Judgement Day is coming on May 21, 2011. Since then, we've all become a lot more familiar with Harold Camping and the fact that he has already made this claim and been wrong at least once before.

The first time I became aware of someone in history making similar claims is when I began to study cults in college. The founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses, Charles Taze Russell, made similar claims and gave at least three different dates the world was supposed to have ended in the early 1900's.

There are actually two wrong ways we can react and respond to claims like this. The first is to believe them. Jesus of Nazareth is quoted at length in Matthew 24-25 describing the end of the age, his second coming, and what the signs will be when the time is near. What he also makes very clear is that no one knows the day or the hour, including him. That is a powerful statement against anyone who would claim to know the exact time of his return. It places anyone who would make such claims in the position of stating that they know more than Jesus. And that would be utterly ridiculous.

The second wrong way to react, which is also happening a lot these days, is to claim that people have always been making these predictions and they are always wrong; therefore, there is no end coming and Jesus is never returning. The Apostle Peter speaks at length to the church about this wrong interpretation of history by saying,

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
(2 Peter 3:1-10 ESV)

Jesus is returning to make all things right and it will be an awesome day like nothing else that has ever been seen or even imagined. Until then, he has left it to the church accomplish his mission, saying,

And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
(Matthew 24:11-14 ESV)

So, if you are concerned that the end is near, you should be. But don't worry about May 21st. There are so many more people who still need to hear the testimony of the kingdom. Choose today to devote yourself to that work and your time will not be wasted.

Director of the Poor

2011-05-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

The blog written by the American Historical Association tipped me off to a new website that should be exciting for anyone interested in American History. If you love databases, statistics, or just collections of information from our American past, you will love this site!

The site is called A New Nation Votes: American Election Results from 1787-1825

The office that caught my attention immediately and which is most relevant to my blog is the one titled "Director of the Poor". You can Browse Office Elections for "Director of the Poor" Position to see who won their respective elections or just play around on the site to see all kinds of other interesting election results from the United States' past.

Friendly Debate: Church-Based Theology vs. Seminary-Based Theology

2011-05-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

There is a very good debate that just wrapped up over at The Society for the Advancement of Ecclesial Theology for those interested in learning more about the uneasy relationship between the local church and the traditional seminary. For centuries now the seminaries have been the assumed default training ground for pastors. People who are recognized at a young age as having "ministry potential" are encouraged to go get further education in seminary before they are able, or sometimes even allowed, to teach and guide others into being disciples of Christ. This is far removed from Jesus' own process of discipleship in which he gathered followers and trained them amidst the routines of daily life in community.

If you'd like to read the whole debate, you can find each individual position and responses at the following links:

“Theological Education Belongs in the Church” — MacCuish
“The Value of Educational Institutions and ‘Pure Research’ for Ministry Training” – Pennington
“Response to Pennington” – MacCuish
“Response to MacCuish” — Pennington
“Theological Education Debate Wrap-Up and My Own $.02″ — Hiestand

Spencer MacCuish writes from the position defending Church-based theological training. You can read more from his colleagues on other issues over at Eternity Bible College's Theology for Real Life. This is definitely a blog you should add to your feed reader or frequent regularly for some very good discussions.

The Missional Manifesto

2011-04-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

Today I noticed a new document called the Missional Manifesto. It was framed by Tim Keller, Ed Stetzer, Alan Hirsch and others who I have come to really respect for their understanding of the relationship between the gospel and social action. I've read through it once and really appreciate what seems to be a healthy and accurate portrayal of God's purposes and how he carries them out through His Church. This should especially be very helpful to churches and those who are trying to serve the poor as a part of the mission we've received.

I particularly like that they have made affirmative statements about the following issues:

1. Authority

2. Gospel

3. Kingdom

4. Mission

5. Church

6. Christocentric

7. Disciple-making

8. Duality

9. Universality

10. Application

It's rare to find someone, or any group, who is talking about all of these things together.

Have you read it? What are your thoughts?

Fighting Hunger and Serving Kids with...Garlic!

2011-04-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

One of the many things I love about ZOE Children's Homes is that they are working very hard to develop sustainable programs to serve their kids well into the future.

A big way they do this is through farming. This recent video shows how they are also being wise stewards by purchasing large amounts of garlic, a portion of which they will dry and eat (costing much less than buying it already dried). They will also plant a portion of their purchase to grow their own for the future. If they want they will also be able to sell dried garlic later when the price goes up.

Watch this video and then learn more about ZOE if you want to know about a great organization to support!

YouTube - ZOE Childrens Homes_Garlic

Small Hearts

2011-03-04T12:41:00.000-08:00

Friday Night Lights is one of my favorite TV shows ever. For a while it was Lost, but that show ultimately let me down. Friday Night Lights never lets me down. In FNL, Coach Taylor has a mantra that he teaches his players to prepare them for games and for life. “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose”. It’s Brilliant. When you see clearly and your heart is pure and full of what is true and good and right, nothing can defeat you. You will ultimately be victorious, even if it seems like you’ve lost for the moment. It reminds me of so many biblical passages about the importance of eyes and the heart (Proverbs 4:23, Luke 11:34, 2 Peter 1:5-11, and so many more!)

I bring all this up because there are statements I keep coming across and hearing from people that have really pushed me over the edge of being annoyed, and into the deep chasm of frustration. People say things like, “You just need to be gospel-centered” or “caring for the poor is not at the heart of our mission”, or “The primary mission of the church is not to do justice”. What I finally realized about why this is making me so ~~upset~~ angry is that it amounts to people really saying, “My heart, or my church’s heart, is too small to contain all that Jesus commands us to do. We care more about slogans.” They set up a false division between our words and actions. They tell us that some of Jesus commands are priorities while others are unnecessary. They read the book of James; then they walk away and forget what they looked like in the mirror.

Be careful that you do not read into this something I am not saying. I am not saying that the gospel of Jesus Christ is not important. I am also not saying that doing justice and loving mercy is more important than the command to make disciples of all nations. What I am saying is that Scripture and Jesus Christ himself (in Scripture or by His Spirit) never tell us that speaking to people about the good news of Jesus and His kingdom are somehow more important than loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself. He does not allow us the luxury of claiming that words are more important than actions. He does not say that we might run into a situation when we should not feed a starving child because “the gospel is more important”. That is a false and dangerous teaching that has ripped apart the church in the West for the past two hundred years at least!

All this to say, don’t be surprised if you get a funny look from me if you throw a false dichotomy in my face about the gospel and the poor. I probably won’t argue, but if I say anything it will probably sound something like this:

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

(James 2:14-26 ESV)