For my kids, starvation means not getting a snack between breakfast and lunch or snack #2 between lunch and dinner. Could you imagine the desperation of living in a place where so little food exists that you watch your children become emaciated unto death? I cannot imagine such a reality. I have eaten something every single day of my life. But millions of kids will die this year all around the world because of starvation and the illnesses that it breeds.
My wife and I have been so overwhelmed with guilt and frustration about the issue of world hunger and starvation that it has dominated my mind over the past 48 hours. I am completely confident that feeding the hungry pleases God. I don’t have to pray about it. I don’t have to read it in some fancy New York Times best seller. Hungry people need food (and clean water). We have the means to get it to them. We should do it.
I am seriously considering the idea of The Courageous Church (the church plant that we will be launching here in downtown Atlanta in about 140 days) giving all of its after-cost funds and donations to the cause of world hunger. I hope to flesh this idea out with you in the days and weeks ahead. I know that such a statement is risky, but Francis Chan & the Cornerstone Church community are already giving at least 50% of what they bring in back to important causes around the world. In today’s celebrity church climate, that’s courageous.
- Learn more about what Francis & Cornerstone are doing here.
- See how people in Haiti are eating dirt (that they still have to buy) because of outrageously high food prices.
- Watch Anderson Cooper in this video about the miracle food, PlumpyNut here.
If at the end of my life, the indictment of me was that I took the words of Jesus to feed the hungry too literally, what a legacy?!
Would love some raw feedback.
{ 7 comments }
Love the idea.
Too often the church decides that missions is mostly about overseas, it’s mostly about building churches, it’s mostly about handing out bibles.
I think the main subject of missions should be love. Give them dinner, then give them the gospel. Build them a house, then have church.
…and the greatest of these is love.
Shaun,
My church http://www.rockchurchqc.com has opened up a fair trade coffee shop called Areopagus downtown in our city. We are getting all of our beans from local farmers in Costa Rica and Africa and we are giving 100% of all profits to defeat hunger in those two countries.
It has been a huge endeavor and we are just starting to see some amazing fruit. I didn’t know how we could facilitate growth and change without keeping our profits but God has worked it out!
Giving 100% of after costs funds would make it almost impossible to survive in an economic downturn and would make things difficult to create ministry budgets but hey OUR GOD IS THE GOD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE.
Bottom line is, if God is telling you to do it, Do It and He will make it happen! Even if has never been done before.
Hmmm? That sounds courageous.
Hey
Just met you cuz you followed me on twitter. Have we met in person?
I’m old so i don’t remember things like that.
Meanwhile…i share you passion. To the extent that i created an organization which was the last thing in the world i wanted to do but the first thing God wanted me to do. I think just hearing you that you might be really interested in getting involved. It’s called the 410 Bridge. KInda hard to explain succinctly without sitting down with a Q and A. but …I am gonna kind a note i sent to a pastor last week and let you think about it. If you are interested, give me a call.
Lanny Donoho
Hey Michael!
Thanks for the feedback and for the connection. I love the work you do and could use your help bro!
Take care,
Shaun & Crew
Hey Justin!
Thanks for your comment and encouragement man.
Just read more about what you all are doing! That is freakin’ awesome. I love it. We have a very similar idea on our plate for the future. Please keep us posted on your journey.
Your Friend,
Shaun
Hey Lanny,
Thanks for your comment man. I’m reading about 410 now. This is awesome. Instead of a small drop in a big bucket, 410 is making the buckets smaller and putting a lot of drops in those buckets.
I hope to continue this discussion with you in the weeks ahead.
Take care bro!
Shaun & Crew
Thanks for the post. I just took a two week Advocating for Social Justice class at my seminary. It was like putting your mouth on a water hose and turning that bad boy on full blast. One of the issues the really stood out was the situation in Haiti. I nearly lost it the day we talked about that in class. Thanks for keeping this issue alive. God has impressed upon me to use the legal skills he’s given me to participate in His ministry of reconciliation. I will continue to follow your progress at Courageous Church and pray for you. I ask that you do the same for me and my ministry. It’s good to have a co-laborer out there with a heart for the marginalized. Blessings bro. Keeping doing what you do man.
John