When I created HopeATL immediately after the Atlanta Flood hit, I really had the mess and madness of Hurricane Katrina on my mind. I remembered how bungled and insensitive so much of the care was and decided that I would create an anti-red-tape organization that cut past all of the bureaucracy and BS to bring real help and HOPE to hurting people.
I thought about how long it took for help to arrive in New Orleans. I thought about FEMA trailers. I thought about the Louisiana Superdome debacle. I thought about (fill in the blank with your horrible Hurricane Katrina memory) and decided we would be nimble, efficient, caring, and rely almost exclusively on social networking for our cause.
It’s working!
We’re providing goods and services and help and HOPE directly to thousands of flood victims and we are empowering thousands of people JUST LIKE YOU to step up and make a real difference in our city. Sadly though, with every day that passes, the bureaucracy gets deeper, the red tape gets brighter, and the fine print gets smaller. We kind of expected it with FEMA & even some with Red Cross, but the red tape and territorialism doesn’t stop there…
We have experienced so insane Christian Bureaucracy par excellence! I share these stories not to put people or organizations on blast, but to shed light on a way of thinking that is new enough with this flood to change! These are real stories and facts.
- On the first Saturday after the flood, we estimated that over half of our workers were non-Christians.
- Many practiced no religion at all and others came from other faith traditions and backgrounds including Jewish & Muslim volunteers.
We were VERY PROUD of the fact that we had a large tent and all types of people came together and we decided to combine our efforts with some other groups that were doing great stuff. In the happiness of it all, on September 26th, I wrote this tweet
“This terrible flood is bringing all types of people together that normally don’t even talk to each other.”
That’s kind of true, but not quite like I thought. Here are some tragic examples of what volunteers with HopeATL have had to experience.
- We took cases and cases of water to a Red Cross shelter early in the flood, but they would not accept the sealed cases because we were not from a preferred provider. We were shocked. The people in the shelter wanted the water.
- A skilled contractor and full-time firefighter (with tools) spent 8 whole hours of his day off being attempting to volunteer, but was denied access multiple times. Once by FEMA for not being licensed with them. He then attempted to join a large group of Jehova’s Witnesses, but they actually told him that it was for them only, and finally he was denied access by a large Christian organization providing flood relief. He was devastated. He now does not have a day off for many more days.
- Now partnering with several of the largest churches around metro Atlanta, Samaritan’s Purse is doing AMAZING WORK! A pastor that I admire said he had “never worked with a better managed operation.” But get this…in order to work with them, you have to say that you believe in Jesus. Yes. Really. To knock down walls and remove moldy carpet you have to believe that Jesus is Lord and much more. Here’s the form that they told me they would require all of our volunteers to complete. Starts out normal, but scroll all the way down and watch the Christian Bureaucracy unfold. Here’s just one small quote that you MUST sign,
“In cooperation with the project setting, I seek to provide excellence in service and to present Jesus Christ as Lord.”
I really wanted to work with this group and, as a relative newcomer in the disaster relief business, needed their support. I even announced that we would be partnering with them, but after I saw this, I was crushed.
I cannot, in good conscience, ask our volunteers to sign that crap! Why do I call it crap? I actually believe most of the statement myself, but my Jewish and Muslim and curious and skeptical friends don’t.
Something wrong about it just reminds me too much of colored and white water fountains or colored entrances and white entrances in the Jim Crow South. My friend Adam that attempted to serve on Sunday with no luck basically said that he felt like Forrest Gump looking for a seat on bus, but they were all taken.
Furthermore, Jesus did not (and could not) require people to already love him when he first asked them to follow him! That is sequentially impossible. Jesus asked strangers to follow him. In following him they watched him serve and became servants. After serving, they loved him.
The logic of requiring volunteers to sign something saying they love Jesus baffles me.
Am I off base here? Of course I know people always want me to be quiet and leave good enough alone, but I love Samaritan’s Purse too much not to challenge them to dig deeper. What are your thoughts? Of course any group can do whatever they want however they want to do it, but this just seems bass ackwards!
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YOU ARE NOT OFF BASE; YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. This is one reason why the church is no longer being asked, "WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?" Imagine if Jesus cut off all the non-believers without even meeting them? Where would we be? Some of these organizations that require "meaningless" declarations go around the world and deal with tyranical and evil governments, and have no problems making deals with them. HYPOCRISY! This is why so many refuse to enter any sanctuary and why so many Christians have quit going to church. IT STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN! When Christians are acting more like Judas than Jesus we have a serious problem.
Many who say, "Lord, Lord" will find that they have "preached" to many, but will be disqualified. I am reminded of this 1 Corinthians 9: 21. To those who are outside the law, like one outside the law—not being outside God's law, but under the law of Christ—to win those outside the law. 22. To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some. 23. Now I do all this because of the gospel, that I may become a partner in its benefits. 24. Do you not know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25. Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. 26. Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly, or box like one who beats the air. 27. Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
Its like the Pharisees preferring that Christ didn't heal folks on the sabbath. What the feezy? If people need help why are we placing regulations on when it comes and where it comes from?
While I may not agree, I can not fault the Red Cross or FEMA for enforcing standards. Is it hard to imagine someone bringing a lawsuit for "bad water" or "unlicensed work." And while I also may not operate the same way, I cannot fault Samaratin's Purse for their stand. They are a Christian organization, not a multi-faith organization, and they believe their mission is to share Jesus with people. They are surely doing great work in this situation, even though they may be going about it in a different way.
Let's honor them for the help they are providing, even if it's different from the way we would do things.
Thanks for your perspective Michael. Regarding Red Cross – maybe lawsuits really have scared them into this way of thinking. I didn't think about it like that.
As I said in my post, I agree that SP is doing great work. I admire the work they do. It was just pretty shocking to have them turn down our non-Christian volunteers man. Shocking and hurtful for them.
With that said, I guess I understand a little better now that they are not a disaster relief organization that also tells people about Jesus but they are an organization that tells people about Jesus that also does disaster relief.
Is that accurate man?
Shaun, I'm sitting in my timeshare in the Bahamas, just waiting to get home so I can do something to help with your efforts to help flood victims. In reading this post I am shocked but unfortunately not surprised.
When people need water, is it important which vendor will quench their thirst – NO!
If I'm on the cusp of being homeless if I don't get my moldy carpet and walls removed, do I care if it is a Christian, Muslim, Jew or Atheist who tears them down – NO!
Jesus commanded us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and give shelter to those who need it (Matthew 25: 35-46). He never said FOR BELIEVERS ONLY.
This is just another reason why some people believe that Church Sucks! Even over here in the Bahamas, the cab driver who took me to my timeshare told me he has only been a Christian for 2 years but he's had it with the church.
It's not about us people, it's about those who are hurting, devastated and in need.
Thanks for all that you are trying to do. Hope I can help when I get back.
Jesus was and is just so radical! I love Him! He never had to ask anyone to "declare" Him anything because HE KNEW THEIR HEARTS and THEIR THOUGHTS! He fed and dined and fellowshipped with everyone even when He knew they were having DOUBTS about Him or were plotting to kill Him. Oh, how I love Jesus. He is about to cover this earth for His Glory and all our forms and paperwork and "religious" affiliations mumbo jumbo will be like sand in a strong wind. Anyone can say "Jesus is Lord" and not mean it (many Christians say it and their hearts are far from Him), but when Jesus COMES TO THE UNBELIEVER He brings salvation to Him and his household. In Jesus Name! His Name is The Word of God!
shaun,
i think you're right. that's probably a fair assessment of SP.
ml
I don't see Samaritan's Purse's stipulation as red tape. Note their mission statement (from their website):
I'm not surprised that they expect people who join with them "with the purpose of sharing God's love through His Son, Jesus Christ" to believe in Jesus. Are you?
Now, of course, the matter of whether or not this should be their purpose or not is debatable. Obviously you disagree with their purpose, but you certainly can't fault them for making their volunteer forms line up with their express purpose as an organization.
Just my two cents.
Shaun, I understand the point you are making here. And I agree that way too often, we set up "us vs. them" barriers. But just looking at this from another perspective, many of the relief organizations have training standards that have to be documented for their ongoing work.
I think the Red Cross's turning you down because you're not a preferred provider is inexcusable; there's no training standard that needs to be met there. Water is water. And I'm not sure on what basis the Jehovah's Witnesses turned the firefighter down (you said he was turned down because their efforts were "only for them"); if it's specifically because he's not a Jehovah's Witness, that's disappointing.
But, having worked with the SBC's relief efforts before, I know their food service volunteers have to go through at least 8 hours of on-hands training before they're allowed to go with a relief team to a disaster. Their mud-out and chainsaw crews have very similar training requirements, too. And most of those who serve with the SBC Disaster Relief have to have vaccinations on file, especially those serving on mud-out teams. I'm sure other relief agencies have similar standards. In the heat of the battle, the team leaders don't have an opportunity to check on what requirements have or have not been met, so they stick with what they know.
I'm not making an excuse for the walls we build around ourselves. I'm just trying to shed light on why an official disaster relief agency might turn someone unknown to them away.
Hey Jeffrey!
Thanks for your thoughts man. I actually love Samaritan's Purse and I like what they stand for.
The difference between me and you is that you didn't see the dejection and hurt from people that were turned away by them. They were crushed. Something is wrong about this. I am sure of it.
Hey Greggory!
Thanks for joining this discussion. This is not about training my friend. Not a bit.
We saw 16 year old new Christians accepted as volunteers because they checked the box for Christians and saw firefighters & contractors that refused to check it be told it was required.
I fully understand what you are saying. Our people would have gladly done training, but they were turned down because they don't "know Jesus."
well, the logic of requiring volunteers to be christian makes perfect sense to me, in light of one more quote from the form: "I am willing to… seek to win people of faith in Jesus Christ." So their real goal isn't serving at all, its evangelizing. Sure they could allow non-christians to volunteer and then try to convert them, but the real targets are disaster victims! Take an all-Christian staff of workers/proselytizers to a captive audience who've just experienced a life altering trauma, and winning souls is like shooting fish in a barrel!
I will say one thing about red tape… its absurd, but can be necessary (not stuff about what religion you have to be, but legal requirements for who can volunteer what kind of credentials you have to have). All it takes is one accident to create a lawsuit that can destroy a small organization. I'm reminded of working as a caterer, we used to give massive amounts of leftovers to a local shelter, then got sued when someone got sick. After that, our massive amounts of leftovers went into the trash every night. bureaucracy can suck, but agency's need to protect themselves.
It's a culture problem. In America we live in a culture of entitlement, "it's not my fault," "it's somebodies fault," "I'm gonna get mine" philosophy. So, every organization has learned the hard way that in order to keep from being bogged down in courtroom battles and losing serious amounts of money fighting frivolous lawsuits made by those looking for "their ticket" out of whatever situation they find themselves they have to carefully select who operates underneath their umbrella.
As far as the Samaritan's Purse issue is concerned I think Michael has the right answer.
Shaun,
I had a discussion similar to this with my Pastor. We were thinking of ways we could serve the greater Orlando-area. Eventually, the conversation led to guidelines of serving.
It was a new conversation for me and I too was taken aback by the apparent 'red tape' that existed not only in secular organizations, but religious ones as well.
However, in regards to SP, I think you said it best on this board already –
"With that said, I guess I understand a little better now that they are not a disaster relief organization that also tells people about Jesus but they are an organization that tells people about Jesus that also does disaster relief."
If they truly are the latter (and I believe they are), it's their responsibility to maintain the integrity of their organization. They want their workers to preach the gospel while tearing down walls/cleaning streets/feeding those in need. If you're anything but a redeemed person, you can only do the second part, and that isn't enough.
I'll put myself in your Muslim friend's shoes – I'm a Christian in Orlando and I want to help with some hurricane relief. I hear about this great organization and I really want to get plugged in. Their mission statement is the extol the greatness of Allah while helping those in need. I go anyway, because maybe I can just help with feeding some people. But they turn me down, because I'm not willing to tell of Allah's greatness to those I'm feeding. They said 'Our main thing isn't feeding people, we NEED to be telling people about Allah and feeding people is something we do while we evangelize'.
I would walk away from this situation feeling this = What a bummer that I couldn't help, but that organization has a specific mission that it REALLY wants to accomplish, and I couldn't help in the way they needed – but I RESPECT that. I respect their desire to maintain organizational integrity. The people they pick to serve are accomplishing what they've set out to accomplish it, not just get half the job done.
I think people get bent at Christian Organizations because that's what they are – Christian. There's an ease in our culture to be more highly critical of them – and it's absolutely unnecessary.
This is fun stuff to think through – whoever thought disaster relief could carry with it so much politics?
rp
Hey Ryan!
Great thoughts man. Thanks for engaging in this discussion. It’s complicated for sure. I put a ? at the end of this blog title for a reason.
I took a few kids from our youth group last Saturday. We were unable to volunteer with Samaritans Purse because some of the kids were under 16, the age requirement (for insurance purposes I am sure…Habitat for Humanity has similar requirements). I knew we could not volunteer with the Red Cross because I had already checked their web site and you do have to go through some training. But we were not deterred. We simply went to the Baptist Church in the area and asked how we could help. They started us out taking bottled water from neighborhood to neighborhood. As we went, we simply asked each person we gave water to if they needed help. It took us maybe 30 minutes to find someone who needed help cleaning out their house. So I dropped the kids there while I took back the empty water coolers and we spent the rest of the day helping that one family. We knew that the big organizations had constraints that wouldn't allow everyone to volunteer. But we were not discouraged…we were determined. It was a wonderfully God honoring day for all of us. We were able to show the love of Jesus, which is where our desire to help came from in the first place.
By the way, before we left the house we were cleaning, Samaritan's Purse people came in and evaluated the house. They were to come out yesterday and tear out all the sheet rock and do all the rest of the clean out for that family. They evaluated all the damage and were bringing in another dumpster. Their mission is based on their belief in Jesus. I tried to think of an analogy that made it easier for me to think about. I thought about this: What if my Christian church were going on a mission trip to …say…..Romania. The people we were going to see knew we were Christians, yet they did not know how real Christians behave and talk. We were the witness of all of Christaindom, so to speak. If we were to take an unbeliever with us who used language, behavior, and attitudes that were unbecoming of a Christian, our witness would be tarnished because he would be identified with us as a Christian.
I think that each time Samaritan's Purse goes out , it is like a mission field for them.
For the Red Cross…definitely red tape and insurance risks.
I like Michael's point of view but….
There's a difference between the normal work of an organization and the emergency work that needs to be done in a disaster.
It seems to me that by telling people in an emergency like this that you won't let them help you because they're not saved does more harm to the gospel than good.
When the report comes out afterward saying "We helped X number of people but there were so many we couldn't help, in fact there were lives we couldn't save because we simply didn't have the manpower" then stories like yours will start coming out and will discredit the message that SP are trying to share.
My heart bleeds for the Firefighter you mentioned. I can't even imagine being fit, able bodied, with tools in a disaster area and being unable to help anyone because the aid organizations wouldn't accept my help.
If that firefighter turns his back on God permanently because of what the Church has done then we have no-one but ourselves to blame!
All I know is that if my house was on fire and I was trapped I would not care who rescued me….
Sounds pretty legalistic to me, good thing Jesus wasn't legalistic about who he asked to follow him. Pretty sure fishermen and tax collectors would not meet the requirements.
Shaun you are leading the charge and I really appreciate the amount of work you have done and are doing to bring aid and show the love of Jesus to hurting people in the ATL. Keep up the good work.
We are called to love people-John 13:34; not judge people-Matt 7:2
Many Christians find themselves REACTING to emergencies without being ready! It's an old story. The average church does not have an outreach program. I tried to get the leaders of a church I attended for years to get training for the people who wanted to be volunteers, get them qualified under government standards for food service, medical service, etc. They refused to do it. There is specific training for food service, national disasters, criminal clearance (jails, juvenile facilities, abandoned children facilities, community safety, assisting the disabled and elderly, etc. I found the repeated refusal to train their members sad. Many people wanted to be "standby" and "active" volunteers, but the church ignored the training. So, when an emergency happens, people are turned away because they have not "qualified" in food service, child safety, etc.
I've worked with homeless shelters and other non-profit organizations for years, and churches are the most reluctant to get involved BEFORE a situation is URGENT! Sad, considering all that the Bible says about READINESS as part of the Christian life.
I really think you should respect the vision that SP has, I mean you prayed about the vision for the work God has given you and we respect you and trust that your following God's will. As far as dissing the evangeism efforts, I certainly came to know Jesus through a crisis that brought e to my knees. I'm glad the gospel was presented, it is the truth and the greatest tragedy/crisis is a soul going to Hell..
Shaun you are not far from the truth . . . It's interesting to me that 'corporate'-minded-folk commenting here are going for the fine print and there's nothing wrong with that IN BUSINESS . . . people like yourself are speaking to the heart condition -spirit to spirit (let's not be in the business of crashing the human spirit – it is so delicate)- spiritual matters that affect relationship between God and the individual should be the most important thing for any 'christian organization' to pursue and encourage. A potential relationship may have been ruined for a very lonely, lost, depressed volunteer because of this requirement.
SP's mission statement states "with the purpose of sharing God's love through His Son, Jesus Christ" – how can you share God's love if you require it in the first place???????? who said that that 'special' volunteer doesn't need to be ministered to by your service, your attitude and genuine love for them . . . "if I am lifted up, I will draw all men to myself" is what Jesus said – they are lifting him up but not to all the men . . . hmmmm
Thanks Shaun for being so brutally honest, we need that in the church.
Through your crisis someone loved on you anyway right? At least enough to present to you the gospel and it's truth . . . what if you had to sign something first that required you to be on board for God first. Shaun is just telling the truth many of us know as one of the reasons people are 'tired' of church for. Yes SP rocks and they are winning souls to Christ and as christians we can be happy about that- but when we see a potential crack in the vessel can we say something about it?
Shaun that's ridiculous
Thanks for your perspective Rochelle. I have a great deal of respect for the SP Vision. I guess I just hated to see our volunteers crushed more than I love the SP vision.
Does that make sense?
I agree with RG's post……… we have a culture problem…. so many Americans want to "get theirs" that its clogged up the whole system of what this country was built on.
We are no longer "One nation under God" We are a bunch of individuals who want to get whats owed to them, simply because someone else has more that means they must be entitled!
What crap……
People need to get over themselves…… will that happen, not likely.
This discussion is getting me fired up……
Thanks,
Jeff
Thats what its all about Terri! Great job! There is plenty to do without these organizations!
I don't think Shauns intentions and heart are ridiculous, he loves his friends who are not Christians (What Jesus would do) and wants them to be accepted by the group he identifies himself with…….. "Christians"…… In this case it back fired on him…….strike 4,567,788 against Christians…… Frustrating! "You will never have influence over anything, or anyone you reject" – Jeff Jackson
What would you do?
I am a Red Cross volunteer, and there are several reasons we don't accept random donations–
There is usually not enough of one thing for everyone, which can lead to fights and charges of favoritism.
As others have pointed out, people will sue us if we give out something that was tainted–and then there would be no resources left after a lawsuit.
All volunteers have to pass a criminal background check–after Katrina, we don't take chances.
And no, we are not a Christian organization.
If you want to know how the Red Cross–or any other organizatin operates–go see. Don't just assume.