Indeed, Todd thanks for screwing up myday.  It is the single most detrimental issue I have found in planting 2 different churches.

Fishon, were all ears…

Good start, Peter.
fishon

Leonard,
I don’t have the answers. That is why I said, ‘He told us what is wrong, so now give us answers.’

There are too many folks running around tell us what is wrong in the world and wrong with us, but they have no real, workable, solutions.

A temporary answer is: Give um bread. The real fix is, “Give um bread and then give um the means to make their own bread. I know how to do it; I just don’t know how to make it work in a world so corrupted by Satan.
Fishon

Randy,
Here’s my problem. Chris states that is was a FEW years ago that the problems he talks about started to dawn on him. He goes on to make much of the problem the BILLIONS that are spend on luxuries at the expense of the poor.

If he was jusn NOW becoming aware of the problem I would not be critical. However, his own words tell us this is an ongoing thing with him.

Instead of making a cute video, spending more than a few buck at a pro baseball game talking about the opulence of the haves at the expense of the have-not tell me how you change the atmosphere of luxury spending.

Pete had good suggestions, but they are but a drop in the bucket. They are not going to do a thing for the mass of poor in Rio or Mexico City.

In the end, the plight of the poor of the world is not about we who live in luxury not giving enough--it is about the oppressors of those poor nations that hold the key to a decent way of living. And yes, even some of the policies of our own govenment contribute to the poor lifestyle of people in other counties.

I am a cynic when I hear beautiful talk and no answers. We hear enough of it from our politicians--and I won’t even go there.

We can continue to send youth groups down to Mexico and have them fix up a hut and share use Sunday School material. And maybe even fix a town water system, and that is good, and God will bless, but to take care of the mass of poor in Mexico--well, I am afraid Peter’s good ideas won’t solve the big picture.

O well, I have ranted enough.
fishon

Fishon this is just a small portion of the presentation by Chris.  I fully support you right to rant, I am just wondering what hit your hot button. 

Somewhere the cup of water in the name of Jesus has got to mean something.  We all get the corrupt government stuff but that is not my out for over spending.  I thought the point of Chris’ video was simply to strike a nerve in hearts.  It sounds like it worked.

By the way, there are organizations that do direct work in countries to fix wells, feed people, relieve disaster… The problem we face is that we buy a 4 dollar mocha and convince ourselves we cannot afford to help rather than to alter our lifestyle, live on less and figure out a way to give away money to ministries that have bypassed governmental structures in order to help. 

I have suggested people give up each week, 2 coffee’s, 2 lunches out, 2 sodas and one movie rental and in doing so they would save approximately 20-25 a week.  Add that up and multiply it by 52.  Get 100 people to join you and you have a lot of money.  I had 2 responses at my suggestion.

Anger.  How dare you mess with my lifestyle, my coffee, my food, my entertainment…
Denial.  Many people simply refused to believe they spend that much and would not consider cutting back. 

For those anti-tithing folks out there this is not about tithing, it is about the fact that the average believer in Christ gives less than 3%.  Forget the 10th we still give less than 3%.  It is not about big buildings churches have, it is not about overpaid pastors, we as a whole are just stingy.  Oops that my rant.

“we as a whole are just stingy.”

I totally agree Leonard. Recently, I’ve been hit square in the face that while we (our family) have given up things like movie rentals, almost 2 years ago now.... there are still many other things that we hold onto… like the cup of coffee I had in my hand yesterday when I said, “convicting”..... The mug cost around $8.00 when I bought it at Starbucks. My thinking when I bought it… “Oh, I like how this mug fits in my hand. I don’t have but three or four coffee mugs that are my own.” OUCH! How many mugs of coffee can I drink at one time again? This morning, I am drinking out of one that only cost a buck. That’s a $7.00 difference and hmmm… funny enough? The coffee tastes just the same.

I think those of us in positions of leadership… whether it be in the home or wherever.... need to take real inventory of what we are modeling. We say we care about this or that and yet our actions do speak otherwise.... I personally cannot end world hunger… But I can make changes and help those that are in need in whatever ways possible.

I do think, however, we need to remember that sometimes the needs are right in our own communities. For example like the Healthy Kids Program our church was a part of this summer. 6,800 students registered in public school. Over 3,000 qualify for free or reduced rate meals during the school year. We took a bite out of that by providing free meals. I was told over and over again.... “This is the only meal I will have today.” The first couple of times the boys and I took lunches to various spots.... we went out to eat afterwards. OUCH! Smack. We stopped doing that… Oh, but the summer has come and gone....

It’s easy play the blame game. I would encourage each of us to not go there.... But to make changes in our own lives and in that of others.... What good does it do to blame if nothing positive comes from it?

Oh… funny thing about makeup… When I first started wearing makeup (years ago) - it was a really expensive brand. The Lord spoke to me about that.... We must teach the women and girls that real beauty comes from the inside out. as only possible thru Christ… and therefore, the need for expensive makeup does not exist.

Okay.... That’s my .02

As a kid who grew up with a dad who made the World Vision Movies of the 60’s, I more personally saw starvation and heard about it from an early age.

As he toured churches, showing the films and then Dr. Larry Ward spoke, I was the little kid in the front row, or backstage playing with the Korean Orphan Choir kids.

So, I heard the same message over and over again.  Dr. Ward would always wear black to speak and he would start off explaining why… because he was grieving for the poor in this world and he would say “this poor man cried”.  etc.

He would always end with “How do we REALLY have an impact that will make a difference?  One person at a time.”

We can get bogged down with how can I really do something when there are so many?

But I think we should be asking “How can I do nothing, when I have the means to help even just one?”

Jan

Interesting Video, At the end really some interesting comment on malaria at the end of clip.  Thanks todd for sharing this.