Meeting the Needs of our Community
So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?…” Mark 10:51 NKJV
While we were studying last week’s Sabbath School lesson in class, a friend told an interesting and disturbing story. She said several years ago her stepfather was in the hospital. A “sunshine band” from her local Adventist church came into his room and told him they would sing for him. He told them he was glad to visit but did not wish to be sung to. The sunshine band simply would not take no for an answer. They knew this man needed to be sung to regardless of what he thought or said. So they proceeded to sing around his bed, so sure this would cheer him up. He got so frustrated he tried to get up from bed and leave! Joyful members of the sunshine band pinned him down as the others joyfully sang, convincing themselves this was just what the patient needed, despite his vocal and physical protests.
This did absolutely nothing to endear this man to the church or to God, but the sunshine band members walked out of his hospital room patting themselves on the back for faithfully completing their mission.
It was after my friend’s testimony in class that we read Mark 10:46-52. After the passage was read, another friend said, “Notice Jesus asked the man what he wanted Jesus to do for him.” After our friend’s story about her stepfather this observation was huge. We talked about how often a church will choose a “cookie cutter” form of evangelism for their community instead of finding out exactly what their own community wants or actually needs.
We may want to do a Revelation Seminar, but what if the community needs a divorce recovery workshop instead? I know Revelation is important. You don’t have to tell me. I have been teaching and preaching Revelation for years. But when we have a Revelation seminar which no one comes to, can we really say we did our best and its the community’s fault no one showed up? After all, no one got on the ark with Noah and his family, right? All we can do is preach and if no one comes to hear that’s their fault, right?
Well, did we even ask the community what they wanted, like Jesus asked the man in Mark 10:46-52 what he wanted? If we do a survey in the community and the majority ask for a divorce recovery workshop, and no one asks for a Revelation seminar, it makes more sense to do the divorce recovery workshop, because people will actually show up, and after all, the Bible not only teaches us about last day events. The Bible also teaches us that “we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” Titus 2:12 NKJV
While prophecy is important, people also need to learn how to live like Jesus in everyday life. There is more to righteous and godly living than just knowing about last-day events. We need to be interested in the community’s day-to-day lives and needs.
Then again, maybe your community is asking for Revelation seminars. The point is, Jesus did not tell the man in Mark 10:46-52 what he needed. He asked him what he wanted. As my Sabbath School class discussed last week, we need to follow Jesus’ example of asking people what they want instead of being like the “sunshine band,” that pinned a man down in his bed making him take what they thought he needed.
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It's amazing to me that any "Sunshine Band", especially an Adventist one, would deliberately disobey his wishes. Very unChrist-like. No where do I see Jesus putting people in a headlock until they listen to and accept the Gospel. He valued people's rights, even the right to say no.
Our local church contacted our town's Village Hall to let them know that we were willing to do community service for seniors that needed help. We received a list of several people that needed help with various house and yard work projects. My wife and I were given the contact number of an elderly gentleman in his upper 80's. We visited him to determine his need, informing him that the Village Hall gave us his contact number regarding needing help with yard work. We told him who we were and where we were from. His first question was, "how much is this going to cost?". When we told him no charge at all, he was quite moved and impressed. He asked us to call him "Uncle Dave". Myself and a several others did a fair amount of work in his yard, trimming trees, removing brush, raking leaves, etc.. He just couldn't get over that we would do so much work for free for a total stranger. He said that he already had a church but wanted to know where our church was located, because he wanted to visit and personally thank the Congregation. He ended up coming several times in fact. He not only appreciated the help, he really appreciated the company as he lived alone.
This is the kind of "Sunshine Band" that will bring relief to many a lonely soul. We need to ask people like Jesus did, "what do you want me to do for you?" Then listen, and as far as possible, meet the need expressed. This is what I call "shoe leather" evangelism. Heaven is counting on us to preach the Gospel, and use words if necessary.