I've been asking myself this same question but with very different words over the past few weeks:
"If no Christians support a ministry, is it a ministry?"
Maybe I need to clarify the question:
If only 10 to 20 percent of the material and financial donations for a ministry come from people who identify themselves as strong, Bible-believing, church-going Christians, is that ministry only a ministry to the same percentage?
Here's why I ask…
Only 10 to 20 percent of the material and financial donations for this Relational Ministry that God has placed upon my heart have come from people who identify themselves as strong, Bible-believing, church-going Christians. Is this ministry only a ministry to that same percentage?
Well, let's look at the evidence…
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When I travel to Emerald City and its surrounding bridge communities, I deliver water and bananas, clothes and conversation in a friendly way. I encourage these men and women to share their story with me without casting judgment. I offer hope through these conversations and handouts[1] such as these above and to the left and right. I provide blankets, Band-Aids, ibuprofen, individual triple antibiotic ointments packets,[2] books, occasional lunches or dinners and more. I have visited two Emerald City residents in jail, written to a judge on behalf of one, sat with family members in court, identified a near-death medical situation, assisted two homeless addicted people AS THEY saved four overdosing people with Narcan. I have taken a few to detox and rehab. Several have gone to Urban Hope Church with me for Sunday Worship and Family Group. I have adopted a cat from one who needed to find a home for it so she could focus on getting life put back together.[3] I have hugged and wiped tears from the cheeks of ladies who 'date' as they have returned from or as they depart for those dates. When any of these men or women ask why I do this, I say "I do this because I love you in the Name of Jesus just the way you are." I pray with those who are open to it and respect the preferences of those who are not. I communicate with family members to the degree that the person on the street wants me to do so. I fill my car's tank with gas to do all of this.
Isn't this what we are supposed to be doing as Christians? Mathew 25:31-46 says this:
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”[4]
I have presented these thoughts not to bring any glory to me. As I explain to people who have not visited Emerald City and its surrounding bridge communities when they thank me for doing this… "This is NOT me. Under my own will, I would not do what I'm doing. And yet, there I am, loving every moment of this ministry, never feeling threatened or endangered and always feeling blessed beyond words to share in the lives of humans who don't want to be nor do what they do on these streets in the City of Brotherly Love."
Good Christian People and Churches Thereof, I need your support to keep this going "In the Name of Jesus" at a much higher percentage than what I'm currently receiving. Scripture gives you permission, as shown above, permission that should be all you need to provide the items I've mentioned and/or the funds for their purchase.
While I completely respect the organizational process of churches deciding who to support and how, the needs are tremendous TODAY. Please contact me to learn how you can help me serve these men and women who are very often residents of our own nearby communities.
Thank you.
Chris Battin
[1] With their own paper and printing expenses
[2] that I found on Amazon
[3] Sadly, this woman died of pneumonia two weeks later.
[4] New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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