Integrated Mission?

hat tip Urban Army blog

"Helping people is our business, the natural result of our acceptance of Christian obligation. But to be kind in terms of, for instance, giving money -- whether to alcoholic, vagrant or some other inadequate personality -- is a poor substitute for real caring; taking time to sit down to listen, to become possibly deeply involved in an attempt to find basic causes for the inadequacy and the means of finding lasting solutions. There is, of course, no doubt that material help is often urgently needed -- but to give things as distinct from giving ourselves is to encourage irresponsible living and to make it more difficult for the individual concerned to grow up."
Secular Evangelism by Fred Brown

There is so much good stuff here, but I'll limit myself to that quote for the time being! I could be here typing from this book all day!

How much easier to give a hat or a pair of socks or some noodles than to give ME! Please pray that we would continue to do the former without neglecting the latter!

Evelyn