Effective movements that intend to make a difference tend to peter out unless the activists sense a spiritual component and allow their faith to sustain them during the rough road ahead.

Roger puts his finger on something I’ve long believed (ever since coming into contact with the life and practices of the people of The Church of the Saviour in Washington DC )  That is: a church that is on mission sustains that mission (or those missions)  by drawing on the body through which God has chosen to work (the church).  The “Journey Outward” is both conceived (envisioned) and sustained by the inward journey.  We are a people constantly on a dialogical “Journey Inward, Journey Outward” (that’s the title of one of the books relating the  history of the Church of the Saviour).

The Church of the Saviour also takes money very seriously.  They constantly watch and monitor the power of money to ensnare,  and also the weight of the responsiblity of those who have more to utilize  it with all their strength in service to the mission of the church.  In fact,  one of their ministries is called “The Ministry of Money”,  and provides resources and workshops and publications widely utilized in churches across the country.

This quote from Roger’s sermon here mentions how how so many who are calliing for less government are saying the churches should be serving the safety net needs.  But,  as Roger points out,  many of those same people do not give to such efforts.  They might even eschew  churches carrying out such ministries due to their being a “social justice church”,  which people on the right have taken to describing as BAD, LIBERAL ideas.  Fits right in with those who feel that the poor have no business getting any of “my money”.

group of people who want to cut taxes and cut governmental social programs, and who merely say that they want the churches to take care of things. I’m talkin’ about the folks who don’t want to pay taxes and who don’t want to give to their churches either!

Again,  the OWS movement has brought many of  these questions back into the conversation , in our churches and in our larger society where “democracy” is being discussed.  The failings of much of our “capitalism” and “free market”  (that “invisible hand”)  is also heard amongst the buzz.  There are Christians who seem offended when capitalism is questioned,  as if it were God being questioned.  No,  God has questions.  God has always had questions that are always being put to the various faith leaders and prophets in faith history.  OWS has opened up a true public square where church people can engage in #occupytheology.

via Food for the Fight: A Sermon for the “Occupiers” « Faith Forward.