Research shows that every church has their pet project with the bulk of them being feeding schemes and soup kitchens for the poor.
One of the churches adopted an orphanage and does weekly collections for certain items that the orphanage would need for that week, such as packets of soup, bars of soap or sugar. Congregation members would bring this weekly along with their empty bread packets, which are used to package sandwiches for the soup kitchen. They also do Christmas parties and things for the poor, which really is their ministry.
Another church in a poor area in Johannesburg is a people's church. People are their passion and their focus is on prosperity as well us breaking the clutches prostitution, drugs, violence, abuse and poverty have on the area. This church is a church of prayer and I know that with prayer anything is possible.
A bone of contention many people have with their churches is that the only thing the church ever wants is “money!” One church recently opened up their finances to the congregation and it was found that out of a 400-member congregation, only 84 people tithe and offer and the church is running at a loss. Obviously the church then has to pay their running expenses first before they can feed the poor, which means that their mission is not met, uplifting of the area. We then go back to basics, fervent prayer. I feel that I must do everything in my power and God will do the rest, hence prayer alone is not enough!
These are the same churches that won't get involved in education and uplifting programs where the poor are taught "how to fish". Surely true uplifting is taking someone from a feeding scheme to a place where they are educated and able to tithe and offer? That would surely benefit both the individual and the church alike.
Instead of fobbing off an opportunity before they've even listened to the information, they should assess each opportunity on its merits and then go pray about it. Doing anything less than that is playing God over the lives of others and I don't think God would be too pleased with that attitude.
