Friday, March 5, 2010

Friday Video Post: a social gospel...

What Is The Social Gospel from Bianca Juarez on Vimeo.

It was said with distain, Oh, they teach a social gospel. Confused on what he meant, I prodded for more information.

I could see his concern, but instead of rectifying the situation with peers or correcting certain definitions, he choose the let the chasm between the Church* grow. We verbally wrestled through this conversation and I walked away asking if we stop could splintering the church, bifurcating demoninations, and start operating as a cohesive unit.

Yes, there will be theological bents, liturgical preferences, and message methods, but can we at least agree on one thing: The Gospel.

The good news of the gospel is that we have salvation, redemption, and justification for our sins through a man named Jesus. Not through feeding the homeless, not through visiting orphans, not through partering with the city to make our community a better place. If you've followed the blog or know me personally, my heart bleeds for the poor, needy, hurting, and destitude... but in no way will that take place of the gospel.

We need to know the gospel in order to live out the gospel.

So what are your thoughts? What kind of church to you go to? Are you physically living out the gospel or are you going on Sunday and living your own agenda the rest of the week?

*Church is capitalized here because I'm referencing the entire body of Christ, not one specific church.

21 comments:

christy said...

love the Vlog today....i have never heard of the social gospel but i love the part where u say that churches are teaching and talking but need to remember to live out what they teach and talk about...that touches me because i know that i need to improve in this area...it kind of reminds me of a part in the movie the Book of Eli...he realizes that he was so concerned about his mission that he forgot to live out what he was reading and protecting...

hope you're having an awesome time:)

Anonymous said...

Great vlog!

Bianca said...

@Christy: I NEED to see that movie. And I NEED a date night. I vote for watching the Book of Eli. Thanks!

@Rebecca: Thanks! Enjoy your Friday :)

Elbib said...

Hopefull you are not shacking up with and committing sin with your boyfriend in Mexico? Because that would be very hypocritical of you and negate every word out of your mouth! Are you?

Profiteering churches and church based religion as we know it will be almost gone in 20 years. No one cares about all that mumbo jumbo non-sense that you and the bible spews.

The next generation wants to know about real life. Today's life. As you call it Social Preaching and Social Ministering. No one really cares that some dude got hung on a cross 2000 years ago. I don't care and not many other people do either. Do any of us really want some dumb ass book which we have no idea who wrote it to tell us how to live our lives? Son of God? Who says? Prove it! He was some whore mongering snake oil salesman who probably banged the wrong girl and her daddy strung him up on the nearest tree!

If you want ministering, just watch Joel Ostean on tv. It's free! You don't get some creepy child molesting old dude wearing womens underwear beneath his Priests costume passing around a basket begging for money so he can go buy more porn movies!

I think it is high time we burn the bible and start over. The bible and the type of messaging that you do and churches do are only to control, and have power over the people. You and the church that you are trying to "sell" are only about MONEY!

By the way, haven't posted here in awhile.....Have you gained weight? A few laps around the track wouldn't hurt.

xoxo

Elbib said...

98% of people are "sheep," content to graze and likely to stampede when they're threatened. One percent are "wolves," psychopaths with a propensity for violence who lack empathy. The other 1 percent: "sheepdogs," who have both empathy and a propensity for violence. The sheepdogs are also called warriors. They're not always liked or appreciated by the sheep, but they come to the herd's rescue when wolves threaten.
================

Unfortunately in today's world churches, like the ones you are trying to "sell" = Wolves

The question is, is Bianca one of the Sheep who has been brainwashed or is she a Wolf and dangerous to the sheep?

My opinion...I think you are one of the wolves preying on the sheep!

It's not too late for you. You can be still be saved.

Lydia said...

Right on, girl! It is because we have forgiveness that we can truly love others!

the BLAH BLAH BLAHger said...

Dang it, once again you've nailed it on the head and reminded me to get off my butt! I go to church just about ever Sunday, but am I living what I learned daily??? It's sad to say, but sometimes I just forget to live out the Gospel. Sometimes it's forgetfulness and sometimes it's willfulness. I've got the "SHOW" acronym on my desk, but now I think I need it in my purse, car, and kitchen. Ha!

Anonymous said...

@elbib...why don't u describe, without negativity and insult, exactly what u want or what u believe....because when I read your comment all I can see is an angry person who is bitter, but cannot really get exactly what u stand for...

christy said...

It is such a good movie...and it was for date night for me and my hubby...i love it because it doesn't tip toe around what the book actually is...

Bianca said...

Cool. I'm glad we can discuss this issue. Some people get up in arms about what church should be... how about we just start living out the bible. We can start there...

Elbib said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Elbib said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Bianca said...

The comments have to be moderated. Sorry guys!

Melinda said...

Hey! You know this has been my heart's desire for the last year. I've become involved through stuff at work and personally. I have been volunteering at the DSAOC (dsaoc.org) for 4 years now. I also helped train 13 people who live at the OC Rescue Mission to run the HB 1/2 marathon. At work we volunteer to prepare tax returns for free for low-income families. I say these things to help get ideas out there. We need to think outside the "box." I think the more we can bring the light and love of Jesus Christ to our communities in an impactful way, the more we will see people want to know Jesus. Just volunteering at these different things have opened up conversations.

I'd like to know other ways people set out to serve in their communities. What people group does your heart beat for?

Hope you are having a blast in Mexico con tu papa!

Jenn said...

Elbib,

You're chemically imbalanced and borderline schitzophrenic. I'm a clinical therapist and from your tone and verbiage, you should seek seriously help.

I'm praying for you.

Bianca, keep doing what you're doing. Thanks for the vlog!

connie said...

Love the vlog today, Bianca! This is definitely a delicate balance, and I also agree with Melinda about how much impact combining the two can have. I know that's how it came into and affected my life!

Keep doing what you do! :)

Diandra Ann said...

um... WOW.. Hope you are having fun in Mexico with your DAD... can't wait until you get back.

you're beautiful and wonderful and God is working through you, which is why Satan has to work extra hard to bring you down!

Love you beautiful girl.
xoxo

Anonymous said...

hi bi, I agree with Diandra!! love you!! :)

The Montgomerys said...

So simple! I love it. I think you are great, and your heart is for the Lord...to teach others about his Love! :) Our church is amazing, verse by verse teaching that encourages us to put the Bible into practice in our daily lives! Thanks Bianca ;)

Amanda said...

Uhhh Such a wonderful blog, then to read a couple of the comments makes me sad at first, then angry. I take offense to the claims that Elbib (yeah, bible backwards...we get it...clever). Jesus' life has been documented, and even for those who do not believe that he is Christ, they can concede that he was a good teacher. I happen to believe 100% in him. I take GREAT offense to the claim of his death, uhhh hello...yeah not so much. What evidence do you have to this, it is absurd and in my opinion very uneducated. Look, even historians claim the Bible to be accurate in terms of historical significance. You can look and see countless prophesies that have come true, even in our day and age...and more to come too! Jesus is my Lord and Savior! You can make a point, without being offensive. And another thing, Bianca is amazing, and lovely and comes from an amazing family that loves the Lord and others, and does countless things to help people and to reach out to the in the Lord's name. Bianca I am praying for you and the fiery darts of the enemy!

Harold Staiti said...

Scripture speaks of building community. (Israel and The Church). Our culture speaks of radical individualism. Those of us that are from the social gospel. tradition/movement recognize this social element of community As well as the biblical witness of how the prophetic voice challenged and just power structures.

When the social gospel took off in the late 19th and early 20th century, it was in reaction to a capitalistic Empire of man rather than the professed kingdom of God as sick of Christians in the Rochester area of New York, ministers like Walter Rauschenbush, a local pastor and professor at Colgate Rochester Divinity School, gave critical and prophetic voice to unjust social and working conditions of the day. Exploitation of the poor, marginalized, and dispossessed, is never acceptable, even when it is done by professing capitalist questions. It is not acceptable to have child labor, dangerous work conditions, and profiting from slave labor, and call oneself a profession believer and follower of the teachings of Jesus. All engaged in the social gospel are actively giving prophetic voice to Jesus' message of how to live in American Empire as citizens of God's Empire. That prophetic voice is solely lacking in fundamentalist circles who actively neglect the prophetic Ministry entrusted to us as clergy. If we are people of love we will remember that a just society is what Christian love looks like in public.

The truth is, there's just not much pay in a prophetic voice in this culture

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