Here comes another storm!

In light of the fact that tomorrow is the three year “anniversary” of Hurricane Katrina, and in light of the fact that those of us in the New Orleans area are staring the possibility of another major storm in the face, and because we began the week talking about the place of the Church in our society and personal lives, I thought it would be smart to focus a bit more on our need for the Church, especially amidst the storms of life.

That being so, I offer the following portion of Soul Storm (www.soulstormsite.com) which focuses on the healing power of the Church in our lives when we are facing the winds of life.  As you read, please, pray for those of us who are in the New Orleans area and are having to make plans for yet another evacuation.  Remember, also, those (many) who are still healing from Katrina even as this new threat appears.

Grace and Peace in the storm.  Enjoy the read.

The Church: levee and shelter from the storm

National Public Radio’s coverage of Hurricane Katrina and the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans included a feature on EMS workers and their reports of the massive increase in suicide rates and psychological trauma. The emergency workers interviewed told of suicide rates in New Orleans doubling in the months following the storm. Though the population of the city has diminished by at least one third and perhaps by as much as fifty percent, the number of suicides and attempted suicides continues to rise. Distress call levels each day now match what would have been weekly totals prior to the storm.

One of the disturbing accounts given during the NPR interview was that of an elderly woman who had been left behind by her family when they evacuated. Intoxicated, depressed, and without hope, this woman went to her kitchen, turned on the gas at the stove, and then sat down in a chair to die. EMS workers told NPR that these kinds of things are happening everyday throughout the city. The darker reality is that even these heroic emergency workers are not immune from the soul-wrenching pain brought by Katrina. Many of them have lost their own homes and yet have to spend long hours helping those around, leaving little time to deal with their own issues. One EMS worker, Paul, told of his battle with depression. Paul shared his grief with listeners telling of his struggle with the overwhelming sadness that blankets his soul. Daily, he sits alone and weeps. Paul went on to share that his mind is so overcome by the emotional stress that he often forgets where he is and why he has ventured to a certain part of town while running errands and tending to his own business.

Where are people to find hope when everything around them is in shambles? Is there any protection from the soul tsunami that threatens to bring more destruction as each day passes? Where does one turn to find help for the challenge of removing the debris inside, which clutters the heart and overwhelms the emotions? The good news is that God has given us a protection system, and He has provided shelter from the storms of life. That shelter and protection is to be found in the Church. By this I do not mean, simply, the four walls of a building. Rather, the Church is the community of faith devoted to God and living daily life out of a passionate and authentic attempt to honor Him and striving to do life His way.

Shelter in the Early Church: Acts 2

Acts 2 offers us an amazing view of what it is like to know, love, and serve God in community. The image offered is one that provides a source of healing and protection for people like Paul and anyone else who has been confronted with life’s cruel realities. The Church, as revealed in the book of Acts, is a testimony to what God can do in the world when people are willing to take Him at His word and live life according to His plan. It is a picture of selflessness, provision, friendship, and support. Those early believers, who had just endured the disaster of seeing their leader crucified, had come to know the hope and new life offered through the Resurrection, and found the promise of a better life. The life of the Church in the book of Acts demonstrates how a relationship with God, lived out in community with others, can lead to a journey that promotes emotional, psychological, and spiritual health. It is a testimony to the Church’s call and ability to be an influence for properly functioning communities. Let’s take a look at the inspiring picture of the Church in community in Acts 2:42-47:

“And they devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

I don’t know that I can ever read that passage without being moved toward great aspiration and a hunger for that kind of community. Each time I read that text, something happens in me. For me, that is one of the special “moments” captured in scripture that causes the hairs to stand up and gets the goose bumps popping. Don’t we all hunger for that kind of existence? That is what life was meant to be about.

The passage tells us that as the Church goes about its business, the result is awe. I don’t know about you, but I have seen too much in the Church that is far from awe-inspiring; awful is a more apt description. But we have the promise that the Church can function appropriately, and the result will be that those looking in on our activity will be drawn to it. The life of the Church, the unselfishness demonstrated by the early church, gave hope and inspiration to every soul within reach. Those living life around us need to see the life-transforming power of the Church in order to find shelter from the storm and protection from the coming flood waters. The Church is to be a levee for the world. We are called to keep at bay those forces that seek to bring havoc to our communities and to our world.

They had everything in common! This is a big one. One of the major stumbling blocks for non-believers coming to the Church for help is the fact that they see far too much lack of commonality among church-goers. It remains true today that the most segregated hour in American society is the Sunday morning church hour. It ought not be. If we are to ever see a society in which the issues surrounding race are overcome, it must begin with the Church. Government, politics, and all the other initiatives out there have no hope in addressing this one. This can only be pulled off as God brings reconciliation through the Church. All the battles over reparations will never bring a resolution. Reconciliation is the answer. Black, white, Jew, Gentile, and every other stripe will find peace only through the common denominator of knowing, loving and serving God.

In the weeks and months following the devastation on the Gulf Coast, the Church has come alive. Thousands of church volunteers from across the country and the world have rushed into the area to bring food, supplies, and encouragement. While FEMA and our government found the task too huge to handle, it was the Church that showed up quickly, without delay, and provided much-needed help for those in desperate situations. Church workers from far and wide came to build, hand out food, give money, provide medical care, and offer comfort. The surroundings did not matter to them as they ministered. For days, weeks, and months, they came and slept on the floors of churches, in tents, in campers, and on cots. The help continues to pour in as day after day the Church extends its provisions to any who have need. The world needs the Church. The Church, the Bride of Christ, is the hope of the world. As the Church fulfills the role God intended for her, she finds favor, people respond, and communities are transformed. This is God’s process for changing our world. As the people of God walk with authenticity and live life from a compassionate perspective, God adds daily to the ranks of those finding meaning, significance, hope and purpose.

This entry was posted on 28. August 2008 at 12:17 and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.