Our Little Conspiracy
This photo sickens me. I imagine my mom, my wife, my daughters having to drink this kind of water in this kind of way. This photo sickens me. Does it sicken you?
In light of this photo, this is also what sickens me:
- Americans spend an average of $450 billion on Christmas.
- To solve the world’s clean water problem would require only $10 billion dollars.
- 1.1 billion do not have clean water to drink.
- The lack of clean water is the leading cause of death in under resourced countries.
- 1.8 million people die every year from water born illnesses. That includes 3,900 children a day.
Jonathan, Dave, myself, our families: Christine, Linda, Jennifer, Amber, Carter, McKenna, Luke, David, Katie, Caleb, Ashlyn, Scout, and a good friend, Geri, have all decided that we are going to begin a tradition of transforming advent and Christmas to help turn back this type of economic injustice. We are choosing to spend next to nothing for Christmas, to sell stuff we don’t need, and invite others to participate in order to use that money to bring water to those who do not have it. We are choosing to have a simple Christmas so others can simply live.
This year our goal is one water well ($750-1,200). Next year we will begin in January looking at ways to cut back year-round so we can help more.
To me this is what Jesus would do during Christmas. Why do we give a bunch of stuff to people we really really like who don’t need a single thing? I think Jesus would want it to be different. I think Jesus is different. This is how we are deciding to follow Jesus during Christmas.
What does follow Jesus during this Christmas season looks like for you?
Here are some things we invite you towards:
- Watch: the video by Advent Conspiracy to get informed:
- Look: Consider what you would normally spend for Christmas as a family? Where can you cut back?
- Dream: What would it mean to spend less and give more of yourself in relationship? What would it look like to participate in something that will truly change someone’s life?
- Conspire: What can your family do to escape the treadmill that asks us to spend, spend, spend? Where can you give sacrificially to those in real need this Christmas? What would getting less and giving more do for your own experience of Christmas?
- Give: Participate with us by helping us purchase as many wells as possible through Samaritan’s Purse.
- Invite: Ask as many people as you want to participate with us. Spread the idea so other’s can join in.
- Celebrate: Invite your friends to feast together on or near Christmas, celebrating what it means to love each other in relationship.
Download our Advent Conspiracy PDF to read more and get involved. Or do your own thing and let us know so we can celebrate together!
This was written in the heart of spuring one another on towards love and good deeds, and “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
This Christmas season, way we spur and love and do good and shine and praise.
About The Author
I think this is a great idea, but why not the concern for these people’s eternity?
It seems that we are improving or extending their life here, but what happens when these Muslims, Pantheists, Panentheists, Athiests, etc. die after their clean water extended lives?
I think we need both-I think as we give them the water, we should give them living water. We should make sure we are spreading the Gospel as we give. This well purchase would give us a platform, no?
PB ~ I’m sure we could have a discussion about how we differ on a number of things theologically (dualism, salvation, eternity, etc) but I’m sure I can safely say we will diifer substantially in a lot of those areas, which I’m OK with. You can read my past posts to understand more about where I come from…
But I agree, by providing real living water to people who are dying without it, it will open the door and relationship for thier Father’s love to be known to them. Gospel or no gospel, we are still mandated all through out scripture to love and care for those who are unjustly treated — especially by us who are so rich. This is very near to God’s heart and even a glancing read of scripture makes this clear.
In future years our hope is to be able to be there with them as the water is being dug so we can celebrate and show them the love of their Father in person and relationship. For now, this is what we are able to do.
Pastorboy,
Do you think the Gospel has anything to do with getting others to accept your own metaphysical view of reality? What would you accomplish if you get this lady to trade one problematic philosophy for another? For that matter, what makes you assume her view is any different?
Pastorboy -
We’ll give ‘em water so you have time to get over there and save ‘em! If we keep ‘em kicking long enough, they’ll have a shot at Heaven won’t they?
[...] Our Little Conspiracy [...]
Sorry Jeromy. I linked your post over at CRN.info here: http://christianresearchnetwork.info/2008/11/12/celebrating-the-true-meaning-of-christmas/
so as to help spread the word about this, because I think it is such a great idea. I didn’t mean for it to attract good, um, American Christians, to your site.
I love this idea. My wife and I will be talking tonight about this in more detail.
“Share the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.”
grace and peace.
No worries Chad. All are welcome. Yea, let me know how your talk goes tonight. Very cool…
Great post.
As far as the question of their eternal destiny… that is in God’s hands the Gospel’s teaching is clear as far as what Jesus stated.
Luke 13:15. The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water?
In the story of Jonah, God had compassion on all the living creatures… yet it seems that some deem people less than animals in their basic needs and sicken me in their perverse understanding that God only cares about giving people Jesus. Yes, that is THE MOST important thing we can give… yet it is an insult to God to not give the Gospel with compassion and love… We can talk all day about Jesus, but to a thirsty man water would get his attention to listen.
The other thought is what if this is a brother in Christ who lives in this condition… I think a reading of Matt 25:31-46 could show how important that we do not put conditions on whether we think someone is of our faith or not. God calls us to end suffering and to bring justice. If someone is living in horrible conditions, yet set conditions that they must be “saved” first. Again, while we were yet enemies God sent His Son to save us… even if these are of other faiths and as some deem “enemies”, are we not called to love our enemies?
Good grief, I am saddened by the hypocrisy of some… the more I learn how they think the more I desire to distance myself from them.
iggy
PB ~ By the way, you were making an awfully big assumption about a subject that wasn’t even mentioned in the post. It was a post about three rich American families cutting back on their materialism so they can help provide water to people who do not have water. That’s it.
You are welcome to comment here about whatever you’d like, even about things certain posts do not mention. But if you do——and especially if you pose questions!——I just ask that you have the courtesy to not simply drop a comment and run, but engage the people who are addressing the very questions you posed.
It seems that we are improving or extending their life here, but what happens when these Muslims, Pantheists, Panentheists, Athiests, etc. die after their clean water extended lives?
Well, hopefully they will speak well of us, those who offered them a cup of cold water while they were among us.
It isn’t lost on me that you have pantheists and panentheists lumped together in your question which makes me wonder if you know what they are. What does a panentheist have in common with an athiest?
[...] a touching personal letter I received from a good friend (who lives in the States) in response to Our Little Conspiracy. Read and be encouraged as I was: Hey Jeromy and [...]
Jeromy,
The very reason I commented on it was that it was not even mentoned. You, and many of the other commenters on this OP assume also that I do not believe in giving water to drink. It is for God alone to know the charity engaged in by myself, my family, and our church. It is there, but only in conjunction with a verbal proclamation of the Gospel.
Iggy,
You sound like a Calvainist! Yet, I know very well that you are not. Indeed, their eternal destiny is determined by God. But that does not remove the responsibility from us to proclaim the Gospel.
All:
A closer study of the Gospels and the Scripture as a whole will reveal something very interesting to you. The commands regarding the hungry, the poor, the downtrodden are specifically for those in the family of faith. For the Israelites, they were to assist the poor of their own family first, then the faith community second, then the foreigner (not all the ‘foreigners’, mind you, but those who came into the community to ask for aid). In the Gospels, Jesus reminds us that the poor will always be with us. We are to lend a hand, for sure, but Jesus uses the term brother not neighbor in relation to the poor. This indicates again the family and the family of faith. Paul and the other epistle authors took this seriously. Paul was not gathering money to help the victims of famine anyplace else but for those in Israel. I could give many other examples, but I encourage you to examine the scripture for yourelves, and be aware there are those in the family of faith right here in America that are hurting. Of course, if you are in agreement with Chad (I will not speak for Iggy) he believes all are saved and just may not know it yet, so they are all in the family. I get that (its wrong, but I get it)
Heres my advent conspiracy:
Spend the time and the money God gives me to preach the good news of Jesus to as many people as possible, helping those who are in the family of faith with my finances as they have need.
God Bless You.
PB
1. No one stated that the gospel is NOT being preached.
2. You miss the fundamental issue that dead people cannot hear the gospel. You miss that if someone starves to death of dies of dehydration they are dead and will face judgement. So that is my issue with the stance of the “Gospel only” ideology you preach. It seems you do not care for people now… only IF they get saved.
So do you think compassion is not part of the message of the gospel at all? It sure sounds like it…
So answer me… you do not care if someone dies… and that they never heard the Gospel because no one cared enough to help them? Like I showed above, Jesus stated that someone is kind enough to care for and animal, yet seem to not care about people… and you seem to fit that bill.
I pray for you daily that your eyes are open to the Truth of the Gospel and the Power of the works of God through Compassion.
iggy
Iggy,
No, you have it wrong.
I do care for people. Ask anyone who knows me. Here is our subtle difference:
A homeless guy is hungry. He asks for money for some food. You give him money. He buys alcohol/drugs/lottery tickets whatever.
A homeless guy is hungry. He asks for some money for food. I bring him to lunch with me, buying him dinner and share the gospel with him.
Unfortunately, if you know anything about charitable giving in Africa and other unstable places around the world, all too often it is the government or the rebels who grab up any type of aid that is sent, and then it is only given to their followers to aid their cause. The only effective distribution of help is through missionaries who while giving help spread the Gospel.
PB,
So then go to Africa and dig a well… There are many programs that feed people through charitable giving. Also to equate someone in Africa who is starving or dying of of thirst is not a fair comparison at all… in fact amplifies my point about you. You have judged those who are dying because of political tragedies as if they were a drunk on the street… and that is not compassionate at all. A
ll I am saying is put actions to our faith and you seem to always disagree with that when I say it… then you restate the same thing. THis happens over and over with you PB and why I really find it a waste of time to converse with you… All I can go by is what you say and how you treat people online.
Hope you are well, and that you have a blessed Thanksgiving.
iggy
Iggy,
May you also have a wonderful and blessed thanksgiving. This year, I am blessed to host a number of international students far from home.
My advent conspiracy does this year round. I support missionaries in Africa who currently are digging some two dozen wells with the natives and as they do it they are being Christ and are preaching Christ. The money, given to the Great Commission Fund and our Compassion fund through CAMA services allow the Gospel to be preached in areas that missionaries cannot go, but people who are digging wells and providing basic services like medical, dental, food, or building can go. They go there, do acts of compassion, and preach the Gospel.
I will not illucidate on what I do in the name of Jesus in my own community, because it is between God and me, and it is for His glory. That said, I believe in being the hands and feet and mouth of Jesus. If you speak with people that know me, they will tell you that. I will not say it for myself, because I am humbled that God has provided these types of opportunities for me, and has allowed me and provided for me to participate.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and to Yours, Iggy. Be Blessed.
42 million babies die a year from abortion. And now you want to take Christmas away from, too? Jesus said there will always be poor people, you can’t take care of them all. The only time of year that we can come together as one with our families and enjoy what little religious freedom we have left and you want to ruin in it for the rest of us. My kids are worth spending money on and so is our economy to keep our freedom alive. People die because of disease, that is a fact. What you are trying to do is Westernize a culture that is doing fine by themselves. They die because they are not “advanced”. That may be a good thing. What they need is Jesus, not clean water. Bringing clean water to these people is moving hem further in the direction of what you call “civilization” And a civilized country aborts almost 2 million babies a year.
BOC, not sure what America’s abortion policies have to do with three families deciding to spend less on themselves to provide water for those who need it, but thanks for swinging by and commenting. By the way, do you really think that Jesus’ words were meant to give us permission to not care for the poor?
I think intention has a lot to do with this argument as well.
The idea that we should help the downtrodden, the marginalized and the oppressed only as a secondary aspect to the “true” mission goal of converting beliefs is archaic and imperialistic. Beyond that, it simply doesn’t work. Look at how little historical inroads have been made by our outdated mission formula in places where an established, well structured tradition exists (India, Tibet, Japan, the Middle East). The only place on earth were its seen marginal success is the African continent. and even there in many places one suspects a simple marriage of convenience. Once the mission workers leave and the true needs of the community stop being met, the trade-off of “Western Christianity for Food” will go away as well. Look at the massive appeal of Islam in once “Christian” nations of Sudan, Mali, and Nigeria. How much of the paper-thin faith should we attribute to a methodology of mission work that de-values the local traditions and concepts and instead forces a western mindset on people who find it untrue and unnecessary for a relationship with God?
regardless of your opinion on the “great commission” (whose ‘greatness’ can be easily argued away) can’t we all see that a person who needs water deserves water. They deserve it not because of any faith-claim but purely on the basis of their humanity. These people are no less human than you or I. And I certainly feel a right to drink clean water.
Derek, I agree wholeheartedly. People deserve love, care and compassion simply because they are human, having dignity, worth, are God’s creation and created in God’s image. If we see a neighbor in need and do not care for him, we are not following Jesus nor his ways.
Amen, Derek.
Derek,
Your observation has no basis in fact. Christian Missionaries have done more for the world and the care of the least and the last and the lost despite what people choose to believe than any other group in the history of the world. My own denomination consistently is building wells, hospitals, dental clinics, etc. as a platform in the communities they serve around the world to preach the Gospel. For my own advent conspiracy, I will be contributing to CAMA who are building some 2 dozen wells currently and are preaching the Gospel at the same time.
We do have a differing theology for sure; you say you deserve clean water and so do others because we are human. I believe the Bible teaches that we don’t deserve anything. It is by God’s grace and mercy that we have air to breathe, clean water to drink, and food to eat. When was the last time we thanked God for His air that He gives us? Folks, it is not all about us. We deserve nothing, least of all eternal life. We deserve nothing but death and hell. But praise God, by His grace, we can be saved.
Pastorboy,
I want to start by saying that I don’t deny that missionaries have done a great deal of good in the world. You in particular seem like a caring person who has done a great deal to help those in desperate need.
That said, missionaries have also been responsible for or complicit in a great deal of crimes and injustices ranging from the mundane to the infamous. For examples we don’t even have to leave the continent. The history of American missions is written in the blood of Native Americans. From the earliest Spaniard conquistadors right up to the 100,000 Native American children forcibly removed from their homes to attend Christian schools in the early 1900’s. While many beautiful and sensitive people have devoted their lives to mission work over the centuries, the fact remains that it has a vast history of exploitation and evil that is whitewashed by a church looking to justify itself as the only way of salvation.
My argument that mission work in countries that have a strong, unified religious tradition is very much backed by fact. Most scholars agree that Christians have lived and preached in India for almost as long as there have been Christians. In China there has been a dedicated mission from the arrival of the Jesuits in 1552. Japanese native priests have been ordained since 1601. Yet look at the percentage of Christians in these countries; India 2.3% China 3-4% Japan .07% (CIA world fact book) https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html Is it a coincidence that these areas all had strong, unified traditions before Christians came to save them?
Jesus tells a story I’m sure we’ve all heard about a man beaten, mugged and left for dead on the side of the road. The Samaritan who rescues him takes him to a local in, pays for his care and leaves. Nowhere does the Samaritan say “now that I’ve helped you let me tell you about my religion.” His hospitality doesn’t make any faith-claim on the downtrodden man. He helps him simply because he is a man in need.
Once again I think I should say I’m not making a comment about your personal contribution. You seem like a very tolerant and well intentioned person.
Helping others because God tells you that you should, to me, is like why my son eats an apple at lunch. Because I tell him to, not because he sees the value in apples over candy. It’s the same as not stealing, but only because god says not to. I don’t steal because it wrongs another person. I love people. Not because God tells me I should, but because they are an image of God and deserving of love.
I guess I’ve rambled on long enough. I never intended my comment as a slight to you’re opinion Pastorboy. I was only trying to add something to the conversation. I think missions have a mixed history of great deeds and great evil. I think people have a intrinsic worth simply by being people. You may not agree but I’m glad we can have a conversation about it.
Derek,
The notations that you have made about missions here, while valid, are not Christian missions. They are Catholic missions. And they do have a rather negative history; if you do not convert you will not receive the advantages or the protection of the said mission. Just look at Junipero Serra in California…And it even got worse than that, conversion at the point of a rifle.
The statistics you give for modern day Christians in these countries do not reflect the massive and effective underground network of churches. The Gospel is alive and well in China, India, and Japan. Recently, we hosted a native Indian missionary who detailed all of the wonderful benefits missionaries have brought to His country, which includes medical care and change of traditions like burning the living widow when her husband dies. We have to agree that this Christian influence has done some good, No?
Understand, please, the difference in historical Catholic missions and modern missions. We go in and help everybody regardless of their religious beliefs, but we use our help as a platform from which to preach the good news.
John (pastorboy), you mentioned above (#22) that we, as humans, only deserve death and hell. Fortunately God thought and thinks otherwise–thus his son and his grace. God felt we deserved himself and his love. Therefore I too will think otherwise. I too once held a rather negative view of all-things-human, but no longer. This is partly why our family is making the Christmas decision we have made.
#25
Nope, Jeromy..That really is what grace is all about.
Mercy is not getting what we deserve. It was in the mercy of God that He shed his love abroad to us, giving us grace- getting that which we do not deserve. God’s grace is all the more amazing when we have a biblical view of man. Read Romans 3 as a starting point:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
We all deserve death and Hell, but God demonstrated His love !
Romans 5: 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
What a great, loving, merciful God we serve who would take his Son and give Him to His enemies to make a way for reconciliation!
John, I too agree that in my heart I do not feel I deserve anything, but God felt I deserved a whole lot of grace and love, hence God’s work of restoration and reconciliation. (I still feel so undeserving, but I believe by faith that, somehow, someway, I am because God thought I was).
It is funny you mention Romans 5. I think this is a perfect example of how multiple people can view and interpret the same verse very differently. Again, not to rehash theology here, but you and some others see it as God “making a way” for reconciliation, I and some others see it as God reconciling. “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son”…”we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” But again, my point is not to discuss the many different views of atonement or limited vs. universal reconciliation, but to point out how one person sees one thing in a verse and another person see another thing — same words, same spirit in us, different interpretation. The cool thing is that we can walk as brothers in Christ and seek to love and share the Good news of God’s grace.
Pastorboy.
The necessity of mentioning catholic missions is only because for 1500 years that was the only church (well, the orthodox too). Theres a reason its called catholic.
I’m also quite confident that protestants have done some truly horrible things as well. Even in the last 100 years. But What I don’t want to do is rehash the old issues with missionary work.
Its obvious we don’t agree on a much more important issue, which is the nature of man.
You correctly deduced that I don’t subscribe to a substitutionary atonement theology. There are many reasons for this, but mainly that I feel what we know about history and evolution (AGH! theres the word thats going to get me in trouble) tells us that their was no such thing as the “first man” made “perfect” in Gods image. Woman was not made from this man and there was no literal garden in which god walked around and with man.
I believe the story of fall of man is simply a ancient way of addressing the human condition. (that life is hard, work sucks, childbirth is dangerous and eventually we all die) If we had no perfect, sinless ancestors they certainly couldn’t eat from a magic tree to gain knowledge of good and evil and therefore be banished.
If I take our understanding of the natural world seriously, and take our search for the Truth of the Gospel seriously, I come to the conclusion that this view sees man not as a broken from the get go, but simply incomplete. The story of man, like all great stories is a narrative. We are not finished yet.
I believe that men and women are capable of vast amounts of evil. True evil that need not be pushed aside as our fallen nature. We can be evil, and I’d probably argue that we act in an evil manner much more than we act in a good and godly way. This is the nature of man for me. We can chose to be good, choose to be bad. But were not born anything but naked, wet, and deserving of the natural, instinctive love that a mother and father feel for their baby.
I’m sure you don’t agree. And thats fine. I’d just ask that you not spend any time trying to convince me otherwise. But by all means articulate why you feel the way you do though. I think were having a great conversation!
[...] the below video if you’d like. Get involved in changing your and their life if you’d like. Or follow how Jesus is leading you if [...]
Chad — In comment #6 you mentioned you were going to discuss this with your wife. How did that go?
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