{"id":47,"date":"2010-12-18T09:17:34","date_gmt":"2010-12-18T09:17:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/activistfaith\/2010\/12\/true-religion-caring-for-orphans.html"},"modified":"2010-12-18T09:17:34","modified_gmt":"2010-12-18T09:17:34","slug":"true-religion-caring-for-orphans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/activistfaith\/2010\/12\/true-religion-caring-for-orphans.html","title":{"rendered":"True Religion: Caring for Orphans"},"content":{"rendered":"

[Guest post from Activist Faith co-founder Daniel Darling<\/a>.]<\/p>\n


<\/a><\/p>\n

\"TonyI<\/span><\/span>‘m
\nalways excited to meet new authors, especially new authors who are
\npastors, and especially new authors, who are pastors, who publish with
\nmy friends at New Hope<\/a>, who has published all my books<\/a>. I was asked a few months ago to consider endorsing a book by Dr. Tony Merida<\/a>, entitled, Orphanology, <\/em>to
\nbe released in 2011. I read through the draft and came away very
\nimpressed and inspired. It is a thorough handbook on the theology and
\npractice of adoption. For anyone needing a comprehensive biblical and
\npractical book on orphan care and adoption, this will be your book.<\/p>\n

Dr. Merida is a Teaching Pastor at Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, Mississippi<\/a>, a dual-campus church of about 3,500 active<\/em> members. He is also an adjunct professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I liked the book so much, I asked Dr. Merida to stop by and answer a
\nfew questions. He graciously agreed and so here is Dr. Merida and The
\nFriday Five:<\/p>\n

1) You wrote the book, Faithful Preaching. <\/em>Why do you think preaching, what some considered an old-fashioned mode of communication, is still relevant today?<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n

My beliefs about preaching are driven more from theological
\nconvictions than cultural assessments. If you listen to many today, they
\nwill argue that people won’t listen to preaching (especially long
\npreaching) and that we need to move to more dialogue or more
\nvideo-driven methods. While I believe that there are places for dialogue
\n(small groups) and a place for video-media tools, we shouldn’t throw
\npreaching out because of what we perceive people want or need based upon
\nthe winds of ever-changing culture. Instead, I believe we must take our
\ncue from God’s Word. If we believe it to be the inspired Word of God,
\nthen why would we want to do anything other than what it says about
\npreaching? I’m not referring to the form of preaching, but the essence
\nof preaching; that is, standing up, opening a Bible, reading it,
\nexplaining it and applying it to people’s lives in a way that they can
\nunderstand it. Why wouldn’t we do this?<\/p>\n

I’ve been given a timeless charge to “preach the Word.” The spoken
\nWord and the written Word have been God’s chosen means of revealing
\nChrist to the world. In fact, God was the first preacher. He spoke<\/em>
\ncreation into existence. He could have done it other ways, but he
\ndidn’t. He then created mankind in his image, with the ability to (among
\nother things) talk<\/em>. He then called<\/em> Abraham to himself. He then used the prophets to speak<\/em>
\nto people. They were creative, and spoke the timely words necessary. 
\nWhen Christ came to earth, like the prophet John the Baptist, he came preaching<\/em> repentance. As Jesus commissioned his disciples, he urged them to teach<\/em>and proclaim<\/em> the Gospel. At Pentecost, Peter preached<\/em>
\na really good sermon about Jesus and thousands were saved. Later Paul
\nurges Timothy to “preach the Word” and reminds us that “faith comes by
\nhearing and hearing from the word of Christ.” Paul also tells Timothy in
\ncorporate worship that someone should read the Scriptures and then
\nexhort the hearers about these things. We could go on. When Christ
\nreturns he is called “the Word of God.” Therefore, preaching is built on
\na biblical-theological framework. If one starts from the Bible, I think
\nthey’ll be led to preach God’s Word faithfully. Is preaching
\nold-fashioned? Yes. But not “1960’s old fashioned.” It’s as old as
\ncreation. And until Christ returns, preaching will continue to be
\nrelevant. We need to improve at it, to be sure, but folks shouldn’t
\ndismiss it because they see poor examples of it.<\/p>\n


\n2) It seems to me that there is a movement back toward substantive, solid preaching and teaching, even expository. Why is that? <\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n

This is related to question 1. I think that where you find a group of
\npeople affirming the inspiration and truthfulness of Scripture, you
\nwill find a group of people doing substantive preaching. You show your
\nbeliefs about the Bible, your real beliefs, by what you practice. Guys
\nwho are not teaching the Bible must think that there are other better
\nways to see lives changed. Besides this, I think some of the more
\npopular younger evangelicals are doing Word-driven preaching, thereby
\nsetting an example for others. And I think another reason is probably
\ndue to the fact that the slick, seeker, market-driven church has left
\npeople wanting more.<\/p>\n


\n3) You have a project coming out with New Hope entitled Orphanology<\/em>. I had the privilege of reviewing the manuscript and was glad to give it an endorsement. How did this project come about? <\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n

Basically, I was preaching on the doctrine of adoption everywhere,
\nand New Hope approached me about writing a book on adoption\/orphan
\ncare. I thought that this would be a good idea in light of the fact that
\nevery time I spoke on the subject I received a gazillion questions
\nabout things like: ‘How do you pay for it?’  ‘How do you do orphan
\nministry in the local church?’ ‘How do you do orphan hosting
\nministry?’ I wanted to write a book that provide both a theological
\nrational for adoption and orphan are as well as some practical answers
\nto these common questions. With the help of Rick Morton, I think we’ve
\ngiven a good effort and I hope it helps those interested in these
\nthings. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing it, and trying to live it with
\nmy five adopted children.<\/p>\n

4) Adoption has always been a sort of personal choice\/decision made
\nby individual couples, but you seem to think it should be a church-wide
\ncalling. Why is that?<\/b><\/p>\n

Adoption and orphan care is a biblical issue. If you want to obey the
\nBible, you better care for orphans –  in some capacity. Not everyone
\nwill or should adopt, but some can and should. Others may support in
\nother ways. Caring for orphans was a practice that continued after James
\nwrote verse 1:27, as well. From historical documents, we read how
\npeople didn’t value human life (like today), and it was the Christians
\nwho cared for unwanted children. They received great attention for such
\nsacrificial care. They believed, as we should, that anyone created in
\nthe image of God should be valued. So, I believe it to be a church-wide
\ncalling like other callings such as stewardship, evangelism, care for
\nthe poor, etc. because it’s a biblical issue.<\/p>\n


\n5) What advice would you give to a couple who is thinking and praying about pursuing adoption?<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n

I would tell them to begin by spending time reading the Scriptures
\nand praying about the matter. I would encourage them to look at God’s
\nconcern for the fatherless throughout the Bible in general, and to take
\ndetailed look at the doctrine of adoption in particular. During the
\nsearch phase, they may also begin reading literature on adoption and
\ntalking to adoptive parents. Once a decision is made, they would need to
\nselect a country in which to adopt. After deciding on this, they can
\nthen choose an adoption agency with which to work. From there, it’s a
\ngreat adventure, one that should be bathed in prayer for God’s strength
\nand wisdom because orphan care is warfare<\/em>. They should expect opposition and struggle from every side, but God’s grace is sufficient for their weakness.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\n

+++<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
DILLON
\nBURROUGHS is an author, activist, and co-founder of Activist Faith.
\nDillon served in Haiti following the epic 2010 earthquake and has
\ninvestigated modern slavery in the US and internationally. His books
\ninclude Undefending Christianity, Not in My Town (with Charles J.
\nPowell), and Thirst No More (October 2011). Discover more at
\nDillonBurroughs.org<\/a>.  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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