Foundations for Christian Mission, Mentor's Guide, MG04

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F O U N D A T I O N S F O R C H R I S T I A N M I S S I O N

After reciting and/or singing the Nicene Creed (located in the Appendix), pray the following prayer: OGod, you invite the poor and the sinful to take their place in the festive assembly of the new covenant. May your church always honor the presence of the Lord in the humble and the suffering, and may we learn to recognize each other as brothers and sisters, gathered together around your table. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Nicene Creed and Prayer

~ Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The Theology and Worship Ministry Unit. Book of Common Worship . Louisville, KY: Westminister/John Knox Press, 1993. p. 372.

Put away your notes, gather up your thoughts and reflections, and take the quiz for Lesson 3, Christian Mission and the City.

Quiz

Scripture Memorization Review

Review with a partner, write out and/or recite the text for last class session’s assigned memory verse: Hebrews 11.13-16.

Turn in your summary of the reading assignment for last week, that is, your brief response and explanation of the main points that the authors were seeking to make in the assigned reading (Reading Completion Sheet).

Assignments Due

4

How Can They Live that Way?

In a society that values hard work, industry, and personal responsibility, the “truly needy” poor have a difficult time showing that they merit help and support. Generally, there is a tendency not to define or sketch out the poor on the basis of historical oppressions, systemic social policies that make it hard for them to participate in the larger society, or mistreatment by those in power. Rather, in American mainstream culture, a poor person is poor because of a lack of initiative, hard work, personal dignity, and moral failure. Admittedly, many actually are poor because of their own moral failure, bad personal decisions, addictions, or slothfulness. However, these are deemed to be the vast majority of the poor; and oftentimes, policies and responses to the poor are based on what is viewed as poor