Social Justice???...How About Plain 'Justice'?

Social Justice?...How about plain old "Justice".

There is a ton of debate in our culture and the Church about "social justice", what it is and how it is to be implemented. Part of the problem in North America and in European cultures currently is we use words with our personal meanings injected into them instead of using the true meanings of these words. It is very difficult to know what people are even talking about because their definition of the word(s) is different than other's definition of those same words. Some define social justice as doing good to others and most see social justice as the government doing "good things" for its citizens. When I hear the term it is so loaded that as a pastor I just say, "Let's just talk about plain old justice...biblical style".

Justice is a concept that God invented and defines in His Word...the Bible. We don't get to define its terms and definitions and throw them around at our wine and cheese parties as talking points. God defines justice and commands HIS FOLLOWERS (YOU and not the proverbial OTHER) to pray for and act on justice.

Some examples...

1) Financial Justice...The core of financial justice starts with people working hard as unto the Lord to make a living for their families and even enough to share with those who have EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES which prevent them from being able to meet their basic needs (food and shelter). Biblical financial justice also says everybody who is able bodied SHOULD WORK and provide for themselves and their families. Justice, then, is not enabling those who can work to not work. In addition, the church, not the government, is responsible to take care of the needs of those in their midst that cannot provide for themselves (widows, orphans, and the sick).

Those who have been blessed by God with great wealth (ie...most Americans compared to the rest of the world's standards) have been given their wealth by God to use for God's purposes not for the enhancment of their own kingdom. Simply put, financial justice for the wealthy (again...most Americans)is to use their wealth for the advancement of God's Kingdom. This includes charity, job creation, good management of employees, ethical investment and influence with their wealth, etc...

We rely on the government too much to care for the legitimate needs of the poor because Christians do not take seriously their responsibility to care for the true weak and poor among us.

Regardless, it is not financially just to steal money from others no matter what you call it or no matter how noble the purpose you have to steal said money...theft is theft. Those who steal have a greater authority to answer to and our judgment in what we do with biblical financial justice is coming "and that right soon".

More on Justice Later...

Re-Launch Service this Sunday at Swallow Hill

We had our preview service this past week at Swallow Hill. It was a great day and we got some of the kinks worked out in anticipation of this Sunday's Re-Launch Service. We would love to see you there this Sunday and we would love even more to have you follow Jesus with all your heart, soul, strength and mind every day. Come hear the gospel this Sunday it is good for believers and unbelievers alike!

Swallow Hill this Week

So we are moving from the Regal Continental Stadium 10 theatre to Swallow Hill Music Association this Sunday for our Sunday worship gatherings. It is not a building that makes a church but we are grateful for our new digs. We had a good time at the theatre and are appreciative of what God did there. Now we are ready for our new Sunday home!

Prayer in the 21st Century

"Your relationship with your heavenly Father is dysfunctional. You talk as if you have an intimate relationship, but you don't. Theoretically, it is close. Practically, it is distant. You need help." A Praying Life, Paul E. Miller

Your prayer life will stink if you only know about your Father instead of actually knowing your Father.

The New City Story-Part 1

The story of New City actually started in a church office cubicle in 2000. I was a lowly intern at a church in suburban Denver and found myself paging through a book on church planting one afternoon. Church planting was a concept I had never heard of before even though I had spent my life in church circles. But this book opened my heart and mind to what God was doing across the world through church planting efforts in many denominations and church planting organizations. Not only was I intrigued but I was hooked and knew then what God wanted me to do for the rest of my life. I saw with clarity that God wanted to use church planting efforts to fulfill His Great Commission worldwide.

Prayer for the 21st Century

"American culture is probably the hardest place in the world to learn to pray. We are so busy that when we slow down to pray, we find it uncomfortable. We prize accomplishments, production. But prayer is nothing but talking to God. It feels useless, as if we are wasting time. Every bone in our bodies screams, 'Get to work.'" A Praying Life, Paul E. Miller

Moving to Swallow Hill for Worship Gatherings

After 2 great years meeting in the movie theatre for our worship gathering, we are moving to Swallow Hill Music Association's building (a cool renovated older church) on October 10th. We know church is not where you meet but it is who we are becoming in Jesus and what we are doing in the city for His name. This location is a first class music venue in the city of Denver and we are excited for what God has in store in this next chapter of New City's mission. Much to be done and we could use your help! Email us at info@newcitydenver.org.

If you want to check out Swallow Hill you can visit their website at www.swallowhill.com. You can find out about the World's Largest Yukelele lesson in Ruby Park! Cool group of people and we can't wait to start meeting there on Sundays at 10 AM.

Don't Just Go To Church...Be the Church

We are going to finish a preaching series this next Sunday about what it means to be the church and not just go to church. "Church" means a lot of things to a lot of people and sadly, it get's misdefined and misrepresented all the time. Someone recently told me they were leaving "traditional church" because the traditional church (whatever that means) wasn't "being" the church. I was intrigued and asked several questions but as with most people what started as a hopeful conversation about what the church should be according to the Bible ended with this person referencing some strange book they had just read which basically said the church should help poor people and meet in a house church type situation with as few people as possible all day on Sunday and share a meal together. On the contrary, the Bible paints a more complete picture of what the church is to be and we need to look there for the whole picture and not just pick and choose what we want the church to be.

Many ideas of church sound good and of course these things can and should be part of the church but this is not all the church is called to be biblically. There are some more credible books on the subject and the best ones are Vintage Church by Mark Driscoll and Total Church by Steve Timmis. If you could only read one, read Vintage Church. It is a great read and a thorough explanation of how the Bible defines "church".