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Darryl,
I would suggest that what you do not understand is not politics, but rather the current cohabitation arrangements that pass as marriages. You are perfectly right to think that a couple who have become one have a very strange relationship if one of them is unable to communicate at all about his/her work life. But of course this is not considered a problem in many marriages today because the whole concept of oneness is so twisted and quite often denied. The ability to distance oneself from one's spouse simply is not an issue. You should see the look of horror on soon-to-be-married couples when I suggest that barring a shopping or gambling addiction or the complete inability to handle money by one of them then they should have joint bank accounts - since there is no such thing as "my money" but only "our money". Ah well. I guess I am just in constant need of adjustment to be able to function in a world where the Scriptures are just not considered enough for today's living. Makes me feel very old, even though, as you know, I am just a youngster.

Darryl, your post is titled I dont understand politics almost as if it surprises you the stuff you read and hear and see when it comes to politics.

I know its just the way you are expressing it and really you aren't surprised. Are you?

I read the papers and watch the news and listn to the odd talk show and it doesn't surprise me at all.

Its all just such clear indication how we are becoming more and more God less in this country and in our western world generally.

It becomes more and more clear each day. How the gov't tries to fix things and more often then not screws it up. We are in such decline. Just look at the inner city of Toronto and how politicians try to address these huge needs. Bound for failure. And why? All man centered qick fix schemes that just don't work. Look at how they try to deal with homelessness and street youth and drug addicts. Just keep throwing money at it. Build new shelters, and on and on. And the problem keeps getting worse. Why?

But you know what I keep asking myself as I see all this and deal with it on a daily basis?

Where's the church? Where is the church that really reaches out to these people with the transforming message of the Gospel. Where is the church that God is using powerfully to bring about transformation in the lives of the so called down and outs - the ones that Christ died for as much as He did for you and me. He always had a special place for them but where do we see that today in Toronto. Where are the pastors who on Saturday nights are on their knees praying that God sends them in on Sunday morning. The ones that nobody wants, send them in God because we want our church to be a Holy Ghost hospital. Use us God, use us to reach out to these people. The politicians say they care but do they really? God sure does and so should we.

I yearn to be part of such a church in downtown Toronto. A church that is composed of committed followers of Jesus Christ that would like nothing more than to have hundreds if not thousands of homeless, drunks, drug addicts hookers, those who have been diagnosed with all kinds of mental health problems, runaway youth etc etc come into their church.

Then to see these people come to Jesus and to surrender to Him. And to see Him pick them up clean them up, seal them as His and turn around to use them to reach others of similar stripe.

Wouldn't that be awesome? To see God really do some powerful stuff in an inner city church? I think something like that would start getting noticed and the next thing you know we've got a revival going. I believe Toronto is primed for it. What does it take though? How come its not happening in Toronto like it is in other places?

I have some thoughts on that but have been going on long enough. Thanks for the opportunity to rant.

Isaiah 1: 17Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight for the rights of widows.

George,

There are churches in the inner city of Toronto doing thngs such as you refer to. Darryl could tell you the name of a very interesting book about a church on Davenport that is very much into ministering to the hurting and forgotten. Then there is the Church on the Street, a ministry of Yonge Street Mission. Our church is an inner city church and has a ministry to single parents, at risk kids and last year gave away food vouchers to the tune of over $8000.00. We would have done more but most of our people are not well off enough to give more for those who are in the same boats that they are.

We often don't think that much is being done because what inner city churches do does not make the news and most of us would rather not make a big deal of the ministries that aim at the marginalized. We do not care if what we do is known in the city. We just want to help. And we sincerely wish we could do more, much more. But as Jesus multiplied the bread and fish we trust that our feeble, small efforts that we offer to Him will be multiplied far beyond what we can ask or think. And we pray that more and more of our people will catch the vision of living with the needy and not just going down into the inner city to give to them now and then.

But take heart. There is much being done and it even seems that more and more churches are beginning to realize their calling to the hurting.

Amen to that "no name" . I think I know the book you are referring to and that church is on Charles St.

I hope you are right about more churches realizing their calling in this regard.

I'd love to know about your church if you'd care to disclose it or email me. We also from our church have started serving at a downtown men's shelter/mission and God is at work there also. Our challenge is getting people from Oakville, where our church is, to join the vision. Its happening though, praise God.

I guess it does surprise me that I haven't heard anyone comment on how silly it is to claim to have an arm's length relationship to a company when you're married to the president. Maybe that does say something about our view of marriage.

"I yearn to be part of such a church in downtown Toronto." George, I agree. I have dreams for a church on Jarvis to become what you've described one day.

I can vouch for what Ken has said. I know of quite a few churches that are doing what you've described, but they don't get a lot of press. Our Etobicoke paper has even had stories of the crime rate significantly decreasing due to the efforts of churches, but it's rare that something like that makes the papers.

Ken's church is a good example.

I'd like to find out about those churches Darryl. I'm looking myself because as we interact with the people at the mission I'm wanting so often to be able to encourage them to get plugged into a church where people will come alongside them and disciple them and enecourage them and have Bible studies with them and all that good stuff. There are a couple that I have recently become aware of that I still need to check out but I'd love to hear of others.

I'd also like to meet people who have those kinds of transformational stories, that testify to the incredible things that God has done in their life. I'd love for them to come down to the mission to testify to the people of the great work God has done in their lives and wants to do for others as they surrender to Him.

If anyone knows of a church where I will find that in downtown Toronto I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks for allowing me to go off topic.

And who said there is no such thing as a free lunch.:^)
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