00;00;41;20 - 00;00;46;16
Brenton
Welcome back to further. I am Britain, grim. Chris Carr, welcome back. How are you doing?

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Chris
Good. Good afternoon.

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Brenton
Yeah. Good.

00;00;49;22 - 00;00;59;20
Chris
I guess some of you might be listening to this in the morning or at night. So any afternoon when we're recording it. So whatever time of day it is for you. May it be a good time?

00;00;59;25 - 00;01;23;17
Brenton
All media is on demand. Yeah. Yeah. So let's start out with, the results of the giveaway. So first of all, you guys did great. There was a ton of interaction with that, and I'd love to see it. So, keep that up. I know, you know, the the way this this show is going to spread to more people is by you talking about it.

00;01;23;17 - 00;01;43;06
Brenton
So I just encourage you to if you if you are getting anything out of it, keep, keep talking to people, telling them, that it's worth listening to. So, okay, we're going to start out with gentle and lowly. The winner of that one. And I actually did put these into a randomizer, but I already did it.

00;01;43;21 - 00;01;49;06
Brenton
I'm not one for theatrics here, so, Carly Quam won that one.

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Chris
Yeah. Yeah. Congrats, Carly.

00;01;51;11 - 00;02;01;27
Brenton
Absolutely. The next one is the exposition expositional commentary on John by RC sprawl. And the winner of that one is Lex Hardin. Yeah.

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Chris
Lex is going to be doing some real serious study here.

00;02;04;22 - 00;02;14;06
Brenton
So we have to dive in. Yeah. And then the Reformation study Bible. Is Aubrey Koontz. Yeah. So all.

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Chris
Women. Yeah. Do we not have a sound effect like.

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Brenton
If I'm playing on and then, like.

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Chris
It'll be weird.

00;02;20;18 - 00;02;21;28
Brenton
It's going to be very obnoxious.

00;02;21;28 - 00;02;28;23
Chris
Yeah, and I didn't need to say that. Originally, Brennan had all three of his kids winning one of these, and I said, no, we can't do that.

00;02;28;25 - 00;02;31;24
Brenton
So Marion could handle it.

00;02;31;27 - 00;02;38;00
Chris
They probably already have. You probably already made them go through the hex expository commentary I. John.

00;02;38;03 - 00;02;40;13
Brenton
They're currently going through the institutes at that time.

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Chris
So I'm I'm surprised you haven't named one of your kids sprawl like and Lisa middle name. But.

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Brenton
Bummer. We can always change them.

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Chris
Congrats, ladies. Hope you enjoy.

00;02;50;18 - 00;03;09;04
Brenton
And just again, thank you so much for for spreading the word on this. I love to see more people listening. So, the next thing I want to talk about before we get into the sermon is advanced commitment. So we did have a bit of a dry run last night with, the leadership of the church, which I thought was just.

00;03;09;12 - 00;03;27;29
Brenton
It was an amazing night. It was a night to hear. Really? Almost surprising, transformational stories of things that's going on in our in our church. And we get to, hear from Chris, and it's just a it's a unique experience, something we've never done before. So what were your thoughts?

00;03;28;02 - 00;03;54;00
Chris
Yeah. Well, first I would just want to encourage everybody the reason that we had an advance commitment event for our leaders first is because we believe as leaders that we should, just part of leading, the church is showing that we're we're, in and what God is calling us to and, and that we're going to, as we seek to lead the church, that we're going to show that we're leading by example.

00;03;54;00 - 00;04;18;08
Chris
So, but it was a great night. I so much, looked forward to it, and it really exceeded my expectations. That was just a great time for us to spend, really, gathered around together, worshiping through song to fellowship and then also by, making, our commitments of, what the Lord is calling us, to do and to be a part of here.

00;04;18;09 - 00;04;39;23
Chris
And, we just had another great time of hearing some, stories of transformation about what God's doing in our church. And, kudos to you, Brenton. Doing an excellent job bringing those, together. And it was just, it was just a fantastic night, very special. And I just want to invite everybody to, participate in this.

00;04;40;03 - 00;04;59;29
Chris
There's a way you can sign up, we we talked about that on Sunday. You can do so through the app, the QR code, the QR, QR code, that we provided on on Sunday or just even by reaching out, to the church office. And I really, really want everybody to have this, experience.

00;04;59;29 - 00;05;19;22
Chris
I think it actually can literally be transformed live, for you. And, so please sign up to be with us, Sunday afternoon or evening. We actually, added an extra time slot, today. So, because we're expecting to have a lot of people that come out to join us, so.

00;05;19;22 - 00;05;39;14
Brenton
Yeah. Yeah. I'd say the easiest way to sign up is if you do have the app, you can go to events and then, just look for Sunday, April 6th. It's the advanced commitment night there. And that'll take you straight to the form to to fill it out. So, in case you, missed the QR code on Sunday, so.

00;05;39;16 - 00;06;07;05
Brenton
All right, well, I hope to see you there. So jumping into your sermon, you're giving principle for this week was scenarios. You discussed how we all have different circumstances, resources and financial standings. So, essentially, our gifts will look different. You said, a couple of things in here that I'd like to touch on. First, you said that giving is a sign that God is working in our hearts.

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Brenton
And this is true regardless of the size of our gift. I'm sure that it's it's common for people to feel like, you know, I don't have much to give. So I might as well not give anything. How would you help encourage someone to to view their giving as transformational rather than transactional?

00;06;27;25 - 00;07;09;17
Chris
Well, first of all, I would suggest that there's no place in the Bible where we're told that God values larger numeric gifts, more than smaller numeric gifts that, the consistent theme of Scripture is that what God cares about most is the heart of out of which that gift comes from, and probably the best example of this is Luke 21, where Jesus sees the poor widow, putting in two small copper coins, and he says, you know, and that's coming in the context where a lot of it literally says, rich people are putting in offering, to.

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Chris
And Jesus says, hey, they may give out of their abundance, but she gave all that that she had and and he is honoring her gift and really her heart because, she, she was literally sacrificially, very, very sacrificially given. And yet her offering, comparatively speaking, would have made, you know, would have paled in comparison to how much the other people were, were putting in.

00;07;40;09 - 00;08;02;27
Chris
But she's, she says, a saint. They're putting in a lot more. But, you know, they're giving out of their abundance. And that's just one example of of what we see all throughout the scripture. Another passage, we can we can look at a second Corinthians eight and nine where Paul is really, encouraging, urging the Corinthians to give.

00;08;02;27 - 00;08;22;27
Chris
And they give generously, and he does so in part by pointing them to the Macedonians who were literally impoverished. He says they they gave beyond their means. And in other words, they gave what they couldn't even afford to give. And they did so out of the joy. And he's talking to the Corinthians. Church was a very wealthy church.

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Chris
So the Corinthians are going to give, a larger dollar amount here than the Macedonians. But that's not what Paul is, is concerned about. And that's why he says, in chapter nine, each one must give, as he has decided in his heart. And so so that's ultimately what matters. And I could go through example after example.

00;08;44;05 - 00;08;55;10
Chris
We see this model numerous times in, in the New Testament, one of which I will actually talk about on the best commitment. Night. And yeah. So all throughout.

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Brenton
Scripture, I think, you know, something we keep coming back to on this topic is that this isn't primarily about the the resources for the church. It's a, it's a discipleship issue, and it's something that we want to help people grow in, to, you know, I keep going back to stewardship and just viewing everything as God's changes, how we how we sure view things.

00;09;18;07 - 00;09;58;18
Chris
Yeah. And it's like, I mean, there's so many different things to wrestle with here. That's as well. We've been taking quite a bit of time, each Sunday and we still have more things to talk about. In regards to this, is that you? It also depends, again where you are on your, your journey. So for a lot of people, the next step might be just simply giving in, and it might even be a relatively small amount to, to to begin with, but simply the act of being willing to do that and willing to open your heart to what God might, might mean, and I haven't come out, and said this yet,

00;09;58;21 - 00;10;21;24
Chris
but one question I think we need to ask is we need to ask it why? If we're not going to participate, why are we not going to participate? And there might be good reason. There might be good answers to that, but it could also be an answer of like, not necessarily a good, good reason for that.

00;10;21;27 - 00;10;39;27
Brenton
So yeah. All right. So secondly, you were clear that regardless of how we participate in giving, we're still loved and accepted by by both the church and by God. So how would you address, you know, the shame that that can come up with this topic. Sure.

00;10;39;29 - 00;11;19;04
Chris
Yeah. I think another thing that I haven't said yet and is worth certainly saying, is one of the reasons that we can have trouble and maybe even shame around this topic is because we have been in church, cultures where we have actually been shamed into giving, like, it's been talked about in a way, where we just been, you know, felt like we were giving under compulsion, like we have to or, you know, something's not good is going to happen or we're bad people or like, or whatever.

00;11;19;28 - 00;11;46;10
Chris
And, and that, that can, by the way, frankly, come even if that's not the intent or not even what was said. It's just like, that's the way that we we take it. We also, you know, we we know that many churches and even pastors, have not handled this, this, topic with integrity. No, no, not even had the money with integrity.

00;11;48;05 - 00;12;40;18
Chris
And, there are, you know, shepherds who are fleecing the flock and using, the Bible teaching about money to get wealthy themselves. So and those are quite, frankly. And, it's really discouraging, but those are pretty prevalent even in our culture today. And so that just like in wrap up, things, around that, but, you know, and we also have to understand that, you know, as I point out, a couple of weeks ago, shame can can be either healthier, unhealthy and so sometimes is healthy, is like is like if we're not being generous and we we should we should be being generous, that that actually

00;12;40;18 - 00;12;48;27
Chris
can be something that God uses to help us to, to become generous. And, now the does it make sense? I mean, like.

00;12;49;04 - 00;12;50;29
Brenton
I think so expand on it a little bit.

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Chris
Well, in other words, if we are not, if we're spending all our money on ourselves and we're not actually, being generous with God's resources and steward and, and as it is his and, you know, using it in a way that he is honored like, like, yeah, we're fallen. We're fallen. Sure. Yeah. Right. And so this, and now the question is, is what do we do with that?

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Chris
Do we just, do we run to the Lord and ask for his mercy and say, hey, Lord, help me here? And, and and that can be a really, really positive thing. Or do we let it turn into an unhealthy shame where I'm a B&B, I'm a so there's a, there is, you know, fail and I'm a failure.

00;13;45;02 - 00;13;54;21
Brenton
Yeah. Well it goes back to, you know, last week you talked about there's a feeling of of guiltiness, there's feeling of guilt, and there is actually being guilty at both of those.

00;13;54;21 - 00;14;28;23
Chris
Could be true, right. Yeah. Right. It really, for example, is it's like I, I feel this doesn't mean that I'm a failure. Like that's my it becomes my identity. And so, if I can recognize that. Yeah, there's, there is something that needs to like, needs to change, then I can I can choose to either, like, just wallow in that and like, you know, do then and just for or refuse to address it.

00;14;28;23 - 00;14;47;16
Chris
I'm just not going to deal with it. Or I can say, yeah, and I'm going to throw myself on the Lord's mercy and know that he forgives me, that even if I haven't managed my money well, have I been generous? I'm not part, you know, I'm not participating in this game. The purposes of all this kind of things is like, am I going to turn inward or am I going to turn upward for, you know, just eat?

00;14;47;21 - 00;15;12;18
Chris
Yeah, to use that phrase, I'm going to turn to, to him. And, and so, but obviously, you know, that line is, is really, really fine. And so what I, what I want everybody to hear because I know when we talk about money like it gets, it gets awkward really, really quick and uncomfortable really quick. And that means that shame is, is is present and in the room that that that it is.

00;15;12;18 - 00;15;55;28
Chris
And I get it. Trust me, I get it. But what do we what do we do with that? And, I one of the biggest things that I'm wrestling with in, in this whole journey, like personally, is, is how do I give out of, out of joy rather than just giving out of duty, like, and, you know, for, for me, like, I can really easy feel like I've, I've got to give and I have to give substantially to this because I'm asking people to give sacrificially is a big deal for me not to be hypocritical, but that can go sideways in the sense that if that's the I'm just doing it

00;15;55;28 - 00;16;25;11
Chris
because, you know, it's a duty and I better do it because of all of this. That's really not honoring and ultimately that's honoring to the Lord. He, he, he, he wants me to do it out of a heart. Desires, I guess I should say, he has a heart that is glad and joyful and in him. And so that's really and something I'm literally praying about and asking him to allow me to, to participate, in this in and and out of joy of doing it.

00;16;25;13 - 00;16;45;23
Brenton
You know. Yeah. Would you say that's, you know, a primary, a work in the spirit to, to change that, right? Like, it's, it's a that's a hard thing to just flip your mind from, from duty to, to joy. Yeah. So is it is it just a matter of spending time in prayer and seeking the Lord with it?

00;16;45;23 - 00;17;13;07
Chris
I think it's I think that that's a big, big part of it. Maybe 90% of it. Part of it, it is also is though it's just, let that hopefully marinate in your, in your soul a little bit and saying, hey, that again is acknowledging like I no, I got I am not giving joyfully and why and maybe even digging in a little bit.

00;17;13;07 - 00;17;38;02
Chris
Why why am why am I not one of one of the things for me, and even I are going to, be working on is we, I'm just getting really practical here, but we we have for years and years given automatically online is coming out or coming out of our bank account. And I, you know, you see the you see it when it goes out, when you check your checking account.

00;17;39;14 - 00;18;03;08
Chris
But we're actually going to be even more thought and more intentionality to it so that it, it is something that we are doing is not just a commitment, but as an act of an act of worship. Like whether or not that's giving, you know, online every week or twice a month, or whether we're going to go back to actually writing out checks which sounds terrible.

00;18;03;08 - 00;18;29;19
Chris
Why is that terrible? But like, I'm very thankful to be getting gotten away from having to actually write checks. But, the point my point in all of that is, is like, yes, I'm we're going to, you know, the the idea like, of an offering is like the people literally write their offering to whether it will be the temple in the New Testament, they would bring it to the, to the church and they would they would bring it.

00;18;29;19 - 00;18;51;22
Chris
And literally then we're offering this to God and and so that that's just one of the things is like how how do I bring that incorporate that more that idea. And so like, oh yeah, I'm thinking through this and I'm praying through this and I'm allowing the Lord to speaking to me is like realizing that as as we offer this, I can know that God is going to use that for his kingdom purposes.

00;18;51;22 - 00;19;08;16
Chris
And people are like, you know, I just I just heard this word literally within the last hour or so, someone in one of our services came to know the Lord on Sunday. We don't even know exactly how. They just checked it on the, you know, on the on the handout, okay. And then follow up conversation and like that's already had starting happen.

00;19;08;16 - 00;19;28;16
Chris
And like I said, my point in all of that is, is as as we give like reminding ourselves like the Lord that that those dollars are going to literally translate into lives being changed and into eternal value. I yeah.

00;19;28;18 - 00;19;50;09
Brenton
So no, I, I really like that sentiment. It kind of is a it's in my mind now, you know, we, we view corporate worship as many different things. One of those things, one of the things that's part of our liturgy is giving. Right. So that should be something that is on our minds on a Sunday morning. So yeah, it's interesting.

00;19;52;01 - 00;20;16;13
Brenton
So the story of the Good Samaritan is, is a very familiar story to most of us. I think the story is usually taught, though, in a way that can pile more guilt on us, on us than anything. So I, I really love the way that you brought the gospel, out in this by placing, you know, us in the story as the guy in the road and Jesus being the Good Samaritan.

00;20;16;16 - 00;20;24;02
Brenton
I I'm wondering, though, as you studied this week, to do anything new stick out to you.

00;20;25;10 - 00;21;04;04
Chris
Well, yeah. I mean, one thing I didn't really get into, I think there's there's another way also to come at this is to think about how if you were the guy laying in the road, wouldn't you want someone to be a good Samaritan to it, to you? You? Yes. Right. And, and then the other thing is, is just a really a another emphasis on what we've been talking about is just, a lot of it is, is just recognizing, like, we do need mercy.

00;21;05;20 - 00;21;48;17
Chris
We need someone to have compassion on us, and we don't like to to go down that road because it it indicates that we are weak. Right. And we don't want to think that something like that could happen to us, like, even as men. I actually think women have an easier time with something like the Good Samaritan because many women, maybe all women, I don't know, I probably should be careful about how I, you know, suppose women feel or think, but I think I do think experience tells me that most women, have a fear of being a being attacked.

00;21;48;20 - 00;22;09;27
Chris
Okay? And like, they can they can see that something like that, maybe even worse than that, happened to them men. We like to think like if it was us, we we we have gone our John Wick or John Rambo. If you're a little bit older. Right. Like that wouldn't happen to us because we would never allow that to happen to us.

00;22;10;27 - 00;22;34;18
Chris
And so we're never going to be in that kind of position where we actually need somebody to have compassion on us. Yeah. But, yeah, I have to tell you, you live long enough. You you will. And what's more, spiritually, that's where we that's where we are all out.

00;22;34;20 - 00;22;37;22
Brenton
Yeah. That is true.

00;22;38;13 - 00;23;19;04
Chris
So, I mean, the I mean, this is a again, it's familiar to everybody. It's very familiar to me because I've preached right before and studied it, and, and in some ways I was only scratching the surface, to there's a lot more we could we could dive into, one of the big things that this actually teaches us, and I really just scraped the surface on it is, is about the by the, the, the ethnic and and like the racial bias that, keeps us at times from, from helping people and that doesn't necessarily show up, we don't think is racism, but, it can show up in the fact that there's

00;23;19;04 - 00;23;45;27
Chris
a lot of times where we are willing to help people who are, who we think deserve it, like we put people in a deserving and undeserving category so somebody doesn't deserve it because they been poor with their money, or they made bad choices, or they've gotten addicted to something, or because, you know, they're they're they're on the side of the road because they deserve to be there.

00;23;45;29 - 00;24;11;22
Chris
And. Right, they need help because, yeah, they've done things to do that. And one of the things that this parable teaches us, actually, I believe, is, is that that we got to be really careful that we don't have that mentality, that I'm only going to help people who deserve, like they're deserving and undeserving, then it doesn't mean that we just, because I know, I know what one of the responses this is going to be, this may be what you're thinking right now.

00;24;11;22 - 00;24;17;08
Chris
Like, we just we just help people. We don't ever ask any questions. Sure.

00;24;17;10 - 00;24;17;20
Brenton
Now.

00;24;17;20 - 00;24;30;29
Chris
Right. Yeah. I think we need. I actually think we need to carefully consider the kind of help that we're giving people, because sometimes our help is actually not the kind of help that they need. Yeah.

00;24;31;01 - 00;24;42;18
Brenton
Yeah, I think I think you're right that it usually comes down to how we perceive their choices and how they got to that situation. I don't I don't know how much race enters into it, but we can have that conversation to.

00;24;42;18 - 00;25;10;02
Chris
Go, well, I yes, I actually wasn't terribly clear there, but I think, that, that, that sometimes we, we do address, this whole issue of those who are in need with some racial biases that they, they go into it and that is, is or can be a related issue. But but sometimes it's unrelated to whether or not the person deserves our help.

00;25;10;02 - 00;25;23;05
Chris
But but the point of, you know, the what is is in part is because the the Jew, you know, the Samaritan Samaritan would not have thought that a Jew was deserving of their help.

00;25;23;05 - 00;25;24;27
Brenton
Yeah, that's definitely good to hear.

00;25;24;29 - 00;26;08;08
Chris
Right. So, and, and sometimes we view from, racially, we view we, we don't understand the context of why people struggle the way that we do. We simply we simply just assume it's because completely because of the bad choices they make and not understanding about the, what culturally, what it may have led to that. And, and how things in even in, our, you know, the way that things operate in, in the, the United States or in different countries, how how it actually has contributed to them needing to be helped.

00;26;08;11 - 00;26;28;29
Brenton
Yeah. Well, so, you know, kind of continuing on with this being a good neighbor, you you began your sermon by talking about harmony as as being a good neighbor to our community. What do you like? What's the vision for that? If I don't I don't know how well you've worked that out or how far you've gone down that road, but like what?

00;26;29;00 - 00;26;37;09
Brenton
What's the roadmap for a church getting to that point where we're seen in the community as, as a good neighbor?

00;26;37;11 - 00;27;07;29
Chris
Well, there's a lot that we could talk about here. I this has been a a long term vision of our church. And quite frankly, this was the vision that the elders and I kind of agreed on before I came. Like, is this is this where Harmony wants to go? And this is definitely where I felt the Lord, would want me to.

00;27;07;29 - 00;27;29;23
Chris
Or the kind of church that, the Lord would want me to be, be a part of and to be a part of leading. I think it, it really goes back to Jesus. Is that Jesus? Preached the gospel, and he met physical needs. It wasn't it wasn't one or the other. It was both. And Jesus ministered in word and indeed.

00;27;29;26 - 00;27;55;20
Chris
And, and we see that because he, he healed people, on a regular basis and, but he just didn't heal, you know, always in that context, it was part of his mission to bring salvation, to, to people we're going to see this week or look at Zacchaeus. And and Zacchaeus didn't have a physical healing, but Jesus says, I came to seek and to save the lost.

00;27;56;14 - 00;28;17;28
Chris
And and part of the way that that he accomplished his mission of proclaiming the gospel was through meeting physical, physical needs. And I think that that's the roadmap that's just laid out for how the church is supposed to operate. We we are to follow, you know, Jesus said at the end of John, we'll get there eventually.

00;28;18;14 - 00;28;54;29
Chris
To his disciples, as the father has sent me. So even in my sending you in the father son Jesus and and we can see the the ministry of Jesus was, a want a word indeed. And so he sent us. I think, to do the same thing. I think that's really important. And to actually, ultimately, in order to be disciples, to make disciples, I think it's important for us to, to to show people like, for so many people, if we're not actually addressing their physical needs, we're never going to get the opportunity to share the gospel with them, because so many people, their physical needs are so great, like, they

00;28;54;29 - 00;29;19;12
Chris
can't like, this idea of salvation, spiritual salvation, it's just like they just need, you know, a medical, they've got medical issues that need help with. They they need put food on the table. They've got, family, situations and all of those kind of things. That's there a lot of people are just trying to survive.

00;29;20;02 - 00;29;51;10
Chris
And then I'll finish with this. It's been, I believe, conclusively shown, and not just by Christian authors. There's a, there's a great book, a really big book called, Dominion by Tom Holland. You familiar with this book is he's a Spiderman. He is. No, no. But and by the way, I'm not saying like like like by that you may think I'm saying, like, I, I've read it and like it's a mess.

00;29;51;12 - 00;29;51;27
Brenton
For you.

00;29;51;29 - 00;30;18;04
Chris
To. So yes, it is. Yes. But he's the reason I bring it up is he's a secular historian. But it's this is a book about how did the how did Christianity like how has it been so culturally influential in all this? I say is, is it I believe it's been conclusively shown that the reason that that Christianity grew was not simply because the people preach the gospel.

00;30;18;04 - 00;30;43;20
Chris
It's because Christians literally gave their lives to meeting physical needs. So like when the plague was spreading through the Roman Empire, like in Rome in particular, everybody fled except for the Christians, and the Christians stayed back and they took care of the the people who were sick and dying from the plague. The Christians, in those days, their form of abortion and people would literally the women would have the babies and they go expose the babies and let the babies die if they didn't want them.

00;30;43;22 - 00;31;07;22
Chris
And there were a lot of, so to speak, illegitimate pregnancies in those days because of the, the culture, the way that it was. And so a lot of un unwanted babies, so to speak. And, and so the Christians would go out and they literally would go out in the mornings and they would look they they would comb, like the streets to bring these babies in.

00;31;07;24 - 00;31;38;26
Chris
Will you start doing this? Are people's people start taking notice and they're like, there's something there's something different. Here. And so, so they would literally say, and I forget who, the early, author is, but it's an it's not a Christian. But it was, it was one of the, the early like, first couple century Romans who were really they were being pejorative about the Christians, but they say they share their table with all but their bed with only one.

00;31;38;29 - 00;32;02;26
Chris
Okay. And those were those were actually negatives in the Roman culture. In other words, they're they let it anybody can sit at my table, but the beds reserved for husband and wife and and and and so but what that did okay. And I'm talking about the table primarily here. What that did is it just was, it was just something different.

00;32;02;26 - 00;32;36;13
Chris
And Christianity within three and a half centuries went from a, you know, literally a group of of, you know, not just 12 but a couple hundred to the majority religion in the Roman Empire. Well, so that's a longer answer than you were looking for. But it's very it's that to me is the reason, you know, before we even opened the Burlington campus we launched the Maple Leaf people.

00;32;36;15 - 00;33;05;06
Chris
I forget this now, but we actually opened the Maple Leaf before we opened in Burlington. Kim, this is why we have the City Health Foundation. This is why ministering to the physical needs of our community is so, so important and why we want to be good neighbors. Because being good neighbors allows us to share the, you know, Tim Keller, we there's gospel neighbor and there's gospel messaging, and those things go hand in hand.

00;33;05;06 - 00;33;06;25
Chris
It's not not one or the other. It's both.

00;33;06;25 - 00;33;32;25
Brenton
And yeah, yeah, it's a good answer. There's a lot of responsibility on us if we're going to help redeem our culture. Right. Yeah. Okay. So in this series we've, we've mainly discussed giving financially. But obviously there are many other ways to serve our neighbors. So kind of in line with what we were talking about.

00;33;32;25 - 00;33;44;22
Brenton
And this, this week's practice was to show mercy. What are some modern day examples of showing mercy? You know, that kind of mirror the Good Samaritan story?

00;33;44;24 - 00;34;13;14
Chris
Yeah. I mean, I, I think there's just so many different ways, that we can do that. Here's a here's a simple one, to people. Well. You know, and, and I know I'm probably going to rile some people up with that one, but, hey, it's been 48 hours since I've done that, so,

00;34;13;17 - 00;34;18;29
Chris
But I do. And I know, like, people are asking for tips on everything, so I'm not suggesting.

00;34;18;29 - 00;34;19;21
Brenton
I'm a little while.

00;34;20;09 - 00;34;49;03
Chris
I'm not suggesting if someone literally grabs the food off of the rack and hands it to you that you need, we need to feel the compelled to to to to tip them. But understanding that most people are, who are in the position of servers, are are in, struggling economic conditions and recognizing especially, you know, the economic condition of our, of our region, like, right now.

00;34;49;17 - 00;35;08;18
Chris
But I just think that that's, you know, if you talk to, most waiters, waitresses, they'll tell you, like the people who they find the tip the worse of the people who come to restaurants on Sunday after church. That's not that's just not that's not good. That's not good. And and that just what does that do for.

00;35;08;18 - 00;35;15;10
Chris
What does that do for our witness? And so that, that, that may probably not where I thought I was going to go in that that's good.

00;35;15;10 - 00;35;17;15
Brenton
But I agree with you being generous.

00;35;17;17 - 00;35;49;22
Chris
That's just a very simple way, that we can can, can be generous and, and there's lots of ways I mentioned, you know, many ministries of city Hope, Foundation. There are other, you know, ways that you can serve, in the community and, and meeting, needs. They can also be, simply, ministering to widows, in our widowers, in our, in our church or in the community.

00;35;50;16 - 00;36;21;26
Chris
There's a lot of different ways that we can we can volunteer. I think it's just even being aware and looking for there's a there's a lot of physically and or spiritually needy people, if we're willing to open our eyes and not be consumed with what we've we've got to, to do. And, and I'm, I'm not good at this, but we are so focused on getting from point A to point B, and I got to do here and here is like, let's open our eyes and see the people who are, people who are around us.

00;36;21;26 - 00;36;36;02
Chris
I mean, there's Compassion International, like like you can sponsor children. I mean, that's great. There's, you know, so many, so many different ways and so many different needs that it's not hard if we're just willing.

00;36;36;04 - 00;36;37;29
Brenton
Yeah. If it's ever would do that.

00;36;37;29 - 00;36;55;27
Chris
Right. I mean, and, you know, the benevolence ministry. I love it here. Wednesdays at our Burlington campus. Now, you know, we have volunteers who come and that we just the doors are open and people come in all day long, and we're trying to figure out how to help them physically, but we're also sharing the gospel.

00;36;55;27 - 00;36;58;15
Chris
So, you know, we'll be a part of that. Yeah.

00;36;58;18 - 00;37;21;06
Brenton
Yeah, lots of ways. Okay. Well, I think we're going to wrap it up there. Thanks for the conversation. Congratulations again, ladies. I will actually be in contact with you over social media to get all this worked out. But, yeah, appreciate the conversation. And if you do have any comments or have any questions, ask it for the podcast.com.

00;37;21;08 - 00;37;22;15

And we'll talk to you next week.