Letter to Those in Grief

If you are like many of us, you have often wondered what can be said to someone in the community who has suffered a great loss - either in death or a tragic family circumstance. Even though you don't know them, you would like to express your condolences and also say something that may help point them to the Lord. Of course, you know that now is not the time to give them a full-orbed Gospel message. To send them a regular Gospel tract inside a sympathy card would seem insensitive to their great loss. But is there anything that can be said at such a time that would gently encourage them to turn their eyes to the Lord - perhaps initially for comfort but ultimately for eternal life?

The draft below might be of some value to you as you consider what you might write or send. Feel free to use it and customize it as you see fit. Also if you think of something more appropriate that could be said in such a letter or card you could leave your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Dear

We are sending this note to say that we have been sincerely touched to hear of the life-storm you are experiencing. Although we are unknown to you, we want you to know that since hearing of your deeply painful circumstances (or your tragic and profound loss), we have been praying for you.

In times of crisis and sorrow and darkness, God can draw near in deep compassion and comfort broken hearts and shattered lives.

Even in the absence of answers to our painful questions, in the very sad solitudes of life, people have opened their hearts to God’s comfort and their ears to His loving voice. For some, turning to the Lord may have been a last resort to find comfort and purpose behind the raging black clouds of life.  It gives us hope and confidence to know the Lord came into their lives and blessed them in a way they had not experienced before in life.

God understands sorrow and His loving heart is touched. On three occasions we read of Jesus weeping when He was here on earth. Jesus tenderly invited people who were filled with distress and crushed by heavy burdens to come to Him for rest. In the Bible a beautiful invitation from Jesus is given in Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest.”

The little gift card enclosed is a mere token to express our condolences and perhaps help you with a meal in the days ahead. Be assured we will keep you in our prayers and if you ever want to contact us for further prayer our information is below.

Kindest Regards with Deepest Sympathy

PS. A thank-you note is not necessary.

Lots of Good WORDS but Where Are the Good WORKS?

I wonder what Jesus meant when He said: “Let your light SO shine among men that they may see your GOOD WORKS and glorify your Father in Heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Victoria Drive Gospel Hall Assembly dispensing food in Vancouver.

What was it about the first century Christians that gave them such credibility among the pagans? Why did the Gospel spread like wildfire in the first century or two? Why did pagans shake their head in positive amazement over the people in the community who were called ‘Christians’? Why did emperors worry that soon the whole empire would soon be converted to Christianity?

Good Works for the Community to Witness – Did Jesus Really Mean What He Said?

The early Christians took seriously the teachings of Christ and the teachings of the Apostles about doing good works in their community; going the extra mile and showing love to those who hated them. They didn’t just stand behind pulpits and preach. Giving weight to their words was the credibility they had earned among their neighbors by their good works and compassion and acts of kindness. Read early church history.

We may be rich in our knowledge of Scriptural doctrines and thank the Lord, we may hold much truth. But we have lost a lot of ground in other respects. Good words and good works were never meant to be mutually exclusive. They were intended to go hand in hand in the spread of the Gospel.

The Old Lady’s Pointed Question

An elderly aristocratic couple who had become familiar with the assemblies, the preaching of the Gospel and many Christians in their later years invited two preachers to their high end home for a multi-course meal. Once the food had been served, the hostess set her utensils down on her plate and leaned forward and looked seriously into the faces of her two guests. She asked:

“Other than invite people into your buildings to preach the Gospel and to tell them they’re going to Hell if they don’t believe, what good works have you done in your community over the last year?”

A rather searching question for many of us and many assemblies too.

Ouch! Questions that Make us Squirm

 

When the neighbors, ten doors down from the Gospel Hall, lost their son in a car accident – what presence did the assembly of believers have? Did ‘it’ send meals to the grieving family? Did someone show up to pray with them? Were flowers sent on behalf of the Christians who meet every week at the other end of the street?

 

When the barn burned in the community, did the assembly swing into high gear and make hot chocolate and sandwiches for the firefighters as they fought the fire through the cold stormy night?

When the house that was for sale for months finally sold and the new family moved in, did someone representing the assembly arrive at the door with a welcoming care package to greet the new family?

Who’s Responsible? What’s the Plan?

Many assemblies have someone in charge of the Sunday School – the SS Superintendent. Not sure where that name came from but we use it all the time. We have another group of believers who are in charge of the kitchen – the head cook. For those who convene conferences, we have some organization on that front as well – a committee of sorts that attends to all the details. Many assemblies have a weekly or monthly roster for who’s in charge of cleaning the hall or providing snacks for the Sunday morning break.

Why do we have things organized like that? For the simple reason, if there isn’t a plan, it doesn’t happen. If no one has the responsibility, it rarely happens.

How many assemblies have a group of believers who have been assigned the responsibility of looking for opportunities to do good works in the community? Whose responsibility is it when a tragedy strikes or a disaster occurs to implement the fan-out list to call Christians to action? Do you have a response plan like that? Is there an annual meeting to review all the assembly-sponsored community good works over the past twelve months?

Why not?

Are We Known as Super Nice People?

Do the people in the community have a positive impression of the assembly? Other than knocking on their doors during a special Gospel effort – how have they seen or benefited from your corporate or individual presence in their neighborhood? When the neighbors think of the people that meet where you meet – do they say: “They’re nice people that go there. They are incredibly kind and caring. We don’t agree with their teaching but they are always the first to help in time of need – regardless of our religion or lack thereof.”

Hostility Will Increase

The environment in which we preach the Gospel is going to become increasingly hostile. We unfortunately add fuel to the fire of criticism by our own lack of credibility in the community. The Gospel message itself will never be popular because of the realities that people must face in their own lives. But shame on us if our lack of a kind and caring witness and visible presence in the community has added an inexcusable offense to the Gospel message.

If you haven’t already shared a story about something the assembly in your area is doing to build credibility and respect – good works that are helping to show the love and warmth of Christ to a cold world filled with hate, please submit your story so it can be shared on this blog.

When Disaster Strikes in Your Community

Tragedies, disasters and accidents occur in our communities from time to time and they are opportunities for Christians and the local assembly to show care, concern and compassion in a very practical and meaningful way. It may be a fire, an unexpected death, a family loss, an accident or some other hardship. Or it could be a larger scale disaster such as the one reported below. Small or large – they are opportunities for us to display through practical deeds the love of Christ to our community.

It was late Sunday afternoon, May 25, 2008 when the F5 killer tornado slammed into Parkersburg, Iowa and other communities at over 200 mph. Terrified people cried out: “God save me.” In the Parkersburg area, seven people died and 70 were injured – not to mention the destruction of homes and businesses. 

The same day the F5 tornado slammed into Parkersburg a tornado also caused extensive damage to homes and farms just north and west of Dunkerton, Iowa.

There is a local New Testament assembly in the town of Dunkerton. Was there anything the assembly itself could do and was there anything the individual believers could do to reach out to a hurting community? 

At our request, Russ Nesbit with the assembly in Dunkerton, Iowa kindly submitted the report below outlining the assembly’s response:

Forty one homes in the Dunkerton area were rendered unlivable. The assembly felt exercised to help in a practical way. We hand-delivered a small gift of $100. to those affected. If the family was connected to the assembly through their children’s involvement in the Sunday School our gift was $500.

The following letter, written on Gospel Hall stationary, was enclosed with the gift:

Please receive this small gift as our expression of concern for you in the loss you have sustained. As you adjust to this sudden, unexpected change in your life, may the comfort of God through family, friends, and strangers give you daily courage to face the task of each new day.

The greatest evidence of God's concern for us can be found by looking at Jesus Christ. God loved our suffering world so much that He sent His Son to agonize and die for us, to free us from being sentenced to eternal sorrow (John 3: 16-18). By personally receiving Jesus Christ, we can avoid the worst of all tragedies, the tragedy of separation from God forever.

With our thoughts, prayers, and love;

Your friends that gather at the Dunkerton Gospel Hall

In addition to the letters and gifts sent from the assembly, a number of those associated with the assembly spent hours helping others with their clean-up. The feedback was general appreciation but it has also resulted in several heart to heart talks with recipients who wanted to focus on the reality of Christianity.

Submitted by Russ Nesbit.

Observations:

Whose responsibility is it to look for such opportunities in the community? Not all disasters are on such a large scale as a tornado. The need may be confined to one family who is hurting badly. Is the assembly sensitive to the needs of the community it is trying to reach with the Gospel?

Notice that those who benefitted from the kind deed were fully aware of where the gift came from. The gift and letter were hand-delivered so the neighbor could attach a real person with the local assembly that had showed such kindness.

The letter was written on Gospel Hall stationary to identify the source of the gift clearly.

The letter was compassionate, short and simple and not ‘preachy’. This was not the appropriate time to distribute the Two Roads Chart and other hard-hitting Gospel papers. It is called ‘winning’ souls with ‘wisdom’.

Notice it is from ‘friends’ who gather at the local assembly – not from the ‘believers’ or the ‘Christians’. There is something warm and inviting about the term. It implies – ‘we’re your neighbors next door. Normal human beings who love Christ.’

If you would like to add an observation to this story, please leave a comment.