What are your expectations about the future of the poor?

This is an important question for us to ask as leaders, as Christians.

What did Jesus really mean when he said:

You will always have the poor among you... Mark 14:7a

For far too many of us this partial verse has been taken out of context and misused — either personally or within the context of our ministry leadership — to justify not doing a whole heck of a lot on behalf of the poor.

But as Christians, as people of influence, this must change.

We are in a battle with our own low expectations!

Things are getting better.

In 1982, 52% of the world’s population lived in poverty.

Today it’s 26%.

We are awakening to the whole gospel. Word and deed!

But it requires something from all of us.

Especially those of us in America who fall among the most affluent in the world — YES, you and me… and even our students.

We need to make justice a priority — in our lives and our ministries.

We need to follow the lead of this younger generation that feels compelled to do something; and be counted among those who are empowering and equipping them to be the change we all want to see in the world.

We need to live it.

And we need to create a context where we are growing disciples (and not just equipping good, moral individuals) to live out the full gospel!