A Testimony to Church and Community

The life led by Eberhard Arnold was truly an inspiration to many. In the first section of A Testimony to Church Community we are taught who Eberhard Arnold was and of the life that he led. Eberhard was dedicated to benefiting the poor and oppressed from a young age. At the age of sixteen, Eberhard fully made his commitment to doing the Lord’s work. He married in 1909. Shortly after, he had to move his family due to an illness of the lungs and larynx. This is when Eberhard began writing. His sister-in-law moved in with the family and became Eberhard’s secretary as well as the first member of their community. Though Eberhard was drafted and served a few weeks of service, he had a strong anti-war view fueled by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The Sermon on the Mount particularly inspired Eberhard. He strongly believed that it is not possible to be both a Christian and a soldier. A short time later, Eberhard Arnold’s community began to grow. They were dedicated to educating underprivileged children. The community also educated others in the surrounding area from their many publications. The group’s efforts to live a peaceful, communal life were suddenly halted by invading Nazis. The community uprooted (children and youth first) and moved to Switzerland. While on a quest for a more permanent home for the community, Eberhard passed away as he underwent surgery on his broken leg. Before his passing, Eberhard left his community with inspirational words on his hopes for the future and continuation of the church.

I found the dedication of Eberhard Arnold to God very inspirational. He strove to find solutions to many problems facing his community. I believe that Eberhard took the teachings of Jesus very seriously. This is quite evident when he stated, “We must obey God rather than men.” Eberhard, like Jesus, strove to reach out to those who were marginalized. I like that Eberhard reached out to the youth in particular. His community’s dedication to educating underprivileged children is above all inspiring to me. After reading how willing Eberhard was to keep his community going no matter the obstacles that came their way, I was truly moved. I have learned from this short passage how dedication and determination in life through Jesus can touch and change many other lives.

In the second section of A Testimony to Church and Community, we get more insight to Eberhard Arnold’s views of God’s purpose. To Arnold, God’s main purpose is togetherness or unity. Arnold told us that we cannot achieve God’s purpose without knowing love. Only love prevails and God’s love is eternal. Love is kindness and fulfills the needs of others. Love is unconditional and warrants no return. This love sees through the sins of man, and still loves and protects. Arnold felt that God’s purpose is for us to realize that the creator, God, is not in nature. Nature is not a way to God, because he is greater than all of nature. In class, we have learned that God is creating again. He is creating togetherness. Arnold tells us that whoever walks the path of God shall be granted an eternal reward. Arnold warns us of the evils of material goods. To him, material goods must benefit God’s purpose. Arnold feels that man must rise above temptations in order to win God’s kingdom back; then, and only then, God will return to rule. Arnold also reminded us that God exists beyond man-made boundaries. He reaches the farthest expanses of the universe. We must become worthy of God. Arnold proposes unity as God’s purpose. Just as we have been learning inn class, Arnold sees the oneness of God and the oneness of man as this purpose. He tells us when we are in isolation, living the way we do today, we are unable to truly live. We will truly be alive once broken free from the shackles of our own existence, our own isolationism. When we accept God, we become free from struggle. The Kingdom of God is within us, no matter where we reside. This reminds me of Acts 2:5 where Luke tells us of the diversity of the followers of Christ. Next, Arnold understood that we all have sin, “the beast in us,” and it fights us every step of the way. He felt that we must turn our thoughts into actions and we must keep our thoughts beyond the flesh. We need to be less self-centered to find true freedom. This freedom will lead us to Christ. I feel Arnold was speaking of us finding our oneness with God. To Arnold, Christianity has lost a lot of the true meaning by making it for one person. He felt Christianity is not for the benefit of just one man, but for the benefit of all men. Arnold felt there would be no justice until those who do God’s will inherit the earth. Getting rid of weapons will not bring about peace. Only ending animosity toward one another will bring peace. Peace is found in unity with both Christ and man. We must remember that it is not right to kill a murderer, because this will make us as “impure” as the murderer. This entire section is like a guidebook to finding unity with God through unity with man. If Arnold is correct, then our wait has just begun. This is where our faith has to step in, because chaos consumes our world. We have segregated ourselves from one another for the purpose of self-preservation.

This section of Arnold’s A Testimony to Church and Community covers a variety of topics that all relate to the success of Church Community. These topics include: private property, true understanding, diversity, and social problems. The first thing that Arnold wants man to remember is that private property isolates man. It is the root of most of man’s evils. Capitalism is evil. A capitalist world does not fall because too many people are driven by greed. War is driven by love of the flesh, love of property, and love of self-preservation. Therefore, private property is inherently evil. The sun, the air, the water, and the earth are what keep us living. God gave it all to us. The sun belongs to all man, because it is beyond man’s grasp. However, the air, the water, and the earth are being privatized. The earth should belong to all men, but it is parceled among the many few. Prophets such as Jesus are pro-man therefore they must be anti-private property. Man should follow Jesus’ example and give up all their worldly possessions. Anything possessed by man is his curse. To receive full freedom from all rights and all privileges, man must not collect possessions. Unity is the key to life. It is a part of life. True unity comes from a communal way of life. This section of Arnold’s book reminds me of Acts 4:32-5:11. I think that the point that Arnold is trying to get across is that we all must put our trust into God. We must trust that God will take care of all of our needs. We must remember that if we are in unity with God, then we will be provided for. For a true community to work effectively, man must sacrifice everything including himself. This is what it means to love. This reminds me of Acts 15:1-35 where we learned that every man in God’s community must sacrifice many things that makes him an individual. They must sacrifice their culture and their ideals in order for the community to work.

Next Arnold shares with us that true understanding comes from “the spirit of Church Community” (Arnold, 30). Community begins with agreement on emotion, will, and thought. If the bond between a group raises the group to higher ground, then they will be able to see more. They will find fulfillment, and they will find something beyond humanity. What they will find is the Holy Spirit, which creates a new perception of reality. Each person in a community is just as important as the next. The Church is more than brick and stone. It is the people who dwell within its walls. Take the walls down; the Church should still thrive. While reading this, I am reminded of Peter’s vision where he learns that anything that God has made is not impure or unclean. He applied this lesson to people as well. He learned that every man was an equal to himself. Arnold then adds that the Church should be diverse. This section reminds me of the picture painted in Acts 2:5: “Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.” It should reach beyond all nations under heaven and beyond worldly bounds. The Church should reach beyond time and space. It should be the power of God to reconcile all things. God has given the world diversity and his goal is to bring the diversity together as a working unit.

Also, Christ’s Community should alleviate all social problems. The New Kingdom must be free from common sin in order to find success. The laws of Christ must stand before the laws of man. All men must follow Christ’s law to bring forth community or The New Kingdom. All men must remember there is only one leader of any Church; that leader is God. No man can govern another. The purpose of the Church is not only to spread the word, but also to live by the word. I think if everyone were able to follow the advice of Arnold, our world would be a much brighter, safer world. However, since man is unable to let go of everything that makes him an individual, we are not able to find peace and alleviate all social problems. There are many of us within the community in the “waiting” process trying to live by the laws of God. Hopefully, one day, we can all come together and not have to wait any longer.

Throughout the poems of Eberhard Arnold, we find continuing ideas. These ideas include: community, unity, and oneness; love; peace; work; giving; waiting; and trusting. All but one poem fully paints a bright picture, until the end anyway. I will discuss that poem as you read on. I will tackle the more prominent idea in Arnold’s poetry, community. As I go on, you will see how community ties everything else together. I have learned from earlier readings that Arnold feels strongly about the idea of unity and community. Throughout his poems this idea, his message, comes up a total of eighteen times.

Arnold’s message is clear. We must remember that God is one, and through his word we envision the community. God is with us, and His Kingdom is near. His mission is to help us find fulfillment through community. If we become one, God will work through us. Because he works through us, we will be able to work together through community. Our work is to teach others to love each other. We must teach them that Christ is the love that fills hearts, and God is uplifting. As we work, we wait; and when we wait, we learn to trust God and to work as one. God is the trinity working together, so we too must work together. Through working together, new members will join together and complete our circle; then we will be a complete community because we will not only have a physical community, but also have a spiritual community. Only through a spiritual community will we be able to find peace. Peace will help us to be free from temptation; then and only then, God will reclaim the earth.

This message ties more closely to Acts than Revelation thus far. Again, I can see the story of Ananias and Sapphira in this message. We must learn to trust in God to help others find peace and community. However, in Revelation, we are told that God is one. So through this, again, you get the sense of unity. In the letters of John to the seven churches he has told them that they have lost their way. From losing their way, they have lost their sense of unity and community. I feel of all the poems the second poem is more closely tied to Revelation than the others. This poem actually reminds me of the letters. He tells the reader, you have lost hope. There is war and destruction because you are bound more to your country than you are to God. This has helped Satan to get a foothold among us. Temptation has overtaken the world which has given men great burdens. Men are not united to God and each other; they are united to their country and their possessions. However, there is a light among us; this light is God. He works through us to bring us together, and through this we will be united. Then God will be able to reclaim his Kingdom, Earth. Like John, Arnold is telling people, to wake up, to endure. He reminds them that they are forsaking Jesus, and they should not take the middle road. Arnold is trying to get people to know they are being seduced; and though they feel they are good Christians, they are more loyal to other ideas than to God and Christ. Arnold’s message has been very clear; the answer to God’s purpose is community. It is not only a physical community; it is also a community through spirit. If we wake up and accept this way of life, if we trust in God; we will find unity, love, and peace. Then, everything else will work itself out, and God will take his reign among us.

The Osteen Factor

Homelessness is a major problem in the United States. Unfortunately, many Christians turn a blind eye to the problem and act as if they do not see it, it does not exist. I am here to let you know that it does exist and how Joel Osteen’s ministry factors into this epidemic.

In the United States, there are approximately 1.5 million homeless children, and this number is continually on the rise. These children did not ask to be homeless, and many of their parents did not ask to be homeless as well. It has become acceptable in the United States to assume that people live in poverty by choice to and that people are homeless by choice. Though that very well may be the case for many people who find themselves living on the streets, it is not always the case.

For instance, I never chose to be homeless, but it did happen to us. In 2003, we were finally able to afford health insurance, but we had to wait for open enrollment in early 2004. Unfortunately, when January 2004 came around, insurance costs had doubled from the previous year; and once again, we were not able to afford the high insurance rates. Therefore, we did not enroll, as we had to choose between health insurance or food for our children.

Two months passed, and life was continuing uneventfully until one cold morning late February. My husband returned home from working the night shift as a forklift operator. He made it into the home and fell to the floor. He had ruptured a disk and slipped another. It had been raining the night before, and the roof of the warehouse where my husband worked leaked. The forklift had hit the puddle in the floor and spun out before it slammed against the wall.

My husband’s employer lied in court saying that my husband had been hurt at home. However, she reported to the disability office that my husband had been hurt at work. We had won the court case due to her inability to tell the truth. However, our lawyer had forgotten to file the medical records including the MRI results. Without the medical records, my husband was not awarded any funds for treatment or missed time. The employer even refused to pay out his saved vacation time and sick time. As a result we lost everything, including our home.

With two small children, we had gone from having everything we ever wanted and needed to having absolutely nothing at all. I know what you are thinking, what about me? Why did I not work? One of my small children was disabled, and I was providing him with extensive care and therapies. I did try to work, but we saw significant regression with my eldest son.

So, as you can plainly see, we were two average middle class parents who worked very hard to care for and support our children. We did not ask to lose all of our belongings or our home. So, I ask you not to be quick judging the homeless.

Of the millions of homeless in the United States, there are an estimated 10,000 homeless individuals in Houston, Texas. Of these 10,000, more than half receive no shelter. Also of the 10,000, an estimated 5,400 are children. So what does this mean? Many of the unsheltered are children. In Houston, it has become illegal to feed the homeless if you are feeding more than five people without explicit approval via a permit from the city and certified kitchen staff.

So, how does Joel Osteen fit into the equation? He preaches, “God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us.” Osteen has proven that he believes what he preaches, as his church spent 90 million dollars for renovations. Can you imagine what 90 million dollars could have done to help the 5,400 homeless children in Osteen’s own community? That kind of money could have built a shelter to house the families until they could get on their feet. It could have fed the children every day for 1,667 days (4.5 years), or developed job placement programs to help the parents provide for their children.

Instead of helping the needy, the money was spent on a golden globe, two waterfalls, theatrical lighting, and three theater size monitor screens for better viewing of the pastor. The only thing missing in the church is a cross, an image of Christ, and an image of God. Furthermore, Osteen’s church spends over 22 million dollars a year on advertising and 9 million a year on the maintenance of the exuberant facilities. Lakewood Church spends a total of 72.6 million dollars annually on expenses, none of which are spent on helping the needy in the church’s community. Again, the money used for expenses could easily feed those 5,400 homeless children for 3.65 years. As homeless children in Osteen’s community sleep under the bridges, Osteen and family reside in a 10.5 million dollar mansion because God wants him to? Osteen claims, “It's God's will for you to live in prosperity instead of poverty.” Is it? When considering Osteen’s sermons, remember what Christ has taught us:

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31 NIV)

“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” (Luke 16:19-31 KJV)

“As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4 NIV)

“And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.” (Luke 21:1-4 KJV)

Also remember that Christ preached against big churches, and Lakewood church is a mega-church. Christ taught that our church should be a home church, a small community. He warned that when our church becomes too large, it is difficult for us to recognize when our brothers and sisters are in need. He called us into a communal way of life. Focusing on our own wealth keeps us from seeing the bigger picture, as it has done for Osteen and his parishioners. 10,000 homeless in Houston, 5,400 homeless children in Houston, children who live on the streets, but they are not seen, and they are not heard, and Lakewood Church spends 72.6 million dollars per year on expenses. Think on this, 72.6 million dollars split between the 1.5 million homeless in the United States is $48. I know for a fact that $48 dollars is enough to feed one person for an entire week if they shop smart.

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14 NIV)

“Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:14 NIV)

Furthermore, Christ warned us several times about false prophets. I have not found one passage in the Bible that tells me that Christ wants us to be wealthy. I challenge you to find the passages that Osteen preaches; and while you search, remember what Christ preached.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:15-20 NIV)

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:15-20 KJV)

Further Reading:

I truly believe there is one of many ministers from the recent past that truly understood Christ’s message (I am not limiting it to one, as I do not know all of the ministers in the world). This minister was Eberhard Arnold.

Eberhard Arnold stated, “Greed and vanity, possession and property must perish because they are worthless for the eternal. Even the highest gifts of language, knowledge, and prophecy belong to time and will perish with it. Love, however, is simply life itself, life in every sense, full and everlasting life.” (A Testimony to Church Community, Page 26) Osteen should through Eberhard’s example of community. Eberhard’s communal church reached out to underprivileged youth in an effort to educate them. The church did not allow the children to starve on the streets hidden by alleyways and under bridges.

Also, Arnold warns us of the evils of material goods. To him, material goods must benefit God’s purpose. Arnold feels that man must rise above temptations in order to win God’s kingdom back; then, and only then, God will return to rule. Arnold also reminded us that God exists beyond man-made boundaries. He reaches the farthest expanses of the universe. We must become worthy of God. Arnold proposes unity as God’s purpose.

Arnold sees the oneness of God and the oneness of man as this purpose. He tells us when we are in isolation, living the way we do today, we are unable to truly live. We will truly be alive once broken free from the shackles of our own existence, our own isolationism. When we accept God, we become free from struggle. The Kingdom of God is within us, no matter where we reside. This reminds me of Acts 2:5 where Luke tells us of the diversity of the followers of Christ. Next, Arnold understood that we all have sin, “the beast in us,” and it fights us every step of the way. He felt that we must turn our thoughts into actions and we must keep our thoughts beyond the flesh. We need to be less self-centered to find true freedom. This freedom will lead us to Christ.

It sickens me to learn that Osteen preaches that Christ wants us to be wealthy when we live in a world with evident homelessness, a world that is not accepting of Christian values, and a world where the gap between the impoverished and wealthy is consistently expanding.

I come from a family of ministers, police officers, nurses, teachers, and other civil servant workers. I do not recall a time when any of the ministers lived off of the church that they led. Yes, I mean these ministers had jobs outside their church to support their families. Many ministers do preach for the love of Christ not for the love of money. They have listened to the word of Jesus.

“These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.” (Matthew 10:5-10 NIV)

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.” (Matthew 10:5-10 KJV)

Following the word of Christ and living truly as a Christian means to follow all scripture without picking and choosing which law Christ has laid down before you. Our leaders should not behave in a way that distracts us from Christian living, and they certainly should not teach us in a way that further distracts us from Christian living.

All pictures posted are of the homeless in the Houston area. Some estimates show there are more than 11,000 in Houston. 

Statistics can be found in the links below:
photograph links: two boys, mother and children, under the bridge, homeless with cart, homeless shelter, boy eating, boy with chocolate milk, teens, Lakewood Church

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