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Homeless

Outreach

Participation

Endeavor

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Matthew 19:13-14: “Then little children were brought to Jesus that he might put his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Without an understanding of the world in which Jesus and his listeners lived and moved and had their being, namely as 1st century Jews living in a Greco-Roman world, then there is no hope of comprehending the societal revolution which was to be sparked by such statements from the Lord as the one before us. In that day, and within that particular society, there was a social hierarchy which placed children on the bottom with little to no rights whatsoever. Child Protective Services would not run to the rescue of a battered and oppressed child to liberate her from unjustly harsh parental treatment and anonymous, toll-free hotlines for abused children are certainly a modern novelty as well. Simply put, children, along with eunuchs, lepers, and especially slaves among others were on the fringes of society, looked down upon by those considered to be the elite. And it is precisely these persons that Jesus says will make up the kingdom of God. Does he mean to say that only children will inherit the new creation when the Lord returns to finish that which he began in his ministry, cross, and resurrection? Of course not. What we have in the passage at hand is a subversiveness of the conventional order of society, as Jesus takes “the last” (those with no standing in the community) and makes them first. To prove this was more than an abstract ideal or wishful thinking reserved for an unrealistic utopian world, Jesus himself became “last” by allowing the Jewish aristocrats in collusion with the Roman government to humiliate him through crucifixion, only to be made “first” at his resurrection, and enthroned at the right hand of the Father.
This is the driving force behind Academia’s mission to the poor. The many homeless men, women, and even children who are scattered across the streets of our hurting world are often stepped over, sneered at, and treated as sub-human by unconcerned passers-by with middle to upper-class social standing who dwell in ivory palaces. The church is called to work where our world is in pain, and often the most excruciating, gut-wrenching pain confronts us right on our very own doorstep. This mission will include regular fund-raisers with no administrative rake, as 100% of the proceeds will be devoted to serving those in need. Clothing donations will be accepted, along with gifts of food, water, soap, etc. Moreover, we will be making a concerted effort to assist these otherwise helpless people in getting off the streets by encouraging them to take advantage of certain government programs such as Job Corps, Cash Assistance, Food Stamps, and the like. Donors will receive an official thank you letter from Academia Church for individual records which should be kept safe for tax purposes. It is time for the more economically privileged to take seriously the teachings and the cross of Jesus the Christ, and implement them by taking the kingdom of God and the grace of Christ to the least of these. We do this in the confidence that the God who raises the dead has set a day in which he will overcome all evil (including homelessness, starvation, and the like). We, and those we minister to, thank you for your loving donations, and it is our earnest prayer that you all take delight in servicing those for whom Christ died.
For more information on how to become involved in this mission either through volunteering or donations, please call Nathan Smith at 602-391-6451, or send and e-mail to Nathan.Academia@gmail.com.