Does it Really Matter?

Recently, I had a conversation with someone who berated ministries like the Marie Sandvik Center, who work with the marginalized in our society. Their complaint was simple … we are only compounding the problem by making resources available to people who don’t even care about themselves. Ultimately, he was saying, does a ministry like the Marie Sandvik Center matter, the people don’t care, so why bother? We bother to feed and clothe people who may not care much about themselves, but God cares about them.

Well, my friend had his opinion, now let me share with you God’s opinion on helping the marginalized:

Isaiah 58:6-9 No, this is the kind of fasting I want. Free those who are wrongly imprisoned. Lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward,  and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. Then when you call, the Lord will answer. “Yes, I am here,” he will quickly reply.

One of the great tragedies of modern life is the lack of caring for the marginalized. We have more people living in a homeless condition than ever before, and no one seems to know what to do. Granted, homelessness is a complicated issue, with mental illness, drug addition, and just plain economics for the working poor. We know that the Scriptures teach that by tending to the poor, we tend to the Lord.  In essence, the poor should never be neglected in our ministry strategy in the Church. Every week in most Churches, we are told to go and be the Church in our everyday lives. That means take what we have heard and put it into practice in some way.

God has an admonition in order to lighten the load, free the captives, and remove the chains that bind people. Then God says share food with the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, and give clothes to those who need it. Guess what?  God has just described the ministry of the Marie Sandvik Center.

Ministries like the Marie Sandvik Center need people like you to help them meet the needs of the marginalized. Since 1948, the Marie Sandvik Center has been doing exactly what God is calling for … a return to making God real to those who are in need. Sitting in a pew on Sunday may be good for the soul, but it is incomplete. If what we hear is left in that pew and never practiced in our life, we are losing out on the blessings from God.

From the pew to the poor is our message to you today. In this new year of 2025, consider taking a tour of the Marie Sandvik Center, see what we do, and how great the need is in our community to make the Gospel known.  Talk to your Church leaders to see if they would have an interest in partnering with us.

Does it really matter? Yes. God promised if we will respond, Godliness will lead us forward (direction) and He will protect us from behind, and when we call, He will answer.

Thank you from all of us at the Marie Sandvik Center.