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Articles

Why we should view our communities as mission fields

The opportunity to serve close to home

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September 15, 2020

During pre-COVID-19 times, raising funds to go on international mission trips has been popular in America’s culture of Christianity, and rightfully so. But there are mission fields that are often neglected within our own country, in neighborhoods that surround us. This isn’t news to many. But one of those types of fields may be surprising: low-income communities. I say this because one thing that I have noticed as an African American male who has lived in different types of neighborhoods is the alarming number of differences in the church experience for low-income communities as compared to suburban areas. 

The struggles in low-income neighborhoods

Various factors, including racism, have led to the fact that many of these low-income communities are made up mainly of people of color. And these poverty-stricken communities often have a culture that includes generational cycles of violence, physical/sexual abuse, broken families, and less educational opportunities and recreational resources. Millions of children are born into these communities, and for them to attain certain forms of success in life they will be forced to overcome tremendous adversity But this reality has additional implications as well. Ultimately, this means that many people of color in our country have to navigate more complicated stumbling blocks in order to come to know Christ.

While salvation works the same for everyone—we repent of our sins and trust in Jesus—opportunities to hear the gospel or grow in faith aren’t the same everywhere. For example, working at churches in low-income neighborhoods doesn’t normally come with a large paycheck, or any paycheck at all. Another example is that these communities are often made up of older churches without large youth groups, or budgets for student ministry. And for these and other reasons, many children in these areas never establish a strong connection with a church and are therefore unlikely to attend church after entering adulthood. 

This is not to say that such neighborhoods are neglected entirely. There are many ministries and nonprofit organizations that come to mind that do a great job of bringing the gospel to and meeting the needs of those in these communities. But even so, why isn’t it more common  for us as the body of Christ to serve in such areas? Why does it seem that so many churches overlook the opportunities, present in their own communities, to minister to those around them? 

We don’t have to wait for an international missions trip to disciple or minister to people who don’t look like us. As believers, we should be intentional about seeking people of all nations and backgrounds. If we truly want our churches to reflect the church in heaven, we must seek diversity in our discipleship, not just in color, but in the many things within the make-up of human beings that cause us to be diverse.

The Great Commission calls us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). This is a command to take the gospel to all people. We don’t have to wait for an international missions trip to disciple or minister to people who don’t look like us. As believers, we should be intentional about seeking people of all nations and backgrounds. If we truly want our churches to reflect the church in heaven, we must seek diversity in our discipleship, not just in color, but in the many things within the make-up of human beings that cause us to be diverse.

The gospel opportunity gap 

I firmly believe there is a large opportunity gap when it comes to reaching low-income communities with the gospel, and this particularly affects many people of color in our country. I call this the gospel opportunity gap. Jesus is able to save anyone, anywhere, but we should not let the location where a person is  born determine their ability to receive the gospel. Right now there are areas (and people) in front of us that are in need of our attention.

More affluent churches or those represented by majority-culture shouldn’t assume they can “solve the problems” of those in low-income communities. But they can minister in these communities by sharing the gospel and meeting needs, especially by partnering with those already doing ministry in these locations. Instead of deflecting, ignoring, or simply being afraid, we must find a way to be the church in these areas and to support church-based ministries in the communities. The struggles churches experience in low-income communities versus middle-to-high-income ones include weaker discipleship models, fewer resources, and fledgling finances—to name a few. 

Yes, the gospel opportunity gap is strong in many places outside of our country. But it also exists in places that could be within a 30-60 mile radius of where you live. Christians, let’s start figuring what we can begin doing to adequately serve these areas. It may require extra sacrifices, it may cause us to go out of our way to add a bus route, it may inspire us to create a new church plant, it may be something that never benefits our churches financially, or it may simply look like committed discipleship. But it is important to see these efforts as investments into communities that are in desperate need of the life-altering presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Daniel Rentie

Daniel Rentie is College Associate at Frisco First Baptist Church in Frisco, Texas. Paradigm College Ministry was created in September of 2019, with a mission to serve college students. Rentie is an alum of Texas Tech University and has been highly invested in ministry and community work for most of … Read More

Article 12: The Future of AI

We affirm that AI will continue to be developed in ways that we cannot currently imagine or understand, including AI that will far surpass many human abilities. God alone has the power to create life, and no future advancements in AI will usurp Him as the Creator of life. The church has a unique role in proclaiming human dignity for all and calling for the humane use of AI in all aspects of society.

We deny that AI will make us more or less human, or that AI will ever obtain a coequal level of worth, dignity, or value to image-bearers. Future advancements in AI will not ultimately fulfill our longings for a perfect world. While we are not able to comprehend or know the future, we do not fear what is to come because we know that God is omniscient and that nothing we create will be able to thwart His redemptive plan for creation or to supplant humanity as His image-bearers.

Genesis 1; Isaiah 42:8; Romans 1:20-21; 5:2; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Timothy 1:7-9; Revelation 5:9-10

Article 11: Public Policy

We affirm that the fundamental purposes of government are to protect human beings from harm, punish those who do evil, uphold civil liberties, and to commend those who do good. The public has a role in shaping and crafting policies concerning the use of AI in society, and these decisions should not be left to those who develop these technologies or to governments to set norms.

We deny that AI should be used by governments, corporations, or any entity to infringe upon God-given human rights. AI, even in a highly advanced state, should never be delegated the governing authority that has been granted by an all-sovereign God to human beings alone. 

Romans 13:1-7; Acts 10:35; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 10: War

We affirm that the use of AI in warfare should be governed by love of neighbor and the principles of just war. The use of AI may mitigate the loss of human life, provide greater protection of non-combatants, and inform better policymaking. Any lethal action conducted or substantially enabled by AI must employ 5 human oversight or review. All defense-related AI applications, such as underlying data and decision-making processes, must be subject to continual review by legitimate authorities. When these systems are deployed, human agents bear full moral responsibility for any actions taken by the system.

We deny that human agency or moral culpability in war can be delegated to AI. No nation or group has the right to use AI to carry out genocide, terrorism, torture, or other war crimes.

Genesis 4:10; Isaiah 1:16-17; Psalm 37:28; Matthew 5:44; 22:37-39; Romans 13:4

Article 9: Security

We affirm that AI has legitimate applications in policing, intelligence, surveillance, investigation, and other uses supporting the government’s responsibility to respect human rights, to protect and preserve human life, and to pursue justice in a flourishing society.

We deny that AI should be employed for safety and security applications in ways that seek to dehumanize, depersonalize, or harm our fellow human beings. We condemn the use of AI to suppress free expression or other basic human rights granted by God to all human beings.

Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 8: Data & Privacy

We affirm that privacy and personal property are intertwined individual rights and choices that should not be violated by governments, corporations, nation-states, and other groups, even in the pursuit of the common good. While God knows all things, it is neither wise nor obligatory to have every detail of one’s life open to society.

We deny the manipulative and coercive uses of data and AI in ways that are inconsistent with the love of God and love of neighbor. Data collection practices should conform to ethical guidelines that uphold the dignity of all people. We further deny that consent, even informed consent, although requisite, is the only necessary ethical standard for the collection, manipulation, or exploitation of personal data—individually or in the aggregate. AI should not be employed in ways that distort truth through the use of generative applications. Data should not be mishandled, misused, or abused for sinful purposes to reinforce bias, strengthen the powerful, or demean the weak.

Exodus 20:15, Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:13-14; Matthew 10:16 Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 1:7 

Article 7: Work

We affirm that work is part of God’s plan for human beings participating in the cultivation and stewardship of creation. The divine pattern is one of labor and rest in healthy proportion to each other. Our view of work should not be confined to commercial activity; it must also include the many ways that human beings serve each other through their efforts. AI can be used in ways that aid our work or allow us to make fuller use of our gifts. The church has a Spirit-empowered responsibility to help care for those who lose jobs and to encourage individuals, communities, employers, and governments to find ways to invest in the development of human beings and continue making vocational contributions to our lives together.

We deny that human worth and dignity is reducible to an individual’s economic contributions to society alone. Humanity should not use AI and other technological innovations as a reason to move toward lives of pure leisure even if greater social wealth creates such possibilities.

Genesis 1:27; 2:5; 2:15; Isaiah 65:21-24; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16

Article 6: Sexuality

We affirm the goodness of God’s design for human sexuality which prescribes the sexual union to be an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman in the lifelong covenant of marriage.

We deny that the pursuit of sexual pleasure is a justification for the development or use of AI, and we condemn the objectification of humans that results from employing AI for sexual purposes. AI should not intrude upon or substitute for the biblical expression of sexuality between a husband and wife according to God’s design for human marriage.

Genesis 1:26-29; 2:18-25; Matthew 5:27-30; 1 Thess 4:3-4

Article 5: Bias

We affirm that, as a tool created by humans, AI will be inherently subject to bias and that these biases must be accounted for, minimized, or removed through continual human oversight and discretion. AI should be designed and used in such ways that treat all human beings as having equal worth and dignity. AI should be utilized as a tool to identify and eliminate bias inherent in human decision-making.

We deny that AI should be designed or used in ways that violate the fundamental principle of human dignity for all people. Neither should AI be used in ways that reinforce or further any ideology or agenda, seeking to subjugate human autonomy under the power of the state.

Micah 6:8; John 13:34; Galatians 3:28-29; 5:13-14; Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 12:10

Article 4: Medicine

We affirm that AI-related advances in medical technologies are expressions of God’s common grace through and for people created in His image and that these advances will increase our capacity to provide enhanced medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions as we seek to care for all people. These advances should be guided by basic principles of medical ethics, including beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice, which are all consistent with the biblical principle of loving our neighbor.

We deny that death and disease—effects of the Fall—can ultimately be eradicated apart from Jesus Christ. Utilitarian applications regarding healthcare distribution should not override the dignity of human life. Fur- 3 thermore, we reject the materialist and consequentialist worldview that understands medical applications of AI as a means of improving, changing, or completing human beings.

Matthew 5:45; John 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Galatians 6:2; Philippians 2:4

Article 3: Relationship of AI & Humanity

We affirm the use of AI to inform and aid human reasoning and moral decision-making because it is a tool that excels at processing data and making determinations, which often mimics or exceeds human ability. While AI excels in data-based computation, technology is incapable of possessing the capacity for moral agency or responsibility.

We deny that humans can or should cede our moral accountability or responsibilities to any form of AI that will ever be created. Only humanity will be judged by God on the basis of our actions and that of the tools we create. While technology can be created with a moral use in view, it is not a moral agent. Humans alone bear the responsibility for moral decision making.

Romans 2:6-8; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 1 John 2:1

Article 2: AI as Technology

We affirm that the development of AI is a demonstration of the unique creative abilities of human beings. When AI is employed in accordance with God’s moral will, it is an example of man’s obedience to the divine command to steward creation and to honor Him. We believe in innovation for the glory of God, the sake of human flourishing, and the love of neighbor. While we acknowledge the reality of the Fall and its consequences on human nature and human innovation, technology can be used in society to uphold human dignity. As a part of our God-given creative nature, human beings should develop and harness technology in ways that lead to greater flourishing and the alleviation of human suffering.

We deny that the use of AI is morally neutral. It is not worthy of man’s hope, worship, or love. Since the Lord Jesus alone can atone for sin and reconcile humanity to its Creator, technology such as AI cannot fulfill humanity’s ultimate needs. We further deny the goodness and benefit of any application of AI that devalues or degrades the dignity and worth of another human being. 

Genesis 2:25; Exodus 20:3; 31:1-11; Proverbs 16:4; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 3:23

Article 1: Image of God

We affirm that God created each human being in His image with intrinsic and equal worth, dignity, and moral agency, distinct from all creation, and that humanity’s creativity is intended to reflect God’s creative pattern.

We deny that any part of creation, including any form of technology, should ever be used to usurp or subvert the dominion and stewardship which has been entrusted solely to humanity by God; nor should technology be assigned a level of human identity, worth, dignity, or moral agency.

Genesis 1:26-28; 5:1-2; Isaiah 43:6-7; Jeremiah 1:5; John 13:34; Colossians 1:16; 3:10; Ephesians 4:24