Bread of life

L. John Bueno, executive director of Assemblies of God World Missions, recently shared his thoughts on the plight of the hungry with Randy Hurst, director of AGWM Media/Advancement.

PE: What is the value of setting aside one day a year to remind churches of the problem of hunger around the world?

BUENO: Throughout Scripture, God placed a heavy emphasis on meeting the needs of the poor. His admonition to defend the poor is woven through much of the Old Testament. In the New Testament, compassion for the poor was acted out in flesh and blood through Jesus’ life. World Hunger Day is an opportunity to remind churches that we must not forget something that God thinks is very important.

PE: Why is this highlight especially significant on the Sunday before Thanksgiving?

BUENO: We are a people of grace, because it is only through God’s grace that we have anything — spiritually or materially. Sadly, a current trend is one of entitlement. People seem to think they are owed certain things. Eventually, this can even transfer into spiritual thought and cause us to believe that we’re entitled to certain blessings from God. In truth, we’re not entitled to anything, but we are blessed beyond measure simply by God’s grace. Thanksgiving is a time when we can say, “Thank You, Lord, for Your grace and what You’ve done in my life.” In turn we can respond to needs around us — not out of duty, but rather out of gratitude for what God has done for us.

PE: How do World Hunger Day funds help address the growing problem of hunger?

BUENO: A person does not have to travel far to see poverty and hunger — especially in other countries. In some nations, the majority of the population goes to bed hungry every night. World Hunger Day funds enable us to respond when people are suffering from hunger. We may not have enough to meet every need, but at least we can do our part to assist in crisis situations.

PE: How does assistance given through Assemblies of God Relief differ from that of secular or government agencies?

BUENO: Something unique takes place when we as a church respond to the needs of the world rather than relegating responsibility to an agency. When Assemblies of God Relief responds to needs, it represents an expression of caring from hundreds of local churches. I believe this is the way the Lord intends to touch people in need, and it follows the pattern given in Scripture. The problem with government-funded and many parachurch organizations is that they are so sensitive about not offending anyone and being all things to all people that they fail to address the most critical need, which is spiritual. The essence of what we do is share Jesus Christ. Yes, we will meet physical needs, but we can’t leave the best out simply because we don’t want to offend someone.

PE: How important is it to coordinate relief efforts with local churches in areas of need?

BUENO: The gospel is the most necessary thing on earth. But a lot of people can’t concentrate on the message because they’re hungry. Feeding the hungry and sharing the gospel must be combined. If we simply give someone a little food, we have accomplished very little good in the long run. We must also give them the Bread of Life. By working with national believers in local churches, the Assemblies of God has been able to walk through open doors to cultures and societies that otherwise would have been impenetrable. National believers will remain after the crisis has passed. Through our missionaries and national ministers, we give people in America the opportunity to make an eternal difference in a time of need. When hurting people see that Christians genuinely care, their hearts are open to our message. God uses the material things to open doors to the spiritual and draw people to the message of Christ.

E-mail your comments to pe@ag.org.