Today I read an article about the famous rocker, Jon Bon Jovi, who recently opened up a “pay what you can” restraunt in New Jersey, named Soul Kitchen. Bon Jovi insists that this is not a soup kitchen, but a community resraunt that feeds people with dignity. The way it works is that the menu does not have dollar amounts on it, so you simply pay what you feel the meal you ate was worth and/or what you can afford. If you don’t have any money that is not a problem, but you’ll have to do something for it. No, you don’t have to rub oil on Bon Jovi’s shirtless body in preparation for his next music video- but you can wash dishes or buss tables; or, if you’d rather do somehting out in the community that’s ok too. Bon Jovi is working with several community organizations in the area where people can serve in their community and receive a voucher to Soul Kitchen for their time. Bon Jovi insists that allowing people to contribute something, wheter money or their time, brings to dignity to both patron and the community they are part of.
I was thinking about this in light of our church today and challenged by the rocker’s filantropy. Perhaps restoring dignity is just as important as anything else we do? We must keep this in mind as we reach out to serve our community. One local church realized that after spending thousands of dollars on a free Christmas toy giveaway that they had inadvertidly stripped the dignity from the children’s fathers. The next year they decided to open a thirft store where dads could buy their families Christmas gifts themselves at an affordable rate. Thus, the church got the toys in the hands of the kids they originally set out to bless and they restored the dignity of the dads as well. With a little extra awareness they got a two-fer! This is a perfect example of bringing dignity and service together and the type of thinking that we must employ in our own endevors at ACC.
Lastly, restoring dignity is as simple as being authentic. When people come to Action Community Church for the first time how will they feel? Will they feel ashamed because of their past? Or will we put down all falsehoods that we have it all together, making people with a past feel at home? When someone realizes that they are not alone shame is lifted and people are dignified even while overcoming their struggles.
I could go on, but this article is already falling into the trap of being too long to read! So until next time, in the words of Jon Bon Jovi, if we are going down, we are “going down in the blaze of glory.”
Just a thought,
Jason