Some people--and even Believers--may not understand WHY we're using a platform that's meant to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ to gang members and those that come from the street life, as an avenue to speak to social justice issues... but we're using our voices to address and speak to some of the issues in our society today that revolve around social justice because when you see these type of things going on growing up in the hood, the first thing people always wonder is, "where God is at when all of this is goin' down?" A perfect example and picture of that is in the movie Boys-N-tha Hood when they was sitting in Cube's drop six-foe on Crenshaw. Chris asked Tookie if he believed in God, and the first thing Cube said was, "... if there's a God, how come He be lettin' foo'ls get smoked everyday, lil kids and babies...you tell me that?" So the people whose subject to these injustices the most is always wondering where God is at when it come to these issues. So we wanna educate the Church while at the same time letting the people that come from our walk of life know that God does care, and He ain't never remained silent on the matter so we ain't remaining silent either. The Lord our God is very much concerned about social issues in society. You may have never noticed, but if you pay attention you'll see that all throughout the scriptures, God addresses and speaks to social justice issues. The problem is our nation, and even the Church, has for a long time tried to separate Church from State (that's where we get that phrase, "separation of Church and State"), but God has always intended, not for the Church to sever itself from the State, but for the Church to influence the State. When you look at the Kings of Israel and the role that the Prophets played to the throne, God intended for His Prophets (the Church) to influence the throne (the State). All throughout the scriptures God sent His Prophets to speak to State affairs, and in many instances, addressing social injustices within society. King Saul had Samuel, David had Nathan, Ahab and Jehoshaphat sent for Micaiah, Hezekiah had Isaiah, and Jeremiah was sent to several Kings. Even Daniel was to influence the pagan kings of Persia. In many of these instances the Almighty was not silent on issues pertaining to social injustices within society, nor did He keep quiet when it came to these matters. One of God's main issues with Israel revolved around social injustice and their failure--as a nation--to address these issues within Israel's society. He sent several of His Prophets to speak to these matters. One Prophet in particular that comes to mind is Jeremiah. When you look at the issues that God sent Jeremiah to speak with the people, among those issues he addressed was social injustices. Hear what one of God's chief complaints was to the nation of Israel when He sent His Prophet Jeremiah to to speak to His people, He said: "For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour, if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt..."--Jeremiah 7:5-7 In chapters 21 and 22 He says, "Execute judgment in the morning and deliver him who is plundered out of the hand of the oppressor..."--Jeremiah 21:12 "Thus says the LORD, execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place..."--Jeremiah 22:3 One of the dopest and most profound versus on this matter is in Jeremiah 22:16 where God sent a message to the sons of Josiah and told them that, to do "justice and righteousness", and "judge the cause of the poor and needy..." is what it actually REALLY means to "KNOW THE LORD..." As I mentioned above, one of Gods main issues with Israel revolved around social injustice and their failure--as a nation--to address these issues... so the question is: when God says, "execute judgment between a man and his neighbor" and, "deliver him who is plundered out of the hand of the oppressor" and, "do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place".... what does that mean to you? What does that look like to you? The Bible may not use the same language or the same terminologies ("social injustice", "systemic racism", "inequality") back than as we do today, but it's talking about the same things. If you didn't know, God charges His people to stand up for and address social injustice issues, I don't know about you guys out there, but in here Filthy Rags Outreach been serving it... and in case you forgot, God used a Southern Baptist Preacher to kick off the CIVIL RIGHTS movement of the sixties....
Charles Champion
