Music and Missions at the Concert of Hope

We're really excited about the benefit concert tomorrow night, featuring Waterdeep, Justin McRoberts, and SHEL. They're all amazingly talented, and we're thrilled to have them partnering with us to help bring health care to the poor around the world.

I've just been reading a bit more about Justin McRoberts on his website and blog, and I'm really excited to get to hear him in person. Justin is deeply committed to supporting mission work, especially groups like Compassion International, the International Justice Mission, and the Blood Water Mission (and now us!). In regards to working on behalf of the poor, Justin writes, "I believe these are the defining characteristics of our likeness to God. The need and desire to care for the poor and oppressed is something we share in common with all humanity, not simply the religious."

Here's an excerpt from a recent post from his blog, talking about his song "Man Like Me":

Regarding the songs theme: I had just finished reading Jonathan Kozol..s book Savage Inequalities and was struck by the situation many poor find themselves in; the cycle of having nothing to stand on to help them climb out of their dilemma. For many poor, their desire is to not to be carried or receive a lifetime of free handouts, but to receive the initial help they need to get their foot on the first rung.. as Jeffery Sachs writes in The End Of Poverty. I realize full well that I say this in direct defiance of many who look upon the poor collectively as lazy and ill-intentioned. This social perspective is part of the dehumanization that the spirit of Poverty is most bent upon instilling in those who have. It begins with a sense of entitlement; that we have been something other than fortunate or blessed, but have in fact received our due. Those who are poor, in turn, receive what they deserve according to their efforts. In the long run, this perspective leads us to equate value with wealth and that kind of blindness is something far more than ignorant, it is destructive and shameful.

So come out tomorrow night and join us at Maranatha Worship Center (888 S. Webb Road in Wichita) for a great evening of music and missions. We hope to see you there!