(1) Regarding the church's task of providing health care in a general sense… I'm not proposing that all Christians must go to med school and do pro bono work in order to accomplish something like this. But there are two things that I would point you to for precident…

First, the early Christian of the first few centruries saw rapid growth in the church partially because they showed the compassion that the rest of society would not. Generally when a plague would come into an area, most people would leave. But it was the Christians who WENT IN to care for these sick people. Eventually this act of compassion would lead to many new followers.

Second, even in modern days, the 'church' has been involved with health care… often initiated by the Catholic church. I was born in a hospital called St. Josephs. It wasn't named after a saint because of secular influence, but because of faith based influence.

(2) Regarding Scriptures, there may not be much that says 'every Christian should also be a doctor'. However, there is much support for the idea that Christians should be concerned about people's well-being AS JESUS WAS.

You point out that Jesus only cared about the spiritual condition of people, and I have to respectfully disagree with that position. Jesus was concerned about the total person, mind, body and spirit. And there are so many references to this, it would be easier just to say read the Gospels.

(3) You refer to Jesus as 'the Great Physician', and I agree with you on that. However, Paul also refers to us (the church) as the Body of Christ. Well, if we (collectively) are His Body, then wouldn't we be that Great Physician in a sense? Shouldn't we be looking to do the work that He did? And not just spiritually, but mentally and physically as well?

(4) Whatever you did for the least of these….

As I've said, my position here is not to tell every Christian that they need to be a doctor. But there are lots of ways that the church can use what it has to meet needs in our communities. After all, isn't that HOW we fulfill the Great Commission.

If my position offends you, then I just ask that you really search the Scriptures to find were it states that the Christian position is to NOT help people in their time of need.

And yes, we really shouldn't complain that someone else is doing what we were called to. Instead, we should step up and help. Someone else may be doing our job, but that doesn't mean we have to, or should, wash our hands of it.

I think that we (the church) can have much more impact that we are comfortable admitting…

Thanks for sharing your link about the little church! I'll catch up on that one shortly!

On my recent mission trip to Africa, I saw churches picking up all kinds of 'duties' that the government failed to do. Things like schools, medical clinics, and other community development and support issues were all handled by the local church. And there the church was very poor, but they did what they had to do.

I think that all I am saying here (in this post) is that the church shouldn't complain about someone else doing something that they were called to do… that part really saddens me.

And yes, we really shouldn't complain that someone else is doing what we were called to. Instead, we should step up and help. Someone else may be doing our job, but that doesn't mean we have to, or should, wash our hands of it.

I think that we (the church) can have much more impact that we are comfortable admitting…

Thanks for sharing your link about the little church! I'll catch up on that one shortly!

On my recent mission trip to Africa, I saw churches picking up all kinds of 'duties' that the government failed to do. Things like schools, medical clinics, and other community development and support issues were all handled by the local church. And there the church was very poor, but they did what they had to do.

I think that all I am saying here (in this post) is that the church shouldn't complain about someone else doing something that they were called to do… that part really saddens me.