Clarifying the Welfare Spirit Concept

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  • Are you the same Arthur Burk that we met years ago and came to Hilton Head to minister???
    By : Marie Summerlin On May 22nd 2020
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    5.0

    Have you and your family moved to SC??

    Replied by : Arthur Burk Yes and yes.

  • Welfare Spirit vs Digging up Treasures
    By : Caroline Cienki On February 19th 2020
    Rating:
    5.0

    Thank you. Very useful insight in understanding how we must approach one another to empower and help one another walk in their God given potential.

  • Clarity
    By : Kyle On February 16th 2020
    Rating:
    5.0

    I love this article. It brings so much clarity to why I get bugged about much of what I've been faced with. Many people literally want you to do everything for them. This is a manifestation of the poverty spirit. Thanks for breaking it down.

  • It’s not safe, but it is good.
    By : Elouise Van der Merwe On February 16th 2020
    Rating:
    5.0

    The metaphor ‘Body of Christ’ never gets old. In fact, it just gets better the more the medical field advances. I’m reminded of Romans 12:1-5, the importance of our beliefs, our lives as living sacrifices and especially the part about the way we think of ourselves.
    In South Africa there has recently been a video in circulation of the Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus talking to his team of excellent rugby players. Barring the profanities which pains me, there is much to learn from his speech. He is speaking to the leaders he is leading and addressed the spirit of entitlement. Springboks, like other leaders, work hard to get to the top of their game. Then at the top, its easy to fall into entitlement. Rassie tells his team how he himself fell in the same trap, until someone told him of his entitlement. Had he not listened, it would have been the end of his career.
    The metaphor of ‘the body of Christ’, reminds us that we all have a place. The moment the a part thinks it is all important, or under-achieves, the body does not function. The function of His body, is a matter very close to the heart of our King. His heart hurts, although it is not fearful, for the state of it.
    I’m reminded of the verse in Proverbs, directly translated from my mother tongue: “Iron sharpens iron, friends form one another”. It is not a very warm and fuzzy picture of friendship, is it? But it is a good one. As long as the first commandment remains the first commandment, as long as our confidence resides in that we are safe in His hand, His love alone, it will be a good community. (The moment we vear from this, we start using the euphemism for ‘junk on repeat’ which is, “it’s messy” (been there, burnt the t-shirt!).) The trick is to stay on track. It’s “not safe, but it is good.” C.S.Lewis.

  • Inspiring
    By : Rosa On February 14th 2020
    Rating:
    5.0

    Kinda like the story of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, despite the fact his father didn’t believe in him

  • Welfare spirit
    By : Kevin On February 14th 2020
    Rating:
    5.0

    I am so appreciate of this perspective. And I am convinced it comes from the heart of God and explains why so often we can think He's not answering prayer. He doesn't to affirm that poverty spirit by reinforcing the blind spots to what He has already given us. Unfortunately too many pastors who are engaged in Identity Politics are addicted to everyone else's poverty spirit and the church stays anemic. Very, very well said Arthur, thank you.

  • Flattened
    By : Jillian On February 14th 2020
    Rating:
    5.0

    How do you and how can you proceed when you are flattened?

    Replied by : Arthur Burk Then you need help from others.

  • Great Clarity
    By : Connie On February 13th 2020
    Rating:
    5.0

    I love the clarity this post gives. I had not understood this difference previously. I am going to take it and run with it.

  • Go Grandma!
    By : Amy Hansen On February 13th 2020
    Rating:
    5.0

    Oh Arthur! This truly hits the spot.
    I’m so inspired by your Grandma! It sounds like she shunned passivity, self-pity, and even the cultural norm of being more financially and emotionally powerless as a female. This lands deeply for me.
    It all starts with believing that you have the resources to unpack doesn’t it? Sometimes we can’t control when or how our treasures are unpacked, but we can believe that God will unpack them as we work with him and leverage the opportunities available.

  • Moms that rock!
    By : Daphne Kwan On February 13th 2020
    Rating:
    5.0

    Thank you Arthur for putting it in language & clarifying the difference. I remember my mother used to teach me Matthew 6:33,34 she says that's what her mother taught her when she was sent to study at a boarding school at the age of nine. My mom went through 2 wars (lost everything), but she ended up with a successful business, has 7 children, 15 grandchildren before she RIP in 2004. When my parents sent me to study overseas at the age of 13, my mom left me with the same scriptures & my dad told me to take stride but remember to learn from others mistakes. Although for the next 17 years, I lived a life scrapping pennies, Matthew 6:30-34 constantly superseded the thoughts of "Lacking" in me, so I continue to teach my children the same - Look at what you have, not what you don't have, and remember Matthew 6:33,34. -Savoring this article while taking a break from filing income-tax return for my two companies.

  • Po’ to Pro’
    By : Tricia Reynolds On February 13th 2020
    Rating:
    5.0

    Truth!!!!!! Thanks for bringing attention to this so I can spend time thanking/praising God for the people alongside when I was flattened that pulled me out of the poverty and orphan spirit by treating me like a treasure that was fully capable. I’m realizing this is rare.
    So many “helpers” keep people crippled because being in the helper role builds their own ego..
    Loving these posts and the action you are taking to change this dynamic in your own ministry. It’s time to equip people! The harvest is ripe!

  • Mothering Adults Treats Them Like Children
    By : Adam Esbenshade On February 13th 2020
    Rating:
    5.0

    I really enjoyed the heart behind you words Arthur. You are calling each of us to grow in the spirit of sonship in our relationship with the Trinity and in our relationships with humans. To start from a place where both people in a ministry relationship agree that the person seeking help has "everything they need for life and Godliness" but often fails to have vision to see where it is. Pointing out a few places where Father was there first in their family line or human spirit or personal history actually benefits a person's growth long after they stop seeing the "ministry leader" more than temporarily resourcing them for the current pain point.
    I find it ironic that in the marketplace, everyone is expected to put in the effort to unpack their treasure and communicate their treasure in interviews, but in church that gets switched off and we are told love demands mothering those same adults in their spiritual journey. Thank you for contributing your words and leadership calling us to make this course correction in the Kingdom of God and Body of Christ.