Helping the suffering

In nearly every generation, the church learns again how to help the needy.

David Apple of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia has stepped forward for this generation with valuable wisdom in his new book, Not Just a Soup Kitchen (CLC Publications, 2014).

Back in the early 1980s George Grant offered Bringing in the Sheaves, on the same subject, based on his experience as a pastor in Houston.

In the 1990s WORLD’s Marvin Olasky offered lessons from history on mercy ministries in his book The Tragedy of American Compassion.

In Not Just a Soup Kitchen, Apple writes in that worthy tradition of tough love, and includes several special assets.

His own life story of poverty while growing up in New Jersey adds an unusual personal dimension, including lessons learned through his own suffering, in the spirit of 2 Corinthians 1:3–7.

Apple has a can-do mentality and sees opportunities where others might only see problems and heartaches. Instead of engaging in culture wars or predicting the end of Western civilization, he keeps finding creative ways to help the suffering.

He shows that mercy ministry isn’t glamorous, but is hard, describing those with addictions: “Their behavior is manipulative, people-pleasing and tyrannical. In my many years working with addicted men and women, I believe I have heard every lie, every story and every derivative thereof.”

Apple also has a keen grasp of “the day of small things,” or faithfulness in the ordinary, Zechariah 4:10. Not everyone can do everything well, but most everyone can make some kind of contribution.

He writes very clearly, keeping his advice simple, with such rules as:

From experience Apple also has learned to search his own heart and respond with tough compassion, not with what makes him feel better.

“The reason we tend to give in to other people’s urgent requests, is that we want to please them,” he writes. “Our job is to please the Lord and do His will, not to win popularity contests. If we think our job is to rescue people, we will be subject to every urgent appeal for help. Our job is to come alongside people in need, encourage them, pray with them, and point them to Jesus.”

Apple oversees the diaconate at Tenth Presbyterian, and his book’s chapter on deacons is filled with wisdom and practical applications. He tackles the hard and unpleasant questions: “How do you help in situations where the husband won’t work or is addicted and doesn’t seem to cooperate?”

Apple started at Tenth Presbyterian about 30 years ago. He has a voice of experience, sharpened by a commitment to keep going back to the Bible when he gets confused and perplexed and humbled. Like anyone in this kind of ministry, he has to return to our source of wisdom and power on a daily basis.