SOCIAL GOSPEL (JOHN 3:16)

THE SOCIAL GOSPEL
IS NOT AN APPENDAGE
TO CHRISTIANITY
BUT THE ESSENCE OF IT

WE LABOR OVER THE DIFFERENCES
BUT DO NOT REMEMBER
THE COMMON THREAD

THROUGH OUT THE TESTAMENTS
LOVE GOD
LOVE NEIGHBOR

WHEN CHRIST WAS TASKED
TO GIVE THE FINAL SACRIFICE

HE WENT
THOUGH HE WAS AFRAID

HE WENT
ALONG WITH THE OTHER PROPHETS
PROCLAIMING GOOD NEWS
TO ALL PEOPLE

NOT REGARDING
SOCIAL STATUS
INTELLIGENCE
WEALTH OR POVERTY
POWER OR IMPOTENCE

WE SHOULD REMEMBER ONLY
THAT CHRIST HAS DIED FOR ALL
THEREFORE EVERYMAN
HAS DIGNITY

IS ENTITLED TO ALL
THE GOOD THINGS OF LIFE

TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR
WITHOUT HUNGER
WITHOUT THIRST FOR CLEAN WATER

TO SEE HIS CHILDREN THRIVE
SLEEP IN A WARM BED
HAVE A FUTURE

A MINISTER HAS RECENTLY SAID
THAT HE EXPECTS
TO SEE GANDHI IN HEAVEN

WHICH CREATED A FIRESTORM
AMONG THOSE CHRISTIANS
WHO SAY
OUTSIDE THE CHURCH
THERE IS NO SALVATION


THEIR IDEA OF CHURCH
IS SO NARROW
THAT IT PUTS A LIE
TO JOHN 3:16

THAT GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
HE SENT HIS SON 
TO DIE FOR IT

WHERE DID THESE
GATEKEEPERS OF THE KINGDOM
GET THE POWER
TO BUILD A FENCE
AROUND THOSE
WHOM CHRIST WOULD SAVE

GOD’S CHURCH
IS BIGGER THAN CREED

GOD’S CHURCH IS BUILT
ON THE SOCIAL GOSPEL

WE WILL BE JUDGED
BY OUR CONDUCT

WE WOULD DO BETTER
TO BUILD THE KINGDOM
THE WAY GOD WANTS
RATHER
THAN RESTRICT MEMBERSHIP


FRANK A VOLLMER

BRACELET (Matthew 25:33)

THERE IS A BRACELET GOING AROUND

DUE TO THE ECONOMIC CRISIS

WE FIND OURSELVES IN

THAT
SAYS

WHAT
WOULD JESUS CUT

I’M
NOT A BIG FAN OF SLOGANS

TOO
OFTEN THE SLOGAN REPLACES THINKING

BUT
I LIKE THIS ONE

IF
I IMAGINE A CONVERSATION WITH JESUS

ASKING
HIM

WHAT
WOULD YOU CUT

MY
MIND SAYS HIS ANSWER WOULD BE

CUT
THE BULLSHIT

LIVE
THE GOSPEL

THAT YOU PROCLAIM THAT YOU BELIEVE

AT JUDGMENT TIME

I’LL ASK ONE QUESTION

HOW
DID YOU TREAT YOUR NEIGHBOR

OR
WAS YOUR SERVICE SINGING LOUDLY

WITH
NO ACTION

OR
COMPASSION

ANSWER ME

SHOULD
YOU GO LEFT OR RIGHT

FRANK A VOLLMER

PERFECT (Matthew 19:21)

BE YOU PERFECT
AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER
IS PERFECT

IF YOU WOULD BE PERFECT
SELL ALL YOU HAVE
AND GIVE TO THE POOR
COME FOLLOW ME

FAMILIAR QUOTES FROM THE BIBLE

BUT IT SEEMS TO PLACE THE BAR
TOO HIGH

THE THOUGHT IN GREEK PHILOSOPHY
IN WHOSE MILIEU
THE NEW TESTAMENT
WAS WRITTEN
WAS

IF SOMETHING
DID A TASK
FOR WHICH IT WAS MADE
IT WAS PERFECT

SO A WRENCH IS NOT PERFECT
FOR DRIVING NAILS

A CHAINSAW
FOR MEASURING WOOD

A KNIFE
FOR TURNING SCREWS

THOUGH I’M SURE
MOST PARENTS
HAVE DONE SO
THEY CAN’T FIND THEIR SCREWDRIVERS

WHAT ARE WE MADE FOR
WE ARISE FRESH FROM THE BAPTISMAL FONT
EXPECTED TO LIVE AS CHRISTIANS

TO FOLLOW THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS

LOVE GOD
LOVE NEIGHBOR

THE SUM OF THE COMMANDMENTS

AS WE APPROACH THE IDEAL
WE ARE PERFECT

AS WE LEAVE THE IDEAL
WE ARE BROKEN

CHRISTIANITY
IS MORE THAN
SUNDAY MORNING SHINY FACE
BUT 24/7 x 365

LIVING THE LIFE
WALKING THE WALK
JUDGING EVERYTHING
AGAINST THE IDEAL

FOR WHAT WAS I MADE

BE YOU PERFECT
AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT

BE WHAT I CREATED YOU
TO BE

FRANK A VOLLMER

(GENESIS 1) HOUSE ON STILTS

 DOWN THE SHORE WHERE I LIVE

THEY BUILD HOUSES ON STILTS

IT LOOKS ODD

AS IF THEY BUILT IT

FROM THE ROOF DOWN

AND FORGOT THE CELLAR

IT’S TO ALLOW THE OCCASIONAL

HIGH TIDE

OR STORM SURGE

TO PASS UNDER THE HOUSE

PROTECTING IT AND ITS CONTENTS

HOW LIKE A MAN

TO COME TO A OCEAN’S EDGE

BUILD ABOVE IT

OR OVER IT

A MORTAL’S WAY

OF WALKING ON WATER

HOW LIKE A MAN

TO COME TO THE ENVELOPS EDGE

AND PUSH IT OUT

AND THIS WAS A TRAIT

THE CREATOR FATHER GAVE MAN

TO QUESTION

TO SEEK ANSWERS

IT’S THE REASON

MAN HAS DONE GLORIOUS THINGS

IT’S THE REASON

MAN HAS DONE UN-GLORIOUS THINGS

NO TELLING WILL TEACH HIM

HE HAS TO LEARN BY HIMSELF

THE STOVE IS HOT

WE’VE HAD FOR TOO LONG

A SPIRITUALITY

THAT DEHUMANIZES MAN

WOULD TURN US ALL

TO THE DESERT FATHERS

BUT MAN’S GREATEST GIFT TO GOD

IS MAN FULLY ALIVE

AS ST IRENAEUS SAID

SO MAN CAN PLUMB THE DEPTHS OF SPACE

THE DEPTHS OF HIS SOUL


THE DEPTH OF DEPRAVITY


BUT COME

BE THE MAN I CREATED

COME AND BE THE WONDER OF MY WORKS

FOR MY WORD IS TRUE

AND WILL COME TO FRUITION

IT NEEDS YOU

YOU

YOU AND YOU

TO BUILD A HOUSE ABOVE THE STORM

ABOVE THE RAGING SEA

WHERE MEN WILL BE MEN

IN THE HOUSE THAT WE SHALL BUILD

FRANK A VOLLMER

SALT (Matthew 5:13)(Mark 9:38-50)

SALT IS PURE

IF IT LOSES ITS FLAVOR

IT’S NOT THE SALT

BUT FOREIGN MATTER

WHICH IS WHAT JESUS SAYS

BE IN THE WORLD

BUT NOT OF IT

SALT ADDS FLAVOR TO FOOD

LIKE A CHRISTIAN

SHOULD AFFECT

HIS SURROUNDINGS

SALT IS USED FOR HEALING

WHICH IS A PRIMARY TASK

FOR A CHRISTIAN

SALT IS USED

TO PREVENT FOOD FROM GOING BAD

IT’S AN ACTIVE MINERAL

SO SHOULD WE

SALT WAS USED AS A SALARY

REMINDING US

THAT THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH

THE WAGES OF GOODNESS

IS LIFE EVERLASTING

SALT HAS BEEN USED IN BURIAL RITES

A REMINDER

OF THE GREAT PRICE

CHRIST PAID

SALT IS USED IN SOME RITES AT BAPTISM

AS A SIGN OF PRESERVING THE SOUL FROM SIN

SALT

SO GREAT A THING

SO SMALL A THING

LIKE GOD AND ME

COME FLAVOR MY LIFE

WITH YOUR SWEETNESS

FRANK A VOLLMER

“CHRISTIAN” (MICAH 6:8)

THE LORD

THROUGH MICAH

GAVE US A STANDARD CONDUCT

WHICH IS

To act justly

to love mercy

to walk humbly

with your God.

A CODE OF CONDUCT

I HAVE OFTEN FAILED

BUT WHEN I DID

I SOUGHT FORGIVENESS

MAYBE NOT RIGHT AWAY

BUT THE MAGNET OF GOD’S PULL

WOULD PULL ME BACK INTO HIS ORBIT

FORGIVEN

I PURPOSED TO DO BETTER

BUT ALWAYS

THE STANDARD WAS THERE

AS A MEASURING STICK

A SHOW AND TELL

OF HOW MUCH I MISSED THE MARK

SO I SAY WHAT FOLLOWS

WITH NO SENSE OF PRIDE IN MYSELF

BUT THERE ARE SOME

WHO CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS

WHO ARE NOT WORTHY OF THE NAME

THERE ARE CHURCHES

THAT PICKET FUNERALS OF THE FALLEN

THEY ARE DEAD

BECAUSE OF SINS OF THE NATION

THERE ARE CHURCHES

THAT BURN KORANS

AS A SIGN OF GOD’S LOVE FOR ALL MEN

THERE ARE CHURCHES

THAT PREACH A PROSPERITY GOSPEL

BEING POOR

IS A SIGN OF GOD’S DISPLEASURE

WITH THE POVERELLO

POLITICIANS

THAT PRATE FAMILY VALUES

WHILE CHILDREN STARVE

POLITICIANS THAT BACK DICTATORS

WHILE PRATTLING PIOUS POMPOSITIES

THEN TURN A BLIND EYE

TO THE RAPE AND KILLING OF NUNS

BILLIONS FOR WAR

BUPKIS FOR PEACE

NOTHING FOR SCHOOLS

HEALTH CARE

NONE OF THESE

AND MANY MORE

MEET THE MINIMUM STANDARD

IF THEY ARE CHRISTIAN

THEN I’M A HERETIC

BECAUSE I DO NOT BELIEVE

THEIR TEACHING

BUT IT DOESN’T RELIEVE ME OF ANY BURDEN

BUT LIKE CHRIST

PICKING UP HIS CROSS AGAIN

AFTER A FALL

MEASURE MY SELF AGAINST THE STANDARD

CHANGE

AND BE SCRIPTURE

TO A ILLITERATE WORLD

FRANK A VOLLMER

MICAH 6:8

WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU?

TO ACT JUSTLY AND TO LOVE MERCY

AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD

I AM A BUSINESS MAN

WHO CAN MAKE EXTRA PROFIT

BY SELLING SHODDY GOODS

AT NORMAL PRICES

WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF ME

ACT JUSTLY

TO LOVE MERCY

TO WALK HUMBLY WITH ME

I AM A POLITICIAN

WHY LIKE ROBIN HOOD

TAKE FROM ONE CLASS

AND GIVE TO ANOTHER

UNLIKE ROBIN HOOD

I TAKE FROM THE POOR

AND GIVE TO THE RICH

WHERE DOES GOD COME INTO POLITICS

BUT GOD SAYS

ACT JUSTLY

LOVE MERCY

WALK HUMBLY WITH ME

I AM A HAPPILY MARRIED MAN

WHO IS TEMPTED

TO BE UNFAITHFUL

TO HIS SPOUSE

WHAT DOES GOD SAY

ACT JUSTLY

LOVE MERCY

WALK HUMBLY WITH ME

I AM TEMPTED

TO DO VIOLENCE

AT AN ABORTION CLINIC

WHAT AM I TO DO

ACT JUSTLY

LOVE MERCY

WALK HUMBLY WITH ME

I AM TEMPTED

TO DO VIOLENCE

TO GAYS

ETHNIC GROUPS

ANYONE DIFFERENT

WHAT AM I TO DO

ACT JUSTLY

LOVE MERCY

WALK HUMBLY WITH ME

I AM A PASTOR

WHO PREACHES GENERALITIES

RATHER THAN THE GOSPEL

WHAT AM I TO DO

ACT JUSTLY

LOVE MERCY

WALK HUMBLY WITH ME

IS IT JUST THE WIND BLOWING IN THE TREES

OR DO WE REALLY BELIEVE

THAT GOD REQUIRES OF US

TO ACT JUSTLY

TO LOVE MERCY

TO WALK HUMBLY WITH ME

FRANK A VOLLMER