News

Food Fights: Homeless Ministries Respond to Restrictions

Several cities enacted anti-feeding laws over the summer.

Food Fights: Homeless Ministries Respond to Restrictions

Food Fights: Homeless Ministries Respond to Restrictions

AP2012

A wave of anti-feeding laws enforced this summer in cities nationwide has met with mixed sentiments from homeless ministries.

In Dallas, those interested in feeding the homeless must first become certified via a city-run food handlers' class. Denver has banned eating and sleeping on public property without permission. And Philadelphia ministries are up in arms over a recent ban on feeding the homeless in city parks.

Brian Jenkins, head of Chosen 300 Ministries, and two other pastors filed suit in July, alleging the city's action violates their First Amendment rights. A federal district judge has blocked the ban until after a trial early next year.

"These folks are a community," said Jenkins, "and it's our responsibility to help them where they're at."

Other homeless advocates believe the wave of restrictions is a good thing that will lead to the homeless being helped more holistically.

Jim Lewis, president and CEO of Long Beach Rescue Mission in California, says the recent government-enforced elimination of a parking turnout used to feed the homeless in Long Beach's Lincoln Park will help steer the homeless toward indoor facilities equipped with chapels and restorative resources.

"We're called to disciple, and hospitality is one of the most immanent ways of expressing the love of Christ," Lewis said. "The community needs to incentivize individuals to take a step in a different direction."

Robert Lupton, president and CEO of Atlanta-based FCS Ministries and author of 2011's Toxic Charity, says the best response is for churches to open their doors to provide relational support and encouragement, leading toward drug treatment and job training.

"The absolute worst response is loading your trunk with sandwiches and taking your youth group downtown to pass [them] out," he said. "That simply increases dependency. There's no accountability and nothing developmental in that approach."

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Against the Stream

What Galileo's Telescope Can't See

Review

A Jerusalem Lost

Getting to Know Him

Taste the Soup

News

Teaching the Dragon

Excerpt

The Awakening of Hope

Caught Between the Spouse and the Spirit

A New Age of Miracles

News

Should Pastors Be Required to Sign a Code of Ethics?

Review

Will America Keep the Faith?

My Top 5 on Books on Motherhood

None Like Him

What's His Is Ours

Deep Impact

Wilson's Bookmarks

'God's Double Agent'

Asian American Religiosity

Editorial

The Evangelical Jesus Prayer

News

Church Graduations Ruled Unconstitutional, Pastor Accused of Diverting Funds to Wife, State Will Catalogue Secularized Icons, and More

Review

Review: Who Is Jesus?

News

Quotation Marks

News

Go Figure

Letters to the Editor

Review

Review: A Short History of Global Evangelism

Review

Review: Community Is Messy

News

Nigeria's Deadly Deployments

News

Supreme Court's Health-Care Ruling Could Weaken Charity Tax Breaks

Is There Anything Wrong With Voting for a Mormon for President?

News

Eastern Orthodox Lose Two Evangelical Bridges

Monitoring Controversy

The Second Coming Christ Controversy

Review

Lost in Transition

View issue

Our Latest

Review

Don’t Give Dan Brown the Final Word on the Council of Nicaea

Bryan Litfin rescues popular audiences from common myths about the origins of Trinitarian doctrine.

Review

Needing Help Is Normal

Leah Libresco Sargeant’s doggedly pro-life feminist manifesto argues that dependence is inevitable.

News

Died: John Huffman, Pastor Who Told Richard Nixon to Confess

The Presbyterian minister and CT board member committed to serve the Lord and “let the chips fall where they may.”

The Pastor Who Rescues People from Japan’s ‘Suicide Cliff’

Yoichi Fujiyabu has spent three decades sharing God’s love to people who want to end their lives.

An Ode to the Long Season

Why fans love a game designed to break their hearts.

Is This Heaven? No, It’s Banana Ball

What baseball’s most amusing team gets right about joy in sports.

News

Black Clergy and Christians Grapple with Charlie Kirk’s Legacy

Many say the activist’s inflammatory statements on race should inform how we remember his life.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube