A church in Concord, NC, called Showers Of Blessings has become the target of complaints from its neighbors for following the teachings of the Bible.
“If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. -- Leviticus 25:35-36
With a population of over 80,000, Concord is located just north of Charlotte and is the twelfth largest city in NC. It is considerably more conservative than Charlotte, with Republican voters edging out Democrats 50-48 in 2012. The Yellow Pages have 858 listings for churches in Concord.
Residents living next to a Concord church are frustrated because they said no one told them a program that houses homeless people opened up inside the church.
That program has been operating for one-and-a-half years.
For a year and a half, nobody noticed the homeless people were there. What tipped the neighbors off? Construction. Nothing perks up Southerners' noses like construction vehicles in the neighborhood. The facility is called My Father's House. There's even a sign out front.
CCM has the support of Concord city government and city leaders have confirmed that the ministry is operating within the law. Nonetheless, at least two neighbors are angry they weren't notified Christianity is being practiced inside God's house.
And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” -- Matthew 8:20 ESV
Jeffrey Collins is among the neighbors who complained to the city:
We just don't want them walking around, this neighborhood has been quiet.
They've been there for eighteen months. You just said the neighborhood has been quiet. Lindsay Coronis adds,
"We weren't notified about it and I don't think that's fair for any of the neighbors"
Weren't notified of WHAT, my dear? You live next to a church. A homeless shelter is an approved accessory use for a house of worship for a guy named Jesus, who took good neighboring seriously enough to address it in His second of two commandments.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” -- Matthew 22:36-40 ESV
As for the Scary Homeless People?
"These are families from our communities that may have experienced job loss,” Ed Hosack, CCM executive director, said. “There may have been medical bills, the break up or loss of a family member."you know i'm reading this and the location and the bigotry displayed by neighbors seem to point to evangelical teachings and what was most apparent whoever those neighbors pray to they appear to be trouncing on others right to religious freedom and the real words of Jesus. the fact that they have been there unnoticed for 18 months shows the discriminators as not having any negative effects on them as hypocrites and not Christian like.
this is the same thing with Gay haters they were never harmed or compromised until they found out they were there, IMO that renders any legitimacy to them or their bigotry it also proves those they abhor are not a threat anywhere but in their twisted minds, which should also render any legislation null and void as any reason given does not exist.
