Bishop John Richard Bryant: Ending Hunger is Not Optional for Christians

It is impossible to deal with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and not deal with hunger.  It is not optional in the Christian faith.We have people that are dealing with basic needs: hunger, shelter and clothing. If we are going to keep faith with the Gospel that we preach, that we teach, that we were saved by, we have to be engaged at that level. I never minimize the power of prayer  If we would actively pray for the poor, pray for those who are hungry, then our actions tend to follow our prayers.

Bread for the World asked several prominent voices in the Christian community to share their vision of what it means to end hunger. This reflection comes from Bishop John Richard Bryant, who presides over the Fifth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), headquartered in Baltimore. Bishop Bryant has an accomplished career in ministry and service. Among other things, he served in the Peace Corps in 1965-1967 and led AME churches in Maryland and Texas and presided over the 14th Episcopal District, which covered 101 churches in several West African countries. He is author of the book God Can, based on a collection of his own sermons.