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• Contemporary wisdom says that effective communicators focus on the positive.
• The Old Testament prophets largely focused on the negative.
• The prophets were only responsible for speaking the Word of the Lord.

• God remembers the poor and the powerless, and calls us to remember them as stewards of his justice.
• When the church is experiencing abundance, it is least effective in helping the poor and powerless.
  -Illustration: Biblical archeologists have discovered that the prophets were most active during times of economic disparity in Jerusalem.
• God cares about financial inequities.
  -Illustration: Husted highlights several examples of financial disparity, including: Michael Jordan vs. Nike workers, Disney CEO vs. employees in Haiti, and herself vs. the third-world.

• Jesus' words reveal how God will deal with his children who do not participate in social justice.
• God's judgment is not meant to destroy us, but to purify and refine us.
  -Illustration: A forgotten verse in "America the Beautiful" demonstrates God's refinement process.

• Only God can bring about true justice, but he uses his church to do so.
  -Illustration: The allied military campaign against terrorism was originally named Operation Infinite Justice.
• Big Idea: The church is responsible to help those who are in need of help.
• Big Idea: The church is also responsible to try and fix any system that is causing people to be in need of help.
  -Illustration: A quote from Henry David Thoreau promotes individual participation in social justice.