Christian Stronghold Baptist Church: A Passion for Holistic Ministry Christian Stronghold Baptist Church: en lidenskab for Holistisk ministeriet

Christian Stronghold Baptist Church: A Passion for Holistic Ministry Christian Stronghold Baptist Church: en lidenskab for Holistisk ministeriet

Christian Stronghold provides an example of a holistic church which interweaves word and deed through a variety of ministries. Christian Stronghold giver et eksempel på en holistisk kirke som interweaves ord og gerning gennem en række forskellige ministerier. Senior pastor and founder Rev. Willie Richardson laments that so many churches get hung up on the question of providing services versus saving souls. Senior præst og grundlægger Rev Willie Richardson beklager, at så mange kirker bliver hængt op på spørgsmålet om at yde service versus redde sjæle. "We who are ministering in the city cannot afford to engage in that debate," he says, "because our people are dying." "Vi der er ministering i byen ikke kan tillade sig at gå ind i denne debat," siger han, "fordi vores folk dør." In response to urgent spiritual and social needs, the church blends multiple evangelism strategies with a dedication to serving the community. Som svar på presserende åndelige og sociale behov, kirken blandinger flere forkynder evangeliet strategier med et engagement i at tjene samfundet.

At Christian Stronghold Baptist Church, says Rev. Richardson, "Everything we do is an evangelistic outreach in nature. Every opportunity we have, we witness to people." På Christian Stronghold Baptist Church, siger Rev Richardson, "Alt hvad vi gør, er en evangelistic opsøgende i naturen. Enhver lejlighed, vi har, er vi vidne til folk." Diverse service ministries connect people to the church around various "felt needs," ranging from the need for food and health to the desire to do better in school to the aspiration to own a home. Diverse service ministerier forbinde folk til kirken omkring diverse "følt behov," lige fra behovet for mad og sundhed til ønsket om at gøre det bedre i skolen til den forhåbning at eje et hjem. While there is inherent merit in meeting material needs in the name of Jesus, says Rev. Richardson, feeding and healing are only part of what Jesus modeled. Mens der er iboende fordele i møde materielle behov i navnet Jesus, siger Rev Richardson, fodring og helbredelse er kun en del af, hvad Jesus modeled. People who have had their physical needs met without an explicit evangelistic encounter "came to eat the appetizer and never got the rest of the menu." Folk der har haft deres fysiske behov opfyldes, uden en eksplicit evangelistic støde "kom til at spise den appetitvækker og aldrig fik resten af menuen." This does not mean that every person who comes to the church for help is forced to listen to a sermon. Dette betyder ikke, at enhver person, der kommer til kirken for at få hjælp er tvunget til at lytte til en prædiken. Ideally, however, the act of providing the service is part of a larger process in which relationships are formed, church members have the opportunity to verbalize the gospel, and the recipient makes the connection between the social need that was met, their underlying spiritual need, and the promise of the gospel for a better life. Ideelt dog, at det handler om at give den service er en del af en større proces, hvor relationer er dannet, kirkens medlemmer har mulighed for at verbalize evangeliet, og modtageren gør forbindelsen mellem arbejdsmarkedets behov, der blev opfyldt, deres underliggende åndelige behov , Og løftet om evangeliet om et bedre liv.

The youth group, for example, sponsored a free car wash. Den unge gruppe, for eksempel sponsoreret en gratis bil vask. While some youth washed the cars, others talked to the owners about Christ. Mens nogle unge vaskede biler, mens andre talte med ejerne om Kristus. In a program that helps new home-owners obtain a mortgage, recipients hear about God's plan for their lives as part of the process of financial counseling. I et program, der hjælper nye hjem-ejere få et realkreditlån, modtagere høre om Guds plan for deres liv som en del af processen med finansiel rådgivning. Counselors encourage new homeowners to give God the credit for this life-changing blessing: "It is because of the Lord, and because of the Lord's people, that you are able to move into this house." Counselors tilskynde nye husejere at give Gud æren for dette liv skiftende velsignelse: "Det er på grund af Herren, og på grund af Lord's folk, at du er i stand til at bevæge sig ind i dette hus." At church-sponsored health fairs, doctors integrate spiritual and medical advice, telling hypertension patients not only about exercise and proper nutrition, but also "that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that you have a responsibility to be a steward of it," explains an associate pastor. På kirke-sponsorerede sundhed messer, læger integrere åndelige og lægelig rådgivning, fortæller hypertension patienter ikke kun om motion og ordentlig ernæring, men også "at din krop er templet af Den Hellige Ånd, og at du har et ansvar for at være en steward af det , "Forklarer en associate præst. "We don't want [doctors] to bombard the participant with Scripture, but we want them to know that they do have accountability to the Lord in how they treat and respond to their bodies." "Vi ønsker ikke [læger] til at bombardere deltageren med Skriften, men vi vil have dem at vide, at de har ansvarlighed over for Herren i deres måde at behandle og reagere på deres krop."

Another example of a holistic service ministry is a GED preparation program, started as a response to welfare reform. Et andet eksempel på en holistisk service ministerium er en Ged forberedelse program, startede som en reaktion på velfærd reform. The director of outreach and evangelism, describes how the ministry incorporates a spiritual dimension: Direktøren for opsøgende og forkynder evangeliet, beskriver, hvordan ministeriet indarbejder en spirituel dimension:

When they step in the door, we give them the gospel. Når de skridt i den dør, giver vi dem evangeliet. . . . We open up with prayer, and every opportunity we have we witness to people. Vi åbner op med bøn, og alle muligheder, vi har vi vidne til folk. . . . Our purpose is to help them with their education. Vores formål er at hjælpe dem med deres uddannelse. With that in mind, when the opportunity arises, we turn the conversation to Christ. Med det i tankerne, når muligheden opstår, vi vender samtalen til Kristus. . . . We have opportunities within the lesson plan to discuss the way God would have them handle the situation. Vi har muligheder inden for lektion planlægger at drøfte den måde, Gud ville have dem håndtere situationen. . . . You have to rely on the Holy Spirit to bring back into remembrance all you have studied. Du er nødt til at stole på Den Hellige Ånd til at bringe tilbage i erindringen alt hvad du har studeret. If you rely on God to help you, it makes it much easier. Hvis du stole på Gud til at hjælpe dig, det gør det meget lettere.

About half of the GED students are not from the church; some were recruited for the class through the ad placed in the church-published community newspaper. Omkring halvdelen af Ged studerende er ikke fra kirken, og nogle er blevet rekrutteret til klassen gennem annonce placeres i kirken offentliggjorde samfund avis. Students are invited, but not required, to attend church services. Eleverne er inviteret, men kræves ikke, at deltage i kirkelige tjenester. One year about a third of the non-members in the class ended up joining the church. Et år omkring en tredjedel af ikke-medlemmer i klassen endte slutter sig til kirken.

Not every social ministry has an overt evangelistic component. Ikke alle sociale ministerium har en åbenlys evangelistic komponent. In some ministries the faith-sharing occurs through informal witnessing by church staff and volunteers. I nogle ministerier troen deling opstår gennem uformelle vidne ved kirken personale og frivillige. The church's Youth Self-Esteem Ministry, for example, works with at-risk boys from the local elementary school. Kirken's Ungdom selvværd Ministeriet for eksempel arbejder med udsatte drenge fra den lokale elementære skole. The program is not explicitly Christian because of its connection with the public school, but God's love is displayed in the caring relationships staff develop with the boys. Programmet er ikke eksplicit kristen grund af dens forbindelse med den offentlige skole, men Guds kærlighed der vises i omsorgsfulde relationer personale udvikle med drenge. "I take them to my home on weekends, and I ask them, ‘Why do you think I do this?'" recounts the director. "Jeg tager dem til mit hjem i weekenderne, og jeg spørger dem, 'Hvorfor tror du jeg gøre det?" Recounts direktøren. "I tell them, ‘I do this because I love you.' "Jeg fortæller dem, 'jeg gøre dette, fordi jeg elsker dig'. They don't know what that means, so I have to demonstrate it." De ved ikke, hvad det betyder, så jeg er nødt til at bevise det. "

Christian Stronghold believes that spiritual transformation is the cornerstone to developing the capacity of individuals, and that empowered individuals then become the key to transforming the community. Christian Stronghold mener, at spirituel transformation er hjørnestenen på at udvikle kapaciteten hos enkeltpersoner, og at beføjet enkeltpersoner bliver nøglen til at omdanne samfundet. Reaching African American males with the message of salvation is a particular mission focus. Opfyldelse African American mænd med budskabet om frelsen er en særlig mission fokus. Associate pastor Kenneth Staley describes the vision for ministering to "people that are burdened and beat down": Associate præst Kenneth Staley beskriver vision for ministering at "personer, der er tynget og slå ned":

To give them hope, to give them direction for their lives. At give dem håb, at give dem retning for deres liv. To help them to understand that God wants them to be all that He created them to be, and that . At hjælpe dem med at forstå, at Gud vil have dem til at være alt det, Han skabte dem at være, og at. . . because they're of a lower economic standard does not mean that they have to remain there; that there's pride in being Black; that they're supposed to have a positive self esteem in Jesus Christ because they're a new creation in Him; and that as they submit their lives to God and as He shows them their gifts, talents and abilities, they're going to rise above that economic condition they are in. fordi de er af en lavere økonomisk standard betyder ikke, at de skal forblive dér, at der er stolthed over at være sort, og at de er formodes at have en positiv selvstændig agtelse i Jesus Kristus, fordi de er en ny oprettelsen i ham; og at de indgiver deres liv til Gud og som han viser dem deres gaver, talenter og evner, de er løbende at stige over, at den økonomiske tilstand de er i.

Noting that men are in the minority in many African American churches, Christian Stronghold launched a "Win 1,000 Men To Christ" campaign which brought many men into the Kingdom of God-and increased the number of female church members as well! Konstaterer, at mænd er i mindretal i mange African American kirker, Christian Stronghold lanceret en "win 1000 mennesker til Kristus" kampagne som bragte mange mænd ind i Guds rige og øget antallet af kvindelige kirke medlemmer såvel! A core component of this outreach is the "Glory and Honor Groups," or care groups for men, which mingle church members and spiritual seekers. Et centralt element i denne opsøgende er "Glory og Honor Grupper," eller pleje grupper af mænd, hvilket blande kirkens medlemmer og åndelige seekers. The format combines fellowship, Bible study, and education, giving particular attention to social and health issues pertinent to African American men. Formatet kombinerer stipendium, Bibelen undersøgelse, og uddannelse, med særlig vægt på sociale og sundhedsmæssige spørgsmål i forbindelse med African American mænd. The care groups encourage network evangelism by offering a friendly environment where men can invite other men for support and counsel. CARE grupper tilskynde nettet forkynder evangeliet ved at tilbyde et venligt miljø, hvor mænd kan invitere andre mænd for støtte og rådgiver.

While its social ministries focus on individuals and families, Christian Stronghold has also invested in community development. Mens dens sociale ministerier fokus på enkeltpersoner og familier, Christian Stronghold har også investeret i samfunds udvikling. Christian Stronghold helped organize and support the Nehemiah project, a coalition of churches which built or rehabbed 128 homes, and launched the Phoenix Project to renovate 300 abandoned city-owned homes for resale to lower and moderate income families. Christian Stronghold hjulpet med at organisere og støtte Nehemiah projekt, en koalition af kirker, der er bygget eller rehabbed 128 boliger, og lanceret Phoenix-projektet skal istandsættes 300 forladte by-ejede boliger med henblik på videresalg til lavere og moderat indkomst familier. Other projects have involved negotiations to bring a decent supermarket into the neighborhood, a job placement collaborative, and plans for a new recreational center. Andre projekter har der været tale om forhandlinger for at få en anstændig supermarked i nabolaget, et job placement kollaborativ, og planerne for en ny rekreativ center. The church also created a Community Action Council "to be the salt and light from a biblical perspective" in response to moral and political issues affecting its membership. Kirken også skabt en fælles aktion Rådet "til at være salt og lys fra et bibelsk perspektiv" som svar på moralske og politiske spørgsmål påvirker dets medlemskab. The Council has undertaken a wide range of actions, including planning a health fair; "adopting" the local elementary school; lobbying to upgrade a public bus stop near the church; and blocking the liquor license of a nearby business. Rådet har foretaget en lang række aktioner, herunder planlægning af en sundheds-messe; "vedtagelse af" den lokale elementære skolen; lobbyvirksomhed for at opgradere en offentlig bus stop i nærheden af kirken, og at blokere liquor licens i en nærliggende virksomhed. Such initiatives respond to the disconnect between neighborhood conditions and what God desires for the people of West Philadelphia. Sådanne initiativer reagere på den modsætning mellem nabolaget betingelser, og hvad Gud ønsker for befolkningen i West Philadelphia.

Christian Stronghold views community development as a way to overcome the obstacles of racism and poverty that prevent people from full empowerment, as well as the spiritual forces that keep people in despair. Christian Stronghold synspunkter samfunds udvikling som en måde at overvinde hindringer af racisme og fattigdom, der forhindrer folk fra hele empowerment, såvel som den åndelige kræfter, der holder folk i fortvivlelse. As a testimony to God's goodness, community development and advocacy also have evangelistic implications. Som et vidnesbyrd om Guds godhed, samfunds udvikling og rådgivningsarbejde også have evangelistic konsekvenser. Hosting Town Watch meetings and other community events creates evangelistic opportunities by bringing non-members into the church and facilitating interactions with church members. Hosting Town Watch møder og andre samfund begivenheder skaber evangelistic muligheder ved at bringe ikke-medlemmer i kirken og lette samspillet med kirkens medlemmer. Speaking out on political issues from a Biblical perspective offers a moral and spiritual example to public officials. Udtaler sig om politiske spørgsmål ud fra et bibelsk perspektiv tilbyder et moralsk og åndeligt eksempel til offentlige embedsmænd. Just as meeting a felt need makes it more likely that a needy person will be open to an evangelistic message, displaying a commitment to community development helps to create openness on the part of those who share a concern for the community. Ligesom møde en følt behov gør det mere sandsynligt, at en trængende person vil være åben for en evangelistic besked, vises en forpligtelse til udvikling bidrager til at skabe åbenhed om den del af dem, der deler en bekymring for samfundet. Church leaders can point to members who have joined Christian Stronghold because they appreciated the church's involvement in the community. Kirkens ledere kan pege på medlemmer, der har sluttet Christian Stronghold fordi de værdsat kirken's engagement i lokalsamfundet.

Christian Stronghold's dedication to a holistic vision is one major factor behind the church's explosive growth. Christian Stronghold's engagement i en holistisk vision er en væsentlig faktor bag kirken's eksplosiv vækst. Average adult Sunday morning attendance is about 1700-about half of whom had never belonged to a church before Christian Stronghold. Gennemsnitlig voksne søndag formiddag tilstedeværelseslisten handler om 1700-omkring halvdelen af dem aldrig havde tilhørt en kirke før Christian Stronghold.

[Adapted from Churches That Make a Difference, chapter 5]. [Tilpasset fra kirker, der gør en forskel, kapitel 5].