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Writings and Wiki Articles by Heidi Unruh

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Dealing with Fears: Counting the Cost, Looking for Treasure

 

As a church considers a call to holistic ministry, people will want to assess the price
tag. Some in the congregation will focus on the risks associated with any new endeavor:
to your membership, budget, personnel, property, facilities, or reputation. Leaders should
not ignore these concerns. Rather, leaders should heed Jesus’ warning and count the
costs:

 Dealing with Fears: Counting the Cost, Looking for Treasure

Getting There from Here: Starting Compassion Ministry in Your Congregation

Like many Christians, you long to make a difference in the world. You believe in
God's plan to restore broken lives and rebuild troubled neighborhoods through local
mission that blends evangelism, relief services, advocacy and community development.
Whether you are a pastor, ministry staff, or lay member, you desire your church to become
a vessel for the healing, transforming presence of Christ in your community.

 Getting There from Here: Starting Compassion Ministry in Your Congregation

The attached document outlines how Charitable Choice, and the accompanying national conversation about how best to
support the social contributions of faith-based organizations, are opening new doors to
direct government funding of the social service work of congregations.

 Churches and Public Funds: Risks or Rewards?

ORGANIZING FOR HOLISTIC MINISTRY

Warning Signs of an Unhealthy Organization

How healthy are your church’s organizational systems? There are three warning
signs that indicate a need to renovate your church’s structure.

 Organizing for Holistic Ministry

BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Overcoming the barriers to holistic ministry requires an intentional effort both to
welcome the community into the church, and to bring the church out into the community.
Here we give seven suggestions for cultivating an outreach-minded congregation.

1. Welcome whoever walks through your door.
A good place to start in cultivating the congregation’s commitment to reach out to
the community is by loving the people in the community who come to you. “We need a
theology of welcome to tear down the fences that have come to separate ‘church’ and
‘mission,’” asserts Kathryn Mowry.

 Building Bridges Between Church and Community

PREPARING THE CHURCH TO MEET EMERGENCY NEEDS

Once word spread about Jesus’ miracles, he couldn’t go anywhere without being
approached by crowds of sick, lame, and demon-possessed people. Once word gets out that your church helps people in need, don’t be surprised when many people in need (including some from your own congregation) start calling on you for help. Unless your church has a system to handle requests for emergency assistance, you may quickly become overwhelmed and tempted to close your doors. Your church should have a plan in place for responding to people in crisis, before they throw you into a crisis. There are no hard and fast rules, but here are some guidelines, which are outlined in the attached document.

 Preparing the Church to Meet Emergency Needs

CULTIVATE THE THEOLOGY OF HOLISTIC MINISTRY


Philippians 2:2 instructs us, “Be of the same mind, having the same love, being in
full accord.” Church leaders have to help the congregation become of one mind regarding
the theological foundations for holistic ministry.

 Cultivate the Theology of Holistic Ministry

Becoming a Mission-Focused Church


What does it take to become a mission-focused church—a church that “shares
God’s self-sacrificial love for the lost, lonely, and broken, and cultivates a commitment
toward outreach as an expression of worship”?

 Becoming a Mission-Focused Church
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