Christian Stronghold Baptist Church: A Passion for Holistic Ministry Uporište kršćanske Crkve Krstitelj: A strast za Holistic Ministarstva

Christian Stronghold Baptist Church: A Passion for Holistic Ministry Uporište kršćanske Crkve Krstitelj: A strast za Holistic Ministarstva

Christian Stronghold provides an example of a holistic church which interweaves word and deed through a variety of ministries. Christian tvrđava pruža primjer holistički crkva koja interweaves riječju i djelom putem različitih ministarstava. Senior pastor and founder Rev. Willie Richardson laments that so many churches get hung up on the question of providing services versus saving souls. Stariji i osnivač župnik vlč Willie Richardson laments da toliko crkava dobiti objesiti se na pitanje pružanja usluga prema saving duše. "We who are ministering in the city cannot afford to engage in that debate," he says, "because our people are dying." "Mi koji se služe u gradu ne može priuštiti sudjelovati u toj raspravi," kaže on, "zato što naši ljudi umire." In response to urgent spiritual and social needs, the church blends multiple evangelism strategies with a dedication to serving the community. Kao odgovor na hitne duhovne i socijalne potrebe, crkva mješavine više evangelism strategije s predanost služenju zajednici.

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." To uporište kršćanske Crkve Krstitelj, govori vlč Richardson, "Sve što činimo je evangelistic outreach u prirodi. Svaku priliku imamo mi svjedok da narod." 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 usluga ministarstava povezati ljude u crkvu oko raznih "osjetio potrebe", u rasponu od potrebe za hranom i zdravlje u želji da bolje u školu na aspiracija na vlastiti dom. 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. Dok je svojstvena vrijednost u materijalne potrebe sastanka u ime Isusa, kaže vlč Richardson, hranjenja i liječeći samo su dio onoga što je Isus uzoru. 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." Ljudi koji su fizičke potrebe u susret bez izričitog evangelistic susret "došao jesti, aperitiv i nikada nije dobio ostatak je izbornik." This does not mean that every person who comes to the church for help is forced to listen to a sermon. Ova ne znači da svakih osobi koji dolazi crkve za pomoć je prisiljen da slušam na propovijed. 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. Idealno, međutim, čin pružanje usluga je dio većeg procesa u kojima su formirane odnosa, crkva članovi imaju mogućnost da verbalize evanđelje, i primatelja čini vezu između socijalne potrebu da je sreo, ispod njihovih duhovnih potreba , I obećanja za evanđelje za bolji život.

The youth group, for example, sponsored a free car wash. Mladih grupa, na primjer, sponzoriran besplatni praonica automobila. While some youth washed the cars, others talked to the owners about Christ. Dok su neki mladih oprali su automobili, drugi je govorio da se vlasnici o Kristu. 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. U program pomaže da novi home-vlasnici nabavite hipotekarni, primatelji čuti o Božjem planu za svoje živote kao dio procesa financijskih savjeta. 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." Savjetnike poticati nove kuće dati Bogu kredit za tu život-mijenjanje blagoslov: "To je zato što je Gospodin, i zbog Gospodnji narod, da ste u mogućnosti da se presele u ovu kuću." 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. U crkvi-sponzorirane zdravstvene sajmovi, doktori integrirati duhovnih i medicinskih savjeta, priča hipertenzije bolesnika, ne samo o vježbanje i pravilnu prehranu, nego i "da je vaše tijelo hram Duha Svetoga i da imate odgovornost da se upravitelju da ", Objašnjava jedan suradnik župnik. "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." "Mi ne želite [liječnicima] bombardirati da je sudionik s Sveto pismo, ali smo ih želite da zna da oni imaju odgovornost da Gospodin u tome kako se pristupa i odgovoriti na njihova tijela."

Another example of a holistic service ministry is a GED preparation program, started as a response to welfare reform. Drugi primjer je usluga holistički ministarstvom je GED priprema program, započeo kao odgovor na welfare reform. The director of outreach and evangelism, describes how the ministry incorporates a spiritual dimension: Direktor outreach i evangelism, opisuje kako je ministarstvo uvrštava duhovnu dimenziju:

When they step in the door, we give them the gospel. Kad su korak u vrata, dati im evanđelje. . . . We open up with prayer, and every opportunity we have we witness to people. Otvoreni smo se s molitvom, i svaku priliku smo mi svjedočili ljudi. . . . Our purpose is to help them with their education. Naš cilj je da pomogne njihova obrazovanja. With that in mind, when the opportunity arises, we turn the conversation to Christ. Uz to na umu, kada se javlja prilika, skrećemo u razgovoru za Krista. . . . We have opportunities within the lesson plan to discuss the way God would have them handle the situation. Imamo mogućnosti unutar lekciju plan za raspravu o putu, Bog bi ih obrađuju situaciju. . . . You have to rely on the Holy Spirit to bring back into remembrance all you have studied. Morate se osloniti na Duha Svetoga dovesti natrag u sjećanje sve imate studirao. If you rely on God to help you, it makes it much easier. Ako se oslanjamo na Boga koji će vam pomoći da, to ga čini lakšim.

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. O polovina od GED studenti nisu iz crkve, neki su regrutovani za klase kroz oglas nalazi u crkvi-objavljenih zajednice novine. Students are invited, but not required, to attend church services. Studenti su pozvani, ali ne i nužno, da prisustvuju mise. One year about a third of the non-members in the class ended up joining the church. Od jedne godine oko trećina od ne-članova u klasi zavrsilo pridružio crkve.

Not every social ministry has an overt evangelistic component. Nije svako ministarstvo socijalne ima otvoren evangelistic komponentu. In some ministries the faith-sharing occurs through informal witnessing by church staff and volunteers. U nekim ministarstvima vjeri zajedničko događa kroz neformalne svjedočenje po crkvi osoblje i volonteri. The church's Youth Self-Esteem Ministry, for example, works with at-risk boys from the local elementary school. Crkve za mlade samopoštovanje Ministarstvo, na primjer, radi s riziccnih mladića iz lokalne osnovne škole. 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. Program nije izričito kršćanske zbog svojih veza s javnih škola, ali Božje ljubavi koja se prikazuje u brigu odnosa osoblja razvijati s dječacima. "I take them to my home on weekends, and I ask them, ‘Why do you think I do this?'" recounts the director. "I uzmi ih u mojoj kući na vikende, a ja ih pitam," Što mislite da sam učiniti? "Pripovijeda direktor. "I tell them, ‘I do this because I love you.' "I reci im: 'Ja to učinili, jer volim te." They don't know what that means, so I have to demonstrate it." Oni ne znaju što to znači, pa moram pokazati. "

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 uporište smatra da duhovne transformacije je kamen na razvoju kapaciteta pojedinaca, i da ovlašteni pojedinci onda postaju ključ za pretvaranje zajednice. Reaching African American males with the message of salvation is a particular mission focus. Ispunjavanje African American muškaraca s porukom spasenja je određeni zadatak usredotočiti. Associate pastor Kenneth Staley describes the vision for ministering to "people that are burdened and beat down": Izvanredni pastir Staley Kenneth opisuje viziju za službu da "ljudi koji su opterećeni i pobjedio down":

To give them hope, to give them direction for their lives. Da bi im dati nadu, da ću im je dati smjeru za svoje živote. To help them to understand that God wants them to be all that He created them to be, and that . Kako bi im pomogla da shvati da Bog želi da se sve što je stvorio ih biti, i da. . . 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. jer oni su od niže ekonomski standard ne znači da oni moraju ostati tamo, da postoji ponos se Black; da oni treba da imaju pozitivno samo poštovanje u Isusa Krista, jer oni su novi stvaranje u njemu; i da kao oni dodaj svoj život Bogu pokazuje i kao On im darove, talenata i sposobnosti su odlaskom ustati iznad ekonomske uvjet da su rezervirati

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! Navodechi da muškaraca u manjinskom mnoge African American crkvama kršćanske uporište ispaljen "Win 1000 Muškarci Kristu" kampanju koja donesoše muškarci u Kraljevine Bog i uvećan broj žensko crkva članova kao! A core component of this outreach is the "Glory and Honor Groups," or care groups for men, which mingle church members and spiritual seekers. Temeljni sastavni dio ovog outreach je "slavu i čast grupe", ili grupe za skrb ljudi, koji miješati članova crkve i duhovne tragaoce. The format combines fellowship, Bible study, and education, giving particular attention to social and health issues pertinent to African American men. Format kombinira zajedništvo, Biblija studiranja i obrazovanja, dajući posebnu pozornost na socijalne i zdravstvene probleme relevantnih za African American ljudi. The care groups encourage network evangelism by offering a friendly environment where men can invite other men for support and counsel. Skrb grupe poticati mreže evangelism plasirajući prijateljskog okruženja u kojem ljudi mogu pozvati druge ljude za pomoć i savjet.

While its social ministries focus on individuals and families, Christian Stronghold has also invested in community development. Iako svojom društvenom ministarstava usredotočiti na pojedince i obitelji, Christian tvrđava je također uložio u razvoj zajednice. 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 uporište pomogli organizirati i podržati projekt Nehemija, koalicije crkve koji sagradi ili rehabbed 128 domova, a pokrenuo je projekt Phoenix obnoviti 300-grad napušten u vlasništvu domova za preprodaji na niže i umjerenim prihodima obitelji. Other projects have involved negotiations to bring a decent supermarket into the neighborhood, a job placement collaborative, and plans for a new recreational center. Ostali projekti koji su uključeni su pregovori donijeti pristojan supermarket u susjedstvu, posredovanje slobodnim mjestima kolaborativni, i planove za novi rekreacijski centar. 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. U crkvi je također stvorila zajednica Action Council "da budu sol i svjetlo biblijske s perspektive", u odgovoru na moralne i političke probleme koji utječu na njezino članstvo. 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. Vijeće je preduzeti na širok spektar aktivnosti, uključujući planiranje Sajmu zdravlja; "usvajanje" lokalne osnovne škole; lobiranje za nadogradnju javnog autobusnog stajališta u blizini crkve, a blokiranje je liquor license od obližnje poslovne. Such initiatives respond to the disconnect between neighborhood conditions and what God desires for the people of West Philadelphia. Takve inicijative odgovoriti na prekinuli vezu između susjedstvu uvjete i ono što Bog želi za narod 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 uporište pregleda razvoj zajednice kao način prevladavanja prepreka rasizma i siromaštva, koji ne sprečava ljude da iz pune osnaživanje, kao i duhovne snage da se ljudi u očaj. As a testimony to God's goodness, community development and advocacy also have evangelistic implications. Kao svjedočanstvo Božje dobrote, razvoj zajednice i zagovaranja također imati implikacije evangelistic. 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 Mjesto Watch sastanaka i drugih događaja zajednice stvara evangelistic mogućnosti prema ne-članove donose u crkvu i omogućavanjem interakcije s crkvom članova. Speaking out on political issues from a Biblical perspective offers a moral and spiritual example to public officials. Govoreći na politička pitanja koja iz perspektive Biblijski nudi moralne i duhovne primjer da javni službenici. 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. Kao jedan sastanak osjetio potrebu čini vjerojatnije da je u nevolji osoba će biti otvoren za jedan evangelistic poruku, prikazujući jedan opredjeljenje za razvoj zajednice pomaže da kreirate otvorenost na dio onih koji dijele zabrinutost za zajednicu. Church leaders can point to members who have joined Christian Stronghold because they appreciated the church's involvement in the community. Crkva lideri mogu pokažite na članove koji imaju pridružio kršćanskom uporište jer su poštovati Crkve učešćem u zajednici.

Christian Stronghold's dedication to a holistic vision is one major factor behind the church's explosive growth. Christian tvrđava je predanost holistički vizija je jedan faktor iza crkve je eksplozivna rasta. Average adult Sunday morning attendance is about 1700-about half of whom had never belonged to a church before Christian Stronghold. Prosječna odrasla osoba nedjelja ujutro prisustvovanje konferenciji je oko 1700-oko polovice koje nikada nisu pripadali u kršćanske crkve prije uporište.

[Adapted from Churches That Make a Difference, chapter 5]. [Prerađeno prema crkvama koje će razlika, Glava 5].