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More on Pornography Addiction

The following material is provided to help those counseling addicts or to help those addicted to understand what they are facing.

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The Social Implications of the Gospel

Fundamentally, the Gospel is the proclamation of God's grace freely available in Jesus Christ - that He has lived and died in the place of all who put their faith in Him, so that they might be forgiven and restored to fellowship with God. However, this message should not be viewed individualistically: when God redeems people, He places them into community. This community, the Church, is described by the Apostle Paul as the Body of Christ.

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Spiritual Gifts List

Spiritual Gifts

Instructions:

The Bible does not present a single, comprehensive list. The lists of specific gifts mentioned can be found in Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30; Ephesians 4:11; and 1 Peter 4:9-11. Below is a brief summary of the lists of gifts. The first part of the paragraph offers a general description of how the gift was used and applied in the Bible while the last column is a concise definition based on what the Bible says.

 

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Biblical Principles for the Church's Outreach Ministry

 

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Inspiration for Faith in Action: Imagine Your Church...

The first of Steven Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is: “Start with the end in mind.” So imagine: What would it look like to “BE the church?” What might be possible?

Imagine what your church would be like if its entire life was consumed by finding ways to live out its faith and mirror God’s love, as taught and modeled by Jesus.

Imagine your church, filled with God’s spirit, being of one mind and one body as it brings its life into line with God’s great dream of restoring the world under the lordship of Christ. Imagine every one of your church’s members fully committed to seeing God’s dream become a reality.

Imagine your church having one central objective for every Sunday-school session, small group and committee meeting: to equip its members for living and sharing more effectively God’s love in the world.

Imagine your church joyfully recognizing and putting to full use the gifts and capacities God has given you. And imagine members desiring nothing more in life than to develop those gifts for the purpose of offering them back to God in passionate, life-long witness and service to others.

Imagine your church taking a bold step of faith into ministry … and then another … and another, until an ethos of outreach is deeply woven into the fabric of your congregation.

Imagine your church being so welcoming of sinners, so filled with compassion, that word of your love and care spreads throughout your community, and even around the world.

Imagine your church being sought out by those experiencing injustice, because you have become known for insisting on just relationships and fair treatment of those who are most vulnerable, and for loving your enemies.

Imagine your church so connected with people – both within and outside the church – that you begin to reach their deepest hurts and needs, offering healing to the broken and extending open arms to people of diverse racial, cultural and economic backgrounds.

Imagine your church designing and conducting worship experiences that celebrate what God is doing in your neighborhood and around the world, and that regularly invite each member to explore and expand their participation in these God-inspired initiatives.

Imagine your church being committed to daily intercessory prayer for your neighbors, your co-workers, your family and friends, and your nation’s leaders.

Imagine your church being the best window that seekers have into the life God intended.

Imagine your community becoming a better place to live, and a little more like heaven, because your church is in it. Imagine that if your church left the community, you would be missed.

Imagine your church sharing this vision and experience of new life in Christ with a neighboring congregation. And you discover that you are both hatching a desire to reach out together. And you link with a third church, then a fourth. You learn, share and grow together. This community of churches begins anointing people from among you to share God’s mission in neighborhoods both near and far.

Imagine … and BE the church!

Adapted with permission from Becoming a Church That Makes a Difference CD-ROM, by Heidi Unruh and Phil Olson (Word & Deed Network, 2006), www.esa-online.org.Original source: James Krabill, “Does Your Church ‘Smell’ Like Mission?” Reflections on Becoming a Missional Church, MissioDei #2 (Mennonite Mission Network, 2003).

Guide to Prayer-Walking and Observation in the Community

What is prayer-walking? One simple definition: “Praying on-site with insight.” The purpose of prayer-walking is to seek God’s guidance, mercy, and transforming power—both for the community, and for ourselves as God’s servants in the community.

Become more aware of what you see while you walk and pray by connecting prayer-walking with structured observation (see the guidelines for community observation on page 3). The discussion questions in the observation guide can help participants “debrief” after a prayer-walking experience.

Prayer-walking and observation can be a valuable tool for identifying needs and partners for Faith in Action service projects, becoming more familiar with the community you will be serving, and preparing project teams spiritually for the outreach.

Guidelines for prayer-walking

  • Meet at an assigned time and start with group prayer.
  • Walk in groups of two or three. Plan your routes ahead of time to cover as much of the area as possible.
  • Pray aloud in a quiet, conversational voice, if you feel comfortable doing so. Or pray silently, letting your prayer partner(s) know what you are praying about. Don’t call attention to yourselves. As the Waymakers website puts it, “You can be on the scene without making one.”
  • If anyone asks what you are doing, be prepared to respond: “We’re praying God’s blessing on this neighborhood. Is there any special way we can pray for you?”
  • Although it is not the primary purpose of prayer-walking, be open to opportunities to interact with and bless people that may grow out of your experience. The Waymakers website explains the connection between prayer-walking and faith in action:

As you pray God’s promises with specific homes or work sites in view, you’ll find that hope for those people begins to grow. You’ll begin to see people as God might view them. You’ll likely find yourself becoming more interested in the welfare of the people you are praying for. … Watch for the ways God impresses you to display his love in practical acts of kindness.

  • Plan to walk for about half an hour. If anyone in your group is not comfortable with walking, they can prayer-drive around the neighborhood instead.
  • Afterwards, gather to share your prayers, observations and experiences. What did you learn about the neighborhood? How was God manifest in this experience?
  • Encourage people to continue praying for the community during the week.

How do you pray?

Here are some pointers:

  • Pray for discernment — Seek the gift of seeing the community through Christ’s “lens,” and to discern what God is already doing there; ask God to show you how you can pray with greater insight for the people, events, and places in the community.
  • Pray for blessing – Pray over every person, home and business you encounter; for God’s intervention in each life, so that each one can be fruitful in God’s kingdom; for God’s will to be done in this community “as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).
  • Pray with empathy — See and feel what residents live with every day; offer intercession for those things that express brokenness and grieve God’s spirit, and give thanks to God for the blessings and gifts that exist in the community.
  • Pray from Scripture — Prayers based directly on God’s word can be especially powerful. You may want to bring a Bible with key passages highlighted, or copy verses onto note cards.
  • Pray in God’s power — allow times of silence for God’s spirit to speak to you, or through you (Romans 8:26). Ask with confidence in the power of Jesus’ name (John 14:12-14). Like the disciples sent out by Christ, we are empowered to push back the darkness (Luke 10:17-18).

(Read more about prayer-walking and download detailed guides at www.waymakers.org/prayerwalking.html; also see Jay Van Groningen, Communities First [CRWRC, 2005], pages 30-31)

Guidelines for community observation

Even if you have been in a community for a long time, you can learn to see the familiar with new eyes, alert to indicators of need as well as signs of God’s reign.

Walk through as much of the community as you are able; if the area is far-flung, or if the weather is bad, a driving (“windshield”) survey is another option. If possible, ask a resident to give you a guided tour of the neighborhood.

Open your observation time by asking God to allow you to see with his eyes of love and discernment. You can combine observation with more in-depth prayer for the community and/or with a neighborhood survey (see the sample survey on the Faith in Action resource CD). Consider completing this exercise more than once, with a different focus for your observations and prayers each time.

Use the categories on the next page to organize your observations. Respect the dignity of community members by recording your notes as unobtrusively as possible. Be present as servants, not tourists!

After the visit, take time as a group to compare notes and reflect on your observations. Discuss the following:

  • What positive qualities, opportunities and benefits does the community have to offer? What are signs that God is already at work in the neighborhood? Identify potential partners (people, churches, organizations) that the church could come alongside in serving the community.
  • What needs and concerns are in evidence? What do you see that might detract from people’s quality of life or hinder people from developing their potential? What challenges are people likely to face as they go about their daily life?
  • How might community residents view your congregation? Would you be perceived as allies, foreigners, friends, helpers, annoyances, or simply irrelevant?
  • Take note of your own response to what you see. What kinds of “vibes” do you get from your encounters in the community? What feels familiar or strange? Safe or dangerous? Friendly or hostile? Happy or sad? Pleasant or uncomfortable?
  • Do you sense any barriers to “fitting in” between yourself and the community — language, culture, class, ethnicity, age? What stereotypes about people and places might you have to address to build healthy relationships with people here?
  • How is the Good News of salvation through Christ relevant here? What might it look like if God’s kingdom were realized “on earth as it is in heaven” here in this community? Imagine how your congregation, working alongside members of the community, might participate in helping the neighborhood experience God’s design for a good life.
  • Did your prayerful observations spark any ideas for your Faith in Action project or ongoing ministry in this community? Identify how you could follow up with organizations or individuals in the community.

Close with a time of prayer for the neighborhood and for your congregation’s witness and service there.

Community Observation Guide

Look for evidence of the following:

  • People groups: Who is standing at bus stops, hanging out on street corners, going into businesses, playing in the park, waiting in line at the store? Note ages, ethnicities, languages, and apparent economic status. How much do you see people interacting with one another?
  • Places of activity: A pizza joint crowded with youth, a shopping plaza, a heavily trafficked intersection, playgrounds, school zones
  • Structures: What are the types and conditions of the structures (homes, businesses, roads, parks)? How much “free space” is there in the community? What is the mix of private and public space?
  • Services: Where can people go to shop, eat out, get an education, worship, and receive assistance? What appears to be the quantity and quality of available services? Who is providing services, and who is receiving them?
  • Signs of change: Note which businesses are opening or closing, and if housing is under construction, for sale, or being demolished. Check for languages added to shop signs, and buildings used in ways different from their original purpose. Overall, do conditions appear to be getting better or worse?
  • Signs of hope: Where is there evidence of God’s grace and God’s people at work? Look for churches and nonprofit organizations, playing children, uplifting artwork, Christian symbols, social gatherings, and gardens. Look especially for local assets that could be connected with neighborhood needs.
  • Signs of need: Look for evidence of hardship, hurt or injustice. Is what you see specific to particular areas or affecting the neighborhood as a whole? Be aware that marginalized people and social problems are often hidden, especially in communities that appear well-off.

Adapted with permission from Community Study Guide: Understand Your Church’s Context for Ministry by Heidi Unruh (2007), www.urbanministry.org.

Networking Interviews

The purpose of networking interviews is to learn from people who are knowledgeable about the community, and to make connections that can lead to fruitful service projects and ongoing ministry partnerships. Information from community leaders can help you plan Faith in Action projects that have the most strategic impact.

People to interview may include leaders of local nonprofit agencies, schools, police, churches, civic clubs, neighborhood associations or other groups, and local government. Also seek to identify and contact “unofficial” community leaders like long-time residents.

Interviewing is best done in pairs, with one person asking the questions while the other takes notes. As an alternative to personal interviews, bring a group of leaders together for a panel discussion. Invite representatives from your church’s leadership and the Faith in Action team to be present.

Begin the conversation by identifying yourself and your church. Explain the purpose for the interview (e.g., “Our church is exploring new ways of serving the neighborhood, and we’re interested in learning more about the community and about your role here.”). Afterwards, follow up with a thank-you note to show appreciation for people’s time. You may also invite your contact to join in your Faith in Action events.

Be sensitive to the spiritual and personal concerns of those you contact. Be on the lookout for hidden “family“—brothers and sisters in Christ working for secular organizations. As it seems appropriate, offer to pray for or with people.

The following questions are suggested for meetings with community leaders. However, be sure to allow freedom to let the conversation move “off script.” Use the Networking Log on the next page to keep a record of your contacts, opportunities for partnerships, and follow-up ideas.

Questions for community contacts:

  1. What are the greatest assets and strengths you see here? What gives you hope when you think about this community and its future?
  2. What are your main concerns about life in this community? What do you see as the major social, economic, or cultural challenges here?
  3. What kinds of changes have you seen in the community? Overall, are things getting better or worse?
  4. Finish the sentence: “The most important thing for people to know about this community is …”
  5. Finish the sentence: “This community will be stronger and better for everyone when …”How have you and your organization been working to improve life in the community?
  6. Our church is considering ways to serve this neighborhood. Do you have any suggestions? Are there ways we might support the work of your organization, or partner with you to serve the community?
  7. Can you recommend two other people or organizations that you think we should talk to, to help us learn more about this community?

Networking Log

Record information about each networking visit. Note ideas for service projects, potential partnerships, prayer requests, and follow up.

Date of Contact

Name of Contact Person

Institution

Address

Phone #

Name of Networker(s)

Notes / Follow-up Ideas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adapted with permission from the Becoming a Church That Makes a Difference CD-ROM, by Heidi Unruh and Phil Olson (Word & Deed Network, 2006), www.esa-online.org.

Community Survey

This survey provides your church with a tool to gather information about your neighborhood and community. Conducting a survey can be invaluable if your church is unfamiliar with the community whether you are planning Faith in Action projects, considering ongoing ministry opportunities, or simply looking for ways to get to know your neighbors better.

Surveys are best conducted door-to-door by pairs of church members. This creates opportunities for your congregation to develop relationships and name recognition in the process. A survey can make a lasting impression–on those who conduct the survey and on those they visit. If most church members are not from the neighborhood, considering pairing a church member with a local resident who knows the people in the community. This helps to build trust and credibility.

You also can adapt surveys for use with those served by Faith in Action projects. For example, if your church helps serve a meal at a soup kitchen, invite (don’t require) participation from those who partake in the meal, as well as from regular soup kitchen volunteers. Not only do you get the benefit of the information, you also communicate a message of caring: “Your opinions and ideas matter to us!”

Although the primary purpose of the survey is not evangelistic, you can be sensitive to the spiritual and personal needs of the people you contact. If people have immediate needs, you can ask how the church might be able to help. If you offer prayer or aid, however, be sure you follow up and keep your promises! Enlist volunteers to pray for the needs revealed through the survey.

After finishing each survey, you can give participants an invitation card to join upcoming Faith in Action events. While the purpose of conducting the survey is to gather information, not to attract people to your church, survey participants may ask about your church. To help answer these questions, be sure to have a brochure or flyer that features your church programs and worship services that you can share with them. After each survey is completed, follow up with a thank-you note to residents who completed the survey to show your appreciation for their time. This gives you another opportunity to invite people’s participation in Faith in Action.

On the next page is a sample survey. The questions are open-ended, with space for survey-takers to write in people’s responses. You can adapt or add questions as appropriate. For example, you can list several possible initiatives that are being considered by the church and ask people which ones they think are best suited to their current needs. If you already have a service project in mind, you can change question #3 to ask: “Our church is considering doing …… in this neighborhood. Do you have any suggestions for how you’d like to see us do this?”

Adapted with permission from Becoming a Church That Makes a Difference CD-ROM, by Heidi Unruh and Phil Olson (Word & Deed Network, 2006), www.esa-online.org.

Ideas for Strengthening Community Connections

Faith in Action is designed to enhance your church’s community relations. As a complement to service projects, your church can strengthen this connection by building bridges of relationship and belonging.

Building Bridges of Relationship

In strong communities, people know one another and help one another out in neighborly ways. The key to building relationships is bringing people together around things that everyone enjoys or cares about. Following are some ideas for community-wide activities that can help your congregation get to know your neighbors better, affirm their gifts, and celebrate life together. Building bridges of relationship can be fun!

  • Block party with community pot luck or BBQ
  • Home dinner party exchanges
  • Family game nights
  • Town meeting to address a community concern
  • Community newsletter & coupon booklet
  • “Blessings Barter” goods and services exchange
  • Block chaplains / prayer partners
  • Community-wide yard sale
  • Talent show
  • Spelling bee
  • Appreciation service for public servants (teachers, police, garbage collectors, etc.)
  • Cultural heritage festival
  • “Mini-Olympics” or sports tournament
  • Community garden
  • Your idea:

For more ideas see the workbook Communities First: Community Strengthening by Jay Van Groningen (CRWRC, 2005).

Building Bridges of Belonging

How can your church cultivate a deeper sense of belonging to the community and a growing commitment to its well-being? Following are some ideas for helping the congregation to think about members of the community as “our people.” Notice that these activities can supplement service projects by strengthening connections with the people and organizations involved in Faith in Action.

  • Create a “community affairs” bulletin board with notices of local events, newspaper clippings relevant to the community, information about services, programs of benefit to the community, etc.
  • Encourage congregational patronage of the local economy by distributing lists of restaurants and shops, and by purchasing church supplies and services from community businesses. Start a tradition of eating together after church at a local restaurant once a month or so.
  • Bring a group from the congregation to attend cultural or sports events sponsored by the community.
  • Plan joint events with other local churches or organizations, such as a harvest party, softball game or Easter egg hunt.
  • Form a “crisis response team” that is ready to respond compassionately when tragedy strikes in the community — for example, by bringing meals to a family that has lost a child, organizing a prayer vigil at the site of a shooting, or donating household items after a fire.
  • Set aside a portion of the funds used for internal church care toward a related need in the community. For example, donate a portion of the building fund to a homeless shelter; the budget for children’s ministry may include items for a local day care; a fellowship meal can be combined with a food drive.
  • Offer the church building to host community meetings and events.
  • Encourage church members to report job openings in their place of employment, and distribute this list to local employment offices.
  • Move church events outside the church building, into the community: Sunday school class or committee meetings at a coffee shop, VBS in a local park, youth group at a rec center.
  • Organize “field trips” from the congregation to points of interest in the community such as a museum, tourist attraction, historical site, or entertainment center.
  • Include special events, volunteer opportunities and prayer points related to the community in the church newsletter, bulletin, and calendar.
  • If your church is partnering with a local organization for a Faith in Action service project, invite a representative to a Sunday service to share a brief introduction to their organization.
  • Host a “community forum” with representatives from service agencies and other community leaders (see suggestions for contacting leaders in the “Networking Interviews” tool on this CD).
  • Some communities have a directory of service organizations, cultural sites, government offices, and elected officials. If your community does not have this, consider working collaboratively with local contacts to create one. Make the directory available to the congregation.
  • Your idea:

Which three ideas seem most exciting, achievable, and attractive to your context?

Adapted with permission from Church Mobilization Guide: Equip The Church For Transformational Community Ministry by Heidi Unruh (2007), www.urbanministry.org.

Ministry Participation Survey

Survey Directions

This tool provides an overview of the congregation’s availability, interest, and resources for service. This information can be useful as part of the process of exploring ongoing ministry options after the Faith in Action campaign.

The survey can be adapted to solicit feedback on specific ministry proposals. You can also ask for a more detailed inventory of skills and availability related to a particular ministry (for example, home repair or tutoring).

One suggestion is to hand out the survey immediately following or during a worship service (doing it during the offering time would underscore the concept of offering our time and talents to God through ministry), and allow time for people to fill them out and turn them in. They can also be completed during the Sunday school hour, or distributed to participants at the last Faith in Action small group.

Recruit individuals to organize the information after the forms are collected, and write a report that summarizes the findings. Use the survey to create a database of volunteer information which can be updated as needed.

Adapted with permission from Becoming a Church That Makes a Difference CD-ROM, by Heidi Unruh and Phil Olson (Word & Deed Network, 2006), www.esa-online.org.

Assessing Your Church's Community Involvement

This exercise helps you assess how your church is engaging the community. An accurate picture of the church's strengths, weaknesses, and goals for outreach is useful in helping the church enlarge its capacity to serve its neighbors (see "Building on Faith in Action: Diagnostic Tool").

1. We address community needs primarily …

o Through church-sponsored programs, using our own resources.

o Through referrals to other agencies.

o Through programs operated in partnership with other churches and agencies.

2. Our church is primarily engaged in the community …

o Informally, through interactions by individual members

o Through occasional outreach events

o Through various scattered ministries with little coordination

o Through a few focused ministries with coordinated member involvement

o Other: _____________________________________________________________________

3. Check which of the following are true of the church's community ministries:

o The congregation understands the theological basis for what we do in the community.

o Our programs are grounded in an assessment of the community's assets and needs.

o We maintain a network of relationships with community residents, leaders and partners.

o We know how to develop assistance plans and walk alongside families who request help.

o We have a long-range vision for community transformation.

o We have a coordinated plan for adding new ministries.

o We have a process in place for evaluating and improving our community ministries.

o We offer restoration and hope in Christ to all who are open to spiritual guidance.

4. Our greatest challenges are … (check all that apply)

o We don't know how to connect with people who need help or with community partners.

o We sense our efforts to help people are often abused.

o We can only provide short-term solutions, not real transformation.

o We struggle to mobilize church support for helping people who are not members.

o The people we help don't seem interested in the gospel or in our church.

o Community needs are overwhelming; we don't know where to start.

o We aren't equipped to plan or manage community-oriented programs.

o We don't have enough resources to engage in substantial ministry.

o We are uncomfortable dealing with people from a different ethnicity, culture or economic class.

o Other: _____________________________________________________________________

5. Our church's vision for community ministry is … (check all that apply)

o To help meet the urgent needs of people seeking help.

o To see church and community members live transformed, spiritually vital, fruitful lives.

o To break the yoke of oppression in the form of generational poverty, addictions, and abuse.

o To help the community become a better place to live (better jobs, improved environment, etc.).

o To make improvements in community social life – how people interact and live together.

o To see churches and organizations working cooperatively to make life better for everyone.

o To help break down the racial, cultural and economic barriers that keep people divided.

o To unleash gifts in the community, helping neighbors work together on shared goals.

o To improve political and economic systems so that life is more fair and just for everyone.

o Other: _____________________________________________________________________

Adapted with permission from Ministry Inventory Guide: Assess Your Church’s Ministry Capacity and Identity by Heidi Unruh (2007), www.urbanministry.org. Original source: Jay Van Groningen, Communities First: Through God's Eyes, With God's Heart (Center on Faith in Communities, 2005), p. 4-5.

Next Steps for Faith in Action

If your congregation has caught the flame of being used by Christ in service to others, the conclusion of the Faith in Action curriculum doesn’t mean you stop living out your faith. The ministry project may be over, but your journey of transformational ministry is just beginning.

What are the next steps for your congregation? Your Faith in Action training and service experience may inspire your church to …

  • Make Faith in Action weekend an annual event
  • Continue service ministries started through Faith in Action on an ongoing basis
  • Organize a group of churches for joint Faith in Action projects
  • Take a mission trip to participate in an international Faith in Action project
  • Get training to expand the capacity and impact of your faith in action ministry
  • Strengthen and expand the community relationships cultivated through Faith in Action
  • Build on ministry partnerships formed through Faith in Action with local or national organizations
  • Promote ongoing “in-reach” to sustain the congregation’s motivation for Faith in Action
  • Engage in a follow-up church-wide campaign to encourage a deeper level of Faith in Action
  • Open doors to new outreach initiatives (like the possibilities below.)

Consider which of these suggestions can best enable your congregation to capitalize on ministry momentum … take on new challenges … expand your skills in community transformation … and move into deeper experiences of loving the world in Christ’s name.

The other tools in the CD can help your church’s ministry advance by diagnosing needs for ministry growth (“Building on Faith in Action: Diagnostic Tool”), identifying a ministry focus (“Finding Your Ministry Bulls-Eye”), developing an action plan (“Ministry Opportunities: From Ideas to Action”), and providing information and models (“Resources on Church-Based Community Ministry”).

The needs are great, but the power of God at work in us is greater still:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
(Ephesians 3:20-21)

Some Possibilities for Ongoing Outreach Ministry

Once your church gets started, you will begin to see endless possibilities for making a difference by serving your community and world. How about …

  • job training, placement and support
  • emergency childcare service for working parents
  • refugee resettlement assistance
  • “adopting” a public school with school supply kits, tutoring & after-school care
  • Saturday kids clubs
  • community organizing to address local concerns
  • mentoring children of prisoners
  • walk on behalf of children hurting from illness and hunger (www.worldvision.org/29000steps)
  • affordable housing through construction or rehab
  • ministry to AIDS patients, caregivers and orphans
  • Bible-based support group on addictions or abuse
  • divorce recovery services
  • parish social worker or nurse sponsored by a church coalition
  • food pantry and meal service
  • short-term mission trip
  • youth sports league
  • advocacy to fight hunger, slave labor, and the sex trade around the world
  • financial counseling
  • sharing the Gospel through the arts
  • home services for persons with disabilities
  • support network for women on welfare
  • “kindness evangelism”
  • fight hunger (www.30hourfamine.org)
  • family counseling & parenting seminars
  • conflict resolution training & mediation
  • block parties
  • crisis or suicide prevention hotline
  • car repair for low-income families
  • summer revival services
  • educating and lobbying about creation care stewardship
  • GED, ESL (English as a Second Language) or literacy tutoring
  • art classes or art camp
  • skate park or playground
  • savings club or IDA (individual development account)
  • shelter or transitional housing for homeless persons
  • college or private school scholarships for disadvantaged youth
  • promoting foster care and adoption
  • participate in a Children’s Sabbath (www.childrensdefense.org)
  • holiday meals and food baskets
  • furniture and appliance warehouse
  • computer center
  • youth entrepreneurship program
  • professional clothing for job seekers
  • drop-in center for seniors and caregivers
  • host town meetings, blood drives, other public events
  • “mother’s night out” dinner for single moms
  • seminars on topics of relevance to the community
  • job fair
  • alternative school or after-school program for at-risk youth
  • educational support for teen parents
  • mobile health care clinic and preventative health workshops
  • day care or pre-school program
  • friendship ministry to international students
  • voter registration drive
  • community prayer hotline
  • prison outreach and re-integration assistance for released prisoners
  • organize an athletic event to benefit Aids orphans (www.worldvision.org/team)
  • community development corporation
  • baby showers for pregnancy center
  • disaster relief
  • micro-loans to support international economic development
  • nursing home or hospice visitation
  • community center for youth and families
  • assistance for immigrants / refugees
  • short-term overseas development projects
  • advocacy to improve public schools
  • gang intervention
  • promote child sponsorship (www.worldvision.org)

No church can do everything … but every church is called to do something. Where is God leading you?

 

Ministry Opportunities: From Ideas to Action

Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan. (Isaiah 1:17)

God is inviting your church to “learn to do good.” What can you and your church do to help people achieve their potential and experience God’s good design for their lives? No one church can do everything . . . but each church is called to do something. Whether you are exploring Faith in Action service projects, an ongoing community outreach program, or international missions, the following exercise can help you identify ministry options that are relevant, practical, and timely for your context.

This exercise has two parts. The first step is to generate a list of ministry opportunities based on needs, resources, and partners, then select the most promising options. The second step is to set down a plan for turning ideas into action. Make prayer central in both of these activities.

These exercises can be completed by an individual, but are most fruitful if undertaken by a team. Gather a group of members who are energetic about external ministry, including Faith in Action coordinators and current outreach leaders.

I. Generating Ideas for Ministry

Use the chart on page 3 to spark creative thinking about ministry opportunities. If working with a group, reproduce the chart on a whiteboard, flipchart, or projector screen large enough for everyone to see.

Have people call out responses to the first four columns, aiming initially for 4-7 responses for each. Don’t let the process get bogged down by discussing each item or by pushing for more responses than come quickly to people’s minds. Start with column 1, then move on to column 2, etc. Don’t try to match up the rows—each column is an independent list. After going through all four columns, give an opportunity for people to add a few new items.

For each column, pay special attention to areas of interest identified by the “Ministry Opportunities Inventory” that small group participants filled out as part of the Faith in Action curriculum.

Column 1: Ministry focus – Who are the church’s neighbors (Luke 10:29)? List specific communities (locally or internationally), people groups (such as at-risk youth or refugees), or social concerns (such as health care or education) to which the congregation is drawn as a focus of outreach.

Column 2: Needs – What will you work on? While a ministry focus is a broad category, here you name specific problems. For example, what critical issues face your church’s neighborhood? What are the greatest struggles of refugees? Consider spiritual, relational and emotional needs as well as material ones. (The “Community Connections” section of this CD offers tools for discovering both needs and assets in a community.)

Column 3: Assets – What do you have to work with? List resources (such as buildings or funds), skills (vocational and people skills, ministry experience) and qualities (attributes with potential relevance to ministry). Assets can be found in the congregation and in the community or people group you seek to serve. Include tangible and intangible assets. For example, a church’s reputation for caring for children, or a community’s history of welcoming racial diversity, are intangible assets.

Column 4: Partners – Who can work with you? Name local and national organizations, other churches, community leaders, or resource providers who offer possibilities for collaboration. (Organizations you have connected with through Faith in Action are a good place to start.) This can mean several things—the church might come alongside an existing ministry program, the partner might support the work of the church, or the church and partner might plan a joint ministry initiative.

After filling out these four columns, move on to column 5. Here you brainstorm a list of ministry options that connect items in two or more of the columns (not necessarily in the same rows). Again, quickly try to come up with 4-7 ideas, without evaluating their merits at this time.

Column 5: Ministry opportunities – What work can you do? Envision possible connections between needs, assets and partners to serve a particular community or people group, or address a particular social concern. How can your congregation build on its experiences, skills, resources and relationships to bring hope to hurting people? The suggestions in “Ideas for Faith in Action Service Projects” and “Next Steps for Faith in Action” (found in the Planning Guide and on this resource CD) may spark your creative thinking.

Finally, select the top three possibilities from the list of ministry opportunities. Ask everyone to identify the one or two ministry ideas in column 5 that they find most compelling, strategic and doable, putting an asterisk next to the selected items. Then circle or highlight the three items in this column that have the most asterisks, as prospects to consider in more detail. (For more on narrowing down key options, refer to the guidelines for “Finding Your Ministry Bulls-Eye” on the resource CD.)

For each of the selected ministry prospects, go back through the first four columns and identify any new links among needs, assets or partners that can be added to round out the ministry ideas. Using colored highlighters can help you identify connections among the various items in your lists.

What key ideas emerged from this process? Write a summary of these ministry opportunities on a separate sheet. Then follow up with a plan to turn these great ideas into action (see part II below). How are the people who developed these ideas willing to be involved in making them happen?

Ministry Ideas Brainstorming Chart

1. Ministry focus

(a community, people group or social concern that the church is drawn to address)

2. Needs

(critical problems or issues –physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual)

3. Assets

(resources, skills and qualities belonging to the congregation or ministry focus)

4. Partners

(organizations or individuals the church might collaborate with in ministry)

5. Ministry opportunities

(possible connections among people, needs, assets and partners)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adapted with permission from Vision Discernment Guide: Establish a Direction for Your Church’s Community Ministry by Heidi Unruh (2007), www.urbanministry.org.

II. Turning Ideas into Action

Once your church has identified one or more key ministries to pursue, the next step is to flesh out a plan to put feet to the vision. For each ministry, fill in the following outline (this may take some research):

  • What are the key decisions and action steps needed to make this ministry possible?
  • Who in our church can take responsibility for the necessary steps, and who will maintain accountability for the action plan?
  • Who can we connect with to obtain necessary resources, develop our expertise, build our capacity, or multiply our impact? (Follow up with the potential partners identified on the brainstorming chart; also see the supportive ministry organizations listed on the Faith in Action Web site” [www.putyourfaithinaction.com].
  • How will we make prayer, love of God, and reliance on the Spirit the bedrock of this ministry? What key Scriptures and spiritual disciplines will sustain our congregation’s motivation through the challenges of service? (See 2 Corinthians 8:3-5)
  • When can we put these steps in action (you may want to develop a full timeline)?

To enhance the quality and impact of your ministry, consider these action steps:

  • Conduct a survey (see the “Ministry Participation Survey” on this resource CD) to get a sense of the congregation’s level of interest and availability for this ministry.
  • If your ministry focus is a local community, do a survey (see the sample on this resource CD) to get feedback from residents on your proposed ministry.
  • Identify potential obstacles to community ministry (see “Assessing Our Church’s Community Involvement” on this resource CD) and plan pathways to strengthen the church’s readiness and capacity for ministry (see “Next Steps of Faith in Action: Diagnostic Tool” on this resource CD).
  • See “Qualities of Transformational Community Ministry” and “Biblical Principles for the Church’s Outreach” on this resource CD for a list of attributes and theological principles to consider incorporating into the DNA of your ministry.

As you contemplate and work toward ways to share God’s love in a broken world, be confident of this assurance from Scripture:

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Resources on Church-Based Community Ministry

Biblical principles of Christian compassion and transformational community ministry:

Ronald Sider, Good News, Good Works: Uniting the Church to Heal a Lost and Broken World (Zondervan, 1993).

Tim Keller, Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road (P&R Publishing, 1989).

Robert Linthicum, Transforming Power: Biblical Strategies for Making a Difference in Your Community (InterVarsity, 2003).

Robert Lupton, And You Call Yourself a Christian: Toward Responsible Charity (CCDA, 2006).

George McKinney and William Kritlow, Cross the Line: Reclaiming the Inner City for God (Nelson, 1997).

Bob Moffitt with Karla Tesch, If Jesus Were Mayor: How Your Local Church Can Transform Your Community (Harvest Publishing, 2004).

Bryant Myers, Walking with the Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development (Orbis Books, 1999).

John Perkins, ed. Restoring At-Risk Communities: Doing It Together and Doing It Right (Baker Books, 1995).

Heidi Unruh and Phil Olson, What is Holistic Ministry? Video (Word & Deed Network, 2003).

Jay Van Groningen, Communities First (CRWRC, 2005).

Planning and mobilizing church-based community ministry:

Willie Richardson, Reclaiming the Urban Family: How to Mobilize the Church as a Family Center (Zondervan, 1996).

Ray Bakke and Sam Roberts, The Expanded Mission of Center City Churches (International Urban Associates, 1998).

Victor Claman and David Butler with Jessica Boyatt, Acting on Your Faith: Congregations Making a Difference, A Guide to Success in Service and Social Action (Insights, 1994).

Carl Dudley, Community Ministry: New Challenges, Proven Steps to Faith-Based Initiatives (Alban Institute, 2002).

Robert M. Franklin, Another Day's Journey: Black Churches Confronting the American Crisis (Fortress Press, 1997).

Dennis Jacobsen, Doing Justice: Congregations and Community Organizing (Fortress Press, 2001).

Jan Johnson, Growing Compassionate Kids: Helping Kids See Beyond Their Back Yard (Upper Room Books, 2001).

Robert Logan and Larry Short, Mobilizing Compassion: Moving People into Ministry (Revell, 1994).

Kenneth Miller and Mary Wilson, The Church That Cares: Identifying and Responding to Needs in Your Community (Judson, 1985).

Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson, The Externally Focused Church (Group, 2004).

Amy Sherman, Restorers of Hope (Crossway Books, 1997).

Amy Sherman, The ABCs of Community Ministry: A Curriculum for Congregations (Hudson Institute, 2001).

Ronald Sider, Phil Olson, and Heidi Unruh, Churches That Make a Difference: Reaching Your Community with Good News and Good Works (Baker, 2002).

Steve Sjogren, ed. Seeing Beyond Church Walls: Action Plans for Touching Your Community (Group, 2002).

Luther Snow, The Power of Asset Mapping: How Your Congregation Can Act on Its Gifts (Alban, 2004).

Phil Tom and Sally Johnson, Handbook for Urban Church Ministries (Metro Mission, 1996).

Heidi Unruh, Phil Olson, and Ronald Sider, Becoming a Church That Makes a Difference: Ventures in Holistic Ministry CD-ROM (Word & Deed Network, 2006).


Bible study resources on holistic ministry

Justice Now! (Christian Community Development Association, 1992).

Carolyn Nystrom, Loving the World (InterVarsity Press, 1992).

Amy Sherman, Sharing God's Heart for the Poor: Meditations for Worship, Prayer & Service (Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1999).

Ronald Sider, ed. For They Shall Be Fed: Readings and Prayers for a Just World (W. Publishing Group, 1997).

Reg Parks, Compassion by Command video curriculum (Here's Life Inner City, 2002).

Transformational church leadership:

Jim Herrington, Mike Bonem, and James Furr, Leading Congregational Change (Jossey-Bass, 2000).

Robert Lewis and Wayne Cordeiro, Culture Shift: Transforming Your Church from the Inside Out (Jossey-Bass, 2005).

Randy Pope, The Intentional Church: Moving From Church Success to Community Transformation (Moody Publishers, 2006).

Gilbert Rendle, Leading Change in the Congregation (The Alban Institute, 1998).

Best practices ministry profiles:

Robert Carle and Louis Decaro, Jr., Signs of Hope in the City: Ministries of Community Renewal (Judson, 1997).

Barbara Elliott, Street Saints: Renewing America's Cities (Templeton Foundation Press, 2004).

Nile Harper, Urban Churches, Vital Signs: Beyond Charity Toward Justice (Eerdmans, 1999).

Ronald J. Sider, Cup of Water, Bread of Life (Zondervan, 1994).

Samuel G. Freedman, Upon this Rock: The Miracles of a Black Church (HarperCollins, 1993).

Web resources for church-based compassion ministry:

Alban Institute, www.alban.org

Breakthrough Partners, www.breakthroughpartners.org

Center for Family and Community Ministry, www.baylor.edu/CFCM

Center for Renewal, www.centerforrenewal.org

Center on Faith in Communities, www.centeronfic.org

Children's Defense Fund, www.childrensdefense.org

Christian Community Development Association, www.ccda.org

Christians Supporting Community Organizing, www.cscoweb.org

City Reaching, www.cityreaching.com

Congregational Resource Guide, www.congregationalresources.org

Disciple Nations Alliance, www.disciplenations.org

Evangelicals for Social Action, www.esa-online.org

Faith in Action, www.putyourfaithinaction.org

Family & Children Faith Coalition, www.factfl.org

FASTEN Network, www.urbanministry.org

Harvest, www.harvestfoundation.org

Leadership Network, www.leadnet.org

Loving Our Communities to Christ, www.missionamerica.org

Word & Deed Network, www.network935.org

Outreach, Inc., www.outreach.com

Partners In Urban Transformation, www.piut.org

Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education, www.scupe.org

TechMission, www.christianvolunteering.org and www.urbanministry.org

World Relief, www.worldrelief.org

World Vision, www.worldvision.org

Zondervan Publishing, www.zondervan.com

Models of city-wide church-based community service events

CareFest, carefestusa.com

CityServe, aes-egc.org/cityserve

ShareFest, sharefest.org

Unite!, uniteus.followers.net

E-mail newsletters on the church's response to local / global concerns

City Voices, roger@cityvoices.com

EBread, www.bread.org

EPistle, epistle@esa-online.org

Evangelism News and City Reaching, info@missionamerica.org

National Pastors Prayer Network, updates@nppn.org

Sojo Mail, sojomail@sojo.net

World Vision eNews, www.worldvision.org/churches

World Vision Advocacy, www.seekjustice.org

Jeremy Del Rio: Jesus Justice So Easy a Five-Year-Old Could Do It: The Journal of Student Ministries May/June 2007

Justice is so easy even a five-year-old can do it.

It took me a long time to figure that out. Even though I’ve spent the better part of a lifetime committed to the idea of justice, determined to live for justice, I really couldn’t define it until last year. My latest journey toward better understanding why Jesus loves justice began roughly last March when I was asked to sit on a social justice panel at the 2006 Urban Youth Workers Institute (UYWI), and the moderator told the panelists he would begin by asking us to define it.

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