God's Design for Community: A Theology of Ministry Through Relationship
Embracing the concept that it is not good for man to be alone, this theological exploration delves into the idea of ministry through God's design for community and relational engagement, particularly focusing on outreach to individuals living on the streets. It emphasizes the importance of relationships in various spheres of life, stressing the call to love one's neighbor, use God-given talents for the benefit of others, and maintain a trusting relationship with the Lord for effective community living. Jesus' teachings on doing good and the importance of prayer before engaging in acts of kindness are also highlighted.
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It is not good for man to be alone A theology of ministry through God s design for community & relational ministry (in application to people living on the street) 1
Gods Design for Community Mankind is made in the image of God (from Genesis 1:26-27) It is not good for man to be alone (from Genesis 2:18) We are designed for relationship In marriage In family In community You shall love your neighbor as yourself (from Leviticus 19:18) You need to use your God-given abilities, talents, & gifts to do good (for others in community) (from Matthew 25:31-46) 2
Gods Design for Community (2) PS 37:1 Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers. PS 37:2 For they will wither quickly like the grass And fade like the green herb. PS 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. PS 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. PS 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. PS 37:6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday Your relationship with God enables you to live effectively in community 3
Jesus Speaks on Doing Good MK 14:7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. LK 6:27 But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, LK 6:28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. LK 6:33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. LK 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. 4
Before You Go To Do Good Pray put on the Mind of Christ Pray that you will speak the words of Christ in truth, with love, with gentleness & respect, & with great grace Pray that you might be used as an instrument in HIS hand Pray that all participating might be in perfect unity & harmony that Christ might be glorified 5
Some Thoughts From Scripture 1TI 6:17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. JOB 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. JOB 27:3 For as long as life is in me, And the breath of God is in my nostrils, :4 My lips certainly will not speak unjustly, Nor will my tongue mutter deceit. PS 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD! Ultimately, all things come from God, even the breath we live by. We need to use His gifts the way He wants us to to praise Him and to do good to others. 6
About Science & Community Having Neighbors Is Good for Our Health "Those surrounded by a tight-knit group of friends who regularly gather to eat and, crucially, gossip (talk socially) live an average of 15 years longer than loners. Quality face-to-face contact is essential for a social species, writes psychologist Susan Pinker, citing research that shows it fortifies immune systems, calibrates hormones and increases chances of surviving heart attacks, strokes, AIDS and cancer. People with the most integrated social lives overlapping relationships among friends, family, sports and other recreational or religious pursuits have the best prognoses, with the most life-threatening diseases. It s true even with dementia: A 2004 Swedish study found its lowest prevalence among those with the most extensive social networks." HT: Dan R Smedra http://www.macleans.ca/society/the-end-of- neighbours/?utm_source=pocket&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=po ckethits 7
Vocation The idea of vocation is central to the Christian belief that God has created each person with gifts and talents oriented toward specific purposes and a way of life. Christian vocation includes the use of one's gifts in their profession, family life, church and civic commitments for the sake of the greater common good (i.e., doing God s will). Jesus: I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by Me (John 14:6) Are you using your gifts and talents in the way God has called you? What is your vocation, your calling, (vs avocation)? 8
Ministry Approach Greet the one you to which you are called to minister with sincere love and respect Start a conversation with one or more of these goals as led by the Spirit: Building thanksgiving toward God Realizing that each of us belongs to multiple communities Realizing God has a unique purpose for each person to contribute positively to their communities using their God- given talents and passions and excess resources Responding to God s personal calling leads to satisfaction and fulfillment in daily life Ascertaining a person s relationship with Jesus Christ Ascertaining a person s spiritual needs (The following slides address ministry to the poor or homeless people as an example) 9
A (Typical) Conversation (0) Hello, my name is (John). Hi, (John), I am (1) How are you? (OK)(Hangin in there)(As well as I can) (2) I am thankful for this day. What are you thankful for? (listen carefully to the response) (typical: Well, I m alive. ) (3) What do you look forward to each day? orWhat do you plan to do that gives you satisfaction or fulfillment? (listen carefully to the response) (4) You know, if you had breath in your lungs when you woke up, then God had a plan & purpose for your life today. He put skills, talents, & desires in your heart to help you fulfill His will for you. I don t know His specific will for you, but I do know that He wants each of us to use our gifts to make a positive contribution to the communities we are in. What communities are you a part of? (listen carefully to the response & take it from there) [The numbers in parentheses are levels of conversation progressing toward higher spiritual relational maturity] 10
Conversation Starters 2 For having conversations about the purpose of life What did you dream of when you were a kid? How did you want to change or make a mark on the world? What did you want to do to make your life count? Who cares whether you live or die? (listen carefully to the answer) God cares. He gives you life and breath. He gives you dreams for good. What are you doing to make His dreams in you alive? What are you doing that prevent His dreams from becoming real? 11
Conversation Starters 3 What are your goals in life? For today? For tomorrow? For the future? What are you doing toward meeting those goals? What are you doing that block those goals? What are the first steps you need to make? 12
Some DOs Be prepared prayerfully & ready to help To listen possibly over coffee, a sandwich, or burrito, etc. With information (such as Community Code of Ethics , local Care Guide, 211SD, shelters, etc.) To make a commitment for the long haul, if needed Acknowledge them & respect their humanity Provide for physical needs in a respectful way & in kind (socks, hygiene products, gift certificates for good fast food (Subway, Arby s, Jack-in-the- Box, etc.)) 13
Some Donts Enablesinful behaviors (especially substance abuse, sex trafficking, etc.) either by accepting excuses for bad behavior or by giving money; [rather, speak the truth in love with gentleness & respect & grace] Reinforce excuses for not forgiving those who have abused or exploited the person you are dealing with. [Forgiveness is for their benefit.] 14
Some Sign-Offs How may I pray for you? A prayer I have found useful is, LORD, I can t, YOU can, YOU take control, Thank YOU Jesus. Remember to rejoice always its God s most frequent command to us. Its been great talking with you. I hope to see you again. May I pray for you? OR (as the Lord leads in your heart) 15
