Church Evangelism: Basic Principles, Diverse Models - Report Example

Pastoral care/ Evangelism Target Community Displaced Department Pastoral care/ Evangelism Target Community Displaced Introduction If one takes a close look at the society, one can not help noticing that it should be seen as an important prerequisite for the development of the inner potential of a human being. Indeed, if it had not been for the presence of other people around, a considerable number of abilities which are thought to be characteristic to our kind would not have developed. Nevertheless, it must be noted that there are might be situation when people are living in the social environment, but are not able to enjoy all the benefits of it. For example, every country in the world experiences the problem of homelessness. There have been various approaches to deals with it. However, despite the numerous efforts which were performed by the government, the problem in quest does not cease to exist. This paper will analyze the way in which Evangelism and Pastoral care are able to help the homeless and outline a strategy for it. Creating a Biblically functioning community Gather people around faith It would not be a mistake to suggest that the Bible sets many examples for the believers, including the way their community should be structured. That is why it is rather logical that a congregation would like to follow the lead of the early community of Christians which were described in the Holy Book1. One might argue that the common ground that people of different backgrounds found some two thousand years ago was their firm belief in Jesus as their Savior and the desire to perform good deeds in the name of God. This means that the contemporary congregation should ignite the spirit of passion in them and be willing to act with the same confidence as those who lived in the times of Christ. This means that helping the homeless should not be seen as an action that will have some abstract positive impact on them or possesses a moral value, but as a direct way to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. That is why coping with homelessness should become an urgent issue in the communities Promoting the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood Another point in which the Biblical communities are different from their contemporary counterpart is the viable spirit of companionship. Indeed, nowadays with the development of technology the interdependence of people is reduced. One can literally spend much time and home and never experience the reality outside. This might be seen as one of the factors that contribute to the development of homelessness: some people are simply not aware of the scope of the issue. That is why a suitable way to cope with this situation is to explain the congregation that the homeless should not be seen who failed their socialization or are unable to live a normal life, but they should be regarded as brothers and sisters who are temporarily experiencing some problems. Indeed, in this case the desire to help them will operate with the feeling of belonging and is likely to urge people to be more active. Emergence of active small groups Taking care of a specific person When it comes to designing a solution to the issue of homelessness people tend to think about this problem in a broad perspective. They often expect the government to affect the economy and the rates of unemployment in order to reduce the number of those who do not have homes. However, the reality shows that helping a single homeless may have a bigger positive effect than theoretical considerations about the causes of this phenomenon2. It is suggested that the local Christian community should organize small groups that will consist of active people who will be willing to help the local homeless. In this case, the groups will be free of the passive element that will hinder the distribution of help. They might start by helping one specific person who is living without a home. For example, the members of the group might get rid of the dirty clothes and buy new ones, take a person to the nearest shelter or allow one to live in a facility that is owned by a community. There is no doubt that helping a single person will not do much difference. However, it will make a tremendous difference for this person. Taking care of a specific place It would not be an exaggeration to suggest that the homeless have their own community with places that they gather to socialize. As a rule, people tend to avoid such places; so, the latter become almost invisible to the public. However, these places should be regarded as great platform for distributing help. There are several reasons to that. First of all, the homeless know how to get to them and are familiar with them. That is why they will not have any problem with getting there. Secondly, they will be comfortable with this environment. It is quite understandable that when homeless people enter other facilities they feel themselves as outsiders. However, if they receive help on their “territory”, they are likely to accept it more willingly. As a result, the latter will be more effective. Help should come from the bottom of one’s heart To love the homeless The Christians have been rather active in helping different people in the society; so, helping homeless is just another aspect of charity that is performed by the Church. Nevertheless, there is an important point that should be stressed: merely giving out food and providing shelter does not qualify a person to be good Christian3. In other words, the local community may be helping the homeless, but it is the quality as well as sincerity of the help that counts. Mechanical participation in the events that are supposed to satisfy the basis needs of the people has nothing to do with the spirit of love that is promoted by Christianity. In other words, those who are willing to help should make sure that they heart follows the Biblical provision of loving one’s neighbor. A conscious choice of the people In spite of the fact that helping the homeless should be regarded as an action that has a rather positive impact on the local community, some people might disagree with it. Furthermore, some might deliberately refuse to help these people for a variety of reasons. That is why it is important to make sure that every person who participates in the programs that are administered by the Church made a conscious choice to do so. This will ensure that the assistance that they provide will come from the bottom of their hearts and, therefore, will be effective. Otherwise, they will simply me following some commands the result of which they do not understand or do not want to achieve. A diversity of programs To tailor help to the specific needs It is often suggested that the desire of helping the homeless should not be seen as a specific kind of activity, but rather an umbrella terms that united many different approaches. With this in mind, one may note that the Church should be able to design several programs that would fit the specific needs of the homeless4. For example, some of the latter may be perfectly satisfied with their lifestyle; however, they may experience shortage of food. This means that there should be a program that distributes foods to the homeless people and does not trying to take them away from the streets. On the other hand, some people may be willing get back to the society and are desperate for a job. In this case, neither shelter nor food will be as much desirable for them as a job. This means that it is not logical to utilize one size fits all approach, assuming that all homeless people want the same. Providing help in a way that is comfortable for the homeless Another positive aspect of having a diversity of different programs that are carried out by the Church is that the homeless will be able to choose those that they are comfortable with. Indeed, the feelings of the latter are often overlooked, suggesting that they are willing to receive any help. However, there are may be times when a homeless person may be needing help, but the way in which it is provided deters one from it. Keeping this in mind, the local congregation should make sure that there is a variety of events and programs that the homeless area able to choose from so that no one will be forgotten. Conclusion Having examined all the points which were brought up in the paragraphs above, one is able to come to the following conclusion: Evangelism and Pastoral care are able to help the homeless people; however, there are several guidelines that should be followed in order for it do be effective. Thus, the local congregation should be willing to function as an early Christian community; it should create small active groups of people; the latter should be genuinely willing to help the homeless; there should be a variety of programs to choose from. Bibliography Arnold, Jeffrey. The Big Book on Small Groups. 2nd ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2010. June, Lee N., and Matthew Parker. Evangelism & Discipleship in African-American Churches. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Pub. House, 1999. Pettit, Paul. Foundations of Spiritual Formation: A Community Approach to Becoming like Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2008. Terry, John Mark. Church Evangelism: Basic Principles, Diverse Models. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997. Read More