Comments on: Outreach Ministry in the Church http://mintools.com/blog/outreach.htm equipping believers for ministry Sun, 20 May 2012 19:26:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: MinTools http://mintools.com/blog/outreach.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1237 MinTools Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:30:20 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=552#comment-1237 Thanks for sharing your observations, Debbie. Yes indeed, we can become too proud to ask for help. Sometimes an atmosphere develops within a church where you need to look like you have it all together to appear spiritual. People can sometimes feel like others will judge them as having sin in their lives if they don't appear "blessed." The truth is, however, that loss, disaster, and hardship can hit anyone ... those walking close to the Lord and those out of fellowship with Him. We need to build environments within our churches where people feel safe to be honest. Part of that is understanding God's design for the church as one of interdependence as seen in all those one another passages of Scripture. And, as suggested in this post, we need to make our life together more about the Lord than ourselves. When the focus is on Him, we become humbled rather than proud. Remember Isaiah's experience of going into the throne room of God. His response was woe is me. In a place of humility before God we realize that we are no better than the next person. We all stand in need of grace. Perhaps you are not in a place to do something about the overall state of your church but it has to begin somewhere. Are you a safe person for people to be around? In other words, can people honestly share with you without feeling judged or demeaned? As much as lies within you, are you extending yourself to others in love and compassion? Are you exemplifying a life of both grace and truth? Are you being authentic/honest about your own needs? Are you taking time to get to know people in your sphere of influence? Are you observant of those around you? Are you taking initiative to ask people what is happening in their lives? Sometimes we don't know because we don't ask. Some people who appear too proud to say something are just waiting, hoping somebody will notice, hoping somebody will ask, hoping somebody out there cares. If we wait for people in need to come to us, it just may not happen. We need to take initiative and step into their lives as they will allow us to do so. Of course, if people remain closed, we can't force our help on them. But, we certainly can pray for them. Thanks for sharing your observations, Debbie. Yes indeed, we can become too proud to ask for help. Sometimes an atmosphere develops within a church where you need to look like you have it all together to appear spiritual. People can sometimes feel like others will judge them as having sin in their lives if they don’t appear “blessed.” The truth is, however, that loss, disaster, and hardship can hit anyone … those walking close to the Lord and those out of fellowship with Him.

We need to build environments within our churches where people feel safe to be honest. Part of that is understanding God’s design for the church as one of interdependence as seen in all those one another passages of Scripture. And, as suggested in this post, we need to make our life together more about the Lord than ourselves. When the focus is on Him, we become humbled rather than proud. Remember Isaiah’s experience of going into the throne room of God. His response was woe is me. In a place of humility before God we realize that we are no better than the next person. We all stand in need of grace.

Perhaps you are not in a place to do something about the overall state of your church but it has to begin somewhere. Are you a safe person for people to be around? In other words, can people honestly share with you without feeling judged or demeaned? As much as lies within you, are you extending yourself to others in love and compassion? Are you exemplifying a life of both grace and truth? Are you being authentic/honest about your own needs? Are you taking time to get to know people in your sphere of influence? Are you observant of those around you? Are you taking initiative to ask people what is happening in their lives?

Sometimes we don’t know because we don’t ask. Some people who appear too proud to say something are just waiting, hoping somebody will notice, hoping somebody will ask, hoping somebody out there cares. If we wait for people in need to come to us, it just may not happen. We need to take initiative and step into their lives as they will allow us to do so. Of course, if people remain closed, we can’t force our help on them. But, we certainly can pray for them.

]]> By: Debbie http://mintools.com/blog/outreach.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1236 Debbie Tue, 24 Aug 2010 04:12:41 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=552#comment-1236 I too like the article (I was doing a search on benevolence). But now days ... especially in today's economy .... there are great needs within the church. but I'm thinking these people are prideful and you just don't know who they are. So how do you extend the benevolent attitude within your own church? I too like the article (I was doing a search on benevolence). But now days … especially in today’s economy …. there are great needs within the church. but I’m thinking these people are prideful and you just don’t know who they are. So how do you extend the benevolent attitude within your own church?

]]> By: Kimiko Cothern http://mintools.com/blog/outreach.htm/comment-page-1#comment-797 Kimiko Cothern Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:10:12 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=552#comment-797 Excellent post. Hope to see many more similar articles in the future. Excellent post. Hope to see many more similar articles in the future.

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