Hope is currently working with Highlands Presbyterian Church of LaFayette Georgia to take a look at how they can become committed to reaching the poor of their community. Within this question, thousands more seem to lie beneath the surface.
How poor is poor?
What is our "community"?
What does commitment really mean?
Where do we start?
This process can, and almost definitely will be, overwhelming. Bryant Myers, in his book Walking with the poor, approaches the matter as follows:
"When Christians say that they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they are also saying that they intend to to announce this fact in every facet of their lives and by every means available to them: by life, deed, word, and sign. ...The gospel is not a disembodied message; it is carried and communicated in the life of Christian people."
Our lives matter. If we are going to truly transform our community for Christ, it will take much more than added programs and projects. This is about how we treat the people we walk past every day, the grocery checker, the gas station attendant. It is about making or not making eye contact. It is about taking that sometimes very scary step of getting to know someone who is very unlike ourselves.
Here are a few questions to help you or your congregation to get started:
1. What are we already doing?
2. Where do we live?
3. Where do we work?
4. What do we consider our immediate community?
5. Who do we know?
Please feel free to contact Heather at the Hope for Northwest Georgia with any comments or questions.
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