Christian Community Development

 

When we think of how to address the problems of under-resourced neighborhoods, one of two things usually comes to mind: government assistance or relief-style hand-outs. Both are well-intended but each has the same affect: they undermine the dignity of the person receiving “help” and they keep the person in their need.  Lifting a person out of their need is such a difficult task that most people simply do not know where to begin. Some may also know that they will never have the time and resources to commit to this oftentimes messy work.

We believe that one very effective way to “love our neighbors as ourselves” is to go to where they are and live in community with them. If your first thought is to quickly dismiss this idea as naive, reckless or simplistic, consider that, in contrast to the secular definition of poverty as a lack of money or material things, a Christian definition of poverty focusses solely on the broken relationships beginning with the Fall in chapter three of Genesis that keep the poor in poverty. Rebuilding and restoring relationships results in stable homes, stable marriages, better employment opportunities and many other benefits which add up to poverty alleviation. Our best human relationships are marked by mutual indebtedness. We are all sinful. There is only one Savior. And we learn about our own prejudices - that we have as much to learn, if not more, from our neighbors as they from us.

Most of the problems in an under-resourced neighborhood are sin-related (from within the neighborhood and outside) and cannot be solved without a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The opportunity to share Christ with others is more available to those who have already shown their commitment and their humility in other ways first such as moving into the neighborhood and building affordable housing. Once their relationship with Christ begins, a very intentional discipleship (mentoring) relationship is needed to keep Satan and the world from pulling them back down.

It is not enough for ministry staff to offer their friendship and do housing renovations. There is more work to do than a small staff can ever hope to manage. It is necessary that the work be distributed among as many people as possible to help finance or rebuild homes or become mentors. C. S. Lewis reasoned that “Christianity, if false, is of no importance and, if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important”. We believe Christianity is true. We want our neighbors to know its infinite importance.