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Reaching the ForgottenA New Life Ministries Report Who Are We Forgetting?When we think about reaching out to the unchurched, we often confine our thoughts to those very much like ourselves, especially to those who are our friends. Many evangelism programs and sermons have focused precisely on that kind of faith-sharing. "Invite-a-Friend Sunday" and "Friend-to-Friend Evangelism" strategies have been utilized in many congregations. These approaches are excellent and often result in church growth. But friend-to-friend approaches should not be seen as the only ways in which we can reach out to others. A large percentage of the friends of church-active people are already involved in a church. We should, of course, reach out to our friends and to those who are very much like ourselves; but we should be open to many other opportunities to share the faith and to enlarge the dimensions of our Christian community. Most of us, as individuals and as congregations, have more opportunities than we realize to reach out to those who are often forgotten or overlooked.
Identifying the Forgotten ChecklistEvery community has a variety of persons who are among the "forgotten" — forgotten by all or most of the congregations. This checklist will help you identify those who are overlooked, people to whom God may be calling your church to reach out. Take a few moments to complete this checklist yourself, or ask members of your board or outreach commission to review the checklist. Hypertext Checklist Reproducible Microsoft Word Copy of the Checklist
Reaching Out to the PoorSome congregations, working independently or in cooperation with others, offer emergency food pantries for the hungry or emergency shelter for the homeless. Churches and church members have been quite involved in housing improvement projects like Habitat for Humanity. Most churches, however, do not particularly think about incorporating the poor into membership in their congregations. We are more often focused on ministries to the poor than with the poor. Many of our churches are as segregated socially and economically as they are racially. Here are some strategies to consider if you want to reach out more effectively to the poor: 1. When ministering to the poor, make a special effort to treat people with dignity and respect. Those who are poor can very quickly lose their self-respect in a society that seems to equate human worth with economic worth. The church needs to offer help to the poor without being condescending or judgmental. Very few people improve their economic situations without increased self-confidence, and it’s difficult to develop that unless treated with respect by others. 2. We need to recognize that the poor are, in fact, not fundamentally different than the rest of us. Large numbers of presumably successful people may be living closer to the edge than they recognize. Downsizing in a company, problems with alcohol or other drug addictions, an automobile accident, mental illness, unexpected pregnancy, divorce, a criminal record, and being the victim of crime can all have devastating financial consequences for people. 3. When working with the poor, always be open to opportunities to share your faith and to invite them to become involved in the life of the church. We should not make church involvement a criterion for receiving assistance, but we should certainly be open to the opportunities, which God may provide for us to invite the poor into the life of our congregations. Some may already be members of another congregation, and we should respect that. Those who are not already members of a church, however, are not likely to attend one unless invited. 4. If we want our congregations to be places that welcome the poor and those from lower economic levels, we need to reflect that in personal appearance and in programming. The poor, by definition, cannot afford to spend significant sums of money on their personal appearance. Encourage present members to dress in a broader range of ways. 5. Consider providing more than material assistance to those who are poor. While food pantries and emergency assistance funds are wonderful resources, those who are poor generally need more than material help. Some churches and other organizations are experimenting with the use of mentors for those who are poor. An individual, a couple, or a family then develops a close, caring relationship with a person or household needing assistance. 6. Come to see the poor as resources for the church –– as persons with whom we can partner in ministry. When you are preparing any kind of outreach strategy for the poor or ministry to the poor, include persons of lower economic levels in the planning process! Reaching Out to Persons with AIDS
ResourcesThis report has hopefully increased your interest in exploring outreach to those often forgotten by the church. Feel free to photocopy this report for use in your church; the exercise "Identifying the Forgotten" can be very helpful to evangelism groups, church boards, and Sunday school classes. For more guidance, we especially recommend two books from New Life Ministries:
To purchase any of these produces, go to our online order form or call us toll-free at 1-800-774-3360. ____________________ This report is published by New Life Ministries, a nonprofit corporation, and is mailed without charge to clients and friends Our partner organization, Christian Community, provides much of the content for this publication. Persons receiving this publication may reproduce the contents in local church and regional judicatory bulletins and newsletters. Please request permission for other reproduction from: New Life Ministries, 6404 S Calhoun St,
Fort Wayne, IN 46807 Other New Life Ministries Reports • Other Online Resources Reaching the Forgotten • New Life Ministries Report • © 2001
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