Maybe not the BOT decision specifically, but I do hear from many in diaconal work who are wondering what will happen, how we can transform the office of deacon to be more effective and seen as more than a precursor to becoming an elder someday. How can we make deacons of everyone in the church, not just those with the official title? We are all called to such ministry.
I think that CRWRC's asset based approach is an excellent model. Instead of going into a community and asking "what do you need?" or, worse yet, decide for themselves what a community needs from a North American perspective, they work through churches to help a community develop a vision for a preferred future. Then they work with the community to develop a plan on how to get there. That plan may include outside help (such as funding for agriculture projects or literacy classes), but is not dependent on it. This is a much more respectful and stewardly way of approaching not only disaster recovery but community development in general.
Posted in: Opportunities Wrapped in Challenges
What a great perspective!
Posted in: Waiting... But What about our Breath?
Maybe not the BOT decision specifically, but I do hear from many in diaconal work who are wondering what will happen, how we can transform the office of deacon to be more effective and seen as more than a precursor to becoming an elder someday. How can we make deacons of everyone in the church, not just those with the official title? We are all called to such ministry.
Posted in: Haiti: Earthquake and Beyond
I think that CRWRC's asset based approach is an excellent model. Instead of going into a community and asking "what do you need?" or, worse yet, decide for themselves what a community needs from a North American perspective, they work through churches to help a community develop a vision for a preferred future. Then they work with the community to develop a plan on how to get there. That plan may include outside help (such as funding for agriculture projects or literacy classes), but is not dependent on it. This is a much more respectful and stewardly way of approaching not only disaster recovery but community development in general.