Purpose Driven Ministries,
a subsidiary of Saddleback Community Church in Orange County,
CA, has developed a sequel to the wildly popular 40 Days of Purpose.
This sequel--40 Days of Community--has as its major thrust leading
congregations to get out into their community to conduct meaningful
ministry among the poor and marginalized. Congregational
leaders considering 40 Days of Community for their churches have
recognized Operation Inasmuch as an effective model for this community
ministry. Below is a report a congregation that completed
40 Days of Community in October, 2005, and used Operation Inasmuch
in just this way.
Faith
Promise Church
Knoxville,
TN
Faith Promise
is a church of approximately 1800 active members and attenders.
The church is set up with small groups as the primary discipleship
ministry of the church. We organized our Operation Inasmuch
through these small groups in conjunction with 40 Days of Community.
When we discovered Operation Inasmuch, we knew we had found the
perfect fit for our church to do community service as a church-wide
event.
It would
be impossible to talk about all the projects because with every
project came interesting stories as well as miracles. Our
church opened itself to begin to work with HIV/AIDS clients who
feel that the church as as well as God has forgotten them.
This has opened a new avenue for us and made us more aware that
we all need love and understanding. We also worked at Ronald
McDonald houses, schools, the Knoxville Zoo, a Furniture Ministry,
Oak Ridge Children's Museum, and many home repair projects which
we accessed through the Area Agency on Aging. We gave away
dollars at gas pumps at a time when a dollar meant a lot with
gasoline so expensive. We prayed with some of the people
who received these dollars. One man asked why people would
give money away. The response was simply "God loves
you and we do, too." He immediately started to cry
and said, "Could you pray with me? My granddaughter
is in Vanderbilt Hospital dying." The small group gathered
around him and prayed with him.
At the
end of the day, there were relationships formed that will be forever
remembered. There were people changed in their minds and
spirits about what "community" means. The most
important part is that 1,100 people from Faith Promise Church
have decided not to be just a church that "talks about community,"
but puts our faith into action by "doing community."
Faith Promise will continue with community outreach and will do
Operation Inasmuch in the Fall of every year.
Laverne
Craig
Faith Promise
Church
Knoxville,
TN
Matthew
25:40
