““The Eight The Eight Components of Components of

Christian Community Christian Community Development”Development”

Summary of paper of same name Summary of paper of same name by Dr. Wayne L. Gordonby Dr. Wayne L. Gordon

““The question arises as to what the The question arises as to what the response as Christians will be to the response as Christians will be to the troubles of the poor and the inner cities troubles of the poor and the inner cities today. The desperate conditions that today. The desperate conditions that face the poor call for a revolution in the face the poor call for a revolution in the church's attempts at a solution. church's attempts at a solution. Through years of experience among the Through years of experience among the poor, many have come to see these poor, many have come to see these desperate problems cannot be solved desperate problems cannot be solved without strong commitment and risky without strong commitment and risky actions on the part of ordinary actions on the part of ordinary Christians with heroic faith.” Christians with heroic faith.”

The following are 8 principles that The following are 8 principles that appear to be important for Christian appear to be important for Christian Community Development (Community Development (CCDCCD). The ). The first three are the “Three R’s” first three are the “Three R’s” developed by Dr. John Perkins.developed by Dr. John Perkins.

These were developed within the These were developed within the context primarily of the inner cities in context primarily of the inner cities in the United States. Do they need to the United States. Do they need to be modified to be applicable be modified to be applicable elsewhere?elsewhere?

Principle #1. RelocationPrinciple #1. Relocation

►Live among the people.Live among the people.►This is sometimes called “Incarnational This is sometimes called “Incarnational

Ministry”. Ministry”. "The Word became flesh and "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten from the glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (Jn Father, full of grace and truth." (Jn 1:14)1:14)

►Changes our condition of Kami/Sila (Us Changes our condition of Kami/Sila (Us vs Them) to Tayo (Us together).vs Them) to Tayo (Us together).

RelocationRelocation

There are three types of people who may There are three types of people who may work in the community.work in the community.

1.1. Relocators: Choose to move there.Relocators: Choose to move there.

2.2. Returners: Choose to return.Returners: Choose to return.

3.3. Remainers: Choose to stayRemainers: Choose to stay

All three work to be part of the solution All three work to be part of the solution to problems in the community.to problems in the community.

Principle #2. ReconciliationPrinciple #2. Reconciliation

““Reconciliation is at the heart of the Reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel. Jesus said that the essence of gospel. Jesus said that the essence of Christianity could be summed up in two Christianity could be summed up in two inseparable commandments: Love God, inseparable commandments: Love God, and love thy neighbor. (Mt 22:37-39) and love thy neighbor. (Mt 22:37-39) First, Christian Community Development First, Christian Community Development is concerned with reconciling people to is concerned with reconciling people to God and bringing them into a church God and bringing them into a church fellowship where they can be discipled in fellowship where they can be discipled in their faith.” their faith.”

ReconciliationReconciliation

Has two components:Has two components:1.1. Reconciled to God. This involves Reconciled to God. This involves

evangelism, but not just “fire evangelism, but not just “fire insurance.” It is bringing to whole insurance.” It is bringing to whole person living as a follower of Christ.person living as a follower of Christ.

2.2. Reconciled to Others. Barriers that Reconciled to Others. Barriers that separate races, classes, cliques and separate races, classes, cliques and such must be torn down creating such must be torn down creating genuine community and “shalom”.genuine community and “shalom”.

Principle #3. RedistributionPrinciple #3. Redistribution

““When God's people with resources When God's people with resources (regardless of their race or culture) (regardless of their race or culture) commit to living in underserved commit to living in underserved communities seeking to be good communities seeking to be good neighbors, being examples of what it neighbors, being examples of what it means to be a follower of Christ, working means to be a follower of Christ, working for justice for the entire community, and for justice for the entire community, and utilizing their skills and resources to utilizing their skills and resources to address the problems of that community address the problems of that community alongside their neighbors, then alongside their neighbors, then redistribution is being practiced.” redistribution is being practiced.”

RedistributionRedistribution

““Christian Community Development Christian Community Development ministries harness the commitment and ministries harness the commitment and energy of men, women, and young energy of men, women, and young people living in the community, and people living in the community, and others who care about their community, others who care about their community, and find creative avenues to develop and find creative avenues to develop jobs, schools, health centers, home jobs, schools, health centers, home ownership opportunities, and other ownership opportunities, and other enterprises of long-term development.” enterprises of long-term development.”

Principle #4. Leader Principle #4. Leader DevelopmentDevelopment

““The primary goal of leadership The primary goal of leadership development is to restore the stabilizing development is to restore the stabilizing glue and fill the vacuum of moral, glue and fill the vacuum of moral, spiritual, and economic leadership that is spiritual, and economic leadership that is so prevalent in poor communities by so prevalent in poor communities by developing leaders. This is most developing leaders. This is most effectively done by raising up Christian effectively done by raising up Christian leaders from the community of need who leaders from the community of need who will remain in the community to live and will remain in the community to live and lead.” lead.”

Leader DevelopmentLeader Development

Leader Development requires absolute Leader Development requires absolute commitment. commitment.

One must reject the idea of “quick fixes.” One must reject the idea of “quick fixes.”

Engineers like to say that they can Engineers like to say that they can develop new products develop new products (a) QUICK(a) QUICK, , (b) (b) HIGH QUALITYHIGH QUALITY, and , and (c) CHEAP(c) CHEAP… but you … but you can only have two of the three. But in can only have two of the three. But in community development… “quick” and community development… “quick” and “high quality” can “high quality” can nevernever go together. go together.

Principle #5. Listening to Principle #5. Listening to CommunityCommunity

It is important to focus on the hopes and It is important to focus on the hopes and dreams of the local residents, not those dreams of the local residents, not those of the outsiders.of the outsiders.

This is the idea of “This is the idea of “Felt NeedFelt Need”. What the ”. What the community thinks it needs is more community thinks it needs is more important than what the developer important than what the developer thinks.thinks.

Therefore, in Christian Community Therefore, in Christian Community Development listening is more talking.Development listening is more talking.

Listening to the CommunityListening to the Community

In listening, emphasis is not on the In listening, emphasis is not on the weaknesses of the community. weaknesses of the community.

Rather, emphasis is on the assets, Rather, emphasis is on the assets, resources, capacity, abilities within the resources, capacity, abilities within the community.community.

This is often called “Asset-based This is often called “Asset-based Community Development” (ABCD).Community Development” (ABCD).

CCD assumes that the community has CCD assumes that the community has solutions and assets to develop solutions and assets to develop themselves, and helps facilitate that themselves, and helps facilitate that change.change.

Principle #6. Church-BasedPrinciple #6. Church-Based

““It is practically impossible to do effective It is practically impossible to do effective wholistic ministry apart from the local wholistic ministry apart from the local church. A nurturing community of faith church. A nurturing community of faith can best provide the thrusts of can best provide the thrusts of evangelism, discipleship, spiritual evangelism, discipleship, spiritual accountability, and relationships by which accountability, and relationships by which disciples grow in their walk with God. One disciples grow in their walk with God. One problem today has been that the church problem today has been that the church is not involved in developing its is not involved in developing its communities. …“communities. …“

Church-BasedChurch-Based“… “… Often, the church has been an unfriendly Often, the church has been an unfriendly

neighbor in communities across our neighbor in communities across our country. Churches are guilty of being open country. Churches are guilty of being open only on Sunday mornings and Wednesday only on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights and being almost irrelevant to the nights and being almost irrelevant to the needs of the people around them. Because needs of the people around them. Because of this, many para-church organizations of this, many para-church organizations have started to do the work of loving their have started to do the work of loving their neighbor that the church had neglected. neighbor that the church had neglected. Christian Community Development sees Christian Community Development sees the church as taking action towards the the church as taking action towards the development of its community.”development of its community.”

Church-BasedChurch-Based

The local church can, and should, The local church can, and should, provide a model for community, provide a model for community, reconciliation with God and our fellow reconciliation with God and our fellow man.man.

It is a long-term presence in the It is a long-term presence in the community for wholistic transformation community for wholistic transformation and leader development.and leader development.

BUT… the church must tear down walls BUT… the church must tear down walls between itself and the community between itself and the community around it. around it.

Church: Food for thought…Church: Food for thought…

We need to rethink the church. On some We need to rethink the church. On some level it would be good to think in terms of level it would be good to think in terms of a parish.a parish.

We often think of the church as walls that We often think of the church as walls that act as a refuge from the community.act as a refuge from the community.

Ministry is to members or to make more Ministry is to members or to make more members. members.

But maybe we should recognize the church But maybe we should recognize the church as part of the community, with members as part of the community, with members acting as chaplains ministering with and acting as chaplains ministering with and

Principle #7. Wholistic Principle #7. Wholistic ApproachApproach

““Christian Community Development sees Christian Community Development sees the church must be involved in every the church must be involved in every aspect of a person’s life. It is important to aspect of a person’s life. It is important to network with other churches and network with other churches and organizations in communities. In order to organizations in communities. In order to accomplish the wholistic aspect of accomplish the wholistic aspect of ministry, pastors and leaders must be ministry, pastors and leaders must be networkers. Christian Community networkers. Christian Community Development builds coalitions in Development builds coalitions in communities so that they can work communities so that they can work together to solve the problems. “together to solve the problems. “

Wholistic ApproachWholistic Approach

Many churches focus only on the Many churches focus only on the “spiritual”. Evangelism, Bible study, “spiritual”. Evangelism, Bible study, prayer, fasting, etc.prayer, fasting, etc.

Many churches focus only on “social” Many churches focus only on “social” ministry. These include health care, ministry. These include health care, feeding, livelihood, and social justice.feeding, livelihood, and social justice.

But a wholistic approach recognizes But a wholistic approach recognizes “discipleship” as more than spiritual or “discipleship” as more than spiritual or social. It is concerned with the whole social. It is concerned with the whole person and whole community.person and whole community.

Wholistic ApproachWholistic Approach

Recall that Jesus (according to Luke Recall that Jesus (according to Luke 2:52) grew:2:52) grew:

► PhysicallyPhysically► MentallyMentally► SpirituallySpiritually► SociallySocially

Principle #8. EmpowermentPrinciple #8. Empowerment

““Oftentimes, Christian ministry, Oftentimes, Christian ministry, particularly in poor communities, particularly in poor communities, creates dependency. This is no better creates dependency. This is no better than the federal government welfare than the federal government welfare program. The Bible teaches program. The Bible teaches empowerment, not dependency. “empowerment, not dependency. “

EmpowermentEmpowerment

A good example of this is found in A good example of this is found in Deuteronomy 24 and Leviticus 19, Deuteronomy 24 and Leviticus 19, regarding gleaning.regarding gleaning.

►Opportunity is given to have needs Opportunity is given to have needs met.met.

►People must work to have their needs People must work to have their needs met.met.

►People's dignity is affirmed.People's dignity is affirmed.

8 Principles8 Principles

►RelocationRelocation►ReconciliationReconciliation►RedistributionRedistribution►Leadership DevelopmentLeadership Development►Listening to CommunityListening to Community►Church-BasedChurch-Based►Wholistic ApproachWholistic Approach►EmpowermentEmpowerment

CCD PoemCCD PoemGo to the people Go to the people

Live among them Live among them

Learn from them Learn from them

Love them Love them

Start with what they know Start with what they know

Build on what they have: Build on what they have:

But of the best leaders When their task is done But of the best leaders When their task is done

The people will remark "We have done it The people will remark "We have done it ourselves."ourselves."

““The Eight The Eight Components of Components of

Christian Community Christian Community Development”Development”

Summary of paper of same name Summary of paper of same name by Dr. Wayne L. Gordonby Dr. Wayne L. Gordon

(Put together by Bob Munson, 2010)(Put together by Bob Munson, 2010)