NGO + MISSION
= KFHIㅏ로ㅑㅜ
The Way of Community Transformation
The Big Idea and The Big Difference of this lesson
The Big Idea
The Big Difference
What is a Community?
But community can also be defined other ways:
a family,
an apartment building,
a saving group,
a sports team
a university dormitory, etc.
A Community is
a group of people
who have
a shared identity and
relationship.
It is usually geographic
(like a neighborhood or rural village).
Most strategies do not empower
the natural systems of a community (Churches, leaders, families),
but create dependence on outsiders.
"God's Kingdom Come" is so big.
How can we bring it down to our reality?
When a community's
churches, leaders, and families
grow towards God's Kingdom ways,
The community will grow all by itself.
"Change myself first!"
"Change my family first!"
"Change my community first!"
"But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile,
and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."
-Jeremiah 29:7
Many organizations have similar kinds of programs.
But,
Programs are simple vehicles to get to a bigger purpose.
Agriculture
Child Development
Health
Water
etc.
A Vision provides a definition of success.
A Vision unifies the people.
A Vision is motivating.
Why is it important for a community to have a
"Where there is no prophetic vision
the people cast off restraints."
Proverbs 29:18
for their future?
Vision
Of
Community
Definition:
Vision of Community
VOC
Churches, leaders, and families can grow themselves (towards God's Kingdom).
Key Roles:
Churches
The Church Leader’s key role
The Leader’s key role
The family’s key role
in VOC
Appropriate
Ideas, People, and Resources
is to equip and send the People of God.
Not the pastor to become project manager.
is to govern in a way that brings kingdom blessings:
freedom, peace, justice, etc.
Not to take the church’s or family’s God-given roles.
Leaders
is to provide for the wholistic needs of the family members.
Not give up their role to an outside organization.
Self-Growing to
God's Kingdom
Families
New Community
(A non-religious way to describe VOC)
God's Kingdom is the natural way all life, made to be lived not sin.
Appropriate
Ideas, People, and Resources
Transformed
People
Leaders
Families
A community's
Churches
What Does it look like (objectives)?
Leaders
Families
are increasingly reaching out.
are increasingly solving problems.
are increasingly meeting their needs.
with a Kingdom lifestyle
with Kingdom principles
with the wholistic belessings of God's Kingdom
Church means transformed, kingdom people, not building.
Leaders refer to any kind of leader: business, governmental, agricultural, school, etc.
They are not necessarily People of God yet.
Self-Growing, Healthy in all.
Water&
Sanitation Agriculture
Spiritual & Economic &
Moral Work
A model of
New Community
Social Education
Shelter Environment &
Energy
Leadership Health &
Nutrition
For example
How do we know when VOC is reached?
- When a community's churches, leaders, and families can keep growing themselves (towards God's Kingdom).
- When the "automated life" (growth automatism) of a community is released and growing.
Not that 100% of children are immunized.
Yes, that 25% are immunized,
but most importantly, the community can immunize themselves
and will sustainably reach 100%.
Don't forget
Ephesians 3:10
Romans 13:1
Genesis 2:18
Who invented VOC?
God's intent is, through the church,
to make his manifold wisdom made known.
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authority...
which are all established by God.
Then God said,
"It is not good that the man should be alone..."
Church
God's church has a catalytic role that no one else can do.
"And he put all things under [Jesus] feet and gave
as head over all things to the church, which is his body,
the fullness of him who fills all in all."
Ephesians 1:22-23
means the body of transformed, kingdom-lifestyle people, not buildings.
Impact of no Church
- No transformation
- Vices can increase
- Dishonors God's spiritual leaders
Families
What if ...
Leaders
?
What goes wrong if we leave out the Church?
Reflection Question
Each person share about a ministry or project
you were involved in (or heard about):
- What were the results?
(positive or negative)
- Did the ministry or project work with
all three partner groups of the VOC?
(churches, leaders, families)
Cambodia
Ethiopia
Thailand
(tsunami)
Nicaragua
VOC Testimonies
Water program + Christian outreach
= clean water & 35 new churches
Agriculture + training for pastors
= Drought resistant crops
& church growth from 100 to 2,500 members
2 churches and 100 believers before tsunami.
After a coalition of leaders and churches work together:
25 churches and 600 believers
Pastor became “pastor of the community”
& started a school and 4 new churches
?
Impact of no leaders
- Not sustainable
- Resistance
- Dishonors God's institution
What goes wrong if we leave out leaders?
Families
Churches
What goes wrong if we leave out families?
Churches
Leaders
?
Impact of no families
- Not relevant
- Church does not grow
- Misses purpose of transformation
Follow-up
Leaders
Families
Analyze each mini case-study from a "churches, leaders, and families" perspective.
Churches
Truth about VOC
- What questions do you have about this lesson?
1. A church in Africa puts a water well
on its church property.
2. A foreign organization provides school uniforms
to poor children in Latin America.
3. A community worker spends their first year praying
and building relationships with the community.
4. A follower of Jesus starts a business
in a city where there is no church.
5. A mission organization does an evangelistic campaign.
End
Reflection: Is this VOC?
Yes? no? or Maybe? then what is missing?
Personal Quesions
- How does this lesson affect your thinking about your personal life or work?
We will learn about a process to move forward in next lesson.
VOC is wholistic.
All things are possible for God.
VOC is also for rich countries.
People willing to be living models in a community (incarnational.)
Key is good staff and plan, not type of money.
VOC needs transformed workers and a VOC plan.
The community is equipped to discover God's vision, not ours.
We can begin with leaders or families, and start churches.
We are called to be faithful, God produces the results.
VOC is only spiritual (or) physical.
VOC is impossible in some countries.
VOC is only for poor countries.
VOC requires highly educated professionals.
VOC requires special "Christian" donors.
VOC automatically happens if we have Christian workers.
VOC forces our vision on a community.
VOC cannot be goal in countries without churches.
We are failures if we don't reach VOC.
VOC is an end vision, not beginning reality.
Leaders
Families
Churches
Myths about VOC
L
Remember:
F
Beginning
Outside organization
builds schools.
not VOC way
Outside organization
looks like new "rich" parents.
Child Development
Outside organization
employees does home visits.
*Each country context is differnt, so these are simple examples.
Example of VOC
Church members do home visits.
Local leaders work with
government to build school.
Sponsors help parents start
business to earn money for Family.
VOC way
not VOC way
Families are unemployed
& depend on donation
Local leaders are bribed because it's the way things are done.
Church sees business as secular
and lower than spiritual life.
Business
*Each country context is differnt, so these are simple examples.
Example of VOC
Families experience
blessings of employment.
Church members become Leaders
and stand-up against bribery.
Pastor encourages Church members
to become business people.
VOC way
No relationship with
local leaders.
not VOC way
No relationship with
families outside of church.
Church stays inside its building
and only focuses on spiritual lives.
Church
*Each country context is differnt, so these are simple examples.
Example of VOC
Families surrounding church
experience God's blessings.
Pastor equips "Members"
to reach out
to church's poor & community.
Church members support local leaders & become local leaders.
VOC way
NGOs:
Churches:
- focus on spiritual only
- independently does a small project with own resources
- independently has its program
- Community is participator in NGO’s program
Old paradigm
VOC = New Paradigm
Community:
Local Church:
- focuses on "kingdom come."
- becomes part of community
- speaks God's perspective into community's vision
- supports community vision
VOC paradigm
- makes it own vision
- NGO is participator
- continues community transformation process to all kinds of projects
The VOC is ultimately
about communities
becoming like
God's Kingdom.