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"Jesus .... rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel.  Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded."

"If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet."

John 13: 3-5, 13  

Many people get excited about "projects."  A charity gala, a "get out the vote" campaign, a "walk" or "run" or golf tournament benefiting a charity are examples of projects that are worthwhile and challenging to the organizers. 

In Mercy Ministries we are about a ministry of relationships.  We are about serving our neighbors in great humility and in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, not to raise a sum of money or accomplish a specific goal, as beneficial as these activities might be. 

Such a ministry of relationships doesn't have a discrete beginning and ending, like a project does (the new church will live in the community, not drop in for an occasional visit).  It may be a series of projects, and it may lead to many ministries of mercy that simply could not be foreseen.  In fact, you should expect your outreach and service activities to lead to something unexpected. 

The importance of building relationships with those you serve cannot be overstated.  Otherwise, what you intended to become a ministry of mercy becomes a more passive process of giving or serving faceless, voiceless people.  We should expect to see the face of Christ in those we serve and we should expect to learn from them.

Best Practices: 

• Leverage your network.  As you are truly involved in a ministry of relationships, you should consider the value of those relationships in your mercy ministries.  This not only translates to a broad invitation for involvement, even to those on the fringes of your church.  It also means that you should consider relationships with other organizations who might work with you.  A relationship with another church, a local charity, school, medical group, etc., can bring so much to a new church:  visibility, manpower, money, expertise, credibility, administrative efficiency, to name a few. 

Example:  partnering with a neighborhood Christian pre-school to provide ESL classes for the parents and older children. 

Example:  working with a local clinic to provide pre-natal education for new mothers. 

Example:  collaborating with a local business to provide office space and administrative services to aid local people in starting their own businesses.

Doing these things alone might be too much for a new church with few resources.  A working relationship, even if only a temporary one (one to two years) might be just the answer to accelerate your ramp up and it carries the added benefit of expanding your network to include those with whom you work.

• Keep it simple and personal (flat organization).  The people who participate with you need to feel as if they are in a community or on a team, not as if they are in a "command and control" organization.  You really don't need sub-teams, team leaders, captains or anything else of the structured sort.  The team must be in relationship.  Dividing the work up into sub-teams may be efficient, but it tends to result in specialization that may prevent members from seeing the big picture or from feeling a part of the team.  Continue to pray together as a team.
• Organic growth is strategic.  Businesses add new product lines and open new markets.  They also make acquisitions.  That is strategic to them.  Your community outreach and service is different.  Allow it to evolve and grow organically, one person at a time.  Each person, those who are served and those who serve, is precious.  The Holy Spirit will open doors of growth at just the right time.  And count on growth to occur almost any way but in a straight line. 

Structure your mercy ministries without entry requirements.  Anyone should be able to find his/her place without extensive preparation or prerequisites.  There should be no practical limits to the size of your ministry.

• Stay consistent (with context, Mission, Vision and Values).  You will see many opportunities to stray.  As any good business consultant will tell you, stick to your "core competencies," the things you do well and the things you were formed to do.  Other ideas and directions (for example, starting a school) might be extremely worthwhile but should be spun off to others (potential partners) unless they are compatible with your Mission, Vision and Values.

• Easy entry and exit for individuals.  People need the flexibility to come and go.  Starting a ministry that precludes those who try to join after inception will eliminate those who may contribute the most.  This is another reason not to over-organize.  Stay flexible but focused.
• Prayer Meetings.  Prayer on an individual basis is assumed. And there is great power in that.  But prayer in community carries a special power of its own.  Prayer "on site" where your mercy ministry will be located can be especially powerful.  Prayer in community with those who you serve can also be especially meaningful.  Be creative in prayer; consider music, visuals, etc. that may stimulate or help people to visualize just what the Spirit is doing in your outreach and service.  And encourage everyone to pray in community, not just the "leaders."  Sometimes the Spirit moves even the "least of these" to verbalize just the right words at the right time.
• Make it a learning process.  Mercy Ministries will always benefit from additional learning.  Even after inception, continue your research, continue to learn as you build relationships and as you broaden your network.  Focus group meetings should continue even after inception.  You might consider a tour (walking tour, bus tour, even a flyover) of the geography you seek to serve. And continue to engage "experts" from service agencies, universities, city government, etc.
• Don't hide your mistakes.  Assume you will make mistakes.  Nothing will disaffect people sooner than feeling like there is a hidden agenda or a hidden group that is putting a spin on what isn't working.  And it is hard for the people who violated a trust to also restore it by suddenly becoming straightforward and honest.

Go back to Mercy Ministries: First And Second Years

Go on to Mercy Ministries: Environmental Factors