Transforming the World: Service & Mission
Congregations can place engagement in mission and service at the center of all of its efforts. Tapping into the tremendous interest and passion in all generations, but especially the youngest, for service to the world, faith formation can educate and empower families and individuals of all ages for the Christian mission to the community and world: serving the poor and vulnerable, working for justice to ensure the rights of all people, being a peacemaker, and caring for creation. As Jim Wallis observes, “Two of the most powerful forces in the world right now are service and spirituality. The growing influence of both is evident almost everywhere, and together they provide the most potent combination for changing our communities. Service and spirituality are growing streams of energy, which, as they begin to flow together, could create a mighty river of action.”
First, churches can make formation for service and engagement in local and global action projects an essential component of faith formation for all age groups and families every year: serving the poor and vulnerable, working for justice to ensure the rights of all people, being a peacemaker, and caring for creation. An annual “mission involvement catalog” can be created, in print and online, to provide descriptions of the diversity of projects.
Second, churches can incorporate an educational component into all service/mission projects that includes knowledge of the justice issues being addressed, the teachings of Scripture and the Christian tradition on the issues, skills for the specific service/mission project, and reflection on the service/mission involvement.
Third, churches can sponsor local and global service/mission projects that are designed for the participation of people from the wider community, providing a public presence of the church in the community—from local efforts to feed the hungry, house the homeless, and improve education by adopting a public school to global projects that build schools, care for AIDS victims, and provide wells for water. The church partners with other churches and agencies to establish a serving presence in the community where people who are passionate about transforming the world, but not involved in church life, can work side-by-side with church members and see the gospel in action.
For strategies and ideas for "Faith Formation for Service and Mission" read the section from Chapter 4 of Faith Formation 2020, pages 180-185.
First, churches can make formation for service and engagement in local and global action projects an essential component of faith formation for all age groups and families every year: serving the poor and vulnerable, working for justice to ensure the rights of all people, being a peacemaker, and caring for creation. An annual “mission involvement catalog” can be created, in print and online, to provide descriptions of the diversity of projects.
Second, churches can incorporate an educational component into all service/mission projects that includes knowledge of the justice issues being addressed, the teachings of Scripture and the Christian tradition on the issues, skills for the specific service/mission project, and reflection on the service/mission involvement.
Third, churches can sponsor local and global service/mission projects that are designed for the participation of people from the wider community, providing a public presence of the church in the community—from local efforts to feed the hungry, house the homeless, and improve education by adopting a public school to global projects that build schools, care for AIDS victims, and provide wells for water. The church partners with other churches and agencies to establish a serving presence in the community where people who are passionate about transforming the world, but not involved in church life, can work side-by-side with church members and see the gospel in action.
For strategies and ideas for "Faith Formation for Service and Mission" read the section from Chapter 4 of Faith Formation 2020, pages 180-185.
Practices & Approaches
- Service that Transforms - Sean Lansing
- Feet to Faith - Marti Burger
- Five Steps to an Externally Focused Church - Externally Focused Network
- Ten Shifts Toward Community Transformation - Leadership Network
- Six Catalytic Service Approaches - Leadership Network
- 99 Innovations: Externally Focused Service - Leadership Network
Church Example:
Adult Mission Trips Catalog. Ginhamsburg Church.
Download the most recent catalog at: http://ginghamsburg.org/missions.
| service_that_transforms_-_lansing.pdf |
| feet_to_faith_-_burger.pdf |
| five_steps_to_an_externally_focused_church.pdf |
| ten_shifts_toward_community_transformation.pdf |
| six_catalytic_service_approaches.pdf |
| innovations_-_externally_focused_service.pdf |
Program Resources
- Service-Learning in Community-Based Organizations: A Practical Guide to Starting and Sustaining High-Quality Programs. Minneapolis: Search Institute. (www. search-institute.org)
- Pastoral Circle Process
- Planning a Pastoral Circle Session
- Christian Practice Essay: Transforming the World
- Learning Activities: Transforming the World
- Study Guide: Transforming the World
Websites
Catholic Relief Services, Education Resources: http://education.crs.org
Church World Service, Education Resources: www.churchworldservice.org/site/PageServer?pagename=resource_education
Education for Justice: www.educationforjustice.org
Faith in Action: http://putyourfaithinaction.org
Heifer International, Education Resources: www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.201471
Inspired to Serve—An Online Toolkit for Interfaith Action: www.inspiredtoserve.org
Justice, Peace, and Human Development, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: www.usccb.org/sdwp/foreducators.shtml
The One Campaign, Issue Resources: www.one.org/us/issues
World Vision Education Resources: www.worldvision.ca/Education-and-Justice/Pages/Education-and-Justice.aspx
| service-learning_in_community_based_organizations.pdf |
| pastoral_circle_process.pdf |
| planning_a_pastoral_circle_session.pdf |
| livingwell_-_transforming_the_world.pdf |
| living_well_learning_activities_-_transforming_the_world.pdf |
| living_well_small_group_guide_-_transforming_the_world.pdf |
Resources
- Barker, Ash. Make Poverty Personal: Taking the Poor as Seriously as the Bible Does. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2009.
- Cannon, Mae Else. Social Justice Handbook—Small Steps for a Better World. Downers Grove: Intervarsity, 2009.
- Clark, Chap and Kara E. Powell. Deep Justice in a Broken World: Helping Your Kids Serve Others and Right the Wrongs around Them. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.
- Clawson, Julie. Everyday Justice—The Global Impact of Our Daily Choices. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2009.
- Daley-Harris, Shannon, Jeffrey Keenan, and Karen Speerstra. Our Day to End Poverty: Twenty-Four Ways You Can Make a Difference. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 2007.
- Delio, Ilia, Keith Douglass Warner, O.F.M., and Pamela Wood. Care for Creation: A Franciscan Spirituality of the Earth. Cincinnati: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2009.
- Greer, Peter and Phil Smith. The Poor Will Be Glad—Joining the Revolution to Lift the World Out of Poverty. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.
- Haugen, Gary A. Just Courage: God’s Great Expedition for the Restless Christian. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2008.
- Jegen, Mary Evelyn. Just Peacemakers: An Introduction to Peace and Justice. New York: Paulist Press, 2006.
- McLaren, Brian. Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007.
- McLaren, Brian, Elisa Padilla, and Ashley Bunting Seeber. The Justice Project. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2009.
- Massaro S.J., Thomas. Living Justice: Catholic Social Teaching in Action. (Revised Edition) Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield, 2008.
- Peters, Rebecca Todd, and Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty, editors. To Do Justice. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2008.
- Powell, Kara E. and Brad M. Griffin. Deep Justice Journeys: Moving from Mission Trips to Missional Living. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.
- Powell, Kara E. and Brad M. Griffin. Deep Justice Journeys: Fifty Activities to Move from Mission Trips to Missional Living. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.
- Richter, Don. Mission Trips That Matter: Embodied Faith for the Sake of the World. Nashville: Upper Room Books, 2008.
- Rizzo, Dino. Servolution: Starting a Church Revolution through Serving. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.
- Russaw, Rick and Eric Sawnson. The Externally Focused Church. Loveland: Group, 2004.
- Russaw, Rick and Eric Sawnson. The Externally Focused Quest: Becoming the Best Church for the Community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 2010.
- Sagawa, Shirley. The American Way to Change: How National Service and Volunteers Are Transforming America. San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2010.
- Sleeth, J. Matthew Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.
- Stearns, Richard. The Hole in Our Gospel: The Answer that Changed My Life and Might Just Change the World. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2009.
- Thompson, J. Milburn. Introducing Catholic Social Thought. Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2010.
- Van Schooneveld, Amber. Hope Lives: A Journey of Restoration. Loveland: Group, 2008.
Websites
Catholic Relief Services: www.crs.org
Catholics Confront Global Poverty: www.usccb.org/sdwp/globalpoverty
Center of Concern: www.coc.org
Church World Service: churchworldservice.org
Compassion International: www.compassion.com
Externally Focused Network: www.externallyfocusednetwork.com
Habitat for Humanity: www.habitat.org
Heifer Project: www.heifer.org
International Justice Mission: www.ijm.org
Lifetree Adventures: www.lifetreeadventures.com
NETWORK: www.networklobby.org
ONE Campaign: www.one.org
Saddleback Church: The PEACE Plan (www.saddleback.com/lakeforest/adults/peace) (www.thepeaceplan.com)
World Vision: worldvision.org