Ministry Today

Connecting With Compassion

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Written by Jim Graff

The expression of God’s heart will connect you with your community.

A destitute woman. A sick, desperate mother. A prodigal son. These were the kinds of people on whose behalf Jesus exercised continual compassion in every synagogue and village of Israel. Jesus is calling His followers to live this same compassion, bringing wholeness to every community in the world.

The biblical word compassion encompasses more than emotion. The meaning conveys motivation that cannot rest until the pain is relieved. This is undoubtedly what drove Jesus to restore the Samaritan woman when His body was crying out for rest. This is what motivated Him to fight a treacherous storm to deliver a severely demon-oppressed man.

Sharing Hearts of Hope

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Written by Rabbi David Wolpe

A leading rabbi reflects on the growing friendship between Jewish and Christian communities

As a rabbi, I share with many others in the Jewish community a deep sense of gratitude, allied to  some perplexity, at the phenomenon of evangelical support for Israel. I welcome this chance to share my views as a Jewish leader, on our shared perspectives and goals. 

A great Hasidic teacher, the Kotzker Rebbe, once said the only whole heart is a broken one. 

In an unredeemed world, there is so much pain and loss, any healthy heart must break. What people of God share is that our hearts must hope as well.

Signposts Point to Life

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Written by Brady Boyd

We must be carriers of Jesus’ presence to a dark, broken world

Recently, we partnered with local leaders and organizations by opening the first Dream Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., a free medical clinic for women who are underinsured or uninsured. 

The small clinic space was given to us and sits right across from the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) office, where the poorest families in our city go to apply for food stamps. This is the first of many ministries we plan to open. Soon, we want to have a home for single parents who are afraid to come out of the shadows of homelessness for fear of losing their children to the foster system. We also plan to open homes for kids who are too old for the foster system and have no families.

We are not doing this out of guilt or to be trendy or popular. We are certainly not out to prove to the world that we really are nice people despite the caricatures of Christians. 

How to Love Your Neighbor

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Written by Wayne Cordeiro

Could you be pursuing the right ministry for the wrong reasons?

I have come to love the people of the Hawaiian islands in the 27 years since we planted New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu. The warmth of the Aloha spirit in the islanders wonderfully complements the islands’ perfect temperatures. A unique blend of nationalities and languages here creates some of the most beautiful people on the globe.

Yet, at the start, much of my love was a choice. I didn’t always live here. I received my education and early experience in ministry in the Pacific Northwest. But it was a love for the island people that compelled us to come here and stay here. And no matter where I travel, that love has never left.

Love for people, even love for an area of the country, is mandatory for a church to succeed. A church God loves to bless is one that loves the people in its community as well as its call to reach them.

A Call to Compassion

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Written by Jim Graff

The expression of God’s heart will connect you with your community

Church: A Safe Place for All?

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Written by Jeff Buchanan