Missional - More on Homelessness

Hi Jerry-

I am responding to you in email because I've been reading your blog. You've hit a grand slam to me.

I volunteer a couple days a week at a local shelter here in southern Oregon cooking for the poor and homeless. As an outgrowth of that, I wanted to cast some positive attention to the problems of homelessness. I've got a site I've just completed this week called the Homeless Camera Adventure which allows some homeless to present a visual essay of their daily life. My attempt to for the rest of us to be able to view homelessness through their eyes.

Homeless Camera

If you find it of any benefit, would you consider a mention in your blog? Being a new site, it does little good if nobody knows it exists.

Blessings-
Richard Morley


Ok Richard here you go. Great Idea and Glad to help.

missional, missional church, Missional Living, Leadership, homeless,

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Simple Missional Ideas - Homeless

HT to Todd: for pointing to this link!

Here's a sample of a list of 35 ways to help the homeless by Justgive.org:

1. Understand Who the Homeless Are - Help dispel the stereotypes about the homeless. Learn about the different reasons for homelessness, and remember, every situation is unique.

2. Respect the Homeless as Individuals - Give the homeless people the same courtesy and respect you would accord your friends, your family, your employer. Treat them as you would wish to be treated if you needed assistance.

3. Respond with Kindness - We can make quite a difference in the lives of the homeless when we respond to them, rather than ignore or dismiss them. Try a kind word and a smile.

4. Develop Lists of Shelters - Carry a card that lists local shelters so you can hand them out to the homeless. You can find shelters in your Yellow Pages.

5. Buy "Street News" - This biweekly newspaper is sold in almost every major American city and is intended to help the homeless help themselves. For every paper sold, the homeless earn five cents deposited in a special savings account earmarked for rent. What an impact!

6. Bring Food - It's as simple as taking a few extra sandwiches when you go out. When you pass someone who asks for change, offer him or her something to eat. If you take a lunch, pack a little extra. When you eat at a restaurant, order something to take with you when you leave.

You may read the rest of the list Here!

What would you add to this list??

missional, missional church, Missional Living, Leadership, homeless,

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Missional Opportunity for the Church – Eliminate Homelessness

This story caught my eye on cnn.com today.

CNN Homeless Report

There’s lots of talk about being missional and doing missional things as a church. But here is an opportunity for the church to actually do something.

There is an estimated 380,000 churches in America and 754,000 homeless.

That’s 1.94 homeless for every church.

So here’s a radical idea:

How about each church this year adopt 1 homeless person and get them off the street?

And then next year they do just 1 more.

Pretty simple, huh? A 2 year plan to eliminating homelessness in America.

I challenge you to go read some of Scott's Story here: Turning it Over
Scott had support of a church. Read his older posts and see exactly how hard it was for him. Should it really be that hard?

It's time we take part of the Missional War Chest we have and do something Kingdom worthy with it.

Now consider the witness for the Kingdom this would be? Don’t you think the people who like Jesus but not the church, would begin to take a different view of the church?

And for all my friends out there in house churches and simply churches and the like: What’s stopping you from doing the same thing?

Missional living requires risk, creativity, dreaming and expanding the Kingdom. It would be an amazing thing to see God’s church step up and make a difference in the lives of these people on the margins.

missional, missional church, Missional Living, Leadership, Homelessness,

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