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When members of
a church have been taught that mercy is part of Christian living then each
one can become an agent of mercy.
They are out there in society everyday, they have the opportunity to
see many needs. If they are taught
and trained then they will know how to respond, how to take action. In the taking of action, in the name of
Jesus, they represent him and the church.
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Church members should be taught to pursue
creative strategies, possibly bringing a team of church members around
another member, family, or even a stranger.
This team can add their talents and vocational resources to solve
problems. A team can give broader
perspective, create many relationships with the the person in need, and give
a base for prayer.
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Church members need to know how to refer
folks to the office of Deacon so the person in need can get help, programmed
help, and help that is given with accountability. Some acts of mercy need no accountability,
but any mercy ministry that seeks to change a person’s life requires it. Accountability implies follow-up and a wise
use of resources. Without
accountability those in need can simply become consumers of services, when
they might need to be seeking to change their values and their
life-style. It is not our goal to
perpetuate poverty, but to eliminate the causes of it in a person’s life.
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Sometimes needs are so deep, so complex,
that the average church member cannot solve another person’s problem, and might even be at risk to try. Referral to Deacons is good policy for such
cases.
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