Our PLAN
One GOAL : Men Becoming Legacy Builders
| Strategies | Rescue | Renew | Release |
| Methods | Street Ministry Providing Food and Clothing Redirecting to Shelters | Discipleship Small groups One-on-one guidance | Leadership Development Co-leading groups One-on-one coaching |
| Materials | Food and Clothing Directions to Shelters Transitional Gifts | Step Studies Recovery Plans Transitional Gifts | Tips for Mentors Tips for Group Leaders Recommended Reading |
| Partners | Open Door Mission | Celebrate Recovery | Isaiah House |
| Theme Verses | James 2:16 "If any of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is that?" | 1 Thessalonians 2:8 "... Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well." | 2 Timothy 2:2 "The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." |
STREET MINISTRY
We define street ministry as simply helping people who are homeless take their next step with God.
We have learned to think of street ministry in terms of good, better, and best.
Care Packages
This is often what comes to mind when we think of helping the homeless. Your giving provided many gifts such as food, clothing and blankets, helping meet very real needs.
This is good.
Relationship and Trust
This becomes evident not long after trying to help anyone who is homeless. We all tend to resist change and are slow to trust people we do not know. Developing relationship and trust can help overcome these barriers.
This is better.
Personal Experience
Men are more likely to come to a shelter such as Open Door Mission after several care packages and visits from others who care, who have been homeless and addicted, and can share firsthand how they found a way out.
This is best.
We are involved firsthand in street ministry, but much of our time is leveraged involving men who have been homeless, recovered, and can speak to another man out their personal experiences.
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”
Matthew 25:35
DISCIPLESHIP
No one can teach what they do not know, or offer hope they do not have. Before leading others, men need to find hope for their own lives.
This is our heart in discipleship
Mentoring
Mentoring is part of discipleship, and one of the simplest and yet most impactful things a person can do. The men in our outreach have shared more than once, in their own words, what they need.
This is why we have a simple two step plan for anyone considering mentoring, just show up and listen.
Showing up communicates value, especially to men who have no one. Listening communicates respect and builds trust. With these in place, everything else has a way of flowing from this.
Arthur, a mentee, pictured above and below, graduated from Open Door Mission and from the Celebrate Recovery Program we help lead.
Men with mentors are far more likely to succeed. Humbly aware that we could not reach everyone, at least not alone, we reached out to other men in local churches. We had the privilege to see other men from churches step up and also mentor men at the mission all the way through graduation. We plan to involve many more men as mentors.
Open Sharing
These are low-key weekly “entry points”, where men can share comfortably, begin building trust, and form new relationships.
Small Group Meetings
These are more focused weekly times where men go deeper and do the personal work needed for recovery.
Weekends
In partnership with Open Door Mission, these are the most focused, and structured times. Significant progress and breakthroughs are made at these events.
Some of the “Step Studies” require an extended amount of time, focus and personal reflection such as making a “searching and fearless moral inventory”. This is why we have the weekends.
The teachings of Jesus in the Celebrate Recovery curriculum, shared in healthy community, over extended periods of time, are a practical and effective means to help people get “unstuck”, make progress, and find hope they never thought was possible.
Leadership Development
Charles is one of the men we mentored closely. It is humbling to admit how much you can learn from a mentee.
Charles is one of many men who went through the entire discipleship process of mentoring, large groups, small groups, one-on-one discipleship, and weekends. Your support also helped Charles move into his own apartment and begin rebuilding his life.
Charles decided to give back and has been leading groups, mentoring men, and even teaching at weekend events. A number of other men are now in a position to begin leading like Charles.
