Our PLAN

One GOAL : Men Becoming Legacy Builders

StrategiesRescueRenewRelease
MethodsStreet Ministry
Providing Food and Clothing
Redirecting to Shelters
Discipleship
Small groups
One-on-one guidance
Leadership Development
Co-leading groups
One-on-one coaching
MaterialsFood and Clothing
Directions to Shelters
Transitional Gifts
Step Studies
Recovery Plans
Transitional Gifts
Tips for Mentors
Tips for Group Leaders
Recommended Reading
PartnersOpen Door MissionCelebrate RecoveryIsaiah House
Theme VersesJames 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 goodbetter, and best.

HPC-Care-Package

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

Gary and Jesse

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

 

Discipleship - Gary and Arthur

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

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.

Leadership Development - Charles Dotson