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The faith community can address domestic violence, crime, and poverty issues by living out/expressing the love of God to the people in those situations or circumstances. From the leaders of the households to the leaders in the community outside of the church, people should be made aware through teachings, through witnessing, and experiencing the love of God from the body of Christ.
Most people are not violent by choice, but because of their upbringing. Most of the people who are raised in a household or family are competing to exert power over the other to prove who is always right, or who has the most control. And mostly in situations where men are violent, it’s usually a result of trying to scare their partner with the assumption that for somebody to love you, they need to fear you, and this could come in many forms being Physical abuse, Sexual abuse, emotional abuse, Financial abuse, and Vebal abuse. Not giving your partner or your children space to have a healthy relationship with you, not giving them room to give consent, and also shutting them out from contributing towards the choices or decisions for the future of their home.
With women who abuse their partners, the common case is with them financially providing or earning more than their partner or they are the only source of income in the house or they come from a household of independence and submission and giving is not taught but entitlement is highlighted due to Feminism and this leaves no room for them to allow someone in their life to lead them.
Most committed crimes are committed by people who felt neglected and rejected by the community, most of those who are smart and were potential graduates didn’t have enough support and resources to finish their studies, including those who grew up in poor backgrounds. The children struggle because their parents have no knowledge or information on how to work hard and contribute towards their children’s academics, gifts, and skills. Most of them believe there’s no future in going to school due to a lot of people who have graduated and have not found jobs but ended up homeless, some resolving to substance abuse, and some having to start their own markets or businesses to get something to eat and to be able to buy clothing for survival.The lack of knowledge/information and education in the community contributes a lot to the struggles and the mentality, and perspective of the community that one lives in, most people are suffering because they are living the hand to mouth life, which automatically puts them on survival mentality, leading them to compete with people they could potentially partner with to grow their market. And with this is a mindset of the world, the perfect loophole/opportunity for the church/faith community to step in presents itself.
The faith community serves as the hope left in the world because the number one dependence in the faith community is on God, and secondly, the relationship that God requires of His people—assisting with counselling to help them heal from past trauma, reflecting also on societal beliefs and the negative impact they have had on one’s life in comparison with the guide on healthy living from a biblical point of view.
Love and respect (1 Corinthians 13:4 and Ephesians 5:25), treating others with Kindness (Luke 6:31, and Ephesians 4:32), Seeking help and support (Galatians 6:2 and James 5:16), looking at God’s heart for justice (Proverbs 31:8 and Psalm 9:9), Restoration and healing (Psalm 147:3 and Isaiah 61:1). And this particular order, the Faith community would have to apply these scriptures.
The church and the gospel are already out there for the world to hear about, but no consistency from the church to living it out, whether in presentation through experience or expression through conviction and compassion. The church needs to understand that not everybody has the foundation they have, and therefore none of it should be held onto oneself, especially when Jesus made sure to live out the gospel as much as He taught the scriptures.
The main solutions or focus from the church is to have discipleship/ mentorship programs and start the people from a young age, by visiting schools and doing street ministry, consistently solidifying a trust relationship between the Faith community and the world. Encouraging healthy masculinity and modeling family leadership in a biblical context through Faith community marriages, teaching about the many forms of communication through sermons and one-on-one conversations, applying biblical principles to educate and empower those with little to no access to education about entrepreneurship, and workshops.
The faith community can also create safe spaces by working with government-led initiatives on mental health and social needs through the involvement of government officials, the police department, lawyers, social workers, psychologists, teachers, and many more. Getting them to be more involved in meeting all the needs in the community, especially assessing from an observation or analysis of a child’s life or behavioural patterns.
The best example to use is that of the Apostle Paul, in the book of Philippians 2:1-11, he highlights that Unity within the body of Christ is signified by the expression of God’s love towards each other, accompanied by fellowship with the Spirit. Adopting the attitude of Christ Jesus, who emptied Himself by assuming the form of a servant, humbling Himself to the point of death.
Humility is not just giving the chair on the front row to someone you deem with high regard, Humility is understanding that without the Grace of God and His word of blessings over your life, you can only go so far. pride dangerously creeps in from the moment one forgets they made it far because God was with them. King Saul, King Uzziah, King Nebuchadnezzar, and Samson are currently the examples I can use that got too familiar and lost a sense of their identity in God.
We can best live it out in our communities by not discriminating against others because of how they look and what they don’t have, but by taking what they offer us, if it’s clean water with unclean hands, we should be appreciative of the offer rather than degrading them for their appearance. we can also invest in our relationships with people God has entrusted us with, in order to grow a healthy community. This would cause a huge understanding and create a secure and safe environment for the people around us, especially because it takes time for people to trust others.
We could also encourage the best in those we see potential in, which is what Jesus did for Peter. He was a jew, who was a classicist by upbringing, and Jesus always made him understand that all people are loved equally in the eyes of God, none is above the other. the sooner we understand that we are all on the same level in God’s eyes, the better we get to treat each other with utmost respect, regardless of status and standards.However, Jesus is the perfect example of humility both as a person, and as a principle lived out with authenticity and genuineness, He ate what the disciples ate, washed their feet, dined with sinners and tax collectors, He did what most people saw as blasphemy which they regarded as the Messiah is someone of high esteem, class and status, when the disciples at some point had asked Jesus, why do you dine with sinners and tax collectors, Jesus made them understand that if everybody was righteous and free of sin, He wouldn’t have come because then there’s no purpose for Him.
As people for as long as we live in the flesh, we need God, and our relationship with God through His word, we are able to learn about the attributes His Spirit is meant to teach us, and solidify within us. and all of that can only happen when we understand the person of Christ and His love towards His people.
One of the most significant and overlooked needs in our town or community is unity and collaboration between the ministry leaders of all Charismatic churches because the deepest wounds are of those who are committed to the churches they attend or serve under. People don’t serve anymore, and they choose just to be members because there are a lot of divisions as well within the body of Christ. many times, we fail to win souls to Christ because they ask, “If the church is the body of Christ, then why are the churches fighting with each other/divided?”
one of the examples of bringing solution I saw was that our church hosted a free City Wide Outreach training for schools, the youth and Children’s ministry, and it was open to all the teachers, community leaders, and other churches as well, even those who just want to learn a few things to make a few adjustment on the way they run their services by applying what they believe they missed or needed to run their services smoothly. because I have been attending many events from different churches, I noticed a lot of people from different churches attended. In the next month, all the church representatives, teachers, police officers, and other leaders in the community will join hands in visiting schools as a result of attending the training in confronting the issues of abuse, trauma, and suicide to invest in the lives of next generation ensuring they are made aware of their value and assuring them to be of assistance by issuing out a QR code and contact details.
When God created man, it was out of his likeness with the intention that man would dominate and have authority over the earth and everything in it and not adapt to the standard of it (Gen 1:26-27), however the now nature that man has adapted to which is sinful, has been separating us from experiencing the love of God by shying away from His presence in shame, now leading to those who are the body of Christ, given by Christ the authority, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to do the things that Jesus did and even more (John 14:12-28),by bringing the lost closer to God through His love, for the church to be restored and the lost gathered back into the Father’s house (John 17:3).
Hi
I couldn’t agree more! Spiritual leaders must prioritize their family’s spiritual growth, modelled by the values mentioned. The consequences of neglecting family responsibilities can be far-reaching, leading to emotional exhaustion, strained relationships, and a loss of credibility. When spiritual leaders prioritize their family’s well-being, they demonstrate a commitment to building a strong foundation for their ministry. By investing in their loved ones, they cultivate a sense of trust, understanding, and support that benefits both their family and their congregation.
This, in turn, enables them to lead with authenticity, wisdom, and compassion, ultimately enriching their ministry leaving a lasting legacy.
