Community Development
Community development is a process that involves people deciding what they want their community to be in the future, and then learning to work together to make that future happen. Community development is a process that involves hard work over time. Projects and programs may be involved, but the community development process is identified by people having ownership and taking charge of their futures. Community development is human development. Many scriptural texts speak about community. We often engage in charity. Community development is much more than charity.
Unto the least of these ...
We share Jesus’ love when we help people know:
- They are loved. God loves them and we love them in Jesus’ name.
- They are worthwhile. Every person is made in God’s image.
- They have assets. They have strengths and talents that can be used to help them and others.
We all want independence. We want to stand on our own, and depend only on God. We work in community development so that the people we work with can become more independent; we don’t want them to be dependent on us. We want them to depend on God.