Relational Ministry
“Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched the man.”
Mark 1:41
The Love INC ministry model is relational because we believe Christ-like relationships are transformative.
In every expression of Love INC ministry, relationships are key – relationships between church volunteers and neighbors in need, relationships among churches, relationships with Christians across denominations, and relationships throughout the community.
When Love INC flourishes in a community, healthy relationships grow, Christian love thrives and struggling neighbors receive support, friendship, and the kind of practical helps they need.
Love In the Name of Christ’s Relational Ministry model can be expressed in five interconnected ways or “modes.” We call these modes: Clearinghouse Ministry, Gap Ministry, Transformational Ministry , Comprehensive Transformational Ministry, and Community Transformational Ministry.
Clearinghouse Ministry
The local Love INC Clearinghouse or call center is the foundation of the Love INC ministry. It is also the first opportunity we have to begin connecting churches relationally with neighbors in need.
The Clearinghouse receives requests for help, screens the requests, verifies the need, and then refers the request to a local church ministry, church volunteer, or community agency. After people are helped the Clearinghouse follows up to ensure the need was met and to offer continued spiritual support.
The Clearinghouse is the only mode required for a Love INC ministry. The other four modes are added as the local Love INC grows in size and strength.
Gap Ministry
As the Clearinghouse receives calls for help “gaps” in community serves and resources are identified. The local Love INC helps churches that have a desire and the means to build ministries to “fill in the gap”.
Gap ministries may include: Car Repair, Furniture, Clothing, Personal Care Products, and more!
No one Love INC community has the same set of Gap Ministries available because each community has a unique set of needs and resources.
Transformational Ministry
A Love INC, through local churches, seeks to transform the lives of people in chronic need by providing caring relationships and training opportunities.
To facilitate these relationships a local Love INC organizes and equips church members (from across denominational lines) to lead life-skills classes or mentor people in need over a short, well defined period of time. Usually, two to four months. The relationships built during this time are significant for all involved.
Comprehensive Transformational Ministry
This mode provides training and support to people in chronic need over an extended period of time (one year or more) in order to help them fully understand and overcome problems and attain self-sufficiency.
Comprehensive Transformational Ministry provides people in need with skills training, mentoring, goal setting, and spiritual and emotional support, along with a full array of church and community resources available through the Love INC Clearinghouse and Gap Ministries.
Community Transformational Ministry
In Community Transformational Ministry, a local Love INC, on behalf of their partner churches, actively engages local governments and becomes an advocate for developing community-wide solutions that incorporate developmental compassion and preserve the dignity of people being served in a Christ-like and God-honoring way.
Solutions in this ministry mode seek to serve the broader community or groups within the community while addressing underlying systems (or lack of systems) that can keep individuals and families stuck in need.
An example of this type of ministry would be a medical clinic for low-income individuals and families.