 As
a Christian, your motivation for helping people is a large portion
of what’s needed for an effective helping ministry. Your
commitment is an exemplary contribution. We want you to consider
several additional ingredients that answer this question: “What
makes Christ-centered helping different from any other approach
to people helping?” Below is a list of “distinctives”
that further make this helping process Christ-centered. Please
let us know about additional ones you believe we should have included.
We recommend a structured helping procedure, particularly for
your initial experiences with helpees. This is because most candidate
helpers are beginners, and formal structure provides guidelines.
In addition, we want to protect churches and parachurch organizations
from any criticism or even legal problems due to poor preparation
of lay helpers. We suggest you begin your helping relationships
in a directive way. (See "Following Ethical and
Legal Practices" in our Archive.)
You can relax the structure over time if your site coordinator
agrees, and as you become more experienced, competent, and assured
of the Holy Spirit’s guidance in your ministry.
The approaches and resources listed here add to the structure
we recommend. Praying with your helpee is an important example.
It also constitutes one of the resources we ask you not to let
slide as you become more competent. In addition to Christ and
you as His conduit, here are many Christ-centered methods and
resources available to you and the people you’re helping.
These elements will be difficult for helpers who aren’t
Christian to implement. We find that many non-Christian
helpees will accept and benefit from their use.
- Referring to scripture (verses and promises and principles
from the verses) and memorizing verses.
- Pointing out God’s promises to your helpee and encouraging
his/her faithfully living by one or more of them.
- Providing biblical examples such as people, parables, and
events.
- Modeling how you’ve taken hold of God’s promises
and power.
- Modeling obedience to God’s way as a loving response
to His gift of salvation.
- Serving as a Christ-centered model, a work in progress, to
encourage your helpee.
- Helping your helpee pursue an intimate relationship with God
and Christ.
- Praying for, and with, your helpee.
- Asking for the healing power of the Holy Spirit for the helpee’s
hurt and pain.
- Being open to the interventions of the Holy Spirit other than
healing (e.g., convicting, teaching, comforting).
- Asking for prayer and other tangible support from other believers,
including church and parachurch leaders (attending to confidentiality
issues in the process.)
- Giving your helpee evidence of your and his/her spiritual
gifts.
- Connecting your helpee with authentic Christ-centered printed
and other materials related to helping ministries.
- Connecting your helpee with other proven Christ-centered groups,
agencies, and ministries.
- Other Christ-centered methods or resources? If so, please
specify them.
As an exercise, select three of the above Christ-centered methods
and resources you think you’d use in your helping relationships.
Briefly describe each of your selections, and note a few ways
you’d implement each one with a helpee.
For more ideas on helping others thrive, see our Archive
and What We Offer. |
