The Church Scattered
Timothy Keller writes:
We should not think of Christians out in the world as merely distinct and detached individuals. They are the body of Christ, the church. As Christians in the world, they are still to think and work together, banding together in creative forms, being the church organic that the church institutional has discipled them to be.
Therefore, we are not only the church when we gather (“the church institutional”), but we are also the church when we scatter into our city (“the church organic”). As such, we encourage our members to start or join “missional initiatives” in our city.
A “missional initiative” can be defined as a visible display and a viable demonstration of the Gospel to the world around us. They exist for the spiritual, social, and economic flourishing of people in our city through the demonstration of Christ’s love.
Although not every missional initiative needs to be a formalized ministry or an established non-profit, as members “think and work together, banding together in creative forms,” over time they tend to become more formalized.
New Hope Refugee Ministry
The New Hope Refugee Ministry seeks to demonstrate Christ to asylum seekers because they are indefinitely residing in Indonesia without access to formal education and work. We want to let them know that God cares and has not forgotten them. We aim to minister holistically to our refugee friends by meeting their real needs in various ways, like creating sustainable financial solutions for them, educating the children through our Learning Center, and equipping refugees with skills that would be useful when they are relocated to a third country. We also provide spiritual mentoring to those who are open to receiving it.
Location
Serpong, Tangerang
Gospel in Healthcare
Gospel in Healthcare has formed a support system for Christian healthcare workers. As a gospel community, we encourage one another through the physically and emotionally challenging work environment. We aim to inspire one another to live out Christian values at work and to imitate Christ’s love and compassion for the people we serve. We also disciple nursing students and help them form strong biblical foundations in their lives.
Location
Karawaci, Tangerang
START YOUR OWN ?
As God is exposing an area of need in your community that lines up with your passion, we encourage you to keep that in prayer, and share it with the church. God might lead you to those who share similar burden and towards the start of a new initiative.