SERVING THE WHOLE PERSON AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
God gives abilities to every person and resources to every community. Therefore, we serve the community by teaching its members to develop and use their skills and resources, and not to depend on what we do and bring.
That is our community development philosophy, but how does community development happen?
Examples of community development
- Savings groups. Pooling resources to help each other
- Literacy. Producing fluent Bible readers and literate communities
- Agriculture. Developing sustainable methods and fair market opportunities
- Health. Teaching hygiene and training local healthcare workers
- Economics. Facilitating business training and opportunities
Training for any role on an All-Nations team is a long-term commitment. Like Bible translators, a community development facilitator will need to learn a new language or two. Preparing well may also mean learning a whole new way of thinking about how to help needy communities.
Bibleless people groups are often poor and oppressed, and sometimes displaced from their homeland. A community development facilitator becomes Jesus’ hands and feet to serve them. This type of service sometimes opens the door to groups otherwise resistant to outsiders, making discipleship and Bible translation possible.
Community development facilitators work with people in many areas of life. They play a critical role in discipleship and establishing a local indigenous church.
Learn more about facilitating community development
Watch videos about community development—An interview, Camp Week sessions, and more.