One of my key roles includes raising awareness of the Crisis Response ministry amongst churches and church members. Many churches are not aware of the ministry or have a limited view of the ministry and its capabilities.
In California, there are over 200 EFCA churches and over 400 EFCA churches in the western US. My goal is to reach out to as many of these pastors as possible and provide them an overview of the ReachGlobal Crisis Response Ministry.
Catalyst LTM Church
Recently I had the opportunity to meet with Pastor Dave Sormillion and a group of men from Catalyst LTM Church in Cypress, California. The purpose of the meeting was to provide an overview of the ReachGlobal Crisis Response Ministry. It was a great discussion. In fact, we spent about two hours discussing the ministry and how these men and others from the church could participate in the ministry. One key aspect we discussed was how we could prepare for local crisis events. Since we live in California, we know a crisis event is more of a question of when instead of if the event will occur.
When a crisis event strikes, the Crisis Response Ministry has found a fertile mission field is created. Impacted people ask Why did this happen? Why now? Why me? What next? How do I cope? They struggle to get their lives back together into some semblance of normalcy. When a crisis, the disruption of the normalcy of life, strikes the body of Christ can and should respond.
Partners in Ministry
The ReachGlobal Crisis Response Team responds by partnering with local churches to help restore, not just physical structures, but people’s lives. During this season of disruption, people are naturally open to relationships that express God’s love and communicate God’s Word. Developing relationships that allow the Body of Christ to express the Great Commandment and the Great Commission is a primary value for ReachGlobal, whatever the context, whatever the crisis. When ReachGlobal responds to crises, we seek ministry opportunities that allow our local partners and us, if needed, to engage relationally with victims for the long term.
His Workmanship
I love the message of Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
God has prepared us for this day. Everything that we have been through. Our knowledge, our experiences, our training, our difficulties, and our successes.