When thinking of starting a life-affirming ministry at your church, such as Life Tribe, it presents an amazing opportunity to walk alongside those struggling with an unplanned pregnancy and those who need healing from a past abortion. It will be an wonderful blessing to partner with God as He works through you … it will usher in unbelievable joy to all involved.
In order to focus on the foundational pieces of life-affirming ministries, remember this acronym for LIFE.
L – Live life with them
I – Invest in them
F – Further their growth
E – Encourage Godly living
Let’s briefly dive into each of these.
Live life with them.
What a beautiful picture we have been given to see how well Jesus journeyed through life with His 12 disciples. It seems like it was two steps forward and one step back, yet Jesus was patiently guiding, encouraging and modeling how to live. We have that same opportunity to patiently journey through life with those we minister to, realizing that everyone’s walk looks a bit different. We are not called to fix and change someone’s life, but to love them and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in them. We can be an encouragement, a hope-giver, a strength, a guide and a friend.
Galatians 6:9 exhorts us to, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Invest in them.
Investing in people is living like Christ. Instead of seeing others through the lens of human eyes, we see people through the eyes of Christ. The unconditional love and care Jesus invests into each person is mindboggling. The commission we have each received is to “love God and love people.” Each person is worthy of agape love and God has chosen to reveal His love through believers.
We are reminded to, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3
Investing in people compels us to give of our time, talent, treasure and testimony so that someone else will experience the love of our Savior.
Further their growth.
Life is different when you move from a state of surviving to thriving. God, in His love and mercy, declared in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” We were never meant to just survive our journey on this earth, barely eking out an existence – God desires that we thrive!
As we minister to those around us, we can be conduits of a growth mindset, to help them be all that God created for them to be, and to encourage them to move forward with their lives by setting goals and identifying God-given dreams. We can help them rise above their present situation and see a larger picture for their life.
Encourage Godly living.
God’s standards and directives bring incredible life, joy and peace to those who follow Him. As we minister to others, we have been gifted with 66 transformative books, the Bible, which guides us on how to live a purposeful and fulfilled life. Through personally modeling in our lives, a heart of unconditional, standards presented through the Word of God, we can encourage others to follow God’s standards.
It is through His Word alone that we find life, peace, joy and hope.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2)
As we have the honor of investing in those we minister to, let’s be conduits of L.I.F.E. to each and every person in our sphere of influence.
