World Go! Manual

The Discipline of Service
Demonstrate God’s love in practical ways through the discipline of service
By John and Beth Muehleisen, Special Assignment
May 10, 2012

A growing ministry for us in Africa is CHE—community health evangelism. Through CHE, we train village health educators to bring spiritual and health lessons to families in their area each week. One of the tools we use in CHE is seed projects. These are short-term projects of compassion done by CHE volunteers within their own communities.

Rev. Martin Owor’s team’s first seed project in Kenya was to repair a leaking grass-thatched roof on the hut of an elderly Muslim lady in his community. As Martin and another pastor worked on the roof, many people from the neighborhood stopped to watch and ask questions.

“Why are you doing this? She doesn’t even belong to your church. As a matter of fact, she isn’t even a Christian.”

These were just a few of the comments from the spectators. Their curiosity gave Martin an open door to begin sharing about CHE and the responsibility that all believers have to love their neighbors through their actions regardless of religious affiliation.

Martin’s seed project affected not only the spectators but also the Muslim lady, who began attending his church because she wanted to know why a Christian would come to repair her hut. Although she does not yet know the Lord, she is curious about these people who put their faith into action by demonstrating God’s love in a practical way.

Every time a seed project has been completed in a community, the question is always the same: “Why are you doing this?” These acts of service touch those who aren’t saved, and they also speak volumes to those who are saved, reminding us that we, too, should actively love those around us. Faith in action is truly a powerful thing.