In our report, Fullness of Life Together, Reimagining Christian engagement in our communities, Livability & Church Urban Fund joined together to reflect on the way in which churches engage in their communities to respond to social need.
Thousands of churches around the country are providing activities ranging from food banks and debt advice, to night shelters and job clubs. To tap into these churches, we invited Christians seeking to impact their communities to reflect with us on how we might do this in ways that build community and result in life in all its fullness, shared together.
In it, we asked questions about the dominance of service delivery models in Christian community engagement and sought to offer alternatives drawing on Co-production and Asset-Based Community Development.
Following the report, we arranged two workshops to explore the questions the original report raises. We’re now launching Building Kingdom Communities which is designed to be used in small groups, missional communities and community projects and seeks to help make connections between our theology and our actions.
The resource offers a clear, three stage process for groups to follow which includes theological reflections and case studies. Building Kingdom Communities serves as an introductory tool into practical theology, aiming to draw on experiences of each group member, encouraging conversations that lead to real change.
It is our hope that Building Kingdom Communities will highlight current challenges faced in community engagement, breaking down barriers between people and enabling transforming relationships shaped by reconciliation, sacrificial love, friendship and grace.
[thrive_link color=’green’ link=’https://www.livability.org.uk/resource/building-kingdom-communities/’ target=’_self’ size=’big’ align=’full’]Click here to get your copy of the report[/thrive_link]
Follow-up events
Read the report and open to reviewing what you do and how you do it? We’re planning a number of follow-up events around the country which will explore the issues raised in the report. These practical events are designed to help those who want to learn more about different approaches to community development which Livability believes better honour the dignity of the individual and of the community and are ultimately more effective for everyone.