building a joy-filled community in the slums

BUILDING A JOY-FILLED COMMUNITY IN THE

SLUMS

THE HOLY SPIRIT’S PATTERN FOR CHURCH

PLANTING

WELCOME TOWELCOME TO KOLKATAKOLKATA !!

WHERE IS THAT?WHERE IS THAT?

Kolkata is the new name Kolkata is the new name for Calcutta!for Calcutta!

With 18 million people, With 18 million people, Kolkata is one of the Kolkata is one of the largest cities in the largest cities in the

world . . .world . . .

BESIDES NICE AND EXCITING THINGS,

THERE ARE ALSO HUGE NEEDS, HOPELESSNESS

AND POVERTY...

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE BORN POOR, LIVING AND

DYING IN POVERTY!

CAN WE HELP TO CHANGE THEIR DESTINY?

IS THERE ANY HOPE?

YES !!! YES !!!

YES !!! YES !!!

“BORN POOR” THE SHOP OF THE POOR!

CONNEXIONS VOCATIONAL

TRAINING CENTER

TRAINING AND WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG WOMEN FROM THE SLUMS

SEWING & Tailoring

SARI BLANKETS

CARDS & PAPER BAGS

FRIENDSHIPS, ATTITUDES & VALUES

FELLOWSHIP & UNITY

HAPPINESS

CONNEXIONS COMMUNITY

ConneXions is a training and income generating project / activity.

It sows the seeds and creates an environment for a church to be

planted.

Lets have a closer look of how ConneXions does it…

The Church is a community

• A Church is not created by helping individuals to become economically self sufficient.

• Members of a Church must value their experience of learning and working together.

• Helping one another to acquire skills to live and bless others is essential for a joy-filled community (Church).

• A Church must teach its members to practice “Kingdom values” in all aspects of their daily lives.

The impact of these Kingdom values were demonstrated in

the Acts 2 Church

The Acts 2 v 42-47 pattern

• They continually devoted themselves to prayer, teaching, fellowship and breaking bread.

• They had a sense of awe at the amazing things God was doing amongst them.

• They had all things in common.• They shared their possessions.

• They were meeting together daily.• They were of one mind (unity).• They were eating together.• They were daily worshipping God together.• They were glad (joy-filled).• They were sincere in their heart and

relationships with one another.

How do we prepare to enter a slum context?

There are four key steps to entry;1. Hear the call of God and respond in

obedience2. Relocate into the slum and live with the

people3. Reconcile relationships within the slum4. Re-distribute wealth and resources

especially the under-used labour resource

How do we create a joy-filled community

in a slum context?

• Find an activity appropriate to the context that is skill creating and income generating that a group of people can do together in the same location.

• The joy of learning and earning will create an environment for a church to be planted.

Leadership will emerge from the activity

• The group participation in the activity will cause leaders to emerge from within the group and they should be given responsibility for the leadership of the group activity. This way indigenous leadership gifts will emerge among the community.

Jesus was anointed to set the oppressed free!

• Isaiah 61 verses 1-2• Bring good news to the afflicted• Bind up the broken-hearted• Proclaim liberty to the captives• Set the prisoners freeAll the above Jesus did so they will

experience the favourable year of the Lord in their lives.

The same anointing is upon urban poor workers so

they can…

• Bring the year of God’s favour to the slum dwellers.

• Liberating them from poverty, disease, malnutrition, addictions, and broken relationships

Anointed slumworkers should try to…

…develop an activity in a slum that will:

• Form and interdependent community that meets together every day.

• Teaches skills, creates income, teaches kingdom values and attitudes, prays and praises together.

• Is fair and just and shows the love and goodness of God for all members of the community.

A joy-filled community becomes…..

• A Church.• The ministry of each person to the other

becomes the way in which the Spirit develops gifts in each person.

• These gifts make a way for leadership to develop in the community. Leadership should be encouraged as a recognition of maturity in Christ.

A Church among the Urban Poor Bengali speakers has emerged.

• Pastor Prabhudan Bag and his family is leading the church.

• His son and daughter in law relocate to the slums.

• Leaders emerge.• Baptism and discipling classes start and are

well attended.• A Sunday School and Kids Club is started by

indigenous leaders. • The Church grows rapidly.

The Urban Poor of Kolkata start to experience the

favourable year of the Lord in their lives.