Just like the widow in desperate need who Elisha encounters in 2 Kings, so it can seem that our communities have desperate needs: homeless encampments, drug overdose crisis, natural disasters destroying towns, long health care waitlists, exploitative landlords, and the list goes on.
However, the prophet Elisha didn’t offer the widow something from outside her home. Instead, he asked her to reflect on what she already had. The small jar of oil she possessed became the key to her deliverance. Similarly, Asset Based Community Development encourages churches to start with what is already present within their congregation and community.
No matter how insignificant our gifts may seem, God’s provision often comes from what we already have and churches are invited to help people identify their gifts and connect with how God is at work in their community. Churches have long served as centers of hope, service and transformation within their communities.
ABCD offers a refreshing perspective, that God has placed everything we need within our reach.
At Diaconal Ministries Canada we support churches in focusing on the strengths, talents and resources that already exist through the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) framework. In the past year alone, this approach has encouraged churches to build on existing community dinner initiatives with neighborhood connection events, partner with community ministries to connect people coming out of the local prison with jobs and mentorship, and explore affordable housing possibilities for refugees and low-income seniors.
The goal of ABCD is to leverage what already exists to bring positive change, creating sustainable development from the inside out by identifying and mobilizing assets such as:
In a world focused on deficits and angry rhetoric, ABCD offers a refreshing perspective, that God has placed everything we need within our reach. When churches embrace the mindset of focusing on assets, they not only address practical needs, but also restore dignity and purpose. We can shift the focus from scarcity to abundance, reminding people that we are not defined by what we lack, but by the gifts we possess. This reflects the abundant life Jesus came to offer (John 10:10).
Jesus called his followers to love their neighbours in ways that empower them. ABCD moves beyond a charity model by asking: “How can we walk alongside others as equals, discovering their gifts and identifying our own strengths?” Churches can involve community members in the ministries designed for their benefit: such as community gardens, community dinners, foodbanks or clothing drives to foster ownership and dignity.
What small step could your church take today to increase participation and reveal new gifts? Tell me, what is in your house?
Photo from a recent ABCD training.
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