Eight Step Process to Leading People to Engage Needs

I was fortunate to sit in one of Brandon Hatmaker’s classes at Exponential a few weeks ago. He outlined an eight step process to lead people to engage needs in their communities. They are as follows:

1. Embrace social action as part of discipleship. When we are involved in social action we are not only impacting those we serve, but we are also having an effect on ourselves.

2. Settle your theology in regards to social action. Hatmaker says that social action is not the gospel, but part of the complete gospel proclamation. It includes three perspectives: a)doctrinal (it saves) b)personal (it transforms) and c)social (it renews). 

3. Grow in your understanding of mercy. This means that we are so thankful for God’s mercy and love that we serve out of that love.

4. Grow in your understanding of justice. This is the pursuit of making things the way they should be. James 4:17 says, “it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”

5. Expose the need. This is the discovery of the needs in our communities. It may not be what we first thought. We need to find out what the needs are. 

6. Encounter the need. Serving others gives people a good starting point to understanding what it means to make a difference, and whets their appetite for doing more. 

7. Engage the need. This is developing a personal interest in a specific need. It can be done on our own or with a group of people. 

8. Move beyond the program. Service is not a program; it is a way of life. The goal is to equip people to serve as part of their natural life rhythm. 

Brandon Hatmaker planted the Austin New Church and is author of Barefoot Church.