Development Ministry

Why do we need this office?

In the fellowship of Churches of Christ, development ministry has been neglected in favor of relief ministry, and both have often been separated from evangelistic ministries of other kinds. We need to promote holistic and developmental approaches to ministry in general in keeping with Harding's mission to develop Christian servants.

What is the purpose of the Office of Development Ministry?

The office for Development Ministry will function within the Center for World Missions to educate churches, missionaries to foreign lands, nationals in foreign lands, vocational ministers, and others who want to serve the poor in North America in the principles and practices that guide development ministry conducted in Jesus' name.

What will the office actually do?

1. This office will provide resources to interested inquirers in the form of courses and seminars, both on and off the Harding campus, drawing on the expertise of different faculty members and development practitioners.

2. The office will network with existing development ministries such as ACHF, Partners in Progress, Manna Intl. and the like.

3. The office will work to raise the level of student interest and involvement in development ministry in order to broaden and deepen the outreach of the churches they will serve in the future. In order to accomplish this objective, the office is considering:

a. coordinating a "Service Learning" program on the Harding campus that will connect students to service opportunities in White County and beyond.

b. expanding course offerings in Development Ministry (just two courses at the moment: Health Care Missions and Cross-Cultural Development Strategies) and perhaps offering a degree in Development Ministry in the future.

c. constructing a training facility similar to the Global Village at the Heifer Project ranch as student interest increases.

Can you give me some examples of how the office can help?

1. Churches sponsoring River City ministries in Little Rock call our office and ask for assistance in implementing Christian development principles to enhance their outreach to the urban poor. We suggest resources. Our students receive on-campus training prior to participating in an inner-city campaign there.

2. Churches in Arkansas call the Center for World Missions asking for guidance in reaching out to Spanish-speaking immigrants in their communities. We connect them to churches we know of that are using ESL classes to reach this population. We offer the services of Harding students willing to teach ESL classes in Spanish on the weekends and train local church members.

3. After some orientation provided by the Center, students participate in following up His House contacts by visiting their homes, befriending their children and serving in any way they can.

Where is your office located?

The Office for Development Ministry is located in the Center for World Missions in McInteer Building, Room 134, on the Harding campus.