Building Hope in Outreach Ministry

Churches and faith-based organizations may discover their role in fulfilling the Great Commission seems to be overshadowed by their efforts to provide other forms of relief and support. Central Florida, like many different regions in the United States, is facing an epidemic of homelessness and addiction. Natural and manmade disasters also present urgent and existential threats. The researcher believes that building true and lasting hope in Jesus is key to facing these challenges in the long term. He hypothesized that intractable barriers may create hopelessness and shift the focus of ministry away from inspiring hope. He conducted purposive interviews and hope assessments among church volunteer workers who provided food, clothing, transportation, and other relief to individuals struggling with homelessness and addiction. During this action research project, the COVID-19 pandemic limited the ability of volunteers and patrons to travel and hold large gatherings, and Hurricane Ian challenged ministry workers to shift their focus to disaster relief temporarily. Though these changes caused unanticipated shifts in the researcher’s investigation into the level and nature of the hope of ministry workers and patrons, he found deep and resilient hope in Jesus already resident among believers, as well as an expressed desire to focus their limited resources on those truly seeking transformation. The findings challenge Christian ministries to clarify the scope and nature of their ministry activities to maintain their focus on fulfilling the Great Commission.