Community and Church Transformation Through Incarnational Ministry

by Charles K. Wilsey
June 4th, 2022

This qualitative research project is focused on understanding the relationship between churches that are excelling at community work and the communities that they are part of with a focus on five churches situated in the San Juaquin Valley in California. Each of these churches were engaging their communities in incarnational ways. The data was gathered from senior pastors and senior leaders, focus groups made up of ministry team members and volunteers, collaboration partners, and community members that have had connections with these churches. Many of the churches had used attractional methods, and church growth principles as models for church growth and health. Each of the churches studied were presently intentional about living and teaching incarnational methods for Kingdom health. Some of the ways that these churches were engaging their communities included serving, staying focused on others, and living incarnationally. This project also offers a critique of the Church Growth Movement and the attractional model for church growth. Rather than using the business model, sociological patterns and trends, practices that society are already using to sell products, etc., to guide a congregation, these churches function guided by the ways that Jesus loved. Collectively, these churches fed the hungry, clothed people, brought about dignity to the poor, and worked to help transform their communities. Some of the takeaways from this project are approach people humbly, serve from gratitude, love like Jesus, and build relationships everywhere. Another one is to collaborate with people that share your goals.