How should churches care for the homeless?

My wife Robin and I are involved with Village Mosaix a ministry of our church that cares for the marginalised in our community, including the homeless. Given our lack of experience and expertise, we are eager to learn from others who have worked long and hard in this challenging field. Here is a review by Robin of a book that we both find helpful, encouraging, and challenging.

Not Just a One-Night Stand: Ministry with the Homeless by John Flowers and Karen Vannoy

The authors ask a lot from those of us who want to care for the marginalised in our cities, nothing less than mutual transformation. It is true that the homeless aren’t the only ones that need to be transformed. We all fall short of what God has planned for us. The poor have as much to teach us as we have to give them. Church attendees have their own addictions they struggle with. It may not be the same as people on the streets but include things such as food, control, ego, anxiety, attention, work, and the good life filled with many toys. 

The authors challenge us “to learn why our “help” often doesn’t help.” We need to stop thinking of ministering to the homeless and instead see it as ministry with the homeless. Reflecting this from the very beginning with a participatory style of service. We don’t get bonus points for having our hearts and wallets in the right place if our actions are in the wrong direction.  Dignity and respect are vital. Here are a few problematic attitudes: we feel sorry for you, we have a great deal, you have so little, we are not as broken as you are, and we have come to help you.

The authors challenge us to care for others, not for any thanks that we might receive, but because Jesus has told us to love our neighbours. A real zinger for many churches is that the authors explicitly say a hot meal is not enough. 

There are many good stories and some not so good. They encourage readers to want to go deeper in our mutual transformation together with the poor. 

The four-page epilogue gives some helpful suggestions on where to start. The one challenging me the most was having a close enough relationship with people in our area so they will tell us what they need rather than us assuming we know. This book is written from an American perspective where there are some different resources and attitudes to Australia, such as fewer government services and vastly larger numbers of homeless. However, the ideas and lessons are transferable to the Australian context.