Catalyst
Over the decades, I have had the privilege of being involved with many different ministries and non-profit initiatives. My home church is in Bellflower, and as a church we have partnered with various local organizations and other entities around the world. Every so often I will encourage participation in events that are located in neighboring cities. One of my fellow congregants will say, “How come we don’t have a Bellflower version of this event?” My response is typically the same every time. I will say, “Great idea! When are you going to get started?”
We want a lot of things to happen in this world. If you ask the average person on the street to give you a list of societal improvements, it is likely that he or she will easily come up with tasks for companies, government officials, or just society in general. We want these fixes to occur, but oftentimes we don’t want to do them ourselves or are unaware of how to get started. We are tempted to voice the idea and hope that someone else will implement our vision.
Since the early days of Kingdom Causes Bellflower, we have sought to be a catalyst for transformation in the city. The word catalyst has a couple of meanings. If you look it up in the dictionary, the primary definition is in the field of chemistry, and it relates to a substance that either enables or accelerates a reaction. A secondary definition, and perhaps more fitting for KCB, refers to “an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action” (Courtesy of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary).
Some of the work of transformation is done by our hard-working staff week in and week out, but KCB runs on collaboration with partners in the community. Without dedicated volunteers, supporting churches, city leaders, and other non-profit organizations, KCB would not be what it is today.
Do you have ideas on how to love this community? We want to hear them. The reason that we want to hear them is that we have always sought to bring people together. We gather our neighbors and share ideas because we believe that the most effective change happens when friends, churches, and civic leaders have a common vision for change.
I can’t promise you that change will happen overnight, or that it will unfold the exact way that you hope. In addition, I do have a challenge for you. KCB seeks to be the catalyst but there is a balance to that relationship. If you have a vision for this community, you may need to have the drive and perseverance to see it through. KCB can help, but change happens when people are willing to fight through adversity until meaningful change occurs.
The ministries that I have been involved with over the years have not been perfect. Programs and organizations has flaws, and so does KCB. And yet, these initiatives are often wonderful pieces of the puzzle that we like to call loving our neighbors.
What is your piece?