Laying Tracks for the "Local-Motive"

Most Christian groups have a statement of faith. These statements of faith can overlap, connect, and some are interchangeable. They can be general, but they are not generic. The world of Christian relief and development is in part general— practitioners share books, ideas, mistakes, philosophy, training and theology. But Christian relief and development (R and D) is not generic. It builds on the Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible. Biblical relief and development sees people as integral, whole beings, and its wholistic ministries incorporate the Gospel as a key component of a project designed to meet needs of body and spirit. Christian relief and development is the biblical combination of the Word of God and a tangible, social action that hopes to make a difference in Jesus’ name. How do accomplish it, when to accomplish it, utilizing what methods to achieve the goals of an R and D outreach are the ongoing questions that challenge Christian R and D workers. Sustainable, impacting relief and development must derive from a community’s understanding of its needs and builds upon a community’s ownership to see change done. Perhaps it will be a micro-enterprise that gives a family income and challenges them to witness Christ through this. Maybe it will be a school that provides an atmosphere for learning and incorporates the Gospel through good education and nutrition. It could be a Bible based skills training program that prepares people for better jobs. Possibly it will be aid given after a disaster that works both to provide relief and rehabilitation and challenges a church to become more integral in its ministry to the community. The list goes on. Biblical R and D works to practically discern the mystery of Christ made flesh, that heaven and earth are meshed together. It points heavenward by beginning where the targeted community is, learning it needs, ideas, and geography. Christian Relief and Development lays tracks for the successful, biblical fruition of a local motive. The value added of CAMA Services is that we are a church based R and D ministry that works alongside Christian and Missionary Alliance church planters around the world. CAMA workers study the language, learn the culture(s) and minister wholistically within a community, with hopes that a sustainable, biblical, healthy project will continue for a long time to come.