In Mark 1: 40-45, we hear Jesus authoritatively declare “Be clean!” to a man stricken with leprosy. This passage describes Jesus as indignant or, as translated in some Bibles, filled with compassion. Filled with compassion, our indignant Jesus then performs a beautiful miracle by healing this man and restoring him to wholeness.

This is the Jesus whom we follow: a Savior who is indignant and filled with compassion at the consequences of sin throughout God’s Creation.

Living a life like Jesus will naturally lead us to living lives of compassion because compassion is an essential element to the holy character of our God. We are reminded in the book Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life that the compassion of God is a righteous anger. This compassion of God is an indignation about brokenness and injustice in the world; an indignation that always moves to action. Compassion is not simply a feeling of pity. It is a response from the center of our emotions (which during the time of Jesus was understood to be centered in our bowels) that results in action.

The compassion of God is a righteous anger at brokenness in the world.

The compassion of God is emotional rather than stoic.

And, very importantly, the compassion of God is active.

For those of us who follow Christ, we are called to live lives of compassion that reflect our holy God. And if this holy God can be emotionally moved to respond in righteous anger to wrongs in the world, we must be moved in the same way.

Now this has been a trademark of Christians since the founding of the Church in the Book of Acts. Embodying the love of Christ, Christians are always compelled to not turn a blind eye to the brokenness in the world. Rather, this compassion of God is a calling for each Christian – and each local church – to address brokenness whenever and wherever we encounter it.

Put simply, Christians engaging in compassionate ministry are addressing needs in the world with the love of Jesus Christ.

And addressing these needs with Christ’s love is most effective and transformational when it is done within the context of relationships. We are made for relationships both with God and with other humans.

Rev. Jay Height, Nazarene Compassionate Ministry USA/Canada Coordinator, uses the metaphor of LEGO building blocks when speaking to this idea of being built for connection. LEGO blocks are made to connect both vertically and horizontally. It is through these “connections” that something new is created. And this is a fitting metaphor for our Christian journey isn’t it?

We are built for connection. And the work of compassionate ministry is, in the words of Rev. Height, “to connect people with God and connect them with others.”

When our compassionate ministry work is based on relationships with our neighbors, we can identify true needs in the community. When that ministry work is also centered on a relationship with Jesus Christ, it helps us ensure that we keep first things first.

When our compassionate ministry work is based on relationships with our neighbors, we can identify true needs in the community. When that ministry work is also centered on a relationship with Jesus Christ, it helps us ensure that we keep first things first.

Compassionate ministry must be centered on building relationships, helping needs be met, and introducing people to the salvation that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

Now when the world dramatically changes, needs will change as well. This is why innovation is also a core element to the DNA of compassionate ministry. We must be willing to iterate, learn, and grow as we engage in Christ-centered compassionate ministry in our communities and in our world.

Innovation and creativity are critical to being faithful in compassionate ministry during any time of change. What worked 30 years ago will not necessarily still work today. In fact, for local churches, the needs may constantly be changing because the community where that congregation is planted is always changing too.

Similar to all other aspects to the life of the Church, compassionate ministry will continue to adapt over time while the core message and driving-force (the salvific Good News of Jesus Christ) stays the same.

In compassionate ministry, our need for innovation is driven by this salvation in Jesus. We must constantly learn, grow, and change in order to share the holistic, life-altering work of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible. This is our response to the Great Commission! In this way, compassionate ministry is key to our churches’ discipleship and evangelism efforts. We must do everything we can to reach everyone we can and invite them into the transformational Kingdom of God.

By focusing on connection and innovation, our local churches can be well placed to engage in compassionate ministry in a way that is Christ-centered, empowering, and effective. These two components aid our churches in sharing the timeless Good News in new ways that truly help others and connect us with our community.

For practical keys on how to innovate in compassionate ministry in local churches, check out Part 2 of this discussion.