1. TRANSFORMING RURAL COMMUNITIES Envisioning

2. Community Health Evangelism/ Transforming Rural Communities  CHE is Community Health Evangelism which is mostly focused in rural communities  118 countries worldwide  In over 4000 villages globally  By over 550 groups  Transforming Rural Communities is CHE in Rural North America and is focused on underserved smaller communities

3. Transforming Rural Communities By  Connecting People  Creating Community  Transforming Communities

4. Built on Luke 10:27  Spiritual Mandate: Love God with all your mind, body, soul and strength AND  Cultural Mandate: Love your neighbor as yourself

5. Our Purpose  Not just breaking poverty or planting churches, though both are accomplished  A transformation in lives and communities that is as deep as the human heart and as broad as the whole range of the different sectors of society.  Jesus is recognized as Lord over all creation and our development activities to reflect the depth and breadth of the kingdom of God.

6. See a rural community develop to its God- given potential in all areas of life. Communities are networked together so eventually the region is transformed. Vision For Rural Communities

7. Transformation is Built on Relationships  Person to person relationships which is built over time and through multiple contacts  Person to neighborhood relationships  Small community to others in county relationships

8. CHE Overseas is in Rural Villages  A geographical place where people live  Been in same place for generations  Know each other  Hold many things in common  Strong network of relationships  Have a sense of belonging, my place

9. Characteristics Needed to be a Real Community  Neighbors live in same geographic area  Neighbors know each other  Neighbors available to each other  Neighbors spontaneous with each other  Neighbors meet frequently  Neighbors have common meals

10. People Often Only See Needs  Alcohol and drug dependency  Youth leaving for life in the cities  Unemployment and underemployment  Underfunded schools at risk of being closed  Shifting values  Broken families  Poor living conditions

11.  All people want to be of value to others and not just be a receivers  Builds on what i s in the neighborhood already, work can be on-going by people in it.  Needs focus on problems, assets on solutions But God Has Given Many Assets

12. How Does One Find Assets In the Community?  ASK PEOPLE: for input on themselves, on associations, and institutions, about the location, and about what they’ve seen God doing.  WHO do we ask? Everyone community leaders, workers, housewives, teachers kids  We value people by asking them

13. Rural Community Transformation Is Built On  Find Externally focused Churches and want to reach their communities in a wholistic way.  Prayer and unity in the church.  Identifying and utilizing the assets already found in your community.  Mobilizing individuals, associations and institutions. to build together on their assets.  Reawakening neighbor helping neighbor instead of being dependent on professionals.  Connect small interest groups to neighborhood interests.  Jesus Christ is the cornerstone. He has good plans for your community.

14. Relief Betterment Development Ways to Help

15. Major Players in Rural Community Transformation  A Facilitation/Training Team (launch team) of 10-12 lay people from the church, and eventually the community, initiates the program--creating awareness and training the next two groups.  A Committee, or Association of local leaders who are trained by launch team & then direct Rural Community Transformation in their area.  Mentors/Coaches are local volunteers who learn how to help their neighbors & then visit neighbors to share what they have learned.

16. Participation BY People’s at Their Interest Level  Expose (Doing For)  Easy Entry  One Time  No Commitment  Little Relationship  Engage (Come Along Side)  Several Times  Heart is Changing  Some Commitment  Builds New Relationships  Own (Leadership)  Deeper Engagement  Recruiting Others  High Relationship Do For Come Alongside Leadership

17. Training Local Volunteer Facilitators  Facilitators are volunteers therefore only have limited time each week  Start with 14 hour Weekend Training for volunteer facilitators by Master Trainer  Train multiple churches together each applying in their neighborhood.  Churches decide which modules they want additional training on from 16 modules (4 to 7 hours each).

18. Participatory Learning Owned by The Learners  Starts with what people already know and builds.  Focuses on the learner not the teacher.  People are involved in their own learning instead of being lectured to. They participate in small groups, discussions, role plays, creating stories and songs.  All learning is turned into action and not left as head knowledge.  The teaching is under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  There are over 2000 participatory lesson plans to be used by the trained on many different topics.

19. Observable Indicators of Transformation  Transformed neighborhoods from the inside.  People know neighbors and helping each other.  People knowing and growing in Christ.  People taking responsibility for their own lives.  Healthy growing churches.  Improvement in employment and living conditions.  Reduction in disease, crime, drug and alcohol addiction.  Other towns throughout the county begin to implement Transforming Rural Communities.

20. Resources www.neighborhoodtransformation.net www.chenetwork.org http://facebook.com/pages/Neighborhood -Transformation/178206349129 http://urbancheguy.wordpress.com stan@neighborhoodtransformation,net