Just to get your idea juices flowing here are number of existing ministries that believers can readily take part in. The structures are already there in most communities—they just need volunteers. There are as many opportunities for compassion as there are human needs; cataloging them all would be nearly impossible. No, you can’t do everything. But you can do something. The question is what. Here’s a partial list of possibilities.
- adult victims of child abuse
- AIDS ministries or hospices
- alternative schools for kids who would otherwise drop out
- child advocates
- coffeehouse hospitality ministries that bring people in from the streets
- computer literacy classes or tutoring
- crisis hotlines
- ministries to the disabled
- disaster relief ministries
- divorce recovery
- economic and community development ministries
- ministries to the elderly
- employment ministries
- ethnic and urban ministries
- food ministries
- foster homes
- grief support groups
- medical or dental clinics
- housing ministries
- international student outreaches
- mediation services
- domestic violence safehouses
- mothers of preschoolers groups
- prison and jail visitation and ministries
- prostitution ministries
- refugees
- shelters
- runaways
- substance-abuse
- terminally ill
- veterans outreach