Benevolence
Open Life to launch Benevolence Ministry
Much of the Western world operates under an ethos of individualism and self-determination. We should be able to find our way, live our truth, achieve our goals, and overcome setbacks and hardships by picking ourselves up by our bootstraps. All we have to do is work hard enough. Not only is this “gospel of self-sufficiency" nonsense, it could not be more contrary to the true Gospel, which preaches complete dependence upon God for provision and grace.
I bought into this mindset of self-reliance and determination for most of my young adulthood, truly believing I could work myself into a flourishing life. Not only did it cause me great stress, but italso alienated me from God by blinding me to my desperate need for his help and that of caring people around me. Fortunately, there were people in my life who paid no mind to my misguided belief that I could manage on my own. They helped me, and through their kindness, I found a love for Jesus and a way forward that was hopeful and purposeful. The truth is, we may think we control our own destiny, but it is the Lord who determines our course and outcomes. (Proverbs 16:9)
You don’t have to read too far into the church’s formation to discover at its beginning, the church was a family–like group of interdependent people structured and positioned to grow in their fellowship and to care for the well-being of its members and community. In Acts 2:44-45, we read, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” This model of deep interdependence was a defining characteristic of the early church.
Later in chapter 4:32-35, we read similarly, “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.”
Later still, in Chapter 6, as the fellowship of believers grew and consequently the needs among them grew, the apostles began to delegate. They continued in their important work of preaching the Gospel, but did not allow the also-important work of caring for the widows and poor to be neglected.
God wove community into the human story—writing our need for connection onto our hearts and making his love tangible to us through the kind words and actions of others. Ancient Israel’s lawbook guided God’s people to live in deeply integrated community with one another in family and tribal units that met one another’s needs daily. The early church’s common bond of fellowship around Christ compelled them to do whatever was necessary to ensure there were no needs among them. And a very cool thing happened as they gathered in interdependent fellowship with one another around the Lord’s Supper and the Word. The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47)
2025 at Open Life has been a year of learning about and reflecting on what it means to love our neighbors and spiritual family. We have engaged in serving our global neighbors through mission trips and a new strategic partnership with World Relief. We have leaned into opportunities to connect with one another through our small groups and meetups, and most recently, our Open Life sponsored Neighborhood Meetups that brought over 90 adults and children together. As our fellowship grows and our influence in the community grows, it is our desire to follow the example of the early church in meeting one another’s needs. While the day-to-day care of our church family happens best in small groups where we come to know others’ stories and struggles personally, we also know that sometimes people face trials of a magnitude that require a larger, more structured response. It could be an extended job loss, a mental or physical health crisis, a catastrophic home loss or an experience of abuse or sudden displacement. We want to be positioned to help when the need arises.
Through the creation of a benevolence fund, we will be able to step in to help with short-term needs like electricity or housing costs, medical expenses, or other basic needs. The distribution of resources through the benevolence fund will be administered through a carefully crafted and executed policy which requires transparency and facilitates the best outcome for our church family members first, and our community members second. We currently have families among us who have needs and field requests regularly from community members, so this is not a fund for a later time but for right now.
Open Life is built on the foundation of living life “open”--doing life together, growing in faith and caring for one another, just like the early believers. The Benevolence Fund is our next step in living that truth. We invite you to be a part of this collective journey of provision and grace by giving today. And maybe through the depth of our care for one another, the Lord will add to our numbers daily those who are being saved as well. To learn more about our vision for this fund, please do not hesitate to contact us.
- Stephanie French
stephanief@openlife.church
Associate Pastor Pathways & Missions
I bought into this mindset of self-reliance and determination for most of my young adulthood, truly believing I could work myself into a flourishing life. Not only did it cause me great stress, but italso alienated me from God by blinding me to my desperate need for his help and that of caring people around me. Fortunately, there were people in my life who paid no mind to my misguided belief that I could manage on my own. They helped me, and through their kindness, I found a love for Jesus and a way forward that was hopeful and purposeful. The truth is, we may think we control our own destiny, but it is the Lord who determines our course and outcomes. (Proverbs 16:9)
You don’t have to read too far into the church’s formation to discover at its beginning, the church was a family–like group of interdependent people structured and positioned to grow in their fellowship and to care for the well-being of its members and community. In Acts 2:44-45, we read, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” This model of deep interdependence was a defining characteristic of the early church.
Later in chapter 4:32-35, we read similarly, “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.”
Later still, in Chapter 6, as the fellowship of believers grew and consequently the needs among them grew, the apostles began to delegate. They continued in their important work of preaching the Gospel, but did not allow the also-important work of caring for the widows and poor to be neglected.
God wove community into the human story—writing our need for connection onto our hearts and making his love tangible to us through the kind words and actions of others. Ancient Israel’s lawbook guided God’s people to live in deeply integrated community with one another in family and tribal units that met one another’s needs daily. The early church’s common bond of fellowship around Christ compelled them to do whatever was necessary to ensure there were no needs among them. And a very cool thing happened as they gathered in interdependent fellowship with one another around the Lord’s Supper and the Word. The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47)
2025 at Open Life has been a year of learning about and reflecting on what it means to love our neighbors and spiritual family. We have engaged in serving our global neighbors through mission trips and a new strategic partnership with World Relief. We have leaned into opportunities to connect with one another through our small groups and meetups, and most recently, our Open Life sponsored Neighborhood Meetups that brought over 90 adults and children together. As our fellowship grows and our influence in the community grows, it is our desire to follow the example of the early church in meeting one another’s needs. While the day-to-day care of our church family happens best in small groups where we come to know others’ stories and struggles personally, we also know that sometimes people face trials of a magnitude that require a larger, more structured response. It could be an extended job loss, a mental or physical health crisis, a catastrophic home loss or an experience of abuse or sudden displacement. We want to be positioned to help when the need arises.
Through the creation of a benevolence fund, we will be able to step in to help with short-term needs like electricity or housing costs, medical expenses, or other basic needs. The distribution of resources through the benevolence fund will be administered through a carefully crafted and executed policy which requires transparency and facilitates the best outcome for our church family members first, and our community members second. We currently have families among us who have needs and field requests regularly from community members, so this is not a fund for a later time but for right now.
Open Life is built on the foundation of living life “open”--doing life together, growing in faith and caring for one another, just like the early believers. The Benevolence Fund is our next step in living that truth. We invite you to be a part of this collective journey of provision and grace by giving today. And maybe through the depth of our care for one another, the Lord will add to our numbers daily those who are being saved as well. To learn more about our vision for this fund, please do not hesitate to contact us.
- Stephanie French
stephanief@openlife.church
Associate Pastor Pathways & Missions
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