Restore Tulsa seeks to establish holistic ministries that meet both the physical and spiritual needs of its members' communities. Restore Tulsa operates under the covering of the elders of Christ Presbyterian Church. The book, Restoring at Risk Communities, has been formative for Restore Tulsa and the three Rs are wholeheartedly adopted by its members. Below is John M. Perkins description of the three Rs and how they are driven by the gospel (Restoring at Risk Communities Pgs. 21-23)
Holistic: Evangelism and Social Action
The gospel, rightly understood, is holistic. It responds to people as whole people; it doesn't single out just spiritual or just physical needs and speak to those. Christian community development begins with people transformed by the love of God, who then respond to God's call to share the gospel with others through evangelism, social action, economic development, and justice. These groups of Christians start churches and community development corporations, evangelism outreaches and tutoring programs, discipleship groups and housing programs, prayer groups and businesses. However, the next principle is an additional commitment that distinguishes this movement from traditional approaches.
Relocation: Living among the Poor
Living the gospel means desiring for your neighbor and your neighbor's family that which you desire for yourself and your family. Living the gospel means bettering the quality of other people's lives spiritually, physically, socially, and emotionally as you better your own. Living the gospel means sharing in the suffering and pain of others.
How did Jesus love? The Word become flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Jesus relocated. He became one of us. He didn't commute back and forth to heaven. Similarly, the most effective messenger of the gospel to the poor will also live among the poor.
By relocating, we will understand most clearly the real problems facing the poor; then we may begin to look for real solutions. For example, if our children are a part of that community, you can be sure we will do whatever we can to make sure that the children of our community get a good education. Relocation transforms you, them, and theirs to we, us, and ours. Effective ministries plant and build communities of believers that have a personal stake in the development of their neighborhoods.
Reconciliation: People to God, Neighbor to Neighbor
Reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel. Jesus said that the essence of Christianity could be summed up in two inseparable commandments: love God and love thy neighbor. First, Christian community development is concerned with reconciling people to God and bringing them into a church fellowship where they can be discipled in their faith. But can a gospel that reconciles people to God without reconciling people to people be the true gospel of Jesus Christ? Our love for Christ should break down every racial, ethnic, or economic barrier. As Christians come together to solve the problems of their community, the great challenge will be to partner and witness together across these barriers. Christian community development recognizes that the task of loving the poor is shared by the entire body of Christ, black and white, brown and yellow, rich and poor, and urban and suburban.
Redistribution: Empowering the Poor
When the body of Christ is visibly present and living among the poor (relocation) and when we are loving our neighbor and our neighbor's family the way we love ourselves and our own family (reconciliation), the result is redistribution. It is not taking away from the rich and giving to the poor. Rather, it is when God's people with resources are living in the poor community and are a part of it, applying skills and resources to the problems of that community, thereby allowing a natural redistribution to occur. Redistribution is putting our lives, our skills, our education, and our resources to work to empower people in a community of need. Christian community development ministries find creative avenues to create jobs, schools, health centers, home ownership, and other enterprises of long term development.
Leadership Development: The primary goal of redistribution is to fill the vacuum of moral, spiritual, and economic leadership that is so prevalent in poor communities. This is most effectively done by raising up Christian leaders from the community of need who will remain in the community. Most Christian community development ministries put a strong accent on youth development, winning youth to Christ as early as kindergarten, following them all the way through college with spiritual and educational nurturing, and creating opportunities for leadership upon their return to their community.
Church Based: The people of God functioning as a church community is the best means of affirming the dignity of the poor and empowering them to meet their own needs. It is practically impossible to do effective holistic ministry apart from the local church. A nurturing community of faith can best provide the thrusts of evangelism, discipleship, spiritual accountability, and relationship by which disciples grow in their walk with God.
