Inevitably there are some churches who do not do an Act of Love in the six months that follows Module 1. Excuses may range from ‘we didn’t know what to do’, to ‘we didn’t have any resources to get started’. While there are many reasons, most come back to the fact that they didn’t feel it was that important. So what do we do? Do we stop giving them any training?

Actually we recommend that you continue. We usually complete the first three modules before we make a decision to stop doing any more training. Why? One key reason is that sometimes the way that we explain things in module 1, doesn’t ‘click’ with them. A life time of beliefs don’t always change quickly. So while they intellectually may agree with what is being taught, they still tend to believe that really, the church should focus on spiritual ministry. Helping the poor is either not their problem or they feel helpless to act.

By continuing for three trainings we give people the opportunity to hear the message three different ways. It’s been our experience that at least one of these has an impact. It is also long enough for them to start to see the impact on the surrounding churches. There are always some churches that do an amazing job of applying what they are learning. When the others who are slower to respond see the results of their efforts, they are more likely to jump in and get started. It’s human nature – some will quickly respond to new ideas, some will watch and wait. God designed both people and we want to cater to both.

So yes, we do bring Module 2 to those churches who have not yet done an Act of Love. And we keep praying for them—praying that God will open their eyes and help them to understand and apply what they are learning.