Adventist Community Services (ACS) Leaders

Introduction

In His earthly ministry Christ worked out a pattern for His followers to copy. He
“went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed” (Acts 10:38). Christ
identified with the poor and oppressed. “He fed the hungry and healed the sick… By the
good He accomplished, by His loving words and kindly deeds, He interpreted the Gospel to men,”
comments Ellen White.

“Christ’s work in behalf of man is not finished. It continues today. In like manner His
ambassadors are to preach the gospel and to reveal His pitying love for lost and perishing
souls. By an unselfish interest in those who need help they are to give a practical
demonstration of the truth of the gospel.” (Welfare Ministry, pages 56- 57).

When a church serves the world it is an expression of the love of Christ to the world. It is the body
of Christ serving the world’s needs and being used by the Holy Spirit as an agency of salvation.
The church was created for service. It serves the Lord in praise, serves one another in love, and
serves the world in humility. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good
works” (Eph. 2:10).

Role of an ACS Leader

In accordance with the SDA Church Manual – with South Pacific Division Supplements (2016, p.
101, 102), the Adventist Community Services Leader is elected by the church. This
organisation works closely with other church departments in community outreach. It includes
more than giving material aid. It focuses on identifying needs and responding with services
based on these specific identified needs. Examples are educational seminars, community
development, visiting, counselling, and other services relevant to the community.
The Adventist Community Services Leader is a member of the Personal Ministries Council and
the church board. If the church operates a Community Services center, the personal ministries
council is its governing committee. The Council appoints the director of the center, who is a
member of the Council as well as the church board.

Duties of an ACS Leader

• Discovering the needs of the community. A needs assessment of your area should be
  completed every two or three years by visual inspection; by talking with police, fire, mental
  health, and welfare authorities; by reviewing the news media; and by conducting surveys.
• Mobilising a response to specific concerns. It is your responsibility to help your church
  identify social concerns to which it feels called to respond. Usually this decision will be made
  in the outreach or personal ministries committee. Once the decision is made you will have the
  task of getting the word out and rousing the congregation to action. To learn how to mobilise
  and organise the church members for outreach and/or training of your team, see your
  Conference Adventist Community Service Director.
• Organisation of programs. You will be asked to recruit volunteers and arrange details of
  disaster relief programs, entry events (activities through which non-members participate for
  the first time in a church-sponsored activity), and other social action projects. These will
  include health screening, aid for the poor, literacy and employment assistance, and inner city
  programs (just to mention a few).
• Establish cooperation. The community services leader is asked to work with other
  organisations in the community so the church does not duplicate services. Contracts
  (agreements) will have to be drawn up in the event that your local church engages in official
  capacity with other agencies. Your Conference Director will assist you with these agreements.
  Job Description: Local Church ACS Leader Update July 2019
  In the meantime you, or someone you appoint, will meet regularly with inter-agency
  committees to represent the Adventist Church.
• Communication. You are the person the congregation expects to keep it posted about
  Adventist Community Services activities, as well as provide information on current issues and
  training events. This means that you will want to utilise sharing time in your local church),
  prepare announcements for the bulletin and church newsletter, and distribute a
  comprehensive statistical report at least once a year. Since the yearly ADRA “Ingathering”
  appeal is a major sou

How can my church appoint an ACS Leader?

After prayerfully considering the importance of your church becoming a transforming agent in its community, following the method of Christ, you’ve decided to appoint an ACS Leader. Here are the 4 simple steps to get started:

1. Search for an individual in your church community who has clearly demonstrated the passion, giftedness and calling towards this ministry.
2. Take their name to the Nominating Committee or Church board for approval to instate them as the official ACS Leader within your church.
3. Once approved, provide the Conference ACS department assistant with your newly elected ACS leader’s name and contact details.
4. Invite your Conference ACS Director to a planning committee to assist in developing a training program towards effective Adventist Community Services program in each area, vital for the success of the local church.

Department Contact Details

David Haupt – ACS Director

E: davidhaupt@adventist.org.au

M: 0433 305 910

Teagan Humphries – ACS Assistant

E: teaganhumphries@adventist.org.au

P: 02 4951 8088

Resource Materials

• Serving Humanity: A practical guide to discover the heart of God for your Church.
• Christian Service by Ellen G. White.
• Follow Me: How to Walk With Jesus, by Miraslov Kis. With sensitive sketches of people whose
  lives were transformed when they met Jesus, the author gives us new eyes, and then explores
  the implications of following Jesus.
• Ministries of Compassion is a revised edition of the Adventist Community Services manual. This
  is the official guide for community service centres, the inner city program, and similar projects.
• The Ministry of Healing by Ellen G. White.
• Welfare Ministry by Ellen G. White.