The Hands That Will Restore Humanity: A History of Christian Service and Applications for Today

By Matthew Belleville

Christians throughout history have served those in need, preserved and advanced education and trades, and actively engaged in poverty relief. In The Hands That Will Restore Humanity: A History of Christian Service and Applications for Today, we look at how the Church gained prominence by service and consider ways we can leverage those specific forms of service today.

 

The content covered in six digestible chapters include:

- The success of the Church under Roman rule.

- The cultural preservation by early monks and monasteries.

- Geneva's diaconal model.

- Transforming poverty to productivity.

- Being God's representatives to the world.

- The applicability of the poor-tithe.

 

"This short primer hits the ground running with immediate application that you can implement in your local fellowship, as it provides a historical backdrop and a renewed vision at how the Church should view education and the diaconate. Lord willing, this book will lead you into further study into these important and often neglected matters. I would recommend Matthew's book to any pastor and layman seeking to better serve their own fellowship and local community."

- Kamaron Gray, Pastor of Harvest Bible Fellowship in Pendleton, Indiana

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matthew Belleville
• Release date: May 26, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393302100

Matthew Belleville

Matt has lived in multiple countries and has sought to apply God's Word in every area. From crafting digital strategies to equipping refugees. He has obtained his Bachelor of Applied Christian Studies from New Geneva Christian Leadership Academy.

Book preview

Translation Used

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Endorsements

This booklet is for the serious Christian. Those who are concerned with applying all of the Bible to all of life. Through historical examples and Biblical texts, Matt reveals how local churches can faithfully and effectively address poverty in their area. Matt's proposal is not a baptized version of socialism, like many church models. It focuses on Christian obedience and charity that aims to pull people out of poverty. This book is a great primer for the committed Christian to rethink and reanalyze established beliefs about service, deacons, and poverty.

-  Eric Stewart, Pastor of ONELife Church, President of 1L4L

This short primer hits the ground running with immediate application that you can implement in your local fellowship, as it provides a historical backdrop and a renewed vision at how the church should view education and the diaconate. Lord willing, this book will lead you into further study into these important and often neglected matters. I would recommend Matthew’s book to any pastor and layman seeking to better serve their own fellowship and local community.

-  Kamaron Gray, Pastor of Harvest Bible Fellowship in Pendleton, Indiana

Matt Belleville's contribution to what the Bible and the history of our family, the Church, tell us service should (and could) look like is welcome. I want to go to a Monastic Trade School, a fantastic idea from Biblical common sense and our monastic example that gives people what they really need, holistic life-on-life training in the context of community. His Biblical explanation of the deacon and the poor makes us reconsider our own churches. If the poor aren't served, are our churches well ordered? Does that responsibility fall on the State? Come and learn how God would have us do this essential work that his people are eager to do.

-  Curtis Shields, Teaching Elder

Introduction

The Hands That Will Restore Humanity: A History of Christian Service and Applications for Today falls somewhere between encouragement and a call to action. Encouragement, in what the Church has done throughout history. A call to action, in what we must continue.

Chapter 1 focuses on the work of the early Church.