The SIAFU Guidebook

52 The SIAFU Network Guidebook

Free to Live, Free to Love: Urban Disciples Are Liberated in Christ to Do Good Works, Whenever We Can, Wherever We Are

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

~ Galatians 5.13-15

Since all believers are given the Holy Spirit and the spiritual gifts of Christ to use for service and blessing, all have now been liberated in Christ to do good works. As a matter of fact, we were created in Christ Jesus as the very workmanship of God, in order that we might do good works, the very ones which we were reborn in Christ to accomplish (Eph. 2.8-10). The potential for good works of love, hospitality, and generosity among urban Christians cannot possibly be calculated. Who knows the kind of healing and transformation that could occur in our urban neighborhoods if urban Christians, as priests of God and ambassadors for Christ, were to make themselves available to accomplish projects of servanthood in their communities, where they live and work? The consistent apostolic exhortation to the young Christian communities in the New Testament was to do good works and so adorn (literally, “dress up”) the high doctrine of God they had believed. Good works are accessible to anyone, regardless of how much money or influence they have. Anyone can serve, everyone can be kind, and participate in doing good. SIAFU will seek to inspire every urban Christian to be actively involved in a local assembly, and to make themselves available with others to do works worthy of the Father (Matt. 5.14-16).