Frequently Asked Questions
What is Love INC?
Founded in 1977, Love In the Name of Christ is a proven outreach model that helps churches help people in need. It is one of the most effective management, mobilization, and networking tools available to churches today.
Using the Love INC model, local churches come together as a network. It’s a cooperative effort that makes a lasting impact on individuals, families, and children in need.
Why do communities need Love INC?
Existing resources operating independently are not adequate to meet current and growing levels of need. In addition, one church alone cannot deal with all of the complex issues of poverty. It takes churches working together, across denominational lines, to meet these multifaceted needs. Love INC shows the love of Jesus Christ and brings help and hope to the poor and needy of our communities.
Why do churches need Love INC?
- Jesus gave us the great commission to love one another. Love INC helps churches turn that love into action.
- Many people never find an appropriate place to serve within their church. Love INC uses all the skills and talents a congregation has to offer. Time and again, Love INC volunteers tell how this type of service to others enriches and changes their life.
- Love INC helps generate untapped volunteer resources that already exist in local churches to meet needs both within and outside the church.
- Love INC screens requests for help as to nature, extent, and legitimacy.
- Love INC helps prevent church duplication of existing services already available in the community.
- Love INC discovers if those requesting assistance are already receiving help from other churches or agencies. The Love INC screening process ensures legitimate needs are met.
- Through its Relational Ministry program, Love INC provides long-term, self-help solutions for those who are chronically in need or have multiple needs.
- Love INC enables churches to assist those outside of their own congregation and be stewards of church resources.
- Love INC helps prevent churches from building dependency in those they assist by discovering and solving problems at the root level.
- Love INC helps churches to “own” their ministry to those in need, since Love INC is a Clearinghouse to assist churches in reaching out.
- Love INC helps provide specific, manageable opportunities for churches to reach out with God’s love to people in need.
- Love INC lessens the burden of any one church by increasing the use of volunteers to meet legitimate needs and rotating assistance among network churches. Love INC is very cost-effective.
- Love INC offers a unified witness of God’s love to the community as Christian churches work together in the name of Christ.
- Founded in 1977, Love INC offers a proven, replicable model that can be easily translated to new communities. Love INC has an established track record in communities of all sizes.
Why does Love INC work?
- There are unlimited resources in the Body of Christ that Love INC mobilizes on behalf of those in need.
- Love INC gives Christians specific, manageable opportunities to put their faith and love to work in the service of people in need.
- Love INC has over 30 years of experience mobilizing churches to meet the needs of its community.
- Because Scripture tells us love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8).
How does Love INC work?
The Love INC model has three levels. Each level goes deeper in fulfilling Love INC‘s mission to mobilize the Church to transform lives and communities In the Name of Christ.
Level One: Clearinghouse Model. The Clearinghouse is the foundation of Love INC. Love INC screens requests for help for extent of need and legitimacy, and refers the request to a local church ministry, church volunteer, or community agency. Love INC follows up to ensure the need was met and to offer spiritual support.
Level Two: Relational Ministry Model. Church members are trained and linked by Love INC with individuals and families in need on a long-term basis to provide mentoring, goal setting, and spiritual and emotional support, along with the full array of services and resources available in the Love INC network.
Level Three: Comprehensive Community Development Model. Love INC goes even further to meet the needs of communities by addressing the deeper issues that contribute to poverty and hopelessness.
Who benefits from Love INC?
People in need are provided with supportive relationships and sources for help. Local churches are given specific, manageable opportunities to serve their neighbors in need and fulfill their Biblical mandate to reach out to the poor and needy. Community agencies refer people in need to Love INC to fill gaps in services, and receive referrals of verified needs that are appropriate to the agency’s services.
Can a single church start a Love INC network?
A local Love INC network is just that–a network. After over 30 years of use by churches across the country, this feature continues to be Love INC‘s key to success. We know a network of resources and collaboration works best. Every Love INC network represents churches from a minimum of six different denominations.
Do churches with differing doctrines participate in the same network?
Yes. As a matter of fact, Love INC currently has over 60 Christian denominations participating nationwide. Do you believe God calls your church to minister to the poor in your community? Are there individuals in your congregation who want to be involved in ministry? Churches that answer yes to these basic questions are on common ground. And that’s enough to begin a successful collaboration.
What does it cost to start a local Love INC?
There are two types of fees: a one-time affiliate fee, and annual affiliate dues. For more information, contact the Love INC National Headquarters at (800) 777-5277.