The Let My People Go Handbook

We have created this handbook to be a helpful resource and tool as you address the vulnerabilities in your church and outside of your church in a way that is congregational & collaborative with the Gospel as its motive.

Please feel free to read the sample chapter: Knowing Where to Start below.

This handbook is available in its entirety with a free or supporting partnership. Learn more and partner with us in this important work here →

How to Get the Most Out of These Materials

The mere fact that you are reading this says that you have decided to do something about the injustice in your community. We commend you and are here to equip you.

As you develop an approach to address vulnerability that is gospel-motivated, congregational, and collaborative, we hope you’ll return to this handbook for continued guidance.

Let’s go through an overview of how to use them most effectively in your training and integrate them with the online training. You can find the online small group curriculum at LMPG.org in the member’s community.

Principles for Using the Modules and Videos

1. Assign. Assign the relevant sections for team members to read before meeting.

2. Discuss. In your meetings, discuss the specific section that you are discussing. Work through the corresponding online modules. Encourage observations, ask questions, and discuss how you will implement what you learn.

3. Integrate. Integrate the section with the videos in the small group curriculum. As with the modules, we recommend watching videos before the meetings in which they will be discussed. If it may add to the effectiveness of the meeting, feel free to watch the video in the meeting and then discuss it. Each section has a video, which is is 5-7 minutes long. The videos will help reinforce concepts from the modules and provide further instruction. You can watch these in your team meetings or members can watch them individually. The process below outlines one way to integrate the videos with the modules.

4. Refer. Keep referring back to the modules as you implement. Also, in each section in the corresponding online curriculum, there will be supplemental resources like videos and webinars available for member’s at lmpg.org. Referring to these resources keep the concepts fresh and before people.

Recommended Strategy

1. Skim each section. Pastors and team leaders, take a few moments to thumb through Teams, A Church That Loves, Collaborate, Assess, Proclaiming Justice and Mercy,Vulnerability: A Way to Serve, and A Vulnerability Response Plan. This will give you an idea of the overall direction in which you and your church will be heading.

2. Read the Teams section and watch the video. After you have skimmed the module, begin with Teams. An effective Justice and Mercy Team (JMT) is essential to the Let My People Go approach. As you read the module, think of those in your church that “fit the bill.” When you assemble the team, have them read this resource and talk through it together. It will be instrumental in building and sustaining your team for the long haul.

3. Read the A Church that Loves and watch the A Congregational Approach video. Start with “A Congregational Approach,” as it gives an effective overview.

4. Read Collaborate and watch the Collaborative Approach video. This video will explain the importance of collaboration.Your church will identify partners in your area to strengthen your work and increase your capacity to care for the community.

5. Read the Assess module and watch the video. After you have your Justice and Mercy Team in place, read Assess. This community needs assessment is the backbone of the Let My People Go method. What you discover in this process will ultimately shape your congregational and collaborative approach. In other words, as you begin to assess your findings, you will find yourself using this information as you begin looking at the other modules.

6. Read the Proclaim Justice and Mercy section. At this point, read Proclaim Justice and Mercy. You will share the vulnerable group that you discovered in the community needs assessment with your pastoral leadership. Proclaim will help as you suggest how your church can preach and teach content relevant to the findings of your community needs assessment.

7. Read the A Church that Loves, Collaborate, and A Vulnerability Response Plan. As you prepare to share the findings with your pastors, include the congregational and collaborative approach. To do this, you will need to use A Church that Loves, Collaborate, and A Vulnerability Response Plan.

8. Read Vulnerability: A Way to Serve. Finally, read Vulnerability: A Way to Serve, which informs the others with the central truth that your own weakness is the very thing qualifying you to love messy people. It levels the playing field.

9. View the online small group modules that go along with this curriculum. You can find these small group resources and additional content on LMPG.org.

10. Continue reviewing each section as you implement. Please make sure to read and re-read each module during the process. These practical guides will help significantly as you do the hard work of learning who your neighbor is and how to love them.