The Philosophy behind  
SCOPE (Sister Church Outreach Plan for Equality)

prepared by Gordon Garrett, President, Heart to Honduras

The Gospel is all about relationships -- our relationship with God, and our relationships with others.
Repeatedly Jesus pointed to the two great commandments of Scripture: Love the Lord your God with all
your heart, soul, mind and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus taught that we cannot really separate these two commandments. His disciple, John, wrote: We know
what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our
Christian brothers and sisters. But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister
in need and refuses to help--how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let us stop just saying
we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. It is by our actions that we know we are living in the
truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord. (1 John 3:16-19)

Loving your neighbor is not always easy and it can come with great cost. But it was the way of the cross and
is still the way of Christ today. Our call, as believers living in North America, can too easily be dismissed
like the Levite and the priest on the road to Jericho dismissed their true callings in the story of the Good
Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). They sidestepped a beaten, robbed neighbor. They were busy. They were
busy with religious duties. They were busy with God-things and didn’t want the hassle of people-problems.
They missed the boat! They missed the message of the Kingdom!

We can also accommodate our call to love our neighbor with an occasional offering or even a periodic
service project. But have we poured out our lives for the poor and the broken?

Developing Relationships

We who are associated together through Heart to Honduras sense that a growing number of those who
believe in Jesus and the churches they represent are sincerely desiring to make a difference for others and
bring greater fulfillment to their own lives. God is raising these concerned believers and churches up for
compassionate service to the poor, broken, and downtrodden.

SCOPE opens the doors wide to such ministry. This program aims to match committed churches in North
America and Honduras who will become partners for the Kingdom of God! This partnership goes far
beyond the typical mission work trip.

A typical mission trip often involves a week of being in a less developed country to "do" a specific project.
Often friendships are made but are obviously difficult to develop once the mission team returns home.
Wonderful memories are made and lives are shaped from the experience. But what happens to the church
that is visited by the mission team? Are they continually supported by prayer through the years? And what
happens to the ongoing needs of that church and its community? What lasting impact could be made by a
continuing relationship between the churches to minister on behalf of the poor and the lost?

What if that North American group of committed believers developed a relationship with the church they had
visited? What if they returned again and again not just to do a project but to develop a partnership? And
what if they returned again and again through the years? What then would become of the Honduran church
and its community?

Benefits Gained

Long-term results could be realized in spiritual growth and community development in the village. Progress
could be monitored and adjustments made to bring the greatest impact for the Kingdom on village life. The
"Model Village" vision of Heart to Honduras could be realized in multiple villages rather than just in
Canchias, the first village where it has been implemented.

And what would transpire in the hearts of the North American believers as their lives were poured out for
their brothers and sisters in Central America? What discipleship program could ever accomplish what their
ministry with the Honduran church could accomplish? In the midst of abject poverty they would encounter the
deep faith, remarkable joy and incredible faithfulness modeled through the church in Honduras.

Both churches would experience such unique blessings and growth! Both would experience spiritual
renewal.

Counting the Cost

SCOPE, however, is not for every church. It is not for a church without strong commitment to missions. It is
not an entry-level program for missions. It is not a program for churches who are in pastoral transition or
who are experiencing significant division.

The call goes out to unified, healthy churches who will put their focus and weight behind the partnership with
their sister churches in Honduras. Churches participating in SCOPE need to be led by pastoral and lay
leaders committed to missions. They need to be churches who are not just looking for another mission
project but, rather, who are hearing God’s call to make a major investment of prayer, energy and resources
into their precious church families in Honduras.

Christ’s Charge

You didn’t choose me. I choose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so the Father
will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. I command you to love each other. (John 15:16-17)

In John 15, Jesus speaks of his followers producing fruit. He states that we are to produce fruit (verse 2). He
then assures us that we will produce much fruit (verse 5). Then he states that we are to produce fruit that will
last (verse 16).

Christ is calling His church to be productive and fruitful--producing more and more fruit that will last. He is
leading us to develop love-based relationships that will change lives, change churches and change
communities for eternity!

That is one exciting and challenging call!

Powerful Point

Charles Spurgeon said, "If there be any one point in which the Christian Church ought to keep its fervor at a
white heat, it is concerning missions. If there be anything about which we cannot tolerate lukewarmness, it is
in the matter of sending the gospel to a dying world. There is a prayer I mean to continue to offer until it is
answered, that God would pour out on this church a missionary spirit."

May this be our heart and our prayer as long as we live!

To learn how your church can become involved in a sister church relationship through SCOPE, click here.