We love because He first loved us

Guest post from The Besom Network

1 John 4:19-21 reminds us that if we say we love God but hate our brother, we are liars because if we cannot love our brother, whom we can see, how then can we love God? We’ve been given a commandment from God that ‘if we love Him, we must love our brother also’.

Would you consider the poor man on your street corner your brother?

One of Jesus’ most peculiar statements about poverty to his disciples was, “The poor will always be with you” (Matthew 26:11). Jesus, who experienced poverty firsthand, understood it deeply. Born in a manger, the son of refugees, and a homeless man who served others, Jesus' life reflected humility and compassion. Today, similar stories are present in our communities, where many face poverty due to unforeseen circumstances, leading lives of struggle and instability.

If God cares about the poor, why doesn't He end their suffering now?

At Besom, we believe that God hears the cries of the poor and is deeply moved by them. He calls us to respond with compassion and sends us to understand their lives. This helps us to be His hands and feet and become more like Jesus. The more our hearts break for the poor, the more we understand God's love and are compelled to generously serve those He sends our way.

What can we do about poverty when there’s so much need around us? How can we possibly love like Jesus?

The answer is simple: share what we have with those in need (Luke 3:10-11 KJV), be generous to the poor (Luke 11:41 MSG), and give, and it will be given unto you (Luke 6:38 KJV). We practice loving our neighbours relationally, one person at a time, as God brings their needs to our attention. Serving the poor and addressing needs in our communities becomes manageable when we unite as small groups of believers from local churches, working together under one vision and mission guided by God.

Is there a proven model that can be followed?

Yes! Nearly thirty years ago, James Odgers, founder of Besom, felt a strong calling after returning from Hong Kong, where he worked as part of St Stephen's Society, caring for people coming out of heroin addiction. There, he witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit and prayer while working with Jackie Pullinger, author of Chasing the Dragon. Lives were miraculously transformed through prayer and ‘simple’ acts of kindness.

Inspired by his experiences, James returned to the UK, left his corporate career and founded ‘The Besom’ (Bee-zm) with a vision of bridging the wide gap between believers who had something to give (i.e money, time, skills, or things) with those who needed them, thereby serving the poor and transforming lives through prayer for both the Christian and the one receiving help. Today, 22 Besoms nationwide follow Jesus' call to ‘love our neighbours as we love ourselves’ (Mark 12:30-31) by encouraging practical responses from Church groups and individuals.

The Shape of the Model

We encourage small and large core teams, supported by 3 or 4 cross-denominational churches, to start a Besom. They are volunteer-led and operate without burdening the church leaders. They require hardly anything to start, no premises or significant financial outlay, because the vision grows organically and through complete reliance on prayer. With no fundraising budget, all resources arrive through prayer and sharing of faith stories. Across the Network, wonderful testimonies of God’s provision inspire others to join in.

Our passion is to serve the Church so that the Church can serve those beyond their congregation. Unlike most Christian charities, Besom helps others to give without being driven by the need to grow or meet the increasing scale of need. Besom teams will adapt to what God brings in weekly, trusting His provision will match the referrals.

We don't focus on the scale of need. Our primary focus is on the Giver - the believer who responds to the call, 'Send me', to help them answer their 'But how?' The Besom’s mission and theological values provide an effective biblical model. The ministry develops a believer’s response to the teachings heard from the pulpit. By connecting believers with the need, they can give as God prompts because they encounter poverty personally. By addressing practical needs, their acts of kindness deeply convey Jesus’ love. The Besom model aids spiritual growth by experiencing the difference their prayers and giving make, as well as providing time to reflect together on what it means to love the poor as Jesus does.

Jackie Pullinger once said, “I went up to a man and said, ‘Jesus loves you’ but realised it didn’t mean anything unless I did”.

This approach particularly engages new believers, post-Alpha course groups and young adults, is attractive to retirees and effective for small groups. A key Besom value is our focus on the heart behind the giving, not the amount or frequency. So, Besom guides believers and their churches on a transformative journey where disciples are making disciples.

Can the presence of a Besom ministry help churches and believers serve the poor in their community?

The presence and witness of a Besom ministry is inspirational and often challenging. Church leaders often find it difficult to encourage their congregations to give without initiating another large project that demands their time and attention. Besom has the potential to help churches engage more of their congregation in generous giving and serving the poor, rather than leaving it to just a few on a community outreach team. Sometimes it's a struggle to know how to start, but Besom directs the giving where it’s most needed and where the contributions will make a tangible difference. Through a unified cross-church team, Besom manages and assesses the referrals, offering safe opportunities to equip believers and helping them experience the power of prayer and the reality of God’s faithful provision.

As a discipling ministry, Besom helps remove barriers to effective giving by individuals. Barriers such as wrong attitudes, ignorance, prejudice, lack of confidence, social-economic boundaries… Besom will equip any believer to respond creatively in the way they would like to give, and if it's financial, then 100% of it goes to that need. Engaging with Besom allows God to challenge how we steward the resources He has given us and grow in generosity and faith-filled prayer.

To find out more about the work of The Besom Network, including how you can get involved, visit: https://www.thebesomnetwork.org/

*Opinions expressed in guest posts are those of the author, and do not represent any official position held by Jubilee+.*