Kindness-to-Go

Steve Bowen

3123

Kindnesstogo encourages outward-focusedness within congregations, seminars or conference participants.

Kindnesstogo: Simple outreach opportunities for churches, groups, seminars, and conferences.

Description of kindness: —noun

1. the state or quality of being kind

2. a kind act

3. favor: his many kindnesses to me.

4. kind behavior: I will never forget your kindness.

5. friendly feeling; liking.

Kindnesstogo Outcomes: Small simple acts of kindness bring the giver and the receiver of the act of kindness into a relationally connective experience.

Leonard Sweet once used this communication filter to encourage leaders to develop sensory tools to help in their communication with not-yet-believers:

EPIC: Experiential, Participatory, Image-Based and Connective.

Kindnesstogo incorporates all of the filters-

Experiential: a positive experience is shared. The giver experiences the emotional lift of sharing with another individual. The person receiving the small gift or performed act of service experiences kindness and love.

A kind act, done with great love, enables both the giver

and the receiver to experience a positive touch of God’s love.

If the kindness item is a drink or a food item the receiver receives the pleasure of eating or drinking the expression of kindness. This reinforces a positive experience in the memory/feeling part of their being.

A relational experience flows through the personal conversation, connection, and through the act of kindness or service expressed through authentic care.

Participatory: both the giver and receiver participate. The giver gives, and the receiver receives.

Image-Based: The image is attached to the small gift and the meeting of the giver and the receiver. The giving person is part of the positive image. The image is also an item: a cup of coffee, a bottle of water, a care gift bag, a granola bar etc.

The image of someone serving another human with no strings attached, and being on the receiving end of a kind act remains embedded within a person’s memory.

Connective: The connective act of kindness also relationally connects the heart of both the giver and the receiver. The positive connection intensifies as conversation and authentic love flows.

Kindnesstogo Practice/Experience: People quickly pick up items to be shared after church, a conference or a seminar. They read or listen to the simple instructions. They go and do.

Example Gift Bags:

People pick up gift bags and go.

They give the bag and the connect card as a positive intentional act of kindness to restaurant workers, servers at drive-thru eateries, grocery store check out people. etc.

Pictures of Kindnesstogo:

Dr. Dorrien Hinsey Sr. at his church Compass Community Church www.cincycompass.com

Every first Sunday of the month they practice kindnesstogo.

Congregation picking up small bags after a service at Phillips Temple Trotwood OH.. www.Phillipstemple.org

One Story: Flowers at a Drive-thru Restaurant.

Here’s the story of a worker’s amazing encounter:
I wanted to share this. This is from the mom of one of my son’s friends. I know she’s been going through some things and was blessed by yesterday’s outreach. She posted this yesterday.

I fully believe a looked at the face of an angel this morning.

I would like to share that experience with you, my friends and family. A tragedy struck my family recently and while I cannot go into detail publicly, I can tell you it left me very sad this morning.

I’m at work, at Arby’s, and this car pulls up to the drive-thru without placing an order. I open my window and this stranger, whom I’ve never ever seen before, presents me with this beautiful bouquet of flowers and tells me he’s there to spread God’s love and asks can he say a prayer for me.

And right there in my drive-thru, I held his hand as he prayed for me to help me to have a good day and for strength.

I have never been so overwhelmed in my life at this unexpected and almost immediate answer to my prayer to help me and my family to get through this difficult time.

Shelbi Louise and Cassie Ovalle got to share in this beautiful moment with me as well.

There’s no denying in my heart and in my mind that this man was sent by God Himself to help me. I do not believe in a mere coincidence.

I hope this strangers kindness comes back to him a hundredfold because this one act of kindness for me absolutely changed my day. I hope he is rewarded for his blessed generosity. God bless this man and thank you for reading this. Peace to all of you.

There is also a spiritual dimension of an intentional act of kindness. When we join heaven’s kind intention the Holy Spirit bears witness to a kind act done in the name of Jesus. A spiritual deposit is placed within the hearts of those serving and those receiving.