1 Kings 19:19 says that one day, while Elisha was working in the field with a wooden plough drawn by oxen, Elijah came up to him and threw his cloak on him as a symbolic call, and Elisha followed the older man (Zucker, 2013). Before becoming the successor of the prophet Elijah the Tishbite (1 Kings 19:15-21), Elisha worked as Elijah’s servant for some years. The Mission of ElishaĮlisha, the son of Shaphat, a farmer at Abelmeholah in the Jordan Valley south of the Sea of Galilee, lived in the ninth century B.c. And, as churches so often find, “poor and disadvantaged people” are not all overseas many are right next to churches whose members can learn principles that will help their congregations to act as Elisha did, as an agent of help and healing. Just 18 percent said that ‘helping poor and disadvantaged people overseas’ was of ‘highest priority’” (Stearns, 2010, p. Pastors conducted by World Vision concerning their priorities revealed that 79% listed “worship in the highest priority category 57 percent, evangelism 55 percent, children’s ministry and 47 percent, discipleship programs. Christian leaders often fail to accomplish this holistic mission, neglecting the physical needs of their community and sometimes erroneously believing that aiding community members with their physical problems is not what God has called them to do. The mission entrusted to Christian leaders is holistic, focused not only on meeting the spiritual needs of people but also on helping to meet people’s physical, material and emotional needs as well. 2 Kings 1-8 details the Prophet Elisha’s actions as he dealt with different issues that occurred in his community-some involving only individuals and others affecting the whole community. According to Christ’s teachings (Luke 12:32-34), the mission of Christians is not just going to church every weekend and participating in internal church programs it involves taking care of the needs of the community outside the church as well. Modern Christian Leaders can become involved as agents of change in their communities, specifically in ways demonstrated by principles of community development seen in the Old testament prophet Elisha’s miracles. By Lollo Zo Nantenaina, Joel Raveloharimisy, and Karen McWilliams
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