Heidi and Rolland Baker of Iris Ministries have adopted this focus of meeting the needs of individuals they encounter, and they demonstrate this in many ways. They constantly reinforce this focus by saying things like “stop for the one,” “love the one,” and “just love the one in front of you” (Velu, 2004).
Heidi and Rolland Baker are the best living examples of people “doing the works of Jesus” that I know of. The film, Mama Heidi, takes you into their lives and their ministry. It shows their focus on meeting the needs of those they encounter. They get it right. They do not minister with a predetermined agenda. They go to where the people are, discover their needs, and then do what they can to meet those needs. Sometimes the needs are spiritual, however most of their time seems to be spent meeting physical and emotional needs. They provide solutions for needs in the areas of health, education, food and water, shelter, family, clothing, as well as sharing the good news of salvation through Christ. They provide love—in whatever form it is needed.
All of the principles that are described in Doing the Works of Jesus are demonstrated in the film, Mama Heidi. If you have a chance to watch this film, you will see many expressions of genuine love demonstrated:
- Five hundred people have been taken in to live with them; eight boys live with them in their own home.
- They went out into a very risky situation, trusting God, not putting their own needs first.
- They went to the unlovely, the outcasts, the ones who could not care for themselves.
- They search out people who have needs, not waiting for people to come to them. In fact, nothing happened in their ministry until they went out and searched for people who had needs.
- They invest personal time with individuals daily.
- They treat each person as a valuable individual. They are alert to individual needs. When new people come to live with them, they take showers in the Bakers’ own home.
- They take time to get to know each person and learn details about their lives.
- They see potential in each person.
- They demonstrate God’s love first and explain the gospel later.
- The staff is “overstretched” because the need is so great.
- As they have been faithful to focus on meeting the needs of the individual, God has honored them and expanded their influence worldwide.
- They started in a building that nobody wanted—“the worst of the worst.”
- They endure despite hardships, thefts, exhaustion, persecution, and government interference.
- Heidi is called “Mama” and is seen as a mother figure, even by people who are not involved in her ministry.
- They believe Jesus’ promise to them: “I died so that there would always be enough.” So they never turn away a child who has needs.
- They minister to “the whole person”—meeting whatever needs each person has.
- They go where other ministers will not go. They said “yes” when other ministers said “no” to the calling.
- There is an abundance of fruit from the ministry as those who have been rescued begin to rescue others.
- They seek what is best for the people they serve.
- They trust God daily for their basic needs.
- Their joy is in seeing others succeed after being rescued from the streets.
- Where would those people be if Heidi and Rolland had not gone to them?
As Heidi and Rolland say in the film,
- “Our life has been a continuous story of giving away.”
- “Just love the one in front of you.”
- “If you say you love God, then you will love the person in front of you.”
- “Changing people one by one will change whole nations.”
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”—Matthew 25:34–40 (NIV)
Reference:
Velu, Eric (Producer), Velu, Eric (Writer), & Velu, Eric (Director). (2004).Mama Heidi [Motion Picture].
