This manual offers guidelines to churches in their response to people coming to the door for help and the many challenges that this presents.
Part 1 for those at the front desk, discusses ways of exercising compassion, wisdom and discernment; how to say “yes” without being patronising or feeling manipulated, and how to say “no” without being dismissive, demeaning or feeling guilty.
Part 2 assists church leaders with developing policies that offer a unified response to those in need, and with supporting the front-ofhouse staff as they implement these decisions.
Part 3 provides practical tools for record-keeping and setting up a data base of resource- and service providers. The book includes templates for developing these lists.