Ministry of Reconciliation

Walking, Loving, Doing [WLD] is a ministry that seeks to help folks live out the words of Micah 6:8 where the prophet Isaiah asks what the Lord desires of his people and answers with “Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”

We have included the ministry of reconciliation, as described in II Corinthians 5:16-20 and which Jesus recommends in Matthew 5:23-24, as part of the services we offer. Reconciliation is both a simple and complex reality which seeks to restore relationships through the power of forgiveness and confession. It does not require the parties to agree on what went wrong or what is required for restitution. It simply requires that both have a desire to restore the relationship even if it is not to the level it was at previously and want to be able to wish the other well. 

We are beginning this ministry in August 2023 with the intent to be reconciled in our own relationships (trying to practice what we preach) with the simple offer that we will provide a framework and some initial contacts between the 2 parties.

Our initial thought is that we may need to be at a first meeting to facilitate discussion and create a safe place for both parties. We are not skilled negotiators or judges - we are simply disciples of Christ following St. Paul’s directions to be ministers of reconciliation.

If you have a broken relationship with a family member, friend, neighbor, or fellow human being that you would like to heal please feel free to contact us and we commit ourselves to confidentially handling the information.

The words below try to capture the heart of our intent:

I _________________ (name) have a desire to be reconciled to _______________ (name). I am willing to meet with WLD staff to discuss the relationship and clarify what led to the breakdown. I am then willing to meet with ____________ (name) without a need to determine blame and make accusations but simply with a desire to restore the relationship through forgiving and forgetting. Even if we do not eventually have the same relationship as before I want to be able to love this person and wish them well. I want to close the gap between us and get beyond anger, judgment, and alienation following the wisdom of Nelson Mandela who when asked about how to put his years of prison behind him,  “As I walked out the door that would lead to my freedom I realized that if I did not leave my hatred and bitterness behind I would still be in prison.” 

Download available in PDF form here.

From personal experience we know that reconciliation and forgiveness are freeing and healing. There are no guarantees of success in seeking reconciliation but you can know that you at least you gave it a try. If you would like to pursue this path please contact David Kool via email at dave@walkinglovingdoing.org  or by phone at (616) 283-0553.

Feel free to pass this on to someone you feel might be helped by this ministry.