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There are many factors involved in homelessness, and maybe our commitment doesn’t mean we literally bring them off the streets. It was many years before Denver moved from the streets to a home. But what these people need most is more than a handout. They need someone to see them, to know their name, to show them uncommon care and love.
So here is a plan. We can call it the “Denver Plan” from the man who knows. A poor, wise man who changed his city and whose wisdom can help us change ours.
Let’s all of us—every church—look for a way to each adopt one homeless person in our community.
In the words of a preacher, “Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.” Or, as a famous nun once said, “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and start with the person nearest to you.”
Each person matters to God, and each person should matter to us. We may not be able to change the whole world, but we can change one person’s whole world, and together we can collectively change a lot of people’s worlds.
4 Practical Ways We Can Start Changing the Life of One:
1. Bring a group from your church to serve at your local rescue mission or shelter.
Let’s make sure the forgotten people are forgotten no more, and that someone wants to know their name and their story.
2. Pick one needy person in your community to engage in relationship.
Remember, there are about one or two homeless people for every church in America. Your church may not be able to do everything, but you can help one!
Share a meal with one person, and hear their story, and simply listen. Simply listening could change a life forever.
Begin to look for ways to stay in touch with one person, and provide in small ways for their practical, social, emotional and spiritual needs. You may not know where to start, so just take it an interaction at a time.
As your friendship with one person develops over weeks, months or years, work with the local shelter or rescue mission to help in any way you can as a local church or group, to help get shelter and a job if the one you are loving and serving is capable to move forward.
3. Bring a group from your church to see Ron and Denver’s story on the big screen.
Same Kind of Different As Me is releasing in theaters nationwide on the weekend of Oct. 20.
I believe it is perfect timing, a movie for “such a time as this” in our nation that is so divided.
Plus, it will energize, mobilize and move you to tears what God can do when we reach outside our comfort zone’s to the life of someone in great need.
Watch the trailer, find a showtime at a theater near you, and get your tickets to see Same Kind of Different As Me at tickets.samekindofdifferentasmemovie.com.
You can also access free materials for a four-week church-wide campaign.
4. Look for simple ways to show kindness and make a difference.
After watching Ron and Denver’s story, look for other ways to do a “simple act of kindness” to other people in your city, whether they are homeless or not.
We never know how far we can all go until we step out and touch the life of another.
Join in the “Make a Difference Day” this month by doing a random act of kindness, and share your stories using #SameKindMovie. 
Matt Brown (@evangelistmatt) is an evangelist, author and founder of Think Eternity. He and his wife, Michelle, are impacting millions of people with the gospel each year online and through live events. They also minister to more than a million followers on social media daily.
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