Value #1 – PEOPLE (We Think You Share This One)
- Dr. Daniel Gilbert
- Jun 16
- 4 min read
Tuesday, June 16
7:00 am
Dr Daniel & Mary Beth Gilbert
Part 1 of 8 in Our Values Series
Of course, Jesus Christ is our foundation for everything—the Word of God and Jesus Christ. But after that foundation, our first and most important value is simple:
We value people.
Not programs.
Not numbers.
Not “notches on our belt.”
People.
And we’re pretty sure you value people the same way we do. That’s why you’re reading this. That’s why you partner with us.
We value people where they’re at—and we think you do too.
What Does It Mean to Value People?
Here’s what it doesn’t mean:
It doesn’t mean looking at people from a “Western mindset” that says:
“We have what you need”
“We’re here to fix you”
“You’re a number we can count and report”
“Here’s our program—fit into it”
That’s not the Gospel.
That’s not love.
And that’s not who we are.
And we suspect that’s not who you are either.
When you value people—truly value them—you:
Listen before you speak
Learn their context before you offer solutions
Love them where they are, not where you think they should be
See them as image-bearers of God, not projects to complete
We believe you live this way too. That’s why our partnership works.
A Story: The Young Woman Under the Tree
Let me tell you about a young woman I met on my last trip to Kenya—a story that shows what it looks like when people are valued over programs.
She’s 23 years old. For the last three or four years, she’s lived in one of the apartments near where we hold our Bible School intensives.
She’s a single mom. She was raped. She got pregnant out of wedlock. And because of that, she’s been ostracized by many in her community.
She’s been trying to go to college—and she’s in college now—but she doesn’t make much money. Life has been incredibly hard.
Over the years, she would come to some of our intensive sessions—sometimes yes, sometimes no. But whenever we were there, she always felt loved by us.
On my last trip, she asked if she could meet with me.
Just Two Chairs and a Tree
On the last day of the intensive, I found time in my schedule. We grabbed two chairs and sat under a tree.
And I just asked for her story.
I didn’t have an agenda. I wasn’t trying to “fix” her. I wasn’t there to give her a program or check a box.
I was there to value her as a person.
So I listened.
And she broke down crying.
She shared the hardship she’s been in. The shame she’s carried. The isolation she’s felt.
She wasn’t asking for money. She just needed to feel loved and valued.
She needed to be heard. She needed to be known.
You would have done the same thing.
If you had been there, you would have pulled up a chair. You would have listened. You would have valued her.
Because that’s who you are. That’s the value we share.
She Came to Christ
Here’s the beautiful part of the story:
She had been coming to our sessions periodically for three or four years. But she had never made a profession of faith in Jesus.
Right there, under that tree, she professed her faith in Jesus Christ.
She came to living faith. At 23 years old. After years of shame and isolation.
Because she was valued.
Not as a project.
Not as a number.
Not as a “success story” for a newsletter.
As a person. Created in the image of God. Loved by Him. Worthy of being heard and known.
This is what happens when people are valued over programs. When listening is prioritized over fixing. When we see image-bearers instead of projects.
And we know you get this. You live this way too.
Why This Value Matters
When you value people—truly value them—everything changes.
You don’t rush past their pain to get to your agenda.
You don’t measure success by how many people you’ve “reached.”
You don’t impose solutions without understanding their context.
We sit under trees.
We listen.
We love.
We point them to Jesus.
And sometimes, after years of coming and going, after years of shame and isolation, a 23-year-old single mom comes to faith in Christ.
That’s why we do what we do. And we believe that’s why you partner with us.
Not for the numbers. Not for the programs. Not for the reports.
For the people.
How This Value Shapes Everything We Do
This value—valuing people—shapes every part of EmPowered Living:
✓ Our Bible Schools are designed around the needs of local pastors, not Western models
✓ Our partnerships are built on mutual respect, not top-down control
✓ Our curriculum incorporates local context—farming, business, skills—not just theology
✓ Our approach is relational, not transactional
✓ Our success is measured by transformed lives, not attendance numbers
People come first. Always.
And we suspect that when you make decisions in your own life—in your work, your family, your community—people come first for you too.
That’s the value we share. That’s why we’re partners.
Thank You for Valuing People With Us
When you partner with EmPowered Living, you’re saying: “I value people too.”
You’re saying that a 23-year-old single mom in Kenya matters.
You’re saying that a pastor in a rural village deserves Biblical training.
You’re saying that orphans, students, and vulnerable children are worth investing in.
You’re saying that people—not programs—are what the Kingdom is all about.
We share this value. We live it together. And we’re building God’s Kingdom together because of it.
Thank you for valuing people with us.
Next week, we’ll explore our second value: Truth.
VALUE #1: PEOPLEWe value people where they are—not as projects, not as numbers, but as image-bearers of God who are loved, seen, and known. We think you do too.
NEXT WEEK: VALUE #2 – TRUTH
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