"I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set pines in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it."

Isaiah 41:19-20

Floresta Policy on Evangelism

Floresta is an organization founded and directed by Christians, both Catholic and Protestant. Floresta is designed to be a shining example of Christ’s unconditional love, and offers services to all who qualify regardless of their own religious background or affiliation.

We believe that Christian service, including economic development and acts of environmental stewardship, as well as verbally sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, are inseparable aspects of the one gospel. Floresta’s work must stand on its own merit, and cannot be seen merely as tool to promote evangelism, since the work itself is integral to our understanding of the gospel.

We believe that human transformation can only be fully realized through a relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, imparting knowledge of this relationship is also a key aspect of human development.

We see our mission as sharing the gospel with the beneficiaries of our programs, as well as donors, members of the environmental community and anyone else who hears of our work or comes into contact with our ministry. Our witness to the world includes a demonstration of the environmental and human concern inherent in the gospel, as well as a demonstration of the unity of believers across denominational lines.

Floresta will dedicate a portion of program assets to ensure that the gospel is verbally shared in an intentional way.

Floresta does not seek to compete with the local church in any location, but rather to support and renew it. Wherever possible, activities will be undertaken with the cooperation of the local church.

Further, Floresta will not offer assistance conditionally upon the acceptance of a message, nor any other condition related to personal belief, nor will we encourage beneficiaries to leave one and join another part of the Christian church.

Finally, Floresta will keep careful accounting of all funds from the US government and other sources which prohibit their use in evangelism, to ensure that they are not used counter to the specified agreements.