HOW DO I QUALIFY?
1. VERIFIED CHRONIC HOMLESSNESS IN MIDLAND COUNTY
Requirement: Applicants must have at least one year of verifiable homelessness in Midland County, confirmed through partner agencies such as the Salvation Army and Breaking Bread.
Why: We are called by God specifically to serve the chronically homeless of Midland County, and verification protects mission integrity and stewardship. This reflects our conviction that those entrusted with resources must be faithful stewards before God and not divert help from those for whom it was intended (1 Cor 4:2; Prov 31:8-9).
2. ADULT STATUS
Requirement: Applicants must be adults.
Why: Chronic homelessness, by definition, applies to adults only. Our housing program is not designed or licensed for minors. Each tiny home is for a single occupant. This reflects our conviction that God assigns different members of society different forms of care, and different populations. Permanent restorative community for adults must be structured with clarity and order for the good of those we are called to serve (1 Cor 14:40; Prov 27:23).
3. ABILITY TO SUSTAIN RENT WITH SUPPORT
Requirement: Applicants must have a stable, verifiable source of income or be willing to work with us to establish one before moving in. If someone does not yet have income, we help secure on-site paid work appropriate to their abilities. We also assist housing applicants with applying for available public benefits such as Social Security, SNAP, and Medicaid to support long-term stability and wellness.
Why: We confirm the ability to earn a dignified income and pay rent so that residents are set up for long-term success rather than failure. We strive to end homelessness for each of our neighbors permanently. This reflects our conviction that God dignifies work and calls His people to pursue ordered provision rather than dependency where able (2 Thess 3:10; Prov 21:5).
4. RESIDENT AT THE SALVATION ARMY & SOCIAL WORKER INVOLVEMENT
Requirement: Applicants for housing and candidates for Glean Up must be staying at the Salvation Army and have regular contact with their assigned social worker. We collaborate with Salvation Army social workers for both our Glean Up workers and housing applicants.
Why: Entry into the Salvation Army and active casework make applicants eligible for Glean Up, allowing them to work honestly while we address housing, transportation, healthcare, and other needs, and giving us the time to build the trust that is essential to exiting homelessness for good.
5. PERSONAL REFERENCES
Requirement: Applicants must provide contact information for at least three non-family references.
Why: References help assess relational stability and readiness to live in community. This reflects our conviction that character is known in community and that wisdom seeks counsel from those who have walked with a person (Prov 27:17; Phil 2:4).
6. LEASE AGREEMENT
Requirement: Once the application is approved, incoming neighbors must sign a lease agreement. When someone qualifies and moves into the village, they may remain for life so long as they are a good neighbor, pay their rent, and obey the law.
Why: A lease provides legal and relational clarity. Our aim is not transitional housing but permanent belonging to a forged family. This reflects our conviction that the root of homelessness is more than material. Homelessness is a poverty of relationships, and we as Christ’s people model covenantal stability rather than transactional aid (Ps 68:6; Acts 2:44-47).
7. PROPERTY CARE AND INSPECTIONS
Requirement: Residents must maintain a clean home and allow regular inspections.
Why: Cleanliness protects health, dignity, and safety for the entire community. This reflects our conviction that God calls His people to ordered stewardship of what is entrusted to them (Gen 2:15; 1 Cor 4:2).
8. AGREEMENT TO COMMUNITY RULES, INCLUDING PET POLICIES
Requirement: Residents must follow all TFE community standards, including pet rules.
Why: Shared life requires shared agreement and responsibility so the community remains safe and livable. This reflects our conviction that Christian community is bound by mutual submission and ordered peace. (Eph 5:21; Rom 12:18).
9. CRIMINAL BACKGROUND, SAFETY, AND LAWFUL CONDUCT
Requirement: Applicants must submit to a background check and be willing to submit to a drug test. We review criminal history with grace and context. The only automatic disqualification is active sex offender registration. Other patterns of violence or theft may disqualify for the protection of the community. All residents must obey the law and remain drug free.
Why: The Field’s Edge is meant to be a haven from the dangers of the street. Neighbors who have endured instability expect peace and safety. This reflects our conviction that Christ’s people are entrusted to protect the vulnerable and maintain peace within the household (Rom 13:1-4; Ps 82:3-4).
CONVICTIONS BEHIND OUR APPROACH
Permanent belonging, not temporary relief
We practice permanent community because Christ brings people into a household, not a transaction. Chronic homelessness is the loss of family and place, so our response is durable presence that restores stability and dignity (Eph 2:19; Ps 68:6). Permanence communicates the staying power of the gospel in a way that short-term aid cannot.
Stewardship before God
These criteria guard people and resources so that help reaches those for whom it is intended. We answer to Christ for how we care for the vulnerable and how we manage a community meant to be a refuge, not another unstable stop along the way (1 Cor 4:2; Prov 31:8-9). Stewardship is not administrative — it is obedience.
The dignity of work and ordered life
We help residents establish income and rhythms that support long-term success. God dignifies work and calls His people to live in ordered ways that provide for needs and bless neighbors (2 Thess 3:10; Prov 21:5). Order is not punitive — it is formative and humane.
Peace, safety, and mutual responsibility
Shared standards create a safe, livable village where neighbors can heal and flourish. Christ calls His people to pursue peace and to submit to one another for the good of the whole (Rom 12:18; Eph 5:21). A community without guardrails cannot protect the vulnerable inside it.
Witness to the gospel
Our life together is part of our message. When outsiders see patient love, stability, and integrity, they glimpse the Kingdom Christ is building. These qualifications protect that witness by preserving trust and coherence (John 13:34-35; Matt 5:16). How we structure this place teaches something about the King we serve.