If you read this blog much, you know my heart for the nations that don’t know Christ. At the same time, though, Jesus called us to reach our Jerusalem – our community where we live – even as we go to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Here are some simple ways to move your congregation in that direction:
- Do a demographic study of your community, but then share the specific findings with your church. Great Commission-minded pastors often do this kind of study, but they then strategize without giving their church the demographic details. If you want your church to be burdened about the community, make sure they really know who lives there.
- Ask a local police officer to take your leaders on a driving tour of your community. You might be surprised what you learn. Years ago, I didn’t realize how little of my community I knew until I became a firefighter who had to know the city well.
- Invite local school leaders to talk with your church. They face the community’s needs every day. They can tell you about multiple languages spoken in the home, about children who have little to eat, about grandparents now raising their grandchildren. They’ll also let you know how your church might help local schools.
- Invite leaders of ethnic churches in your community to speak to your church. Ask them to introduce your congregation to their culture, their needs, their struggles, and their lostness. Help your church to see the nations living among them.
- Map the homes of your church members so they see their Great Commission assignment. Make the map big, and place it in a prominent place. Show your folks that it’s not an accident they live where they live; they need to love, pray for, and reach out to their neighbors.
- Do community prayer surveys. They’re easy to do: knock on doors, talk to people at work or school, visit with people at the store and ask the simple question: “Our church is praying for our neighbors. How might we pray for you?” Somebody will have a need that begins what could become a witnessing relationship.
- Lead members to develop a prayer list of non-believers. If all your attenders begin interceding for five lost persons, God will somehow move in response to those prayers – and your church will begin developing an outward focus.
- Reach out to the nearest local university. If it’s within driving distance, connect with Christian ministries there (or ask to start one). You might find students – particularly international students – who are seeking genuine relationships.
- Send out your church as witnesses with a testimony. On a Sunday morning, prioritize teaching your attenders how to share their testimony simply, and then challenge each of them to share that story with at least one person that week. Even if only 50% actually do it, that’s a lot more outreach going on than the week before.
What other simple ideas would you add?
Join the Chamber of Commerce; show up at city council meetings; attend school board meetings; find a need in the community that is not being met, find community partners, and create a strategy to meet the need…I could go on and on with ways that I have experienced that have opened doors for the gospel. One caveat: sharing faith and seeing people come to Christ will not always lead to your church’s growth: One example: several years ago I had a small part in seeing our County District Attorney come to Christ. He and his family live in a community about 15 miles north of us and they attend church in that community.
Good thoughts. Thanks!
Look for simple ways to serve your target community (fix a gutter, plant flowers, clean a porch, wash a car) and make it about SERVING , not about your church. When we did our Adopt-A-Block ministry in our target community, we didn’t mention the church name unless they asked. Also, STOP using “church words”! When you say things like you are “prayer walking” their community it creates many unnecessary barriers! Most don’t know what prayer walking is, heck many of your church members don’t know, so it creates this division and they get the feeling you are looking down on their community and that it’s so bad you need to prayer walk their streets! Just go, love on them, and serve them, “real” relationships will form and you will begin to see change in lives.
Thanks, Brad, for your ideas.
We host the Chamber of Commerce meetings each month, we talk with the City Manager over lunch at least once a month, we allow people with court ordered community service to come serve at the church during the week cleaning, we partnered with all the local high school booster clubs to host their end of year banquets, we have a community childcare center with over 130 kiddos each day, and we provide neighborhood maps for prayer walking.
Thanks, Jeremy.
Very interesting read. Thanks for your ideas, suggestions and insights Chuck.
Thanks, Marilyn.
Our ministry is getting the gospel to every student in our state by the end of the 2018-2019 school year. We’ve initiated core groups in schools w students, along w a teacher being a sponsor. We start w 5 to 10 students in every school, then do activities w those groups along w training. Then go after more.
Thanks for the information, Ryan! Blessings.
Ryan McElroy would you explain with more detail please. Thank you. Mary McNeil