Best Outreach

[ladiesbballcoach]

I am in charge of coordinating Outreach activities at my church as well as trying to develop a mindset of Outreach to our members. So I have a two-fold question.

 

1)What is the best way that you have been a part in helping the members to adopt a truly strong heart in wanting to reach out to the community.

 

2)What programs have you witnessed or been a part of that have truly helped your church to reach out to the community.

 

I am looking for ways to show the community the love of Jesus Christ.

[acemona]

My church just began an outreach emphasis. We started with a small group (10 or so) and worked to develop 10 startegies that we thought would attract people to our church (focusing on the unchurched). here are some of our ideas.

 

1. Church Promotions Team (we have a 15,000.00 budget for next year for advertising/promotion)

 

2. Consistent local mission work that involves many members of the church community.

 

3. Praise service early on Sundays

 

4. Revival

 

5. Sponosr local youth sports teams

 

6. Bible school off of church grounds - go where the kids are.

 

These are the ones I can remember off of the top of my head.

[Alabama Larry]

Start with your Sunday School classes. Set up teams of folks for each week. Go through the past records of folks who have visited the church in the past year. Each class gets names and makes phone calls or in home visits. Record these. Then get a list of members who do not attend any more and call or visit them. This will also help "weed out" members who have left the church but are still on the roll.

When new folks visit have someone call them that same day and set up a in home visit. Have info on your church in writing to leave in case they are not at home. Have the ladies make cookies or some kind of treat to bring. When going in home do not let men go alone. At least bring a teen or a older child. Don't over dress, and don't stay too long. Our pastor (who just resigned) traveled nation wide in setting up "Reach programs " for churches. I have, more but don't like to leave long comments.

[cshs81]

Are you trying to reach out and get more people into your church or are you talking about helping the community in various ways?

[Tough as Nails]

Here in the Lexington area, Southland Christian Church has challenged its members to do small acts of kindness/ministry. Such as giving your waiter/waitress a big tip and telling them that you are doing it because God loves them. Or paying for the person behind you in the drive through lane at McDonald's. It touches the person working the window and the person behind you.

 

I have found that taking a meal to someone who has had surgery or been out for various reasons, can minister to them.

 

I think that before you can put on the big things, you need to get people to start small. They see how a little thing can affect someone's life and they are then willing to step up and do something bigger. When they realize that the little thing that they help with in the grand outreach will make a difference, it gets them fired up.

 

Also, get people plugged in with what they are good at. If someone is good at cooking, have them do the cooking. If someone is good with tools and you need something built have them do that. Make it a positive experience for all involved and you will have no trouble getting people to participate again.

[Tough as Nails]

One other thing--have different levels of commitment. Don't make everything an all day event. Something as simple as going to a nursing home for an hour to visit or to do therapy with some of the residents.

[Birdsfan]

Are you trying to reach out and get more people into your church or are you talking about helping the community in various ways?

I think that is an important distinction. You can choose to reach out to do good work in the community, you can launch a marketing program, or you can do a combination of the two. But you have to define your goals, understand who your trying to reach (your market), and find what it is that makes your church and your people unique. Then you have to come up with a coordinated program with some type of unifying message or element.

[HHSDad]

Its my unorthodox belief that as a Christian, I should not be trying to get people to come to my church. I should be trying to get them to go to church, period.

[rockmom]

[HHSDad]

How about Big Butter Jesus?

[ladiesbballcoach]

Are you trying to reach out and get more people into your church or are you talking about helping the community in various ways?

We want the first to occur because they want to be a part of our church who is out doing the latter. We want them to come because they see us being a positive influence in our communities and want to be a part of it.

 

We don't necessarily want someone to come and fill a pew seat. Although we will take that with the hope that they we can touch their heart and then want to be a part of positive influence in our communities.

[ladiesbballcoach]

My church just began an outreach emphasis. We started with a small group (10 or so) and worked to develop 10 startegies that we thought would attract people to our church (focusing on the unchurched). here are some of our ideas.

 

1. Church Promotions Team (we have a 15,000.00 budget for next year for advertising/promotion)

 

2. Consistent local mission work that involves many members of the church community.

 

3. Praise service early on Sundays

 

4. Revival

 

5. Sponosr local youth sports teams

 

6. Bible school off of church grounds - go where the kids are.

 

These are the ones I can remember off of the top of my head.

 

#5 intrigues me. About 5 years ago I was at a girls AAU event at the Shoemaker Center. There was a team there and their team name was a Biblical Scripture. They prayed after games and invited the other team to join them in prayer.

 

I thought what a neat way to show that Christian kids were just like any other kid in so many ways. BTW, they didn't win the tournament but that soundly defeated a good number of teams and then prayed with them afterwards.

 

Also, my experiences with the Upward program, I would recommend it very highly. http://www.upward.org

[ladiesbballcoach]

Its my unorthodox belief that as a Christian, I should not be trying to get people to come to my church. I should be trying to get them to go to church, period.

I think yes and no.

 

I am comfortable in encouraging people to attend and be a part of a church that is Bible based.

 

I would not be comfortable in encouraging someone to attend a church that does not make their decisions based upon the Word of God.

 

And since I don't know every church and what they do, but yet I do know my church, I find it easier to encourage them to come to my church. I am familiar with some local churches that I believe also use the Word of God as their directive force so I would have no problem with them attending that church.

 

So yes, I agree with you and no, I don't agree with you all at the same time, if that makes any sense. :D

[TeddyBear]

I think yes and no.

 

I am comfortable in encouraging people to attend and be a part of a church that is Bible based.

 

I would not be comfortable in encouraging someone to attend a church that does not make their decisions based upon the Word of God.

 

And since I don't know every church and what they do, but yet I do know my church, I find it easier to encourage them to come to my church. I am familiar with some local churches that I believe also use the Word of God as their directive force so I would have no problem with them attending that church.

 

So yes, I agree with you and no, I don't agree with you all at the same time, if that makes any sense. :D

 

What churches don't base their directive force on the Word of God? :confused:

[ladiesbballcoach]

What churches don't base their directive force on the Word of God? :confused:

Too many who pick and choose the things they want to follow. The things they like, they promote highly. The things they don't, they either ignore or don't do much with it.

 

For example, the 12 Apostles were caught up teaching and the poor widows were not being taken care of. So did the 12 say, "Aw no big deal." No they told them that this needed to be taken care of, so elect 12 to take care of it.

 

Fast forward to today's time and how many churches have active programs in which they are actively involved in helping the poor? the hungry?

 

Or do some/most, just sit back and wait for someone to come and ask the benelovence committee for some money.