Outreach is a critical element in church planting. It’s no secret that nearly 9 out of 10 North American churches are declining or growing slower than their communities, primarily because they lack effective outreach programs.
Outreach helps churches reach people in the community that are far from God or anything spiritual for that matter. Outreach helps to build relationships and understanding within the local community on many different levels – practically and spiritually.
How to get started with outreach
Planting a church is tough, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming; it can be achieved through simple, intentional acts of kindness.
Servant evangelism is at the core of outreach. It provides an easy-to-follow framework that can include even the newest church member. By understanding the basics of low-risk and high-grace outreaches, your church family will be fired up to reach the community with the love of Jesus.
Here are a few ideas of low risk (people will not respond negatively) and high grace (easy to implement):
- Adopt a local school and show your appreciation to the staff.
- Serving food to the homeless
- Establishing a mentoring program for youth in the area
How to measure the success of your Outreach efforts
Measuring the success of Outreach efforts can take time and effort. Still, it’s essential to take the time to reflect on how many members are sowing seeds of kindness and showing the community that your church cares. This will help build an outreach culture and also establish the church as one that is involved within the community,
Remember, it’s not just about numbers and metrics but how your actions have made an impact.
Tips for sustaining your Outreach efforts
Consistency is key. That doesn’t mean you need to stick to the same program all the time – in fact, change and variety can help keep your efforts exciting and engaging over the long run.
By committing to a regular schedule of outreach activities, you will effectively reach out and draw people in with your message.
Set realistic and attainable goals, considering manpower and budget restrictions while allowing the flexibility needed for creativity and growth. With consistency as its foundation and God’s love as the motivation, outreach can be one of your most powerful tools for sustained church growth.
Final Thoughts
Finally, remember that outreach is a marathon, not a sprint. If you want to see lasting change, you’ll need to commit to maintaining an active outreach plan.
So take action now – if you want to see lives changed by your church’s mission, commit to doing outreach regularly! Please put it in your yearly calendar.
Commit to at least one corporate outreach per month.
Talk about your personal outreach from the pulpit. It will inspire people to do it as part of their everyday life.
Now… stop talking about it. Go and do it!
Grab a copy of Church Planting Made Practical by Ron Myer and Jeff Hoglen
If you have heard God’s call for church planting, this tool will help you bring your dream to reality. With the call of God as your starting point, a church planter also needs diligent preparation, a clear vision and mission, training, prayer support, and accountability partners. This manual provides guidance on how you can implement your God-inspired vision to plant churches in a way that will effectively grow God’s Kingdom.