Multiply Your Outreach
I am certainly not an expert on outreach. Doubtless there are pastors and churches who are far more effective than me on this. However, I’ve learned a few things, mostly from my mistakes! Let me share a few things that have worked for me, and perhaps they will spur you on to find ways that work for you and your church.
Pastors need to get out in the community
Sit in the coffee shop that gets the most traffic for a few hours a week. Offer prayer for civic events when requested. Attend police and firefighter events. Get involved in the National Day of Prayer at City Hall. Do some community funerals for funeral homes. Write for the local newspaper.
Pastors are the face of the church, like it or not. If you are not a presence in your community, the likelihood is your church isn’t either. Time is limited, but this is time well-spent. The longer you are in the community, the more effective you will be.
Encourage your people to evangelize often
You are your church’s CEO (Chief Evangelism Officer). Even if evangelism is not your primary gift (it isn’t mine), you need to be the one that calls people to it. Lead by example, first and foremost. If you struggle with this, tell people that. Many will likely relate to the struggle. Tell stories of your church’s evangelistic efforts.
Calling people to evangelism is not a “one and done” event. It is an ongoing, perpetual necessity. If there is no one championing evangelism, it will likely sit on the back burner. The priority of it should pepper our preaching, Bible studies, meetings, and personal conversations with our members. Overall, I think our members want to evangelize; they just need the equipping and encouragement to do so.
Partner with other churches and ministries
There is no reason why individual churches need to reinvent the wheel. If there is a church in town already great at recovery ministry, it may be wise to seek to partner with them. If there is a local ministry doing an amazing job providing clothes at low cost, maybe send some volunteers their way.
Our church partners with four local ministries in particular: The Pregnancy Care Center, New Brothers Fellowship (aftercare prison ministry), Leaving the Streets Ministries (inner city gang ministry) and Open Hearts Ministries (which we host at our facility).
Offer a food ministry to the community
I remember a conversation with a stranger at my gym. I mentioned to him that I was a pastor and told him the name of our church. His response was, “Oh, that is the church that feeds people.” What a great thing to be known for!
Maybe you have the facility and volunteers to open a soup kitchen, providing one or more meals a week. Maybe you can hand out bagged lunches. Maybe you can give out canned and dry goods at certain set hours. This is a great way to connect especially with the poor in the community.
Feed people with no strings attached - but use that time to build relationships and share the Gospel with people.
Open your facility to outside organizations
Churches often have a lot of space that gets little usage. Many rooms are used only on Sundays. Fellowship halls, kitchens, and meeting rooms are desirable for lots of local groups. Alcoholics Anonymous seem to be always looking for locations to meet. Some groups can provide rent; others will request it as a donation.
Not every group is a good fit for every church. You and your leadership will need to discern what makes for a good match. We provide space for our local Christian school’s art program, a handful of organizations that work with the disabled, and a longstanding AA group in Haverhill, among others. Housing these groups gives us a positive presence in the city.
Do it weekly at Sunday services
The church is for Christians. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have an outreach aspect to it. In the New Testament, it is assumed that nonbelievers will show up at gathered worship (e. g. 1 Cor 14:23-25). The way you rush over to say hello, welcome visitors during the service with love, and follow-up afterwards speaks volumes to your church family.
Rick Harrington is a pastor at First Baptist Church - Haverhill in Massachusetts. He is the author of the books "How to Find a Church: Seven Steps to Becoming Part of a Spiritual Family" and "The Weight of Preaching: Heralding the Gospel of Grace". You can follow his writing on his blog The Lamp Post.
