Strengthening a Commitment to Outreach

Strengthening a commitment to outreach:

Why this step is important: What does it take to become a mission-oriented church-a church that shares God's self-sacrificial love for the lost, lonely, and broken, and cultivates a commitment toward outreach as a key element of discipleship? Becoming mission-centered is a transformational process. There are two main hurdles to be overcome. First is an inward focus that keeps the church from reaching out to the community. Second are the barriers that keep the church isolated from the community. Strengthening a commitment to outreach requires intentional efforts to place mission at the center of congregational life, as well as training and activities to help overcome barriers of race, class and ability that may separate your congregation from the community.

Why it is helpful: Despite the overall movement toward a holistic understanding of the gospel in the last few decades, too many American churches still neglect outreach. A major hurdle to overcome in many churches is the inward-focused, "social club" understanding that the church exists to serve the needs of its membership. Church members are often isolated from the spiritual and social needs around them, and find it difficult to connect with and welcome people who are different. Thus a key step in growing a holistic congregation is to cultivate a commitment to reaching out beyond the walls of the church, as a central expression of the congregation's faith and worship. This entails reinforcing an outward-looking paradigm, and building bridges of trust and caring with the community.

Your church might benefit from this step if ...the congregation does not understand or resists the notion that being the church entails reaching out beyond the church; outreach is simply not on the church's radar screen; the church thinks of mission only in terms of overseas projects and not local outreach; the congregation is isolated from the community of ministry and not exposed to spiritual and social needs; outreach ministry is hindered by prejudices, fears, or other personal barriers; the congregation is comfortable with the familiarity of their in-group and not welcoming of outsiders.