“One Church Reaching One Community”
I have been
praying, fasting, reading the Word, and reading radical Christianity books over
the last several months. I have been inspired and felt led by the Lord to
create my own plan for radical ministry in the town where God has called me to. Is it really that radical to be doing what God has called us to do?
I have followed
several ministers and their outreach evangelism ministries. I have been wowed
by the idea of weekend mission trips to help the needy and the homeless in
choice locations all over the country. God truly is stirring His people back to
the streets for evangelism. Over the past year God has put me in contact with
countless likeminded people who are all trying to do the same types of works.
What do you do when
the hype is over? So let’s say you plan a weekend trip and people come from all
over the country to help you. What do you do when the help goes home? How do
you implement the same ideas and keep it going throughout the year? I am not
knocking anyone’s ideas for ministry but what happens when those same people
you helped on the street are still there when you leave that city?
The problem I find
with this model is that there is no continued friendship and follow up. Also
when there is a huge weekend (which is amazing) it can be overwhelming for the
host church after it is over. I think it is like the starfish, you helped that
one but a church any size is not prepared to help 500 homeless people per say
after one weekend of radical ministry.
So what can we do…
After reading,
gleaning, and praying I feel God has given me a weekend model for one church
(the whole church) to get involved in radical ministry. It would have the same
concept as some of the weekend mission trips that I have read about but it will
focus on one local church body reaching into their own attainable community.
Keep an open mind…
I am sure the kinks
are not worked out and I am sure the plan needs some tweaking but I do feel
that the plan as a whole is a solid way of reaching the community…
“Teaching one whole church how to minister effectively”
Day 1: Thursday
(Whole church
begins outreach @homeless shelter)
Building
relationships and friendships as an entire church body
Invite to Revival
Service on Saturday
Bring in needed
items for those in need
1. Socks
2. Clothes
3. Food
4. Hygiene
5. Etc
Day 2: Friday
(Whole church to underprivileged neighborhood)
Invite to Revival Service on Saturday
1. Mowing lawns, paint houses, etc
2. Diapers & Formula, etc
3. Groceries
Day 3: Saturday
Tent Revival @ 7pm
Whole church spends daytime doing a bus route for kids on Sunday
Follow up calls to Shelter and neighborhoods arrange for rides for
Saturday Night
Saturday Night Tent Revival
Community Meal after revival Cookout BBQ
Day 4: Sunday
Pick up kids on bus route
1. Prize giveaways
2. Puppet shows
3. Kids Service
The entire purpose of the plan is to teach one church how to minister
to their community. It is about teaching them how to give back and to inspire
them to help the least of these. There shouldn’t be a lot of hype but it should
be heartfelt ministry in their own community. I feel that hype will fade away
and then where is the church after a huge event?
The point of ministry is to inspire, help, and change the mindsets of
those who will continue a consistent ministry. I like the idea of the boot
camps and the ministry teams. What happens when all of the extra help goes
home? The point is to be teaching the local church body how to step outside the
box and to help who they can help within their own community.
My ideas and plans are of course only a tentative outline. The idea
is to make it small enough that it can be continued consistently and large
enough to inspire the hearts of saints to take up new ministry to be fulfilling
the Gospel of Matthew 25.
1) This weekend would be a kick off for continued ministry in the local
shelters e.g. bible studies and bringing them to Sunday service.
2) Which would bleed into the once monthly community meal where basic
needs would be supplied to each person who attends the meal.
3) Then once a month the church could have a work day in the community
where they go to surrounding neighborhoods cleaning up debris, painting houses,
giving groceries, diapers, needed items.
4) Would launch a children’s bus ministry. Sunday school (kids church)
would happen and then the kids would be taken home.
5) Continued follow up for adults in the local neighborhoods and
shelters. A ministry to pick them up and bring them to church. Breakfast
provided each Sunday morning prior to Sunday church.
6) An additional ministry to be organized would be nursing home
ministry. Once a week getting the youth involved in preaching and singing.
The ministry weekend would happen once a year or every six months.
With continued ministry throughout the year.
I hope this plan has inspired you!
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