STRATEGY: COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Transcription

1 STRATEGY: COMMUNITY OUTREACH THE FELLOWSHIP Quiz Has your church s impact in your community been such that if you were to suddenly disappear, it would leave a serious hole in your community? 1 2 PREPARE THE GROUNDWORK FOR GROWTH & CHANGE Team Formation Church Ministry Lay the Spiritual Analysis Foundation PRIORITIZE IDENTITY FORMATION TO BUILD A GUIDING FRAMEWORK Establish the Mission Identify Core Values PROCESS SIX CORE STRATEGIES FOR TRANSFORMATION Building the Staff Team Discipleship Pathway Assessing Facility & Setting Congregational Mobilization Raising the Finances PERCEIVE A COMPELLING AND ACTIONABLE VISION Present Strategic Vision Statements Craft a Comprehensive Vision for the Future STRATEGIC ENVISIONING PROCESS OVERVIEW Implementation This community outreach material provides the information that the Team needs to do its work. PERFORM LONG-TERM IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS Create Performance Goals Commit to Implementation Develop Effective Tactics Processes for Evaluation 4 Introduction Strengths & Weaknesses Presentation The Church Analysis surfaced a ministry red flag: Community Ministries & Evangelism. This presentation addresses Evangelism & Outreach. EVANGELISM REPUTATION IN THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY MINISTRIES 5 6 1

2 Few Churches Do Outreach: Few Christians Do Outreach: 95% each year the average evangelical church led 1.7 people to Christ for each 100 people in attendance. Malphurs p.178 of all Christians in North America will not win one person to Christ in their entire lifetime. Floyd Bartel, A New Look at Church Growth, p Question: Introduction ANSWER COMMUNITY OUTREACH (By intentionally reaching out to your community in the name of Christ) How can we turn up the heat on evangelism in our churches? 9 10 Importance : Importance 1. marks a great church. A great church has a distinctive impact on a community. If it disappeared, it would leave a serious hole in the community. *

3 Importance 2. IS ministry. Problem: In early 20 th century many fundamentalists abandoned their communities over the social gospel! : Definition DEFINITION Community is the geography where your church exerts a spiritual influence! YOUR JERUSALEM! (Acts 1:8)* Your geographical sphere of spiritual influence. DEFINITION But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria Acts 1: Defining Community Geography Where? People Sovereignty Community focuses on the people whom God has sovereignly brought into your church s geographical community. 1. Community involves geography. Question: Where is your Jerusalem? Geography People Sovereignty

4 Critical Factors for Defining Your Jerusalem Travel Distance to The Fellowship, CMA Respondents TIME DISTANCE 21% 8% How many minutes are people willing to drive to church? How many miles are people willing to drive to church? 1 MILE 8% 5 MILES 46% 10 MILES 25% GOAL: Establish soft boundaries. * 25% 46% 15+ MILES 21% 20 Travel Distance to The Fellowship 92% of CMA respondents live at least 5 miles away from the church. Where is your geographical community? What are your soft boundaries? 1 mile radius? 3 mile radius? 5 mile radius? GUT-CHECK QUESTION: Are you a part of your community? Mile Radius 23 3 Mile Radius 24 4

5 Who? 2. Community involves people. Question: Who are the people whom God has sovereignly moved to live within your boundaries? Geography People Sovereignty 1 Mile Radius IMPORTANCE To reach the people who make up your community you need to know who they are (1 Cor. 9:19-23). Peter preached to the Jews in Jerusalem from the OT (Acts 2:14). Who lives in your community? Paul reasoned with the pagan philosophers in Athens (Acts 17:18) Demographic Insights Population 30,755 (+2.2% since 2012) Demographics Note: Data includes the 17 census blocks within the 3-5 miles from The Fellowship. Age Data Largest Age Bracket: 17 & under (declining) Fastest Growing: (+25%) and (+22%) Median Income $122,695 Home Prices 64% of houses cost between $300k-$750k Race/Ethnicity White (90%), Black (3.5%), Hispanic (2.4%), Asian (2.7%) Unemployment 5% Education No HS (4%), HS (23%), Some College (18%), College (31%) Graduate+ (24%) Marital Status Never Married (28%), Married (57%), Divorced (8%) SOURCE: THEARDA.COM

6 The Fellowship vs Community Demographics Gut-Check Question: Does your church community look like the community that surrounds you? If you re very different from your community, what are your options? 1. Do nothing don t reach out. 2. Reach out what would this mean (1 Cor. 9:19-23)? 3. Relocate to another community Psychographics Question: Why would people in your community visit/attend your church? People s perceived needs or concerns (pain). People s spiritual needs. Do they believe you can address these needs? How would they know? Psychographic Sources Thearda.com Conduct a Community Needs Survey Interviews of prominent leaders in the community Psychographic Insights: Bristol County, MA Mainline Protestants 18,246 Evangelical Protestants 18,765 Non-denominational Congregations 38 Non-denominational Attendance 9,789 Largest Denominations Catholic (286,113), United Church of Christ (4,340), Episcopal Church (3,948) Highest Adherent Rate Catholic Church: 522 Non-Denominational: 18 SOURCE: THEARDA.COM

7 27 Churches - 3 Mile Radius 4 Churches - 3 Mile Radius The Most Important Numbers: 215,278 Number of religiously unaffiliated people in Bristol County 4,396/1 People per church average within 3 miles of The Fellowship Gut-Check Question: Are you ready to labor for the harvest? God s Role 3. Community also involves God s sovereignty: Question: What is God s role in reaching people in your geographical community?* Geography People Sovereignty GOD S SOVEREIGNTY God owns and is sovereign over everything and everyone whether in heaven or on earth (Ps. 24:1-2,135:6; Dan. 4:32, 35; Ac. 15:18; Eph. 1:11) God places or moves people to where they are geographically for a reason!

8 DEFINITION What are the characteristics of people who share Christ in their communities? Characteristics They value lost people (lost people matter to God-Jn. 3:16.) They pursue lost people (proactive not passive) Receptive lost people-mt. 13:1-23 (sower) Responsive lost people (seekers*) Zacchaeus, Nicodemus, the eunuch, Cornelius, etc.* Responses to Seekers Seeker Driven Seeker Tolerant : Definition They spend time with and get to know lost people (not to be like them but to be with them)- Lk. 5:29-32; 15:1-2; 19:7; Mt. 9:9-13. Seeker Sensitive Seeker Unfriendly They consider the felt needs of lost people (key to unlocking the closed mind and calloused hearts)- Ac. 2:45; 2 Co. 8:19; 9:12; Ep. 4:29; Phil. 4:19. They use language & methods that clearly communicate with lost people (clarity)-col. 4: : Definition They re willing to adapt what they do (practices not faith) to lost people 1 Co. 9:19-23; 10:23-33 (worship style, etc.).* Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.... I have become all things to all men, so that by all possible means I might save some. 1 Cor. 9:19,

9 A Post-Christian Society To qualify as post-christian, individuals had to meet nine or more of the following factors. Highly post-christian individuals meet 13 or more of the factors (out of these 16 criteria). Do not believe in God Identify as atheist or agnostic Disagree that faith is important in their lives Have not prayed to God (in the last week) Have never made a commitment to Jesus Disagree the Bible is accurate Have not donated money to a church (in the last year) Have not attended a Christian church (in the last 6 months) Agree that Jesus committed sins 49 A Post-Christian Society Do not feel a religious small group (in responsibility to share the last week) their faith Bible engagement scale: Have not read the Bible low (have not read the (in the last week) Bible in the past week Have not volunteered at and disagree strongly or church (in the last week) somewhat that the Bible is accurate) Have not attended Sunday school (in the last Not Born Again week) Have not attended 50 So what? It s time to understand the new cultural norms. Millennial Sensibilities Authentic is better than Cool. Our generation has been advertised at our whole life, and even now on social media. Consequently, when a [church] isn t being authentic with their story we can easily see through this. We re good at seeing when people are lying to us. Taylor Snodgrass via Church of the 20somethings Blog Only 8% don t attend because church is out of date, undercutting the notion that all we need to do for Millennials is make church cooler. - Barna 51 Millennial Sensibilities Meaning matters. [Millennials] don t want to sit on the sidelines and observe. If they re going to be part of a church, it must have value and meaning. In generations like the Boomers, people attend church out of some moral obligation to do so. Millennials won t have any of that. If it doesn t provide meaning and value to them, they won t participate. They ll go and find something that does have meaning and value. Shawn Williams, Community Christian Church Millennial Sensibilities Excellence over style points. The driving wedge between young and old people in the church when it comes to worship music is not style but one s definition of excellence Millennials value worship services that are artistic, well thought out, and well rehearsed Too many times older churches try to be young people friendly by introducing Chris Tomlin and Hillsong to their congregation. The problem is that many congregations don t put in the time and energy, or have the musical talent to produce quality contemporary music. Ministry from a Millennial Blog 9

10 DEFINITION Question: What are you willing to give up, to change to reach your community for Christ. The Father was willing to give up His Son (Jn. 3:16). The Son was willing to give up His life (Rom. 5:8). Paul was willing to give up his soul (Rom. 9:3) : Theology : Theology Jesus final words are found in Acts 1:8: But you will receive power, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 says that the Great Commission has geographical and ethnological implications! This passage tells the church where and to whom it is to be a witness. THEOLOGY Are you a church with a mission statement or are you a church on mission? How can you know? THEOLOGY Question: Are you trying to coax the world into the church or sending the church into the world? THEOLOGY Question: How can the church be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mt. 5:13-14) if we stay secluded within our four walls? (If we don t get out of the shaker or we ve run out of matches?)

11 Question: How can the church be the salt of the earth and the light of the world? How do we take these statements and move them from nice phrases and turn them into action to reach those around us? : Method What are we willing to hold loosely so that we can be more effective in being on mission? OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH Question: How would you reach out to your community? How do you become a church on mission and not just a church with a mission statement? Answer: Eight Ways 1. Senior leadership must set the example! Senior leadership must set the example! Does the pastor or lead pastor have a gift of or passion for evangelism? It s not likely to happen if this isn t the case! Examples: Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Steve Stroope, Andy Stanley, etc.. 1. Senior leadership must set the example! Effective church leaders average five hours per week in sharing the gospel with others. Most of the comparison church pastors entered 0 for their weekly time in personal evangelism

12 1. Senior leadership must set the example 2. Cast a compelling vision Cast a Compelling Vision MISSION S QUESTION Have you ever asked God if he wants you to be a missionary and go to the mission field? (Walt Baker) Wrong question! You are a missionary and the field begins at your front door step or that of your church! Cast a Compelling Vision Discover your congregational self identity (how you see yourself) affects what you will and won t do! Ask: Who are you and more important who do you want to be? Option: See yourselves as missionaries, not members. Cast a Compelling Vision Building: a mission s facility where missionaries are trained. Minister/staff: trainers of missionaries Congregation: missionaries, not members Signage: You re now entering the mission field! Example Vision for We envision a building that will function as a mission s facility where missionaries are trained to passionately share their faith. The pastor and any staff will be trainers of missionaries. We, the congregation, will be missionaries, not members. As you drive out of the parking lot, you ll see a sign: You re now entering the mission field! 1. Senior leadership must set the example! 2. Cast a compelling vision 3. Set a challenging goal

13 Set a Challenging Goal Each one reach one each year! (Goal 1:1:1) Doable? Do the Math! 1. Senior leadership must set the example 2. Cast a compelling vision 3. Set a challenging goal 4. Pray for your community Fervent prayer Col. 4:3-4 Prayer walks through the community Prayer evangelism Howard Tryon Pray for open doors in your community* Fervent Prayer And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we many pro-claim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Col. 4:3-4 Paul s prayer isn t whether to share the gospel but for opportunities to clearly share the gospel regardless his circumstances Senior pastor must set the example! 2. Cast a compelling vision 3. Set a challenging goal 4. Pray for your community 5. Embrace redemptive community-specific ministries Two Approaches to Community Ministries Events Church-wide effort Short-term Aims for high-impact Examples: Paint a school Sent to Serve Sundays Trunk or Treat Services Niche effort Long-term Aims for long-term impact Examples: After school program Life Skills classes Food pantry 77 13

14 Redemptive Community-Specific Ministries What are the Needs of Your Community? Adopt-a-school Beach Camps Adopt a fire or police station Sports Adopt a single-parent family Adopt-a-family* *See appendices for more examples Hale Elementary School, Arlington, TX I came to work on Monday morning and went to place my lunch in the Teacher s Lounge fridge and when I walked in I realized the Lounge had been remodeled with all new paint, appliances, tables and chairs. The librarian had the same experience when she walked into the library. There was new paint, a new painting, new computers and a new desk and chair. We learned this was all provided by a nearby church, North Point Church over one weekend with over 50 volunteers from the church. Rachel Hale Elementary Teacher Offer outreach-oriented services (Easter, Christmas, etc.), and see Sunday as a chance to reach the lost. Sunday AM Evangelism How you treat guests reveals what you believe about the gospel Hospitality is one of the highest Biblical values First Impressions: Greeters Welcome Center Coffee/Refreshments Assimilation Team/Process Offer outreach-oriented services (Easter, Christmas, etc.), and see Sunday as a chance to reach the lost. 7. Train your people to do evangelism EVANGELISTIC TRAINING* Define evangelism Offer a premier evangelistic training course(s) Identify your style of evangelism Prepare a gospel presentation Spend time with lost people Target natural relationships *See appendices

15 6. Offer outreach-oriented services (Easter, Christmas, etc.) 7. Train your people to do evangelism 8. Plant churches Church Planting The single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven is planting new churches. Wagner, Church Planting for a Greater Harvest, p Why invest in church planting? New churches bring new ideas (the R&D of the American Church) New churches surface creative, strong leaders New churches kick-start evangelism among established churches Church-planting churches experience growth : Application 88 APPLICATIONAL ASSIGNMENT 1. Break into groups and select a recorder. 2. Brainstorm some ways to minister in and to your community that are authentic to who you are and where your are. 3. Come back together and share them. 4. Write them on a large pad or a white board. APPLICATIONAL QUESTIONS 1. What is preventing you as a church from becoming more evangelistic? 2. How willing are you to change-to transition-to become an evangelistic church?

16 3. How willing is the congregation? Saved a temporal preference issue. Unsaved an eternal damnation issue Rev. 20:10-15 Communication 4. Do you understand that your answers to these questions have eternal consequences for the lost in your community? 5. Do you understand that some people will be upset and threaten to leave the church? Communication Tool 1. What should be communicated? 2. Who should communicate it? (Pastor, staff person, team, congregation, etc.) 3. Who needs to know (church, staff, etc.) 4. When? (Immediately, one month, two months, etc.) Communication Tool 5. How? (Sermon, announcement, bulletin, web site, newsletter, etc.) 6. Where? (Worship, Sunday school, New Members Class, etc.) 7. How often? (Regularly, monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.) 8. Why? (Builds congregational trust!) Implementation Assignment Implementation The IT needs to accomplish the following: Begin to work through and apply the material in this presentation. Use the goals on the Implementation Worksheet as a guide

17 Questions? Appendix A Community Ministry Servant Evangelism Steve Sjogren Conspiracy of Kindness Community Ministry Life skill classes: Managing money, raising children, time management, etc. Common cause education, housing, mentoring, parenting, computer, etc. Give inner city kids a chance to go to camp. Rent a theme park and invite the police, firemen and teachers (recognition) Appendix B Evangelism EVANGELISTIC TRAINING Define evangelism Offer a premier evangelistic training course(s) Identify your style of evangelism Prepare a gospel presentation Spend time with lost people Target natural relationships Expect a response

18 Define evangelism EVANGELISTIC TRAINING Offer a premier evangelistic training course(s) Identify your style of evangelism Prepare a gospel presentation Spend time with lost people Target natural relationships Expect a response DEFINITION To present Christ to the people who make up your community with the intent that they accept Him as Savior EVANGELISTIC TRAINING Define evangelism Offer a premier evangelistic training course(s) Identify your style of evangelism Prepare a gospel presentation Spend time with lost people Target natural relationships Expect a response PREMIER EVANGELISTIC TRAINING COURSES E.g. EvanTell s You Can Tell It, Willow s Becoming a Contagious Christian, Kennedy s Evangelism Explosion, etc EVANGELISTIC TRAINING Define evangelism Offer a premier evangelistic training course(s) Identify your style of evangelism Prepare a gospel presentation Spend time with lost people Target natural relationships Expect a response STYLES OF EVANGELISM Confrontational (Mt. 16:15) Relational (Mk. 5:19; Mt. 15:28) Invitational (Jn. 4; Lk. 5:29) Intellectual (Ac. 17:16-31) Testimonial (Jn. 9:25, 30-33) Servant (Ac. 9:36) Combination

19 EVANGELISTIC TRAINING Define evangelism Offer a premier evangelistic training course(s) Identify your style of evangelism Prepare a gospel presentation Spend time with lost people Target natural relationships Expect a response GOSPEL PRESENTATION Roman Road All have sinned (Rom. 3:23) Wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23) Christ died for our sins (Rom. 5:8) Accept Christ and be saved (Rom. 10:9-10,13) GOSPEL PRESENTATION Bad News-Good News Bad News You re a sinner (Rom. 3:23) The punishment for sin is death (Rom. 6:23) GOSPEL PRESENTATION Bad News-Good News Good News Christ died for you (Rom. 5:8) You can be saved by faith in Christ (Ep. 2:8-9) EVANGELISTIC TRAINING Define evangelism Offer a premier evangelistic training course(s) Identify your style of evangelism Prepare a gospel presentation Spend time with lost people Target natural relationships Expect a response SPEND TIME WITH LOST PEOPLE If someone took a snapshot of you and your friends, would any lost faces be in the picture? The need to fellowship with other believers doesn t exclude spending time with lost people! Redemptive community-specific ministries

20 EVANGELISTIC TRAINING Define evangelism Offer a premier evangelistic training course(s) Identify your style of evangelism Prepare a gospel presentation Spend time with lost people Target natural relationships Expect a response TARGET NATURAL RELATIONSHIPS 86 percent of people who come to Christ are won through the witness of a friend, relative, associate, or neighbor TARGET NATURAL RELATIONSHIPS Who do you know that s lost in the following: Family Family tree Neighbors Neighborhood map Workmates Organizational chart EVANGELISTIC TRAINING Define evangelism Offer a premier evangelistic training course(s) Identify your style of evangelism Prepare a gospel presentation Spend time with lost people Target natural relationships Expect a response EXPECT A RESPONSE The example of the Oak tree (acorns). The parable of the sower (Mt. 13). Appendix C Demographics

21 Demographics Questions Population? Age? Average level of education? Percentage married/single? Number of persons per household? Demographics Questions Percentage owners/renters? More women or men? Predominant ethnicity? Median (middle) household income? Collar color? Demographic Sources The Census (2010) Know Your Community (NAMB) Church-marketing.com (free) Buydemographics.com Demographic Sources MissionInsite.com Percept Group Local government-city, county, etc. Utilities, real estate, etc. Google.com/publicdata