As
soon as the Church realizes how important it is to offer Outreach Programs to
the local community, it will begin to see the positive impact Outreach will
have in the church and neighborhood.
Church Outreach is a vital part of the congregation’s growth; without
it, there is little hope of advancement.
Churches need to implement Outreach Programs in their local communities
as an act of obedience to God’s command, to lead others to the Lord, and to
promote church growth
To
establish Outreach Programs is to act in obedience to the Lord. When Jesus gave
the disciples specific instructions through the Great Commission, he was
telling them to go out into the world. They needed to get out of their comfort
zones. For churches, this is accomplished when outreach is done. Missionaries
are a great example of people who have chosen to live what the Great Commission
demands. Many of them leave the comfort of home to live in a foreign place, preach
the Gospel, and provide services to the community where they have settled. Today, the local community is the mission
field of the Church. This is the “land” the Lord wants the Church to conquer.
It is the job of the Christians to get out of the comfort zone and begin to
obey the instructions given by Christ himself.
Leading
others to the Lord is one of the main reasons for Church Outreach. Through the
established programs the Church can show the love of God to the people being
served. When a food pantry or a clothing closet is offered to the community,
the Church is doing exactly what the Lord expects. Matthew 5:35-40 says “For I was hungry and you gave me something
to eat… I needed clothes and you clothed me…I was in prison and you came to
visit me... ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these
brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ” Programs can be designed
in various ways that will allow an evangelistic message to be shared with the
folks. A great idea is to give New Testaments or devotionals with the goods
that are being distributed. Outreach creates a number of opportunities to share
the message of Salvation to more people in a practical way.
A
major benefit of Outreach Programs is church growth. If the Church utilizes its building as the
main location for the Outreach events, the people that attend will become
familiar with its facilities. When people start feeling comfortable with going
to the church building to participate of an Outreach Program, it will become
easier to invite the community to the worship services. Once the folks continue
to attend worship services on a regular basis, the next step would be to begin
a Newcomers Program. This type of
program will familiarize the people with the church in another level, preparing
them for a possible commitment to live a Godly life.
As
long as the Church gives importance to the needs of the local community,
outreach programs will continue to benefit both the church and the surrounding
neighborhood. It is a blessing to obey
God’s command, lead others to Christ, and see the church grow as a result of
establishing Church Outreach Programs in the local community. Outreach is a great way for the Church to
show a glimpse of God’s love the surrounding communities.
All churches need to practice outreach and evangelism, without it, it is almost impossible for people to be attracted to church nowadays.
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