When we think about church outreach, the emphasis is often on how the program or event benefits those in your community. You focus on how you can utilize your resources to connect with people in your city who aren’t part of your ministry and introduce them to their Savior.
We put so much weight on those who will be reached that it’s easy to forget that church outreach efforts are just as much about those who are serving.
Christianity isn’t a passive faith. James tells us that faith without deeds is dead (James 2:17-18), while Paul tells us in Ephesians that God has already prepared good works for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
The members of your ministry who are giving to and serving in your outreach programs will benefit from these efforts just as much as those they’re connecting with.
Here are three ways that church outreach will change the lives of your congregants and lead to a deeper faith than they ever expected.
#1: They Will Master Loving Their Neighbor
In the book of Mark, Jesus tells His listeners that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God, while the second is to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31).
While Jesus makes this task sound easy, loving our neighbor is often significantly more difficult to put into practice.
But no matter how challenging, there is no ignoring the command to love those around us as we love ourselves (and yes, we should love ourselves because we were made in the image of God and have been chosen by Him).
The good news is that, like many other skills, loving your neighbor actually becomes easier the more you do it.
By volunteering to serve in outreach programs through your ministry, your members will learn to love their neighbors.
They’ll continually connect with people who look different from them, who have different professions, different beliefs, different everything. They’ll have to choose to be loving toward others during every interaction.
And each time that they choose to love, they’ll become more and more like the ultimate model of love, the Man they’re trying to introduce to those same neighbors: Jesus Christ.
#2: They Will Learn to Give Generously
Giving is a vital component of effective church outreach. Both financial contributions and the giving of time and talents play vital roles in reaching your community for Christ.
When your members choose to participate in your ministry’s outreach efforts, they’re deciding to give what they have to further the Kingdom of Heaven.
Just like loving your neighbor, giving generously is a learned skill. True generosity requires sacrifice and complete trust that God will use your gifts for your good and His glory.
By regularly serving and giving to your ministry’s outreach programs, your members will have the opportunity to practice generosity in a way that has a tangible impact on the lives of others.
Outreach often focuses on what your ministry is hoping to do for others. However, don’t forget that outreach can also benefit those who have already given their lives to Jesus by helping them grow as disciples and providing them with opportunities to live out their faith.
#3: They Will Practice Sharing Their Testimonies
One of the most important aspects of our faith is sharing it with others. Growing as disciples is a huge step in our journey to become like Christ, but a key tenet of that journey is the desire to draw others into the same life-changing relationship.
But sharing your testimony can be extremely intimidating, if not outright terrifying, for many people. While they long to see others come to know Jesus the same way they do, it can be intimidating to share the Gospel with others.
Many factors contribute to the hesitancy people feel when sharing their testimonies, including fear of rejection, fear of failure, uncertainty about the right answers, and concern about letting God down.
But Jesus doesn’t instruct believers to only make disciples if they feel comfortable doing it or if they’re confident in their ability to clearly share the Gospel with others.
And, surprisingly, sharing your testimony gets easier the more you do it, just like loving your neighbor and giving generously.
Spreading the Good News to those in your community is the main objective of your outreach programs. However, through these efforts, your members will have the opportunity to practice sharing their testimonies, thereby building their confidence and learning how to share the love of Jesus with others.
Church outreach has the potential to transform the lives of the people in your community, but it is also the perfect opportunity to help your members grow in their own spiritual walks with Jesus.
Becoming a disciple is a life-long process, with each person spending whatever time they have from the moment they choose Christ until their final breaths, striving to be more like Him.
Learning to become like Jesus takes practice and commitment, and your community outreach programs provide your members with the perfect training ground.
While they’re working to show others the truth of the Gospel, they’ll master loving their neighbor, learn to give generously, and practice sharing their testimonies.
So, as you’re looking at your outreach plans and finding the best ways to benefit your community, remember that each time your congregants serve or give toward your outreach efforts, they’re also benefiting in ways you might not have considered.
Outreach is all about changing lives, so let it change the lives of your members!
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