When it comes to church outreach, we often view it as a separate entity from church missions. In reality, they are two sides of the same coin: both are methods by which we share the Gospel with others and introduce the Savior of the world to every person we meet.
When we assess our outreach efforts for the coming year, it is essential that we view them as an extension of our mission programs, rather than a separate entity competing for resources.
Because outreach is an extension of your church’s mission, it is essential to view it from a biblical perspective.
There are 4 major foundational truths to keep in mind as you’re planning your outreach efforts (and changing your mindset to see outreach as missions!)
1) God Has a Heart for Missions
From the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation, our God continually asks those who trust Him to go.
God the Father told Abraham to go to the land of Canaan (Genesis 12); He told Jonah to go to Nineveh (Jonah 1); and Jesus told His disciples to go out into all the world proclaiming the Good News (Matthew 28).
But while He has often sent people out from where they were, He has also used people exactly where they were (think of Joseph, Esther, and the disciples in the upper room).
He makes it clear that believers are to share their faith wherever He places them in life, charging people throughout history to reach the nations with the Gospel.
When it comes to having effective mission-minded outreach programs, every effort you make should reflect that desire for all people to come to saving faith in Jesus.
Many of your mission efforts will involve going out from your neighborhood and community, but when it comes to outreach, you must focus on the ultimate purpose: sharing the Gospel.
It’s easy to get distracted by wanting to get people excited, having great turnouts for events, and making sure everyone has fun. But if you miss the opportunities to spread the love of Jesus right in your community, then you’ve missed being part of God’s heart for missions.
2) Every Believer is a Mandated Missionary
If you want to see effective mission-minded outreach pour out of your church and into your community, you have to believe that every person who’s put their faith in Jesus, no matter their own circumstances, is a biblically mandated missionary.
The Great Commission, given by Jesus Himself in Matthew 28, doesn’t stipulate requirements for age, gender, wealth, health, or the length of time one has been a disciple. He simply says, “Go and make disciples.”
When your congregation truly believes that they can be missionaries exactly where they are, they will be able to serve and love your community in ways they never thought possible.
They won’t just be meeting the physical needs of the people in your community or helping those less fortunate. They’ll actively be the hands and feet of Jesus, on mission for Christ, right in their own neighborhood.
3) Jesus is the Perfect Model for Outreach
Jesus viewed every situation He found Himself in as an opportunity to meet people where they were and to introduce them to the Kingdom of Heaven.
He didn’t shun or neglect those who lived counter to the Scripture, but He didn’t condone their behavior either. He approached them with love and kindness, showing them how to live differently when they chose to believe in Him.
Jesus modeled how to love people without approving of their sin. He showed future generations how to boldly share the truth without condemning or caving to the pressures of society.
If you’re ever unsure of how to plan effective mission-minded outreach programs, just look to Jesus as the perfect example.
4) God Prioritizes Faithfulness Over “Success”
The Bible is clear throughout the entire story that God sees things differently from the way humans do.
The Father doesn’t define success the way we do. He doesn’t care if hundreds of people came to your outreach event or if you had a record number of donations made to the local food bank.
God cares about the heart behind the outreach far more than the “success” we strive for. Sure, our successes can be good things, but if we aren’t serving and giving out of a desire to see the Gospel spread and lives changed, we aren’t succeeding according to the only One whose opinion really matters.
When it comes to effective mission-minded outreach, faithfulness matters more than success. The hearts of your congregants matter more than the number of people who show up. The seeds of the Good News planted in the lives of your neighbors matter more than how much you spend.
Mission-minded outreach is all about viewing your outreach efforts as an extension of your mission projects rather than a separate line item competing for your ministry’s resources.
Outreach is a mission. And the Bible is very clear throughout that the Father has a heart for missions, that all believers are mandated missionaries, that Jesus is the perfect model for outreach, and that God prioritizes faithfulness over “success.”
If you view your church outreach programs through the lens of missions, you’ll see clearly how every effort you make can further the Kingdom of Heaven, and you’ll see success you never thought possible.
