Outreach Ministry

Introduction

The church outreach ministry is any ministry that brings the church into the community to reach souls for Christ. No outreach ministry will reach its full potential without planning, preparing, and promoting.

Planning, Preparing, and Promoting

These steps are vital for any outreach program, from a bus ministry to a cantata, they each need to be planned, prepared, and promoted. First, the outreach needs to be planned. It must be determined if the outreach lines up with the mission of the church. If it does not, we need to ask ourselves why we are attempting it. If it does, the goals for the outreach must be set, as well as the means to meet those goals. The goals must be measurable and attainable so that it is possible to gauge the success of the program.

Next the outreach must be prepared, but more important than that, the church must be prepared. The congregation needs to pray for the program and for its officers. They need to support it with their prayer life, their finances, and their time. The congregation is the church, and if they are not behind a ministry, it will fail. Having a prayer meeting specifically for the outreach is a good idea, especially if it is held before the business meeting for the same outreach. Special collections and pledges would help fund an outreach that is too big for the current budget.

The outreach must be adequately promoted. Many outreaches that are excellently planned and prepared are lost due to under-promotion. There are several mode of promotion from which to choose and a church should not limit itself to only one. Many television and radio stations will do announcements for nonprofit organizations free of charge, many news papers will do the same. It should not be outside of the possibilities to pay for advertising as well. A bus ministry is of no use if people do not know it exists. No one will come to a gospel concert, if they do not know it is happening. It is important to promote the outreach and promote it creatively.

Types of Outreach

There are many type of outreach programs and I will not attempt to mention them all here. If I did, I am sure that I would miss a few.

Visitation

It is important to have an active visitation ministry. Any person that honors the church as a visitor deserves a visit in return. I have seen churches grow without visitation, but they did not have the amount of conversions that they could have had, nor did they reach anywhere near their full potential. Visitation ministry should also visit the sick, shut-ins, and those that have missed a few weeks.

Sunday School

Though it is a regular part of the agenda at many churches, Sunday School could be used as an outreach. Marketed properly, Sunday School could reach those that are curious about the things of God, but are not comfortable with going to church, especially if it is held on a different night or in a different building.

Bus Ministry

One of the largest, and most expensive outreach ministries is the bus ministry. It takes commitment, but it can be a rewarding ministry that will reach souls that would not otherwise be able to make it to church.

Musical Programs and Holiday Programs

Though musical and holiday programs will bring in many people that are new to the area and seeking a church, they can reach the unsaved as well. If the program is performed by the members of the church, as opposed to an outside group, many friends and family members will come to see them. These people will be more open to the gospel, as they are likely to have seen the effects of Christ in the life of the performer.

Conclusion

Regardless of which outreach programs you choose, it is important to reach out into the community. They all need proper planning, preparation, and promotion.