DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this team, simply put, is to find ways of reaching individuals and families from our local community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in such a way that those reached can be brought into the Church as followers of Christ. This involves intentionally developing, planning, and implementing events and activities that are designed to use the gifts of our body for effective outreach. It also involves working with the other ministry teams in their outreach efforts.
CHANGES: In the past, the two functions of "hospitality" and "outreach" have been combined. The recommendation is that these be separated, so that this becomes an independent team, consisting of people with a heart for evangelism and other outreach functions.
LEADER:(Currently Roddy Alt, leading the "Outreach & Hospitality" team - looking to find a non-elder leader....if possible)
MEMBERS:
GUIDELINES / ACTIVITIES:
Gospel knowledge.Ensure all members of the body are familiar with the content of the gospel message, and are equipped to share it with others.
Suggest coordinating with elders/teachers to develop a series of lessons for teaching across each of the S.S. class levels, with the intent of the class being that everyone comes away able to share the gospel (perhaps each in their own way)
Getting the unchurched into the Church. Ensure we plan out and schedule activities (at least quarterly?) intentionally designed to get people from the community into the church, who otherwise might not attend
Suggest evaluating the possibility of monthly "family night" movies that could be used for introducing people to the church
Suggest evaluating the possibility of doing one or more cookouts at the church, with invitations being given to families in the "project" area across from McDonalds (budget item)
Suggest evaluating ways to leverage Kid's Night Out to build relationships with families, with the goal of engaging parents in Bible Study, possibly with a parenting focus (see survey Q10: response #3)
Suggest evaluating ways to transport people to the church who desire to attend, but otherwise do not have a means of transportation (see survey Q10: response #11)
Suggest coming up with activities for inviting guests, such as family outdoor activities (hiking, rafting, fishing), church cookouts, Praise & Prayer, Christmas Caroling, movie nights, game nights, etc. (see survey Q10: response #14)
Going out to reach the community.Ensure that, given the primary needs & characteristics of Cherokee County (C.C.), we intentionally plan out activities designed to use known gifts of the church in reaching individuals within the community with the truths of the gospel
Suggest evaluating the possibility of coming alongside either those currently enrolled at "Renewed Hope" (Drug & Alcohol Rehab) or certain individuals who have already graduated from Renewed Hope, in some way that continues their discipleship process and helps them to continue free from substance abuse (see survey Q8: "abuse of drugs/alcohol"; Q9: "freeing from addiction"; Q12: responses #5, 10)
Suggest evaluating the possibility of becoming involved in serving through the "Pinwheel Tutoring" program (ministry from Red Oak Church), with the intent of teaching and evangelizing low-income children and families of the community (see survey Q3: "Tutoring" & "Mentoring"; Q8: "low-income"; Q9: "parenting education; Q10: responses #6, 16; Q12: response #10)
Suggest evaluating the possibility of starting a form of “discernment ministry,” which would seek to provide solid, biblical Truth to those in C.C. who have been unknowingly exposed to erroneous teaching. This would require determining the primary areas of false teaching which need to be refuted, figuring out how to reach those who are questioning / open to right teaching, and determining the best ways to reach them with Truth (e.g. one-on-one, topical classes, conference with invited speakers, periodic topical "symposiums," etc.).
Suggest leveraging, to a greater extent, our relationship with the "Parenting & Pregnancy Center," to assist with meeting some particular need, which allow us to build relationships and to share the healing message of the Gospel (see survey Q9: "parenting education," "tutoring /childcare," "freeing from addiction," "relationship building")
Suggest evaluating our involvement with the "Friendship House" homeless shelter, and consider how to improve our ability to reach individuals with Gospel truths (see survey Q8: "Homeless"; Q10: responses #5, 9; Q11: "additional comments"; Q12: response #6)
Suggest considering whether or not there is some particular way of coming alongside C.C.'s population from Florida (see survey Q8)
Suggest Christmas signing in front of Walmart, handing out candy and invitation to Easter Sunday service, see if there might be an opportunity for an abbreviated, outdoor VBS at the apartments across from McDonalds (see survey Q10: response #3)
Suggest thinking through ways to use our facility during the week, in order to teach classes (e.g. homeschool?) and minister to children who otherwise do not have the opportunity to be exposed to the gospel (see "Pinwheel Tutoring" item above - could transport the children to our facility) (see survey Q10: responses #6, 13, 16)
Suggest involvement in street evangelism designed to answer people's questions, and to come alongside broken people with the gospel, with follow-up discipleship (see survey Q10: responses #7, 12, 15)
Suggest evaluating the possibility of reaching children through involvement in youth sports (perhaps doing this somehow in connection with "Pinwheel Tutoring"?) (see survey Q10: response #6; Q2: response #2)
Suggest evaluating ways of coming alongside those who are alone in the hospital or nursing home, and providing them with things they may need - especially Bibles, reading materials, Bible study/relationship (see survey Q12: responses #1,2,3,12,14)
Discussion: From survey results, need to take into account the following:
How to reach those who are "nominal" Christians (i.e. who think they are saved, but their lives show no true fruit). See "discernment ministry" above.
How to break through the "education barrier" (recognizing that the problem is not just with those we want to reach, but it also lies with us).
Of the gifts & abilities which members stated they believe they have, "evangelism" scored the lowest.
Prayer.Ensure that the Outreach Ministry Team is regularly engaged in praying that God would provide us with avenues to reach C.C. (and specific groups within it) with the Truth of the Gospel. This (prayer) is important for all the ministry areas, but is absolutely essential for outreach.
Suggest there be an organized way by which the team (either together and/or separately) prays for the outreach efforts of the church, that members would have an ever increasing heart for outreach, and that God would convert specific individuals with whom we are working.
Suggest that specific prayer requests be coordinated and communicated with the individual collecting prayer requests for the church (currently the pastor, but it may become an Admin Asst. item).
Removal of barriers.Ensure that in our outreach efforts, without sacrificing who we are (reformed, evangelical) and the Truth that we stand upon, we do not erect artificial barriers that may stand in the way of our reaching the local community around us
Suggest the team spend time grappling with, and praying through, survey Q13 and Q14
Suggest the team make recommendations to the Session about ways that we can better reach our community, without sacrificing our doctrinal stance
Sharing with the church.Ensure that the congregation is made aware of the initiatives that the OMT is working and planning, areas of progress, and any specific prayer requests.
Suggest that, perhaps twice a year, the congregation be given a short, verbal update by making use of a "Ministry Minute" during the Worship Service.
Suggest that specific efforts, areas that might require volunteers or involvement from members of the congregation, and other initiatives from the OMT of particular interest, be provided to the congregation through the (planned) newsletter. (Admin Asst. item)
Budget Requests.Ensure a budget is established annually for the Outreach Ministry, as input to the budget process (Financial Team to provide submission timeframe).