What does your church do outside of its' doors ?

[BlackCalvinist]

Any type of evangelism and outreach where you go to people in the neighborhoods and share the gospel ?

Any type of events you hold (i.e.- forums on certain topics) where you invite the local community ?

Do you do anything at all outside of the local church body ?

Asking.

KJG

 

[MrMerlin777]

The church I attend has several out reaches to the nieghborhoods around us. Everything from going door to door to having just plain ole niegborhood cook out like things. Just to get to know the people around us and their needs.

 

[Tirian]

We go door to door handing out a flyer and looking for opportunities to engage into conversation about spiritual things.

We also have run good old fashioned family fun nights where people can invite their friends along to play games (trivia etc), have supper and hear a devotion.

Matt

 

[jaybird0827]

See http://www.puritanboard.com/showthread.php?t=18254
Also P.M. service at local nursing home on 5th Lord's Days.

 

[LadyFlynt]

One of the churches here that we attended did, and hubby took part (PCA). The reason we left was twofold. One of the reasons was their outreach and their joining with arminianist churches under the guise of "we believe the same". We were looking at becoming part of a city church plant, but they were willing to give up certain things to bring others in (and other things, we just disagreed on or did things differently...I have full respect for the man that will be pastoring this church). Having been part of city culture, I know you don't have to give up those things to have ppl come. You just might not get "everybody and their brother" to come. The question is, what are they coming for?

 

[ADKing]

I have recently arrived as a pastor of a congregation that is only a year old. We are in the process of creating a website and I have tried to list us on many of the church finder type websites online. We have a sign in front of our meeting place. We are also actively looking into the possibility of a mass mailing of flyers in the local area. We are just starting to think about papers/phone books etc. although cost may be prohibitive. And of course I am encouraging the members to invite friends etc. We could go door to door I suppose but in this area I am not sure that would be well received or a useful way to spend time. Our members presently come a fair distance from different directions.

Do any of you have advice for a small rural church on a fairly tight budget?

 

[Richard King]

We have a Bible study group on Wednesday night specifically for people who have been in detox or treatment for alcohol/drug abuse.

And then there is a strong Reformed University Fellowship program interacting with college kids.

 

[Herald]

Once a month we go into the community and knock on doors. We are also starting up Evangelism Explosion in a few weeks for a 13 week semester. I don't like the E.E. "process" close at the end, but if the trainers tweak it abit it is a good program.

 

[Chris]

Would you care to go into more detail about the good and bad of EE?

 

[No Longer A Libertine]

We are the frozen chosen, just kidding. We invite people to church and we have picnics after service some Sundays.

We do some philanthropy work and RUF is extraordinarily active on the Baylor campus inviting college kids to be a part of a church body and ministering to those in need of the true gospel.

 

[Herald]

Would you care to go into more detail about the good and bad of EE?

E.E. has a tendency to become quite rigid and process oriented. That is good and bad. The good part is that it keeps a person on-track. E.E. doesn't encourage deviating from its script. That is one of the drawbacks. And while D. James Kennedy is a Calvinist, the "close" at the end of an E.E. presentation is a "repeat after me" prayer. I know why they do this. They want the person to have a memory of a time when they placed their faith in Christ. I would rather close the E.E. visit with the person witnessing doing to prayer on behalf of the person being witnessed to. The real sign of the Holy Spirits work in this persons life is their coming to church and showing visible signs of repentance, faith and good works.

 

[dannyhyde]

Besides our website, through which most folks find us, and a token ad in the Yellow Pages, have a once-a-month potluck after the morning service as well as hospitality families in which we invite visitors to join us and get to know us socially.

As well, this year we are beginning an "Academy" to teach and reach. Here are the details of what we are doing. Lord willing, this will become a regular thing for many of our members so that we can increase its frequency in the future and provide even more opportunity for outreach.