Defining Outreach Ministry

Meeting needs is crucial for effective outreach ministry. Most would say ‘amen’ to that statement, but what does it mean? What does that look like? How effective is the church in our efforts?

Outreach ministry can look very different depending on an individual Christian’s doctrinal bent and ministry philosophy. To begin formulating an accurate perspective, our starting point will be defining what outreach is outside of the Church.

Outreach is “the act of extending services, benefits, etc., to a wider section of the population, as community work”.

Dictionary.com

Cultural Changes Impacting Outreach Ministry

We’ve experienced 30+ years of cultural change. How well has this definition been lived out by the Western Church? This is complicated to assess because culture is constantly shifting, and churches often struggle to discover new ways of reaching a changing culture.

Let’s reflect on our past, and then come back to our definition.

For many Western churches, it’s become increasingly challenging over the last 30+ years. In the past, the evangelical church functioned within a primarily Judeo-Christian society. Though many didn’t attend church regularly, they often felt some social pressure to do so.

Businesses used to close on Sundays as ‘the Lord’s Day,’ and schools used to give ‘the Lord’s Prayer’ equal airtime on the P.A. system as the National Anthem. Sayings like “God Bless You” were as common as “How do you do?”

It was, for the most part, a Christian culture, which impacted how the church pursued outreach ministry.

The Evolution of Outreach Programs

Remember Sunday School and VBS? These programs started as evangelical outreach for children. In the Judeo-Christian culture of yesterday, many mothers stayed at home full-time. They wanted their children to learn more about the Bible, while offering a reprieve from busy home lives.

Children were picked up and bused to a local church, where they learned about Jesus. However, over time, these programs soon became more about training kids from Christian homes than reaching those in the community.

Today, most mothers (along with fathers) work outside the home, and in the summer, they’re still looking for childcare options. Yet, culture has shifted. Parents outside the church are apprehensive about what they see as religious indoctrination.

Sunday school and VBS used to be, but are no longer, an “act of extending services, benefits…to a wider section of the population, as community work.” They no longer fit a model for effective outreach ministry.

The Role of Evening Services in Outreach

Do you remember Sunday Evening Services? Evening Worship was originally started as an outreach idea. Following the thriving revival campaigns across North America, the evening service was a place where people could dress down for church and invite their friends and neighbors. And it worked!

Unchurched people were more likely to attend an evening service. Granted, it might have been the only option since everything was closed all day, it being Sunday. There would have been some motivation to get out of the house and attend something to participate in.

Much like Sunday School and VBS, over time, the evening service became more centered on training Christians than reaching unchurched members of the community. It lost that “act of extending services, benefits…to a wider section of the population, as community work.”

Again, to reach the goal of being an effective outreach ministry, we need to adjust our methods without losing our mission.

Rediscovering the Basics of Effective Outreach Ministry

There are forms of outreach that have carried on through centuries of church leadership and have spanned almost every country in the world. From the early church to the modern day, they’ve been practiced by local churches and individual Christians for 2000 years.

These forms of outreach can function without policies, bylaws, and committees. They can even thrive within our current Western society and its melting pot of cultures. Most of them are centered on asking what a person needs, not just telling them that they need “Jesus.”

Jesus should definitely be the fiber that binds all forms of outreach together. But God has created mankind with foundational needs that must be met. As believers, we have constant outreach opportunities to show Christ’s love by providing for three foundational areas of needs.

1. Addressing Physical Needs in Outreach Ministry

Historically, the first area is based on physiological needs like food and water, which are excellent forms of outreach. The church has given bread and water to the poor and afflicted for centuries; rice, grain, beans, and water in modern times.

These efforts have been followed by sharing the Gospel and used by God, resulting in many souls turning toward Christ. Addressing the physical need first, then moving to the spiritual need.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Matthew 25:35, ESV

That being said, within a Western culture where food and water are generally fairly plentiful, there is still a need to feed the hungry, providing groceries for those who are struggling to feed themselves.

Related to outreach, to reach a larger segment of culture, we have to get more creative, which brings us to our second area.

2. Ensuring Safety and Security in Outreach Efforts

This is where we move from physiological needs toward internal needs. These needs are typically centered around family, home, job, health, possessions, etc. Meeting safety and security needs can be an effective ministry.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Galatians 6:2, ESV

The church can help people struggling in these areas by providing help in abuse situations, job-search skills, language training, or health-care assistance. If you have the resources to do so, transitional housing during a season of healing or recovery can include a variety of Gospel opportunities.

The circle has widened, but there is still a larger segment of culture who have the above needs supplied. Yet, they still need to be reached, bringing us to our final area of needs.

3. Cultivating Love and Belonging through Outreach

We move deeper still into the internal needs focusing on what every human requires: love and belonging. We can reach out to people in everyday settings, by a simple shared cup of coffee or an invitation to dinner.

Listening to someone’s story and showing interest in their lives. Quality time and verbal expression of encouragement are the keys within love and belonging. Sometimes, depending on the nature of the circumstances and established relationship, it might just be a warm embrace.

These small moments build on top of one another over time, building a foundation for trust, leading to Gospel opportunities. For outreach ministry, this one is personal, not often programmed, but very few people are untouchable within this area of needs.

Always Remember

It’s important to note that all forms of outreach should be poured out with zero expectations of church attendance. There should be no down-the-line obligation of church membership. A bait-and-switch will be sniffed out early on in our skeptical Western culture.

Coming back to Christ’s example, Jesus never seemed interested in demanding temple attendance or a temple tax from those in need. He just cared for them, starting with the physical, moving to the internal, ultimately focused on the spiritual.

Just like in days of old, there is only so much love that a human being can be given by a total stranger. Soon enough, they will be compelled to ask, “Why are you doing this?” This is where outreach becomes less about the act of service and all about the Holy Spirit.

Our outreach should flow from our love for Christ and be verbalized through the message of the Gospel: “I do this and expect nothing because Jesus did everything and expected nothing.”

Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts

1. How has your church adapted its outreach programs to meet the changing cultural landscape?
2. What are some creative ways you’ve seen churches meet physical, safety, and belonging needs?
3. How do you balance meeting physical needs with sharing the Gospel in your outreach efforts?