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Pastor and Author Urges Outreach on Ministry-Resistant Churches

by Allie Martin
June 13, 2005

(AgapePress) - Oregon pastor Rick McKinley says many churches want to reach out to their communities but often come up with excuses when it comes to undertaking the task. And then, when churches do engage in outreach, he contends many are doing it not for the glory of God but solely for the sake of saying their church is doing ministry.

Five years ago, McKinley, his wife, and a group of about 50 people began the Imago Dei Community Church in Portland. Now the church, whose name means "God's image," has more than 1,000 members.

In the church's early days, the Oregon minister recalls, members talked a great deal about outreach but did very little. He believes that attitude is common throughout the church in America. With Imago Dei, as in so many other congregations' experiences, various outreach programs contributed to the church's growth -- but getting church members to participate was not always easy.

"With church planting or any other ministry, everybody gets all gung ho and fired up," McKinley says. "And particularly in the area of outreach, it became evident as we would attempt to love and serve the city that we just had a lot of excuses." And coupled with that, he observes, is the frequent problem of having a surplus of ministry "know how" but a dearth of genuine desire to act on that knowledge.

"And yet," McKinley points out, "when you go through the gospel, you see these people who are healed or touched by Christ, and who have an encounter with Jesus, but who get very little 'how to.'" The Christian converts of scripture, he notes, "don't have seven steps to go tell Decapolis about their conversion or who Jesus was."

McKinley has recently released a book called Jesus in the Margins: Finding God in the Places We Ignore. With anecdotes and insights woven through his personal journey of faith, the author seeks to show how the Church can reach out to all who need hope, faith and love -- and how, by reaching out to those people on the margins of society, believers often experience a profound encounter with Jesus.
Allie Martin, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.

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A congregation's attitude toward outreach will be reflected in their budget.  Funds set aside for mission programs, sunday school and tracts/scriptures to be given away are part of outreach programs.  To goal should not be just to send a number of monetary funds or supplies to missions but also workers.  As well, church members need to be trained in effective methods of personal evangelism.  

M,

Nice post! You are right about money not being the primary issue. There are many outreach type programs that don't cost very much except time. Even the smallest and poorest churches can do many things for the Lord in their own neighborhoods and cities. In fact, it's amazing how much can be done by just a few people who are willing to be used by the Lord.

Coordination is many times important with the local police. I'm reflecting on some amazing work I remember that was done in my city with drug dealers and prostitutes. They went to the street with their Bibles and Bible tracts. Another church did open air revivals in neighborhoods known as projects. There were some brave people in those churches, and the Lord used them greatly. I think the main point is that there is always work to be done, and many churches don't do it.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 62:7  In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Often the excuse that outreach can't be done from some churches is the lack of facilites.  Such as "we can't have a youth outreach program because we don't have a recreation centre and the insurance would be too much".  It is amazing what creative ideas some churches can have in the way of outreach.  Sometimes it is just a matter of calling people in and seeing what ordinary talents and skills they possess.  

One of our church's most successful outreach programs was a "play group".  They used one of the sunday school classes, donated toys and snacks.  Many young families joined the church due to the witness of the volunteers working with the children.