Outreach Ideas for the Church

[mississippi_jesus_chic]

Tonight at church we were talking about how we need to find outreaches that our church can start to reach our community.  We are talking about starting a tutoring program on one or two nights a week for school-age children.

If you have any ideas I think it would be very helpful to me and many others as well!

mjc

[Pizza_Mahal]

How about Asia area? there so many soul that need to hear "good news".

[Debp]

Some churches (if they have poorer people in their area) have a food pantry and give out food once a week (usually canned goods, macaroni and cheese, etc.)  Our church collects canned goods and sends it to an area food pantry.  Our church also has a thrift shop offering items at very reasonable costs.  It helps the people in the area, and with the money collected from the thrift shop, some area missions are helped.

If your church is interested in helping in Asia as Pizza_Mahal suggests, even a dollar donation per person can be collected and sent to a mission such as Christian Aid in Virginia or Gospel for Asia in Texas.  You can even specify the country you are interested in helping....I help through Christian Aid.

[mississippi_jesus_chic]

The food pantry is a really good outreach idea.  I think there is a church not too far away that does that.  I had forgotten about that until now.  I think the thrift idea is good too.  I'm going to talk to our pastor when I get some more ideas!  Thanks a lot!!!  Give me all the ideas you've got!!

mJc

[Soldier4Christ]

One of the churches in this area holds a free yard sale every year. People donate things that they don't want anymore or can't use, clothes, household goods, furniture, food, personal care items ......

It brings in many people and they have a package they hand out to the "customers" that includes a pamphlet on the church hours and activities, an ink pen with the churches address, a welcome card to fill out and a salvation tract.

[Brother Jerry]

We just started movie nights
Free popcorn and soda and movie.
We bought the rights from Fox Faith movies for one year to show thier movies.  Started it off with "Facing the Giants" and should be doing "The Nativity Story" next month. 

We had a good turnout the first night.  Hoping to get more the next.

The biggest thing that any church or church member can do for outreach is to just be involved in the church and the community.  And even when not asked tell people of the church and what is going on.  We can talk about our houses, and our jobs with pride.  Why should we not talk about our churches in the same manner.

[Debp]

I'm always inviting people to church....even people I just run into on the street.  So many people have needs or hurts, etc, and Christ and the loving fellowship of Christians can help so much.

The movie idea sounds good, too....especially those good movies!

[mississippi_jesus_chic]

I really like all of these ideas.  We are having a movie night this weekend, we are watching Facing the Giants too.  My boss' church held a lock-in last month.  We watched a movie and played games and stuff.  It was a lot of fun.  I had mentioned something like that to our pastor.  He's thinking about it.  That's a very good way to reach the Youth.  There were at least 50-60 kids there all together and most of them have never even been to that church before!

[Debp]

I really like all of these ideas.  We are having a movie night this weekend, we are watching Facing the Giants too.  My boss' church held a lock-in last month.  We watched a movie and played games and stuff.  It was a lot of fun.  I had mentioned something like that to our pastor.  He's thinking about it.  That's a very good way to reach the Youth.  There were at least 50-60 kids there all together and most of them have never even been to that church before!

Talking about games, the Catholic churches (at least back East where I'm from originally) always had "Bingo Nights".  You could always have prizes instead of giving a money prize (like the Catholic churches do).  Bingo might appeal to the slightly older crowd.