Community Outreach

Community Outreach helps churches and believers love their neighbors with practical compassion and gospel clarity. Explore Bible-based articles on serving local needs, building relationships, partnering with community organizations, and creating outreach ministries that are sustainable and effective. You’ll find guidance on evangelism, mercy ministry, hospitality, and engaging your city with wisdom—so outreach is more than an event and becomes a way of life. Whether your church is starting new initiatives or strengthening existing ones, these resources equip you to serve your community in Jesus’ name.

July 12, 2012

Christian Standard

Barnabas Day

By Tyler Edwards It”s no secret in the world of restaurant employees that Sunday morning is the worst shift. The problem is not missing church, it”s serving the people who went to church. Sunday morning consistently boasts the rudest, most demanding, least patient, and cheapest people.1 I once heard a waiter say, “When I work Sundays and I see a group bow their heads to pray, I know I can kiss my tip good-bye.” Having been a server for five years, I can say these critics have a point. I”m embarrassed that we, “the church crowd,” have earned this reputation.

June 27, 2012

Christian Standard

Church Pounds Pavement with Positive Chalk Talk

By Jennifer Taylor Rich Gorman, pastor at the Edgewater campus of Community Christian Church (Naperville, IL), was praying for the area and wondering how to share the love of Christ with such a large population. As he watched people walk to and from the “L” trains one day, he hit on an idea: everyone is looking down, so put the message there! Rich, his wife, Dori, and a small team from CCC Edgewater now meet every other Tuesday evening to pray and then divide into teams to write the messages on sidewalks leading to and from the L stations. Team

April 23, 2012

Christian Standard

Church Hosts Special Services for “˜Transitionals”

By Jennifer Taylor   Because of its warm winters, Florida has a large population “in transition”””people without steady jobs or permanent housing. Since last summer, First Christian Church in Kissimmee has worked to connect with this group in new ways. Each Sunday afternoon, FCC holds a worship service designed especially for the transitional individuals in their community. Around 80 people attend this Community Outreach Service, which includes music led by a praise team and a sermon by preacher Jim Book or another member of the staff. The church provides coffee and refreshments for 30 minutes before each service and treats

March 29, 2012

Christian Standard

Warehouse Transformed into Athletic Complex

By Jennifer Taylor Although the members of New Life Christian Church (Chantilly, VA) could have opted to build a new worship space with comfortable chairs and cutting-edge technology, in 2009 they voted to buy a former beer distribution warehouse and transform it into a space for the community. The “nZone” is New Life”s answer to area requests for a place where children and adults can play sports and have fun. The new space, which opened in November, features 83,000 square feet of indoor turf fields for soccer and flag football, lacrosse, basketball and volleyball courts, and a fitness center and

February 4, 2012

Christian Standard

Church Continues with Katrina Recovery Efforts

By Jennifer Taylor   Although Hurricane Katrina doesn”t make the news much anymore, Biloxi (MS) Christian Church has not stopped caring for its victims. Biloxi Christian sprang into action immediately after Katrina hit in 2005, opening its building and organizing volunteers and supplies. Today, more than six years later, BCC continues to have an open door for the effort and has partnered with another area church to form New Life Disaster Relief. “People from all over the country and every denomination come to work, and we house them in our building,” says minister John Wester. “We”ve turned our classrooms into

January 26, 2012

Christian Standard

Giving Plate Food Ministry Growing Exponentially

By Jennifer Taylor Gary and Debi Kelso, members at Real Life Christian Church (Bend, OR), created The Giving Plate in 2010. After beginning with just a few cans of tuna and a few loaves of bread (really!), the food relief and outreach ministry now provides more than 2,200 local families with a 50-pound box of food every month. Each box is prepared specifically for each family with consideration for food allergies and dislikes. “We have served the hungry and homeless for years,” say the Kelsos, who work full-time””without pay””for the organization. “We have a call in our hearts to serve

January 10, 2012

Christian Standard

In Just One Year: Love Your City

Nothing challenges us to think about changing times more than the transition from one year to the next. On this first day of 2012, we asked six Christian leaders to think about the church a year from now and to draw a picture of our progress””and our problems””then.  * * * By Jon Ferguson Last fall my family moved to the north side of Chicago””we love this city. We love Chicago for its sports teams, architecture, and history, but most of all, we love Chicago for its people: hard-working, unpretentious, and good-natured””as long as you don”t take their parking space

January 5, 2012

Christian Standard

BASH Program Offers After-school Help

By Jennifer Taylor Berean Christian Church (Murphrysboro, IL) began its “BASH” program””Berean After-School Haven“”to provide a safe, fun environment for grade-school kids every Wednesday afternoon and evening. Volunteers pick up participating students at school and bring them back to the church for homework time, snacks, games, and dinner. Parents picking up their children are invited to stay for Wednesday night services. This fall the BASH leaders expanded the program to include middle-schoolers. “We did not want to jeopardize the success of our current efforts by making a change for the wrong reasons, but with the new volunteers and commitment from

January 4, 2012

Christian Standard

Interview with Don Hamilton

By Brad Dupray Capital Area Christian Church in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, has connected with its community in a far deeper way than most churches. In addition to its heavy involvement with community organizations, the church recently raised more than $600,000 in donations from local businesses, organizations, and individuals for construction of a large playground that continues the church”s efforts at making its campus a key part of its community. From the start, the church has worked at using its 53-acre campus to benefit the community and connect people to Christ. Don Hamilton ministers with Capital Area Christian, the only congregation he

November 27, 2011

Christian Standard

Church Providing Meals to Children Each Weekday

By Jennifer Taylor “Almost every church has a kitchen,” says Jane Dugan, a member at East Bartlesville (OK) Christian Church. “There”s no reason they couldn”t do something like this.”  “This” is providing a meal each weekday for 60 to 130 children at the nearby Boys and Girls Club, an after-school and summer program for kids. The club is a safe place for kids to do homework, play games, work on the computer, and eat dinner while waiting for their parents to get off work. EBCC volunteers cook every meal for the club”s hungry kids. Dugan meets with the club”s nutrition

November 5, 2011

Christian Standard

Church Starts Arts Academy

By Jennifer Taylor Trombonist and jazz musician Stan Wilkerson has played with Wynton Marsalis, Yo-Yo Ma, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin. This fall he”ll be leading the Academy of the Arts at Common Ground Christian Church (Tampa, FL). Common Ground launched the academy this fall to provide lessons in piano, guitar, drums, woodwinds, and brass. Students may choose private or group lessons at reasonable prices, and older students also receive opportunities to play in jazz combos, ensembles, and recitals. The academy also emphasizes music as worship; students may share their music as part of weekend services at Common

October 24, 2011

Christian Standard

Selling Art to Feed Hungry Children

By Jennifer Taylor  Last year at Thanksgiving, Todd Clark surveyed the abundance of food and was convicted of the need to provide meals for hungry children. At the same time, people began asking how they could buy copies of the photographs he was shooting and sharing on Facebook. An idea was born. “Photography is a hobby, not my livelihood,” says Clark, lead pastor at Discovery Church in Simi Valley, CA. “I wanted to use it to help others.” Last month he created Eat Art, a nonprofit organization that “artfully ends hunger” by selling photographs, paintings, postcards, and apparel and using

September 28, 2011

Christian Standard

‘Time’ Columnist Visits Joplin Church

Joe Klein, Time magazine”s political columnist, devoted Sunday”s column to reflections on a day worshipping and serving with College Heights Christian Church (Joplin, MO). He writes, “The message was simple, powerful . . . but not nearly as powerful as the sight of people of all ages, wearing white t-shirts, gathering up into work teams and spreading out around town to help people who were still suffering from the ravages of the tornado and others who were just suffering because they were poor or infirm or elderly.” The piece, part of the “Joe Klein”s Road Trip” series, is affirming of

September 8, 2011

Christian Standard

Battling Hunger with Art

This past weekend, Todd Clark, lead pastor at Discovery Church in Simi Valley, CA, launched Eat Art, a nonprofit organization that “artfully ends hunger” by selling photographs, paintings, postcards, and apparel and using the proceeds to feed hungry children in 10 countries. Sixty percent of every Eat Art purchase sends rice meal packets overseas and 40 percent goes to print and ship the art to buyers. Eat Art will send 100,000 meals to 100,000 children for the first 100,000 people who follow them on Twitter or “like” them on Facebook. Click the links to make a difference for hungry kids!

August 31, 2011

Christian Standard

Church Cancels Services, Urges Members to Help Neighbors

In anticipation of this past weekend”s East Coast hurricane, Mountain Christian Church senior pastor Ben Cachiaras asked the congregation to be the church instead of going to church. MCC, located in Joppa, MD, cancelled its weekend services and urged members to participate in “Operation Irene” by helping neighbors with storm cleanup, groceries, child care, and other needs. “Let’s DELUGE our community with acts of love and service during this event,” Cachiaras wrote. “I want to urge you as strongly as I can to think hard about how you can be a light and a friend and a help to others””and

July 7, 2011

Christian Standard

Church Hosts Free Sports Camp for Third Year

The Amelia (OH) Church of Christ held its third-annual free sports camp June 19-24. More than 250 kids from kindergarten through fifth grade attended the event to participate in basketball, cheerleading, soccer, martial arts, and other games. ACC volunteers taught kids about being a good sport and children”s minister Marie Young led songs. The week ended with an open house, ice cream, and giveaways on Friday night. The annual camp is sponsored by a number of businesses including Skyline Chili, Sam”s Club, and the University of Cincinnati. Click here to learn more.

July 7, 2011

Christian Standard

Church, City Partner for Fireworks

Central Christian Church of the East Valley”s Gilbert, AZ, campus held its first “Fire in the Sky” Fourth of July fireworks celebration last summer. This year, the city of Gilbert is helping. “The mayor reached out to the church and asked if they would allow the greater community to participate in the church event,” reports the Arizona Republic. “”˜We feel extremely honored,” church spokesman Matt Price said. “˜Our goal as an organization is to partner with the community. . . . It’s a huge win to both of our organizations.”” Gilbert approved $7,500 in expenses for the celebration including traffic

July 4, 2011

Christian Standard

Pantano Christian Battles Poverty with Microloans

By Jennifer Taylor In May, Pantano Christian Church (Tucson, AZ) gave away $25,000″”and asked the recipients to give the same. The money, which the church received as a grant, was offered to members of the PCC community to involve them in a microloan program with Kiva, a nonprofit organization that helps donors provide small loans ($25 or more) to help entrepreneurs around the world escape poverty by starting small businesses. PCC members could participate in the program by committing a small amount of their own money and receiving matching funds from the church. A $12.50 donation would result in $25″”the

July 1, 2011

Christian Standard

A Church Planting Milestone in Canada

By Jennifer Taylor   According to Jim Tune, senior minister with Churchill Meadows Christian Church and director of Impact Ministry Group (both Ontario, Canada), the area is home to only six other Christian churches””and their combined attendance is less than 500. So CMCC”s new building””and the more than 1,200 people who attended the opening services in March””is a milestone for Canadian church planting. “Churches are closing faster in Canada than any other area, including Western Europe,” Tune says. “Church just isn”t on the radar. In fact, people assumed our building was an industrial complex or school because they don”t have

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