What outreach ministries should a church have?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

There are many kinds of outreach ministries a church can have but a few are especially important. First, every church should prioritize reaching the unreached in their community with the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus gives His disciples the Great Commission, and we can follow suit in spreading the Gospel, too. Churches can also reach the unreached through praying for and financially supporting missionaries as well as hosting short-term or long-term mission trips. Another important outreach ministry is evangelism ministry (Romans 10:14-15), which can incorporate both training members to effectively share the gospel and hosting events in which they can put what they have learned into use. As part of outreach ministries, a church should also seek to care for those in need (James 1:27), such as giving care packages to underprivileged families, feeding the homeless, or taking care of house chores for widows. These outreach efforts not only meet practical and spiritual needs but also serve as a visible demonstration of and invitation to Christ’s love to a world that desperately needs Him.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Outreach ministries a church should have are not recorded in the Old Testament.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Every church should have an effort to reach those who have not yet heard the gospel. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus instructs His disciples to make disciples of the nations. Nations refers not to countries but to people groups. Thousands of people groups exist worldwide that have yet to hear the gospel a single time, and churches can help support them getting the gospel by spiritually and financially supporting missionaries and sending out new missionaries.
• Every church should include some form of evangelism as its outreach. In Romans 10:14-15 Paul says: “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” Evangelism outreach can include teaching church members how to share the gospel and providing opportunities for them to do so.
• Every church is called to help others in need. James 1:27 says: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” Examples of this kind of outreach can include serving the poor, homeless outreach, prison ministry, serving at hospitals, hospice centers, or nursing homes, children's outreach, helping immigrants or refugees, or the disabled.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

All churches can strive to take after Jesus’ command to His disciples in Matthew 28:18-20 to make disciples. We should also love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:27-40; 25:37-40). These commands can be expressed through a wide variety of outreach ministries.

In addition to the outreaches mentioned earlier, each church may develop specific ministries that are unique to its members and its community. For example, one church may start a car repair ministry while another may excel in sports ministry as an outreach. Some churches excel in serving the inner city while others are better at serving rural areas. All of these strategies can be used as the various parts of the body of Christ use their abilities to serve others.

God may also use your church's unique location as a way to serve in a particular ministry. For example, churches in New York City have many opportunities to serve immigrants whereas churches in Washington, D.C. have many ways to serve those in government.

Every church can both focus on essential outreach (evangelism, serving those in need, and reaching the unreached) while also developing unique local outreaches to best serve in their individual communities. God works through many ways to utilize church outreaches to reach new people for Christ.

UNDERSTAND

• Believers are called to reach the unreached and support discipleship and missions.
• Outreach ministries should include sharing the gospel, discipleship, and practical ways of caring for others.
• Churches can use their unique context and gifts to create effective, locally relevant ministries.

REFLECT

• How are you personally using your gifts, time, and resources to participate in your church’s outreach ministries?
• How could you be more intentional about sharing the gospel or helping those in need in your community?
• How do you balance supporting global missions with serving the local needs around you?

ENGAGE

• How can we identify and prioritize outreach ministries that best serve both the local community and the unreached?
• How can we find creative or unique outreach opportunities that reflect the specific gifts and location of a congregation?
• How do we ensure our outreach efforts combine both practical help and gospel-centered discipleship without neglecting either?