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Serving to Grow                 

 

by: Paul Citerony    

What can not be overstated is that key to churches’ growth is their interaction or engagement with the general community. Example: Waukesha County’s Lake Country region has numerous churches. Given, each offers basically the same elements, (give or take) of a satisfying religious setting                     i.e., -weekly inspiring/instructional messages, a well maintained worship facility and a warm congregational culture. What can attract visitors,  - read new church members? The answer should be, “It’s what we do!” That is not just within our church for each other, but especially for the greater regional area.

Does expanded and energetic outreach and visible community interaction guarantee a church’s  growth? Of course not. It does however assure the congregation a more visible philanthropic place               in the community. It also demonstrates congregational vitality, - a can-do spirit that is unique and dynamic. What matters also is a vision, - a compelling faith interest and all this is what attract people.

 

We should assertively ask and encourage others in our congregation to engage in outreach service                    as whatever might interest them. In uniting together we can all work with our area’s social services  groups if needed, in serving the needy by additionally reaching out to engage the general community  in collaborative ways. This is also about increasing our Church’s visibility, i.e., by evangelizing our Church’s vision in the entire area and that’s really about selling the vision of a signature energized outreach program.

More parishioners may be inclined to participate in these outreach efforts if individually asked and perhaps for an especially singular objective. Or, more might participate if there were additional choices. It could be suggested that we should not spread ourselves to thin in outreach or that we won’t succeed by doing increased or too many different outreach works because our Church is too small. This begs the questions:  How is what we’re currently doing working for us? How many of               us are currently doing outreach and are we really now doing our very best? How will we know?  We can better succeed by continually making various small and steady gains.

A serious example of growth by outreach is Volunteers of Lake Country (VLC ) (a secular group            in Hartland - Waukesha County).  They started with a handful of people about three years ago. With only a six member coordinating board the VLC now numbers 505 and each of them were not recruited per se. Members joined only from word-of mouth interest and with no motivation from any certain denominations. What single “church” can inspire and match that altruism? Generally, what can so many churches while now just treading water in growth learn from this?

What draws such interest? Why do so many people, most of whom have never previously met, volunteer for and follow progress of need-based works thru only their VLC monthly newsletter? (Obviously they can’t all volunteer at the same time for the same project but jump in to participate, depending on the VLC  monthly objectives, and their personal schedules.)  First, it’s because Americans in general have an innate concern for and need to help others who are down.  Second, people want to know what they do will make a real difference in an organization when they are called upon. Third, they have a visceral feel for the scripture calling of doing “good works” -                (“It’s what we do!”) that matters. And churches need to tap into all this to grow!

The nation’s economic crisis brought about a decline in charitable giving that has affected nonprofit organizations nationwide. The Philanthropic Giving Index, published by Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy, has fallen to its lowest point in a decade. It is faith-based outreach volunteers who will increasingly be counted in the front lines of efforts to help heal and assist disadvantaged lives.  Now is the time to explore how in these times of pressing local needs, energized faith based volunteers can be most effective working together to meet increasing challenges of assisting the needy.

What matters is the vision of energized Outreach which includes setting a positive example, - teaching our youngsters about doing outreach as “giving back”  to benefit others; a vital part of their personal enrichment and spiritual development is by showing them to reach out to those in need. Reaching out with charitable based initiatives is the vehicle meant to address all that. This will also help overcome the generally perceived  apathy in faith-based outreach and emphatically says, - “It’s what we do!” Our goal should then be to provide opportunities for the people of our Church to tangibly extend the love of Christ to members of our community.