Community is one of those buzz words churches use today. I believe with all my heart many churches do want to do church as community, but really don’t know how to do it. We are by no means experts at it, but as we continue to seek opportunities to be the presence of Christ, this was one of those times. We partnered together with the community man himself, Mr. Hector Guerra in the 10th annual Back to School Health fair and backpack giveaway. Over 2,400 people came through and to our table.
One question I asked as the families came through was this: Do you currently go to church? If they answered yes, then I encouraged them to keep on going. I never want other churches to think we want them to come to our church instead. There are plenty of non-church going people in our community that we can invite to church. As I would ask that question, I did receive some expressions indicating why I wouldn’t invite them or talk about City Church if they indeed were going to a church already.
I am friends and co-laborers with many of the pastors at our sister churches. We are all doing the same work. We are all in the same business. We are all on the same team. We are all trying to figure out how to make church relevant to a current generation that sees church as irrelevant. that is why we need to be out in the community among the people.
Thom Rainer recently posted on his blog:
The nine signs of a community-focused church are:
- Reaches out to community leaders
- Intentionality about being where the people are
- The community of eating out and coffee houses
- Helping where the community says they need it
- Intentionally evangelistic
- Intentionally invitational
- In the key civic groups
- In key political meetings
- In the schools
Stay in the Light, 1 John 1:7,
Pastor Larry
In The Light, 1 John 1:7 