Tag: outreach

Christ In Collard Greens

March 18, 2024 / Derrick Hurst / 1 Comment

What if I say the wrong thing?

What if I don’t have all the answers?

I just need another class or maybe I can read a book that will give me the 7 steps to do this.

Have you ever heard anyone say something like this? I’m a pastor and this is the typical response I get when we talk about sharing our faith. We think we need a class or a seminar or some sort of gathering where we get the how to’s of the whole matter.

But what if we’re making it way too hard? Ok that’s not really supposed to be a question. We ARE making it way too hard. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Here’s how I know.

This past Sunday I had the chance to go with some friends to a neighboring community. It was a region of our area that was hit with a devastating tornado. They had houses torn apart, swing sets moved from lawn to street, trampolines mangled around trees or at least what was left of them.

We left church on Sunday and went over to lend a hand. But the hand we lent them wasn’t in the form of chainsaws or tool belts. We didn’t move debris, although we were prepared for that. We really didn’t do anything. But we did everything.

Instead of wielding tools and work gloves, we picked up serving spoons and paper plates. We pulled into a driveway of someone we didn’t even know yet and set up a food station that would end up feeding well over 100 people. Some came in person, others sent one to pick up food for a work crew. What we did there was share Jesus but not in the way you might think.

We didn’t hand out promotional gear. We didn’t pass out tracts or pamphlets. We didn’t even use that super corny phrase just like the grace of God this food is free.

No preaching. No teaching. We didn’t even invite them to come to church. That wasn’t the point. Instead of giving them a well thought out 7 point teaching on the highlights of the gospel and what it means for them. We shook their hands. We gave them hugs. We listened to them share their stories. We let them just come and rest for a minute. We gave them Jesus. Jesus with skin on. Jesus that looked like you and me.

There he was right in the middle of the Mac n Cheese. The Messiah and his abundant love for mankind nestled in a pile of Mac n cheese. The Beautiful Savior in hearty stack of brisket. The Prince of Peace in a pulled pork sandwich. Christ in collard greens.

God’s miraculous love and abundant grace were embedded in the simple and mundane foods you can buy at a store. We didn’t overcomplicate the matter. Did these people hear the message of Jesus living, dying and rising? Nope they sure didn’t. Did they see an example of Jesus command to love your neighbor as yourself? You better darn well believe it.

Look here’s the deal. You can hold your evangelism training seminars and convocations to teach people how to share their faith. But really those aren’t necessary at all. If you know two things you can do this anywhere and everywhere you go without much preparation at all. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength – and love your neighbor as yourself.

You don’t need some curriculum out of a box or special speaker to come teach you how to do it. I even believe that doing any of these classes or books just makes it harder and is far more intimidating than Jesus intended it to be. Everyone can be his witness for sure but it really only takes a loving heart, hands willing to serve, genuine compassion for the people around you, and a sacrifice of your time. Let the Spirit do the rest. It’s not your job to much more than that.

Grab a plate of collard greens or pan of brownies. Pour a glass of wine or a couple ounces of bourbon. Light a fire in the pit. Tell a joke. Genuinely give a crap about the people around you. And you just might see how easily Jesus can be transferred to the people around you.

Outreach Doesn’t Work

August 8, 2023 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

If you’re a church going person then this will likely hit you hard. You probably won’t like these words. And there’s a chance you might be put off by some of what I’m about to say. That doesn’t change it from being true however.

Not liking getting a speeding ticket doesn’t make it so I don’t have to pay for it. It just means I don’t like the harsh realities that stand before me. Sometimes the truth hurts. And lest someone pull a Bible verse out of context speak the truth in love please read what that’s about. It has nothing to do with calling out a misinterpretation or a misunderstanding. Ok with that out of the way, here we go.

I’ve read far too many articles, social media posts, how to bloggers, podcasters and more on the topic of outreach. I’ve heard people ask for the best outreach strategies. Today I read a question about what are the most effective outreach strategies your churches have done.

Sorry friends you’re asking the wrong question because outreach won’t work.

I say this as a former mission and ministry coordinator. I was an outreach pastor. I do outreach events, although very limited few of them. I slowed that way down when I realized I had it backwards.

Outreach does not work!

Look think of it this way. Who is going to come to a church’s outreach event? I mean who attends your VBS? Easter Egg Hunt? Block party? Normally the ones that come are the ones that have a predisposition to the gospel. They’ve already heard the message. Will you get to connect with someone who doesn’t have a church home currently? Maybe? Possibly. But are they people who don’t know Jesus? Are they people who have limited knowledge of the workings of God in their lives? Probably not.

The people who come to church events, even the cool outreach ones, have some acceptance factors built in toward the church already. They’ve already been in a church before. You might be shuffling people around from one church to another. You might gain another face or two. But where are they coming from? Probably, if stats hold true they’re from another church down the road. The church that just got a new pastor or whose pastor isn’t cutting it for them anymore. That’s not the purpose of outreach.

Outreach doesn’t work because it’s not for the purpose we think it is.

Churches tend to want some silver bullet type of outreach strategy. We try to find the one thing that will work across all spectrums, races, economic levels, just simple and easy. Plug and play. Well that actually does exist but it takes work. It’s not quite easy but it’s actually pretty simple.

The best outreach you can do for your church is to not lower expectations. Don’t make it easier to just be a butt in a seat. Do you expect the people who call themselves members of the church to be involved in the life of the church beyond Sunday? Volunteerism? Ministry leadership? Actually doing something?

The Bible doesn’t tell us to be about outreach. It tells us to be about discipleship. If we’d focus on discipleship, you know equipping the saints for works of ministry and all that, then the outreach stuff would happen organically, naturally and constantly!

Please stop looking for the best outreach method when you’re not willing to sink the time and effort into raising up and equipping the men and women that you already have. What makes you think that God will send you new people if you’re not leading the ones you have (parable of talents anyone).

I’m not trying to be snarky and nasty or mean or rude. It’s just quit griping and complaining about how hard life and ministry are if you’re not going to double down on the talent God has given you. Don’t complain about something God never promised. Don’t focus on the things God never told you to make your main focus.

That’s it. Outreach does not work. But working on discipleship has tremendous impacts on outreach.

He Gets Us

February 13, 2023 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

Did you watch the Super Bowl? Did you watch it for the game? Or did you watch it trying to see what the best commercial would be this year? I always loved the creativity exhibited when these ad executives would throw everything they had to communicate the value of the product they were selling. Some were fantastic! Other’s really left me curious what they were thinking.

This year I had a houseful of youth and their families. We ate. We talked. We watched the game and some of the commercials. I didn’t pay a ton of attention to the whole thing as I was just enjoying being around these people.

But I did see something. There were two commercials on during the game from a relatively new campaign. They weren’t selling anything. No product was highlighted. And to be honest there wasn’t a creative gimmick they were using either. The commercials were black and white. Very quiet. And a simple phrase ended the commercial.

He gets us.

The commercials were about Jesus. They were trying to communicate something about God. He gets us. Simple and to the point. He’s not some aloof being that has no ability to know the pains and struggles of men and women. He gets us. Where many of us have been, he has been as well.

But there’s a problem. It’s not a problem with the commercials. It’s a problem with how they’re being received. Nope, not by the general population of the world either. By some people in the church.

Ok before someone goes off half cracked and tries to convince me that the commercials were lacking something – I know! That was the point! The point of the commercial was to give you and me as followers of Jesus an open door and a conversation starter. You’re welcome.

The average church in North America is dwindling in size. People are exiting the church because they don’t feel the church (and guilt by association Jesus) cares. Enter He Gets Us. The commercial demonstrates a different reality. Jesus not only cares but he gets it. He gets the feelings and the hurts and the distance and the loneliness and the hatred and division. He gets us. Not he gets it. He gets us.

If you want someone to tell the people in the world around you about the wonders of Jesus as savior who died and rose, then go for it! No one is stopping you. Engage in conversations at the coffee shop. Talk to the cashier at the grocery store. Be the hands and feet of Jesus to the widow across the street. But don’t blast an ad agency for sharing a sliver of who Jesus was.

The more that churchy people blast one another and even this campaign, the more we’re going to prove the world around us right. For the first time in who knows how long, the majority of Americans no longer identify as Christians. And here we are griping about a commercial that says in the midst of your pain Jesus gets you. How about we take that open door and answer the questions people are asking? How about instead of complaining because they missed something, we build on the 30 second ad and share the rest of the story?

Maybe you have a better idea for how to do the job? That’s great! Then do it. No one is stopping you. Go door to door. Talk to the people around you. Share the story of God’s love and forgiveness. Be creative or not. But let’s stop looking for the worst in a situation.

He gets us even those of us who make life hard on others. He gets us even those who can’t see an opportunity right in front of us. He gets us when we miss the opportunity to build on a movement right in front of us. He gets us but there’s so much more to the story! Wanna know? Just ask.

20/80 No More!

October 25, 2021 / Derrick Hurst / 1 Comment

It’s no secret that I’m a pastor. I serve in a medium sized church in a semi rural, becoming semi suburban part of central Ohio. Yeah I know that’s pretty vague but eh location really isn’t the point – the people are! I’ve done this whole ministry gig for going on 20 years now and there’s been a constant for me for my entire ministry career. It’s something referred to as the 20/80 rule. It says that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. And that normally holds true in churches to be sure, but also in other organizations and nonprofits as well. .

One of the things we’ve been called to do as pastors, and Christians for that matter, is to disciple people. Now discipleship is far more than just teaching someone the truths of Jesus. It’s about teaching those truths and leading them to obedience. You see, we’re called to raise people up and release them for ministry. We create programs where people get involved and learn and grow, but it’s so very hard to get many people to really connect beyond a Sunday morning worship time. But that has changed drastically in the past 12 months at this little miracle of a church in semi-rural central Ohio.

I really can’t put my finger on what happened or when it happened or why it happened but I can tell you that it happened!

As I look back on the past 7+ years of ministry life at Living Word, one thing has been evident – none of the good that’s happening is on me. I was able to step into a role where a very strong and very intentional Biblical foundation had been laid. My predecessor, Pastor Jim, took the utmost care to teach, lead and care for the people of this little church with everything he had. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it everyday til I die I am only as good as the great men upon whose shoulders I stand in ministry.

But I can’t just say “something happened” and leave it at that. There had to be a shift, a change or a strategy that has proven somewhat beneficial and led to this different approach to life inside this expression of the body of Christ. So here’s my feeble attempt at putting a finger on what precipitated this massive cultural shift.

Keep the main thing the main thing.

Again to Pastor Jim’s credit, the main thing was never in question. Neither he nor I are about the business of getting tangled in the weeds of politics, civic matters or worldly pursuits. Neither of us are/were perfect, so of course we slip but the focus – the thing that always matters and that we continue to come back to over and over again is the one thing that really matters – Jesus.

One thing that I firmly believe has led to this shift in participation and involvement is that we keep the goal clearly in front of people. We’re pressing in to what it means to be like Jesus. Our goal isn’t church growth or launching programs. Our goal is to help people see Jesus in the everyday moments of life and to walk with them along the path of being transformed into his image for the sake of others. And when we see it, we try to call it out or celebrate it (more on that one later).

A serious call to simple action

Another thing that has led to a greater involvement of those connected with Living Word is that we unapologetically keep the call to action in front of everyone. It’s taken a while for some to get it and we have to keep bringing it up from time to time but the call is serious. Without each of us living out the truths of Scripture, someone may never hear the goodness of God’s grace for them. The simple action part is essential as well. We’ve broken so many parts of ministry life into smaller chunks that are more manageable and don’t require lifelong commitments. It’s simple really. What can you do? What do you enjoy doing that can bring glory to God? How has God uniquely equipped you to fulfill the Great Commission? It’s really a matter of high exceptions, short term commitments, and helping people write their story of faith.

Celebrate Wins

If you do anything with a team of people you have to be sure to celebrate the victory of your team. Even if you just say thank you to those who went above and beyond to help pull off an event or a ministry program, just do something. Recognize the efforts of your team. The point is to build up momentum as you gather together for a common purpose.

Do NOT Lower the Bar

Finally the thing that I think really matters to the shift we’ve seen is to keep expectations high. We live in a society where we like to lower expectations to help people feel better about minimal accomplishments, but this is not the way of Jesus. So keep expectations high. Tell people what you want from them and for them. The point of being part of a church is to help, support, and provide for the group moving forward. Even the part of the worship service that recognizes new members joining a local church asks in part do you intend to support the work of the church with your time, talents and treasures? The idea is that church membership is like being part of a body. Each part needs to show up to do their part. No single part is not needed. No part is of lesser value. No part of the body or of the church can say they don’t need to pull their weight. Part of the secret that we’ve been able to tap into is that of continually seeking ways for all parts of the body to do something in the body. It’s part of our discipleship pathway to move worship attenders from observation to full on ownership of the mission of God in this place.

We’re all in it together so let’s join in to make the world recognize what and who the church is because without you it just won’t be the same!

It’s Time!

May 13, 2021 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

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Well I don’t know what things are like where you live but in our neck of the woods we were just told that things will return to a more open feeling the first part of June. What an amazing relief that will be for so many! Many are starting to dabble in life as some form of normal but they’re just hesitant with any restrictions still in place.

Many pastors and church leaders have been struggling to see how they can gather their people, serve their communities and establish a sense of rhythm and community with their neighbors. But the question is where do we start?

I by no means am an expert in this matter but I do spend a lot of time reading trends and studying demographics and having conversations with neighbors and community members. I’ve compiled a list of things that could be simple starts to get you and your friends/neighbors reengaging as a community again. Take any, all or none of it. And even for those of you who are not believers in Jesus, you can still do many of these in the context of your relationships too!

Walk to get the mail and say hello to your neighbors.
Walk your pet at the same time of day to meet neighbors regularly.
Sit on your front porch while your child plays outside.
Have a cookout on the patio.
If invited, attend!
Gather neighbors for a fire in the fire pit.
Do an open meal night with a few neighbors.
Gather to watch sports together.
Have a _____ cook-off around your block.
If you like your neighbor’s landscaping, tell them.
Go for walks or runs with your neighbors.
Coach a child’s sports team.

The point of each of these is simple – find space and time to gather with and reconnect with those around you. Pick one or two or come up with your own. This summer in the church I serve as pastor we’re going to bring back our summer parties. We just need to get people back together and celebrate our life lived in fellowship and love for one another. Share what you do. Share your new ideas or creative thoughts. I’d love to hear from you!

It’s Really Not That Hard

August 19, 2020 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

As a pastor I have to frequently evaluate what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and how we’re doing it. The idea is to make sure we’re on track and that we’re being as effective as we possibly can be. But one thing I’ve realized over and over again is that we make life too hard. We have made the gospel far too difficult and have complicated the faith scenario immensely.

Power of Prayer

August 27, 2019 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

As Paul wraps up his letter to the Colossians, he does so with an emphasis on prayer. He tells them to pray without ceasing – being steadfast in prayer. I don’t know about you but I’m not the greatest example of a steadfast prayer life. But a mentor of mine who was recently called to be with Jesus reminded me how important prayer was. He told me that prayer not only would shape my life but the lives of those around me. This is why I stopped telling people that I’d pray for them. Instead I just offer to pray with them.

But prayer isn’t just so God fixes things. That’s the easy time to pray. We pray when we need something. We pray when we’re stressed. We pray when we want God to do something. Occasionally we’ll pray a little thank you in there somewhere. But the prayers that Paul talks about here are prayers that start before our feet hit the floor in the morning and go until our heads hit the pillow at night. You see prayer isn’t just for God to do something or thank him for what he’s already accomplished.

Prayer fuels the proclamation of the gospel. Click To Tweet

Prayer fuels the proclamation of the gospel.

When we read the bible or share it with others. When we enter worship or leave to go home. When we start a conversation with a friend or start a new school year. When we leave our job for the last time or enter the doors of a job for the first time. In every situation God wants us to call on him. He wants us to ask him for power to be his witness right there, wherever we are. It’s that simple. Prayer is the fuel we need share our faith.

Nobody

August 5, 2019 / Derrick Hurst / 0 Comments

Ever look in a mirror and not really like what you see? Ever think you’re not really cut out for this thing? Maybe you wrestle with not feeling like you’re good enough. Self-esteem in the ditch and purpose waning like it doesn’t even exist? I have to admit this is a problem for so many people. It’s easy to put on a show like you’ve got it all together. We put on a smile and act all confident but inside we wonder why in the world God chose us to do this thing.

Church (Take Me Back)

July 22, 2019 / Derrick Hurst / 1 Comment

Ever feel like you just don’t belong in this world? Ever feel like something is missing? Ever have that feeling like you’ve lost something you once had? This week we go to church. It’s the place where we belong. It’s the people we call family and friends. It’s the time when time stands still. But it’s not a building. It’s not a time. It’s not a location or a service. It’s a people with a message and a mission.

Tag: outreach

Christ In Collard Greens

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Outreach Doesn’t Work

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He Gets Us

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