The First Mega church (Acts 5.12-16)
The early church was a mega church. It was mega-admired, mega-respected, and mega-esteemed by its community. The early church enjoyed the favor of all the people. It was lauded as amazing and essential by its neighbors. The church had fantastic PR. It enjoyed a 100% approval rating.
How did the church get this universal admiration? It was mostly by being an awesome healing force for good in the community. When the church was around people got healed and lives got touched. The church created a place where there were no needy people. The church was a powerful force for community improvement.
So here’s the question: Are we seen as a dynamic force for good in Farmington? Are we mega-admired? Mega-respected? Are we seen as a awesome force for good?
Yes, to some extent. And, in fact, our church is working hard at becoming more outwardly focused. Our community garden, WOW ministry, Dollars for Scholars Scholarship, exercise class, racetrack ministry, and food cupboard are all ways we are trying to bring healing and wholeness to our local community.
These are great first steps, but to become truly mega-admired this is what we need to do:
1. We need to identify more community needs.
2. We need to get more of our people working outside the walls of the church.
3. We need to be rubbing shoulders with people who don’t know Jesus yet.
Here are a couple things to ponder:
1. What would your non-churched friends say about our church? What is our reputation?
2. What needs are there in the community we could address?
3. What would you need to adjust in your life to really get involved in the community?
Note: Mega-luno was the Greek word that described the amazing admiration the community had for the church in Acts 5. 13.
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Identifying what the community needs are in Farmington is always a question that is difficult to put a finger on. I honestly think Farmington's greatest need is a spiritual need, the need to acknowledge the grace of God which is offered freely to all.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a great message and something we should all be thinking about how to accomplish. I agree that the spiritual need is there and we need to continue praying for revival but if we are going to reach people then we need to first get involved in ways other than just telling people that they need to get more spiritual. As we were discussing last night I am getting more and more into the idea of one shot mission/outreach events. That way we could get people involved without getting into a long term orginizational tangle and also I believe more people would (be able to) get involved with several one time projects that with long term regularly scheduled projects. Plus, as Kim suggested, we could easily ask community leaders in Farmington and the surrounding areas what is needed. I love the idea of being a church that is reaching out not saying "Come follow our ways." but instead saying "We are here; What can we do to help you?". Well this comment is getting longer than the blog entry, so
ReplyDeleteThis really cuts to the chase: Bringing Christ's message to the street as "his hands" and "his feet" is real help and real healing outside the church walls where it is needed!
ReplyDeleteIn our community, I think people are so overwhelmed with life (busyness, parenting, work overload, marriage problems, etc) that they easily get discouraged. How can we both offer them the hope we have in Christ, and also meet a practical need that'll make their lives a little easier? Is there a way we can offer help to the average person going through their busy lives, in a way that is both non-intrusive and that really makes a statement? Sorry, I have more questions than answers!
ReplyDeleteIt's going to take some high-visibility community involvement over a period of time to gain the trust of the community and people we want to help. At our church's booth at Hang Around Victor Days, I offered a passerby a bottle of water (free of charge). He replied, "I'm not interested in church. I've been hurt by church before." "Not your church," he added. He was so skeptical of the church in general that he wouldn't accept a bottle of water. I hadn't even suggested that he needed to come to church! It's going to take a lot of acts of love and kindness (with no strings attached) to earn a hearing in the community.
ReplyDeleteHaving only been to Farmington UMC one time, and in the Farmington community for a little over 1 week, I do not know much about the community or its needs. However, I do know that wherever you are, there is always a need for kindness and hospitality. I just recently read a book by Mike Yankoski called "Under the Overpass." In the book, Mike and his friend intentionally spent 6 months as undercover homelessmen in order to understand the truths of the streets of America. They panhandled their way through with many days of hunger and frustration. One aspect of the book that I want to relay to your church was the unhospitable attitude Mike and his friend experienced from some churches. They would come to a service and would be stared at, mocked, and avoided. I think this is an important matter for churches to think about because reaching out to the community is nothing if you do not welcome the community when they come.
ReplyDeleteSome suggestions to reach out and welcome the community:
- Dinners at the church on youth nights or breakfast on Sunday before church.
- Homeless shelter visits with baked goods and such.
- Sack lunches every week to pass out to those on the street.
... again, I don't know if these are needs in the Farmington community, but these are just suggestions for how church members can get involved and how Farmington UMC can reach out.
I have always thought it would be a great thing if in our trailor parks or apartment complexes or the like if a small group could start right in the trailor park or apt building... or a kids bible club start right there. That way practical needs of neighbors would be very obvious and the church would respond to it.I have prayed for this in my Drive-By prayers and I am inspired again to begin to pray for this to happen.
ReplyDelete"That church on the corner." This is probably the largest response that I hear when people explain our church. What community perceives as church is just a building where good people go. And that church on the corner is an option. I believe Farmington United Methodist is doing a great job heading to the community. It takes time to get that reputation of being something more than just that church on the corner, but I think we are heading in the right direction.
ReplyDelete