Susquehanna Baptist Church Community Ministry Teams
How does a church not become a club? It’s tempting, you know. We like each other, we enjoy being together, we have the buildings and the ball field and our various programs,…. Unbalanced, it’s a trap churches never see coming, even after the trap closes. The church becomes all about its members and all about maintenance of the facilities and the programs. The church becomes ingrown. The church becomes a location instead of a people. Eventually the church dies, wondering as it does so what went wrong.
How do we avoid this snare? By returning to the New Testament. They met in temples and homes. No buildings called theirs. Really, no programs. They had a vibrant faith in the risen Christ, they had each other, and they had a mandate to CHANGE THE WORLD with the Gospel. The early church was mobile and mobilized and unstoppable.
Last spring one of the pastors in a group I meet with (former Susquehanna Baptist Church pastor Drew Hill) shared the results of an amazing initiative called “The church has left the building.” After much prayer and planning, First Baptist Church Sedalia literally left the building, cascading the community around them with strategic and practical acts of servanthood and compassion. That phrase, “The church has left the building,” has stayed with me. Haunted me. The church Jesus has in mind characteristically leaves the building. There is a rhythm to this life. The church gathers in order to encourage each other, pray for each other, worship, study the Bible, etc. And then the church scatters to touch people around them in the name of Jesus with what they received when together. It works like a filling station (remember those?). Fill up and drive, fill up and drive. What if we kept our vehicles at the gas station, taking them to the pump once or twice a week filling them up, and then parking them?
So many churches fill up but don’t drive around. As your pastor, I want to make sure we NEVER become one of those churches. It’s not what Jesus had in mind.
Research has shown that young adults seeking a church home have several criteria. They want to see some evidence that the church was expecting them. A clean nursery for their baby, some kind of small group with people who look at least a little like they do, etc. Do you know what else? They want to know whether we MATTER. It takes them no time at all to discern what we are like when we are gathered together, and in our case the meetings are warm and inviting experiences for guests. But what are we doing beyond and between meetings? How are we touching people in the community? Do we matter?
This church family is currently engaged in some forward leaning dialogue about significantly enhancing and expanding how we matter in the community. The good news is we already DO matter! We do some stuff that goes beyond us, don’t we? Well, we’re going to start doing more stuff that is not about us.
What follows is a rough and preliminary idea of where I see us going.
Scriptural directives
· Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
· Matthew 9:35-38 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
Mission - The mission of our community ministry teams is to touch people’s lives in the name of Jesus.
Objectives
1. We will mobilize clusters of people around each community ministry, giving focused attention, time, and energy to touching people’s lives in the name of Jesus.
2. We will gather as a church regularly to keep track of and to celebrate how people’s lives are being touched in the name of Jesus through these ministries.
3. We will aim for 100% involvement (everybody in the church family engaged in one CMT).
Hillcrest Transitional Living
(Jesus speaking) “I was homeless, and you gave me a room.” Matthew 25:35 MSG
Women’s Clinic of Kansas City
You knit me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13 NIV
Fort Osage Clothes Closet
(Jesus speaking) “I was naked, and you gave me clothing.” Matthew 25:36 NLT
Susquehanna Baptist Church Crisis Closet
(Jesus speaking) “For I was hungry, and you fed me.
I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink.” Matthew 25:35 NLT
Servant Evangelism
(Jesus speaking) “For I am among you as one who serves.” Luke 22:27 NLT
www.servantevangelism.com
Economic Referral
…speak up for the poor and helpless; and see that they get justice. Proverbs 31:9 NLT
Young Adults / Families
Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked them.
They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are You staying?”
“Come and see,” He said. John 1:38-39 NLT
Susquehanna Preschool
(Jesus speaking) “Let the children come to Me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And He placed His hands on them and blessed them…. Matthew 19:14-15 NLT
Local Homeless Children
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, ensure justice for those being crushed. Proverbs 31:8 NLT
Hawthorne Children
Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy… Psalm 82:3-4 NIV
Christian Life Center
Always be eager to practice hospitality. Romans 12:13
Letter Writing
Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. Proverbs 16:24 NLT
Focused Prayer
We do what we can, praying away, day and night…. 1 Thessalonians 3:9-10 MSG
How does a church not become a club? It’s tempting, you know. We like each other, we enjoy being together, we have the buildings and the ball field and our various programs,…. Unbalanced, it’s a trap churches never see coming, even after the trap closes. The church becomes all about its members and all about maintenance of the facilities and the programs. The church becomes ingrown. The church becomes a location instead of a people. Eventually the church dies, wondering as it does so what went wrong.
How do we avoid this snare? By returning to the New Testament. They met in temples and homes. No buildings called theirs. Really, no programs. They had a vibrant faith in the risen Christ, they had each other, and they had a mandate to CHANGE THE WORLD with the Gospel. The early church was mobile and mobilized and unstoppable.
Last spring one of the pastors in a group I meet with (former Susquehanna Baptist Church pastor Drew Hill) shared the results of an amazing initiative called “The church has left the building.” After much prayer and planning, First Baptist Church Sedalia literally left the building, cascading the community around them with strategic and practical acts of servanthood and compassion. That phrase, “The church has left the building,” has stayed with me. Haunted me. The church Jesus has in mind characteristically leaves the building. There is a rhythm to this life. The church gathers in order to encourage each other, pray for each other, worship, study the Bible, etc. And then the church scatters to touch people around them in the name of Jesus with what they received when together. It works like a filling station (remember those?). Fill up and drive, fill up and drive. What if we kept our vehicles at the gas station, taking them to the pump once or twice a week filling them up, and then parking them?
So many churches fill up but don’t drive around. As your pastor, I want to make sure we NEVER become one of those churches. It’s not what Jesus had in mind.
Research has shown that young adults seeking a church home have several criteria. They want to see some evidence that the church was expecting them. A clean nursery for their baby, some kind of small group with people who look at least a little like they do, etc. Do you know what else? They want to know whether we MATTER. It takes them no time at all to discern what we are like when we are gathered together, and in our case the meetings are warm and inviting experiences for guests. But what are we doing beyond and between meetings? How are we touching people in the community? Do we matter?
This church family is currently engaged in some forward leaning dialogue about significantly enhancing and expanding how we matter in the community. The good news is we already DO matter! We do some stuff that goes beyond us, don’t we? Well, we’re going to start doing more stuff that is not about us.
What follows is a rough and preliminary idea of where I see us going.
Scriptural directives
· Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
· Matthew 9:35-38 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
Mission - The mission of our community ministry teams is to touch people’s lives in the name of Jesus.
Objectives
1. We will mobilize clusters of people around each community ministry, giving focused attention, time, and energy to touching people’s lives in the name of Jesus.
2. We will gather as a church regularly to keep track of and to celebrate how people’s lives are being touched in the name of Jesus through these ministries.
3. We will aim for 100% involvement (everybody in the church family engaged in one CMT).
Hillcrest Transitional Living
(Jesus speaking) “I was homeless, and you gave me a room.” Matthew 25:35 MSG
Women’s Clinic of Kansas City
You knit me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13 NIV
Fort Osage Clothes Closet
(Jesus speaking) “I was naked, and you gave me clothing.” Matthew 25:36 NLT
Susquehanna Baptist Church Crisis Closet
(Jesus speaking) “For I was hungry, and you fed me.
I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink.” Matthew 25:35 NLT
Servant Evangelism
(Jesus speaking) “For I am among you as one who serves.” Luke 22:27 NLT
www.servantevangelism.com
Economic Referral
…speak up for the poor and helpless; and see that they get justice. Proverbs 31:9 NLT
Young Adults / Families
Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked them.
They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are You staying?”
“Come and see,” He said. John 1:38-39 NLT
Susquehanna Preschool
(Jesus speaking) “Let the children come to Me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And He placed His hands on them and blessed them…. Matthew 19:14-15 NLT
Local Homeless Children
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, ensure justice for those being crushed. Proverbs 31:8 NLT
Hawthorne Children
Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy… Psalm 82:3-4 NIV
Christian Life Center
Always be eager to practice hospitality. Romans 12:13
Letter Writing
Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. Proverbs 16:24 NLT
Focused Prayer
We do what we can, praying away, day and night…. 1 Thessalonians 3:9-10 MSG