I Heart My City by Dino Rizzo

Did you know Jesus has a plan for you in the city He has sent you to? We see a great example of this in Luke 8:26-38. This once demon-possessed man is ready to follow Jesus after this miraculous life change. But Jesus commands him to, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” Go back to the city I have called you to. Go back to your home. Go to your city. Go to your people. Jesus was smart. He knew this city would know this once demon-possessed man. They would recognize something had changed in him. Something miraculous had to have happened to make this once crazy man, sane again. Here we have the first missionary sent to his own zip code. God has a plan for you in the city He has sent you to as well.

If you want to make a difference in your city you must first love your city. Loving your city opens ears to hear the gospel, unlocks heart to be loved, and unleashes Kingdom influence. You can’t fake love. You can’t love behind your church walls. You can’t love behind judgment. You can only “speak” love so much before you have to “show” it in order for others to believe it. Opening up your heart, your arms, your finances, your resources, your building to others with a ridiculous love for the people in your city will catapult you into God’s purposes like nothing else.

Loving your city starts with knowing your city. You have to notice, understand, listen, and pay attention to the culture, the rhythms, the condition, the seasons, and the story of your city. Being with the people will create a love for the people. Simply researching your city, only creates a data connection. What you need is a heart connection with the people in your city. Jesus was always among the people. He bridged the gap between physical need and spiritual need, because He could see what type of bridge needed to be built to connect with them. Knowing your city will help you determine how to truly love your city, minister to your city, and provide for your city.

Once you know your city, you act. Do whatever you can to meet the needs of your city. Know the need, see what you have to offer, and act. Not too long ago we noticed that cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in local hospitals were not receiving the nutritional snacks they really needed. A lady in our church started with 5 volunteers and went once a week to bring a healthy snack to a cancer patient. One year later we are in 5 hospitals, 5 days a weeks, and have served thousands of snacks. We have been able to share the love of Christ with thousands through a simple healthy snack.

When you know your city and act on the true needs within the city, there will be impact. Know, act, and impact will follow. You will be blown away by the access, opportunity, influence, and visibility that opens wider than you imagined possible. The government starts calling you to solve problems in the city. They know your name. Road blocks and red tape are no longer blockades to ministry. Door after door begins to open. You set the example for others. People start thinking, “Maybe the church does know how to solve some of these issues in our community for the cause of Christ.” You are advertising without even having to advertise because serving creates chatter. Let’s create lots of chatter!

You want people pulling up on your property saying, “I heard from someone that this church would help me.” Be necessary. Be seen as a solution. Is your church necessary to your city? Does it matter that you are here? As churches we often ask ourselves if the poor matter to us, but the real question is, “Do we matter to the poor?” Does your city need you? I believe they do because they need Christ. Let us be found faithful with the piece of earth God destined for us to serve on. Love your city.

Dino Rizzo is the founding pastor of Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana –a church with over 8,200 people in 8 campuses. HPC has been named one of America’s Top 25 Most Innovative Churches – a reflection of his overwhelming drive to reach the unreachable and to engage with others to show God’s love to the poor and hurting, wherever they are. His book, SERVOLUTION, exposes his passion to see believers join together in a revolution of serving others – Jesus style. Dino and his wife DeLynn have three children.

Reprinted by permission from Serve! by Steve Sjogren

Guerilla Outreach - Part 2

A colleague sent me a nonstandard outreach idea this spring. He said that craigslist is a great place to find people who are in need and touch them with God's love.

Craigslist is a centralized network of online communities, featuring free online classified advertisements – with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, résumes, and discussion forums.

I have used craigslist before to buy some golf equipment but never considered it as a tool of ministry. I was a little hesitant to solicit our service having heard about widespread misuse.

After publishing our ad we soon connected with a young lady who had just moved to town with only what she could carry in her little car. She was living in a one bedroom flat above a bar in a nearby city.

She sounded genuinely interested in re-establishing her life saying that she didn't want a handout but was willing to contribute financially to her need.

I solicited our congregation for household items and got a good response. We asked for and received quality used household and personal care items.

The next step was to contact our Special Operations Team who on two separate trips delivered the items and shared God's love with this lady.

Two weeks ago I received an email from Shannon who said that everything we collected and delivered was 'needed and used'. What really made this outreach so satisfying is that Shannon said she was touched by our kindness and would like to help another person in her same circumstance.

Out of the box outreach? Yes. Don't know if we'll do it again, but it sure was fun.

Mission of the Church

The church’s mission is to reach others for Christ and to help them become mature followers of Christ. When our plans or priorities conflict with that mission we must change. The mission statement Christ issued for his followers is actually quite simple, “Go and Make Disciples“. Somehow along the way it is easy for a body of believers to forget that mission.

Some get caught up in developing and carrying out a decades old great “master plan” that present day ministries must suffer to complete this plan. It is as if nothing is more important than following the plan. Unplanned opportunities to reach others for Christ are ignored in strict adherence to this great plan. What good is it to have a well-designed facility when there is no one to use the facilities?

Others get caught up in the functions of committees especially those that focus on the internal workings of the church that they lose sight of reaching others. Suddenly things like decorations and the appearance of the church become a higher priority than providing the necessary resources for outreach ministries. Keeping the church looking nice is good but what good is it when there is no one left to maintain the church?

For some adherence to traditions and maintaining the status quo becomes the primary focus. They become unwilling to move out of their comfort zone unaware that the unless the church is willing to adapt and change its method we will lose an entire generation. What good will our traditions do when no one is left to follow them?

I am reminded of something one of my seminary professors Dr. Roy Fish used to say. “The primary mission of the church is evangelism. Everything aspect and ministry of the church should be about evangelism, if it is not then we must change or jettison the things that are not.” What things must be changed or jettisoned from your church?

Reprinted by permission from The Dee Zone by D. E. Herrod http://thedeezone.wordpress.com/

Bread Giveaway - Fun Easy and Inexpensive Holiday Outreach

Everybody likes bread! Especially from those high-end bread stores with Bread Company somewhere in the name… Did you know that you can arrange to receive day-old bread from specialty bread stores for FREE? You can also check with national chain grocery stores that have in-house bakeries.

Talk to the store manager and explain your outreach concept. Tell a few stories of the people you are helping and you will likely establish your "daily bread" connection. It will only take one or two of these connections to begin a substantial ministry in your community.

Many of these stores do not have a reliable source to distribute their old bread to. The key is to be consistent and reliable in picking up their bread. You will need to have a team and as schedule so you don't disappoint the bread store managers. As a good public relations gesture, write a letter of thanks to the store manager for his company's generosity to the community (and don't be surprised to see it framed and posted on the wall of the store).

The ministry is simple and straight forward. Knock on the doors of the houses and apartments. Say, "Hi, we're giving away fresh, free high-quality bread. Could you use some, or do you know anyone in the neighborhood who could use some?" Give recipients an outreach card and offer to pray for them as you hand out the bread.

How Do You Find People To Give Bread To?

Cold calling (just knocking on doors) in lower-income neighborhoods and apartments complexes works fine with this project. Stay away from neighborhoods closest to the donating store.

(A couple of years ago we partnered with a local assisted living facility to serve their residents. After picking up bread at the local Panera Bread Company a team of 6 took our fragrant gift to the apartment complex. The bread was well received by the residents.)

Reprinted with permission from 2009 Serve! with Steve Sjogren

A Community Outreach Chronicle

Out of the Pews
Too commonly churches find themselves mired in ministry that focuses almost entirely on meeting the needs of their congregates. Now more than ever churches must make a statement to the communities they serve that goes beyond a Sunday morning sermon. When churches connect with their community through ministry and service, the church is seen as relevant and its reputation is restored.

As my pastor friend Tim says, "The church must go out into the community before the community will come into the church. Before they will accept us we have to accept them".

How It All Started
In January 2005 our church leadership team merged several unconnected outreach activities under a coordinated vision to influence our community with the love of God. A mission statement was developed and staff was hired. The goal of the new outreach department was to influence an ever increasing number of non-Christians with God’s love and cause more in the congregation to become outreachers.

Existing events such as a monthly business luncheon, an annual Job Fair, sponsorship of a local elementary school and a weekly street evangelism outreach were partnered with monthly servant and invitational evangelism activities. Teaching on personal and relationship evangelism was initiated on a monthly basis.

What Happened
Five years later this increased emphasis on outreach has resulted in a significantly increased involvement in outreach and positive exposure for our church in the community.

Over the next few episodes of reachingoutloud I will simply chronicle how we got to where we are now. I don’t want to be one more self-proclaimed prophet laying down my version of how ministry should be conducted. We have done some things right and alot wrong, yet I am compelled to chronicle the journey.

Why Blog?
Why do I blog? I love my church but can’t personally connect to every outreacher. The people at Living Word deserve everything I’ve got and this blog is one more way to give it. I blog because ministry and leadership are better when learning is shared. I blog because I’d rather offer my journey than just assert my conclusions.

Reaching Out Loud

This initial blog entry should probably describe my intentions as a blogger. The name reachingoutloud is a play on words and suggests I’ll be blogging about what I believe is the primary responsibility of every Christian – to openly demonstrate God’s love to those who don’t know Him. I intend to offer practical insights on being a light of evangelism in the dark world that most of us live in.

Outward Focus
Steve Sjogren’s book Outflow changed my paradigm of ministry. I learned that my life is to be filled to the brim with God’s love, joy and hope. It starts with a deep relationship with God, then flows out to touch my family and friends, my neighbors and my world.

Tending the Flock
Most churches invest the majority of their time, money and people power on tending the flock. (I was the pastor of a small rural church for almost seven years, so I know the importance of growing up God’s family). Yet the biggest step of maturity is when Christians learn to reach out beyond their own needs and serve others.

My process of maturity began in 1980 when I became born again and began attending Living Word Christian Center. The first years were spent at the feet of my pastors-teachers Mac and Lynne Hammond. There came a point, however, when I knew I needed to become a steward of the truths they taught. That's when I entered the minstry of helps and began reaching out loud.

The Church Has Left the Building
When it comes to the question of where should the church invest it's resource, I must admit that I am biased. If the church is to reach it’s full potential, it must equip the saints for the work of the ministry. This work is primarily outside it's four walls.

That is where I live. That’s how I think. Outreach consumes my life. The Lord has seen to it that I am able to reach out and get paid for it - although I would do it free.