THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY

“Love cannot remain by itself — it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action and that action is service.” – Mother Teresa

Church isn’t about sitting and listening; it’s about actively serving and reaching others. God does some of His best work outside the four walls of the church building. Many are caught up in the thinking that if God has called them to do something, something was done within the confines of the church. While the church needs to be effective inside, it must also be effective outside the four walls. This is the will of the Father, the privilege of those who are Christ-followers, and the purpose of the church.

Regardless of the size of your community, your testimony and love for your community impact your ministry to them. If you are a Christ-follower, very few things are more important than loving your community. John 13:35 says, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Do the people in your world know you’re for them? In our world today, people are often known more for what they are against than what they are for. Unfortunately, this extends even into the church. We want to reach the lost with the incredible good news of Christ, but often all they ever hear us emphasize are the behaviors and attitudes we are against, rather than hearing and seeing the love of God in us.

The For Bay County program is partnering with our communities. A partner is a church that doesn’t make decisions for its community but instead works with the community to make the community better. When you start living like Jesus, you start loving people the way that Jesus would—unconditionally, not based on what they’ve done for you but just because God loves them, they will respond. The church can’t introduce people to Jesus before we’ve ever introduced them to the love of Jesus.

When the church engages with the community, the community is better. Genuine love encourages people, and your acts of kindness serve them. When you serve the community, Christ is honored. Those in your community see how the love of Christ is shared with them through you. They wonder and ask how you are different.

You may take regular walks in your neighborhood. But this week, don’t look at it as any walk. Take a quiet, observant walk. If you typically walk with someone in your family, don’t talk. Don’t listen to music. Just walk in silence and observe your neighborhood. Maybe go for a walk at a different time of day or take a different route than you normally would. And look around. What do you see? Whom do you see? What needs do you see? Then pray, “Lord, how are you calling me to respond to this need”?

Discussion Questions:

How can we better engage in our neighborhoods?
How can we build better relationships with our neighbors?