Find Funds for Effective Outreach
Pollster George Barna reported that one out of every three adults in the United States is unchurched – that’s just under 65 million Americans. These figures indicate an extreme need within the Church to focus a strong and consistent eye on outreach efforts.
To be successful, a church has to do more than have a weekly ad in the paper. Direct mail, websites, invitation cards and other new church media are very effective, but require financial resources. Where can a church with a limited budget find the money needed to expand outreach efforts? The answers may surprise you.
1. Individual donations
Within each church are individuals who are better able to make significant donations to the church. Whether they are business owners, executives, retirees or others, they may have a heart for helping your church grow. Have you asked them about it? If they knew the church was seeking funds to better reach the surrounding community, you may find one or more willing to help underwrite such a project.
One pastor created a special letter asking core members of his church to sponsor a month's worth of outreach. These special "outreach packages" included direct mail postcards, banners and other tools needed to reach the community. By presenting his outreach plans for several months to the core group, he gave each of them a vision for outreach and a special ownership in the program.
2. Special collections
Many churches hold separate collections to support missions, building funds or other specific needs of the church. Why not outreach? Is there anything more important than reaching out to those in need and drawing them into a church where they can learn about Christ? For church members, playing an active role in the growth of the church is exciting, and it gives those churches that are more financially limited a tool for making a bigger impact in church growth.
3. Missions budget
Where does your church spend its mission’s budget? Africa? Asia? Indeed, there is incredible need for missionary work across the globe, but the US is one of the largest missionary fields in the world. Many churches include local outreach in their missions’ budget. Perhaps the seven percent of the population that is looking for a church home (according to statistics) just needs an invitation from you to find the place that they’re seeking.
4. Ministry fundraisers
Men's, women's, youth and other groups within your church are probably engaged in fundraising projects to meet specific needs in the church — maybe a new van, camp scholarships, or even trees for the landscaping. Again, why not outreach? Effective outreach is the cornerstone of an effective church. It’s exciting for a ministry to have the goal of raising funds that could directly impact someone’s life. Challenge one of your ministry groups to take on the task. The results will last far longer than a van or tree.
In addition, a ministry within the church could even raise funds to create an outreach campaign targeting their own demographic group: the members of your high school group may have creative ways to reach their un-churched friends at school, or they may want to choose an Outreach Inc. ImpactCard or ImpactMailer that is targeted towards Youth or Gen X age groups. Outreach need not be done only at the church level; smaller ministry groups can meet the community’s needs, help people connect and bring them into the church community.