Missional Ideas from Outreach Magazine

A list of ideas from the July/August 2010 Issue: Small Church America...

1. Survey the community to discover what people are struggling with
2. CommunityVision of America
3. ArlingtonAnswers.com
4. Home foreclosure alternatives
5. Homework help for youth
6. Shut down Sunday worship to go out and help in the community
7. Neighborhood beautification
8. Caring for the sick
9. Home makeovers for poor families
10. Car repair for single mothers and the elderly
11. Fast from fast food and donate the money saved to a local food bank
12. Group for persons with mood disorders (depression, bipolar), open to public
13. Connect with people within 10 miles of the church using Twitter
14. Firewood for the needy in winter
15. Kids drama/musical productions with casting open to public
16. Kids carnival
17. Archery and devotions through national Centershot Ministries
18. Sports through national ministry Upward Sports
19. Build wheelchair ramps for elderly - may be grants available thru AARP, states, etc
20. Food pantry for elderly - may be grants available
21. Clothing closet for elderly
22. Digging wells, clean drinking water overseas thru Living Water International
23. TYPES OF SMALL CHURCHES
1. Traditional small churches - resilient, nimble, sustainable, little or no debts, strong member loyalty, deep roots in community
2. Marketplace churches ("third place") - churches that operate coffee shops, consignment stores, art galleries, pubs, etc during business hours, and gather for worship on the weekends
3. Lifestyle churches - focus on a subculture in society such as bikers, surfers, cowboys, race drivers and pit crews, skateboarders, hip-hop lovers, etc.
4. Ethnic churches - focus on first generation U.S. immigrants
5. Multiethnic churches - focus on American-born ethnic groups of various kinds in order to bring them together
6. New church starts - new church start has no old guard saying, "We've never done it that way before," easy to replicate because began recently and small
7. Intentionally small churches - also called house, simple or organic churches, highly flexible, led by lay people, committed to fellowship, can meet anywhere
24. continue on pg 73

See more ideas at OutreachMagazine.com