There are thousands of churches in Tampa Bay. Almost every one of us have at least one service every Sunday, a mid-week service, prayer night, and some even have a celebration night. We have special dinners for our members and Sunday school for our children. We have created the perfect atmosphere in which we can disciple those that come into our church and teach them God’s Word. We have created the ideal workforce for Christ!

But, how many hours is this workforce putting in on a weekly basis? What would your “Heavenly Timesheet” look like if someone pulled it out of your “Celestial Personnel Folder”? As a church, you have the perfect opportunity to minister to a group of people that are quite willing to hear about what you are doing in that big ol’ church. These people are your neighbors – those living around your church neighborhood.

Many churches don’t do much to reach this eager audience, one that would benefit from being able o walk to church on Sundays! Here are some simple ideas that can get your workforce clocked in and ready to crank out widgets!

For Children and Youth

Summer Camp / Vacation Bible School

Working parents and children alone at home do not generally make for safe situations. For many, an opportunity to have their children supervised in an atmosphere that is educational and enriching is truly heaven-sent…just like your church! Give the parents in your community a break by offering this delightful service. This can also serve as a wonderful fundraiser, helping your church with income during the financially dry summertime.

After School / Weekend Programs

As with summary programs, after school and weekend programs serve parents and children in your local neighborhood. The difference is that these programs tend to minister to the needs of single parents and those that work hard schedules. Your ministry will become the hero of late birds and weekend warriors as you help to lift the burden off of negotiating with 11-year-old babysitters (God bless them).

Mentoring

Take a child under your wing as you lend your time and resources. You can make a difference by demonstrating Christ’s love and compassion to children and teens who desperately need it. You can also offer tutoring and counseling services if your church has the resources.

Violence Prevention

Get them off the streets and into the church! Give them a reason to want to serve God by providing them with an escape from a culture that demands attention. Sports facilities, martial arts classes, dance classes, computer training, and building projects are just some ideas for community outreach to this group. A word of warning – they will become very attached to your ministry, but be sure to always show appreciation for their effort and fruits.

Special Trips

Take the kids from the neighborhood out for a night on the town! Give them something that they are not accustomed. In Tampa Bay, there are tons of activities ranging from Christian clubs to laser tag. Take advantage of concerts in your area and special events like Raise The Roof. Many times, establishments will even give discounts to groups from a church.

For Families

Parenting Classes

As my little girl was born, I inquired of the nurse, “Did she come with a manual?” This is the way that many parents, especially young one, feel about their children. Use some emotionally stable, spiritually supercharged couples from within your church to start a class for parents who need help in raising their children. This is another great program for single parents.

Employment Search

This is an overlooked opportunity for ministry. Help your neighbors get a job by opening your church as a job search center. If you’ve got Internet access and a Sunday newspaper, then you are way ahead of many government agencies! This is an extremely helpful service that could also be coupled with what I call the Interview Drop-off Ministry. What’s that? It when you offer to drop people off for interviews when they do not have the transportation to get there. Now there’s no excuse – they’ll find a job and like it!

Family Counseling

Offer families in your neighborhood the opportunity to be save their marriages, enrich their children, and solve their problems by offering practical family counseling. Be sure to research any special requirements that you local area may have to be able to offer this service.

Senior Programs

Get those young people out of their homes! Find activities like visitation, prayer, retreats, and luncheons for your seniors to enjoy. This group can be a powerful, energetic group, ready to serve in and out of season. Take advantage of the wisdom and experience that many of your seniors have and allow them to share it with each other.

Financial Strategies

There are a wealth of resources in terms of financial counseling and planning. Use your church as a place for people to tap into those resources. Stock up with books, literature, directories, and software that will help those in your community find help for the most desperate financial needs. You also provide debt elimination strategies for them at no cost quite easily.

Drug and Alcohol Treatment

Team up with organizations and ministries within your area to extend these services to the local community. It may not even be your ministry that provides the service, but you will serve as a hub for referrals that will help solve the needs of your neighborhood. Their first step into your church could be their first step to recovery. These ideas are wonderful ways of reaching out to your local community. Sometimes, it seems so much easier to minister to those across town than those homes across the street. We challenge you to find our the names of the families that live around your church and prayer for them constantly. Let them know that you love them by showing them some practical expressions of Christ’s character. This the way we make a difference in our world, one community at a time.