Ideas

“We wanted to do something for them that would encourage them to relax and take a moment for themselves,” says Cornwell. “Moms, in general, wear so many hats, but single moms have to wear every hat.”

After seeing the toll the pandemic had taken on medical workers, he wished his own church could replicate the outreach, but they didn’t have the resources to take it on alone.

Many Christian school teenagers have a deep spiritual cynicism baked into their hardened hearts. Far too many of these teens graduate and then publicly evacuate their faith, either through outright denunciation or post–high school hedonism.

“Surely the Good News of Jesus Has Something to Say to the Greatest Historic Injustice of the Last 500 Years.”

We’re very intentional about being welcoming and friendly. I tell people on Sunday mornings at the end of the services, “If you’re our guest, I’d like to meet you.” And so I go to the hospitality room and meet people every week.

“We want believers to feel more equipped in the Word and prepared to engage the culture,” explains Amanda Barr, director of the school.

First and throughout the process, becoming a belonging culture requires that we see the image of God in each other. Men need to see and recognize that God made women in his image and for his purposes and gifted them for that calling. Those gifts include leadership, preaching, and teaching.

But besides attracting new guests, Compton says the dinners provide opportunities for members to help local families facing food insecurity.