More Than S’mores
What foster kids crave the most is to be shown that they are worthy of love.
Author: Christy Heitger-Ewing
Go and Be: Church Revitalization Efforts
Pastor Gary Moritz and his wife Jana say they fell into church revitalization by default. City United Church in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, thrived in its heyday with a daycare, a Christian school, a radio station and a 1,000-seat auditorium. However, when Gary and Jana were called to serve there in 2012, the church was in bankruptcy, and fewer than 70 congregants remained, marking a significant challenge for their church revitalization efforts.
Coffee With a Cause
Liquid Church has both a global and a local signature mission. Their local mission is to serve families living with special needs. Their global mission is to bring clean water to families in Africa and Central America through initiatives like their Coffee with a Cause.
Dinner With Special Friends
Manley Baptist Church now has a robust special needs ministry called Special Friends, and offers three Sunday school classes for those people with special needs—one for children, one for adults and a third for parents of children with special needs.
A Place of Rest
“We want them to come here to rest for a bit before they have to start making decisions that will impact their lives,” says Slade, who hopes that other area churches will follow suit.
Paws and Reflect
Moore has had church members tell her that they were too scared to do something missional, but because they love animals, this outreach was a natural fit for them.
A City and a Hill
In addition to its growing local ministry, the church hasn’t lost sight of its commitment to carrying the gospel to other nations. Over the past 20 years, College Heights has sent teams to the Rifians in North Africa and to the Pashtun people in Central Asia, both unreached people groups that are less than 2% Christian.
The Show Must Go On: Church Theatrical Productions
All the big productions and illustrated sermons are designed around the idea of having something congregants can invite their friends to, showcasing the impact of church theatrical productions.
A God-Shaped Vision
Back in 2001, the leadership team at Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, launched a vision plan that laid out some lofty goals. By the end of 2010, they wanted to have people serving in all 24 time zones around the world. They strove to plant a church in every international mission board throughout … Continued
Cooking Up Hope
“Our pastors have said that the people are so grateful to receive a meal when something tragic happens—or when good things happen, like the birth of a baby—because that part of their daily life has been taken care of,” says Hoffman.