Idea Starter: Home-Based Small Groups Reach Out to Neighbors and Friends

EastLake Church in Chula Vista, Calif., encourages its members to form small groups based on common interests, like fitness, gardening, crafting, sports or games. Then it asks group leaders to open up the groups to people who live in the next house over, or people whose kids go to school with a group member’s kids or play Little League with them. Once they’re connected, the church encourages them to stay connected by getting involved in a ministry as well as off-campus missional work.

ONLINE: EastLakeChurch.com. Adapted from an article that appeared in the March/April 2012 issue of Outreach magazine.

James P. Long
James P. Longhttp://JamesPLong.com

James P. Long was formerly the editor of Outreach magazine and the author of a number of books, including Why Is God Silent When We Need Him the Most?

Learning to Pray With the Persecuted Church

In many parts of the world, prayer is not a habit but a heartbeat. For persecuted Christians, the most persecuted religious group in the...

Derwin Gray: Choose Growth

Growing as a leader is not optional—it’s your responsibility. It’s your yes to the call God placed on your life.

Mountain Life Church: Christmas Blessings

Mountain Life Church purchased Christmas trees from a local nursery at cost and organized a Christmas tree lot on church grounds.