"Outreach"

July 17, 2025 | By Chuck

      You probably reach out to someone every day. If you don’t hear from the kids, do you send a text or call? Don’t you reach out and keep in touch with your siblings and friends? And if you are fortunate enough to still have your parents, you better reach out to them often. We like to reach out to those we care about and check on them. If we don’t see a brother or sister at worship for a few weeks, we reach out to them. We should reach out to those we care about, and I believe we do and do it well. 

            What about outreach? I’m not trying to be difficult, but I do think we tend to see “outreach” differently. Outreach sounds too formal; it’s too much of a church word and reminds us of evangelism. “Outreach” is a church word and it is evangelism. Outreach should be the top priority of every single congregation of the Lord’s church. Everything the church does should in some way be about outreach. From the way we welcome and treat visitors and newcomers on Sunday morning to the way we serve strangers throughout the week, it should all be about outreach. I realize some are more comfortable with outreach than others, but I want to challenge you to consider outreach as a part of your life as a Christian.

            I can’t help but believe the reason we are still breathing and walking this planet is to tell others about Jesus. May we all see outreach as a necessity and God-given responsibility. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)