Reaching In - Outreach inside the church

We begin a two part series:
-Next week we talk about  outreach to our community

- Today we talk about outreach inside the church.

I. 1st Century Church Had a Problem.

Ac 6:1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

- Jesus had died for the sins of the world
- Peter had preached on Pentecost thousands were saved.

Ac 6:1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing

- Satan opposes church growth
- More people just natural mean, more problems

The problem:
1. Two kinds of Jews had become Christians
     a.) Hebrews native to Palestine/Jerusalem
     b.) Hellenistic/Grecian Jews who had come back to Jerusalem

The differences between them:
1. Hebrews Christian Jews
    - Native to Israel - Jewish culture
    - Spoke Hebrew/Aramaic & Greek
    - Used the Hebrew scripture
 

2. Hellenistic Christian Jews
    - Lived in other lands with Greek culture
    - Spoke Primarily Greek
    - Used the Septuagint/ Greek translation of Scripture.
   

Before becoming Christians they worshipped in separate synagogues.

Now they are thrown into one church.

They have the age-old problem of figuring out how to get along with people who are different.

The Complaint:

Ac 6:1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

NKJ= neglected
Weymouth= habitually overlooked

Greek word: paratheoreo,
Para= beside
Theorero= To look on as a spectator

 II. THE POINT

The Hellenistic Jewish Christians were inside the church, but felt as though there were on the outside looking in.

- They wanted to be included, but weren't

TODAY: there are people who are in the church, but feel like they are on the outside looking in.

- They want to be included, but they're not

The 1st century apostles had to figure out how to get everybody in the church on the inside.

SO DO WE! 

III. Let's Focus on Two Groups of People.

A. Those that are visiting the church
B.  Those that are regulars, but are still looking in from the outside.

 IV. Visitors/Guests

A. It is hard to be a visitor
- It is awkward
- Don't know what to expect
-
B. When people visit, it is for a reason.
     1. New in town, looking for a church   (Hoping for friends like the last church)
     2. Looking for meaning - God is calling
     3. Looking for help
          - Marriage in trouble
          - Problem with kids
          - Health

C. Statistics tell us:

1. Visitors define a good experience at church by:

1. How friendly the church was

- Determined simply by how many people talk to them.
-  Good music and preaching is not enough is they feel unwelcome.

2. Most churches consider themselves very friendly.
- They are , mostly with each other.

Test: during our greeting time, do you go to people you know - intentionally look for those who look new?

3. Visitors are asking questions when they visit
- Can I get to know God here?
- Can I find friends here?
- Is this a good place for my children?
- Does this church want me here?

WE NEED TO GIVE THEM A YES TO ALL THESE QUESTIONS

 4. We do our best to follow up on visitors but…

Statistics show that the follow up that makes the biggest impression is not done by paid staff.

That is their job - best from people in the church who simply care

5. The most important 10 minutes in the service….

10 minutes immediately following the service
- Before service people are doing their church stuff.
- After service they are ready to go home.
- The real measure of a church is what happens after the service.
-  Real, not a part of the program.

SEEK TO IDENTIFY VISITORS AND DO YOUR PART TO OPEN THE DOOR OF THE CHURCH TO THEM.

INVITE THEM INSIDE THE CHURCH, NOT JUST THE BUILDING.

2nd Group
V. Regulars, but still looking in from the outside.

A. Think of the church as a circle
      1. The inner circle contains about 20%
           - The core
           -  They serve - give - lead

      2.  Most outward circle are those who attend, but that is it.
           - not a lot of friend
           - not very involved
           -  Sometimes don't feel very connected to the church.
           -  Sometimes feel unnoticed, neglected,overlooked.

B.  Inner, outer, middle circles
     - People fall somewhere in there.
C.  Our goal: move people towards the center
D.  This happens through relationships

E. People grow in Christ when they are around others growing in Christ

- Stagnant Christians grow when around growing Christians.

- Seekers come to Christ when they are close enough to see your life, not just hear your words.

F. Where are you?
G. About 20% percent are in center.  80% are not

H. If you are in 20%, your job is to reach out to those in the 80%

     Where ever you are your job is to reach out to those farther out than you

     Hard Fact: You are not the most important person in church on Sunday morning.

Question is not:
did you get what you wanted out of church today?

Question is: Who did I touch?  Who did I reach out to?

In doing that, God will see that you get all you need.

I.  If you are in 80% your job is to respond to invitation……..

- Take a chance and respond
-  The benefits are worth the risk
-  They are life long and eternal

OPPORTUNITIES to invite to:

- Small groups - attend or start one   (See Tony Hinz or Dan Dragon)
- Discipleship class Sept 27th  "I'm going, you want to?"
- Young Married Group Cookout- Sept18 6pm  "Let's go together" 
-  Men's breakfast - Invite another man who has never been there before
-   Harvest Party Oct 24th - Invite another family to be your guest.
-   Hospital report list - call someone and let them know you've been praying for them.

-   Include them in your after church Mario's meal.
-   Do things that say: I want to know you better.

Let's open the doors and invite everyone into the inner circle.

VI. Eternal Benefits of reaching out within the church

A.  Those early Hebrew Christian could have gone on neglecting the Hellenistic Jewish Christians.

B. But they reached out inside the church and the result was dramatic

1. Persecution would come a short time later.
2. It was the Hellenistic Jewish Christians who went into all the world and preached Jesus.

3. Millions came to Christ because of them.
4. What made this possible was a commitment to leave on one on the outside looking in.

By providing a simple meal to a group of widows

VI. I'm asking you today to commit yourselves to reaching out, inside the church.

It will be inconvenient
It will take an unusual commitment

You've heard about the committed terrorist who was training his new recruits.

He straps bombs to his body, stands in front of his students and says,

"Watch closely, I'm only going to do this once"

- There are those who are fully committed to destroying people.

- Let us be even more committed to embracing people with the love of God.

EMBRACING:
Visitors: looking for God, help, and friends
Regulars: Who feel overlooked - feels like they are on the outside looking in.

Let's enlarge our circle and invite them in.

Heb 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.