The Neighborhood

Certain approaches work to bring people to churches and some do not. Before moving on to describe those approaches that work and those that do not, let me first explain what I mean by the phrase "bring people to churches."

I do not mean that these approaches, or any others, necessarily bring people to membership in local churches. Local churches are not necessarily called to grow memberships...or to guarantee ongoing financial stability...or to make sure that their organizations are assured forever. Churches are called to serve people, both those within the neighborhoods surrounding our facilities and those who live farther away from our locations.

This is upsetting to some. If congregations make their organizational success or institutional sustainability the key to their activity and function, the churches may well gather for reasons that have nothing whatsoever to do with the ministry of Jesus Christ. If Christ, expressed in our neighborhoods and beyond, is the ball upon which we are trained to keep our eyes, then our ministries and missions will only incidentally impact organizational success or institutional sustainability.

That expressed, there are approaches to bringing people to our churches that do not work. Advertising, by and large, does not work. Fancy, glitchy ads that promise personal fulfillment or spiritual development are the least effective way to attract persons. They do exactly the opposite, in fact. They tend to repel.

Programming that is geared to societal or cultural strata do not work. What organization has not tried to structure approaches around target demographics? What church has not attempted socio-economic or geographical groupings to attract like-minded an like-oriented persons? What church has not tried tying itself to some distinct political or social cause? These attempts may work for a short time, but they eventually fade away and cease to be effective.

What works is simple and basic. Congregations that serve their neighborhoods, that are seen as a resource to and an aid for neighbors, thrive and grow. Their ministries expand. Their missions grow.

Shiloh Church has demonstrated this simple fact in two very important ways. Firstly, Shiloh's Front Porch Ministry has been a tremendous success. The Front Porch takes place in the course of Shiloh's Saturday Farmers' Market. Regional farmers, and other food-related producers, gather to sell products to the community every Saturday morning, May through October, in the parking lot of Shiloh Church. The Market offers WIC/food stamp usage as a means of serving our area's financially struggling population, as well as those who may be able to afford fresh produce. Members and friends of Shiloh gather each Saturday, in the Gazebo, to offer welcome, discussion, hot and cold drinks, breakfast sandwiches and friendship. There is no proselytizing, no commercial, no church information...unless persons ask. The majority of Shiloh's new members, through the last three New Member Sundays, have come from the Front Porch. Many more lives have been touched.

Yesterday, Shiloh offered its first-ever Trunk of Treats program. From 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. twenty-two members and friends of Shiloh gathered in the "point" of the facility's parking lot, decorated trunks of cars, backs of SUV's and beds of trucks, and distributed candy, pencils, and fun products to more than 385 neighborhood children and families. The neighbors enjoyed free hot dogs, chips and drinks as well. By providing a safe environment in which children could trick-or-treat, Shiloh served a huge segment of its neighborhood. The program was simple, but memorable. We are certain that the project will expand, both with community response and Shiloh members' involvement.

These programs work. Serving our neighborhood, representing Christ to and with them our closest neighbors in creative and imaginative ways, works. It brings people to Shiloh. Activities like the Pumpkin Patch, the Fall Fair, the Holiday Bazaar, the Golf Outing, Food Bank Collections, and too many others to mention, work. Well done, Shiloh! You are representing Christ to, in and with your neighbors.