Mission & Outreach Pathways
Next steps and resources to help your group become outward-focused and serve the Big "K" Kingdom.
Phase 1
Primary Goal: Look Outward
Characteristics: Groups in phase 1 likely have minimal missional experience. The focus of this phase is to help people shift their focus from self to others so they can start to intentionally see opportunities to invite, encourage, and share their faith.
Next Steps and Resources
Salvation Prayer List: Identify 1-3 people in your life who are not believers and compile a list for your community group to pray over. Incorporate praying for these individuals by name during your weekly meetings, with prayer partners throughout the week, and individually.
Invite Someone to Church: A simple but effective outreach tool is to invite someone to church. Challenge your group to invite one new person to church in the same week. Pray for the opportunity to arise and the boldness to speak up. Follow up with your group during the next meeting and see how it went. If they come to church, make sure to introduce them to your group and sit together! Maybe go out to eat afterwards and pay for their meal as a way to care for them.
Pray for Someone: An easy way to open up spiritual conversations is to ask someone how you can pray for them. Challenge your group to intentionally ask a believer in their life to pray for them. Pray for the opportunity to arise, the boldness to speak up, and the wisdom for what to say. Follow up with them at the next meeting and see how it went.
Share Your Testimony: One of the best evangelistic tools is sharing your testimony, the story of how Jesus saved you. Practice sharing your testimony with your group and pray for opportunities to share it with the non-believers in your life. You can find more information about how to share your testimony here.
Invite Someone to Church: A simple but effective outreach tool is to invite someone to church. Challenge your group to invite one new person to church in the same week. Pray for the opportunity to arise and the boldness to speak up. Follow up with your group during the next meeting and see how it went. If they come to church, make sure to introduce them to your group and sit together! Maybe go out to eat afterwards and pay for their meal as a way to care for them.
Pray for Someone: An easy way to open up spiritual conversations is to ask someone how you can pray for them. Challenge your group to intentionally ask a believer in their life to pray for them. Pray for the opportunity to arise, the boldness to speak up, and the wisdom for what to say. Follow up with them at the next meeting and see how it went.
Share Your Testimony: One of the best evangelistic tools is sharing your testimony, the story of how Jesus saved you. Practice sharing your testimony with your group and pray for opportunities to share it with the non-believers in your life. You can find more information about how to share your testimony here.
Phase 2
Primary Goal: Build Missional Rhythms
Characteristics: Groups in phase 2 have occasionally participated in mission and outreach efforts, likely organized by the church or a local ministry partner. The focus of this phase to help grow consistency and develop natural tendencies toward mission and outreach.
Next Steps and Resources
Attend Everyday Evangelism: This is a three-week class in the Fall that helps you learn how to share your faith in everyday contexts. You will learn how to share your testimony and how to turn a regular conversation into a gospel conversation. View the class availability and details here (if available).
Outreach Social: Host a social hangout where your group intentionally invites their non-believing friends (maybe the names on the list above). If this is too big of an event to organize, do this in pairs and have mini get-togethers. During the event, be intentional to ask your friends how you can pray for them and invite them to church or your community group.
Serve Together: Serve at one of our local ministry partners together and learn how you can share your faith with people through their organizations. You can find a list of places to volunteer here.
Books on Missional Living:
Short-Term Mission Trips: Going on a short-term mission trip is an excellent way to step out of your comfort zone, grow your faith, and experience God in new ways. We have global ministry partners in Kenya and the Philippines who love to host short-term mission teams who serve their communities. To learn more about mission trip opportunities, email Amy Land.
Outreach Social: Host a social hangout where your group intentionally invites their non-believing friends (maybe the names on the list above). If this is too big of an event to organize, do this in pairs and have mini get-togethers. During the event, be intentional to ask your friends how you can pray for them and invite them to church or your community group.
Serve Together: Serve at one of our local ministry partners together and learn how you can share your faith with people through their organizations. You can find a list of places to volunteer here.
Books on Missional Living:
- BLESS: 5 Everyday Ways to Love Your Neighbor and Change the World
- A Field Guide for Everyday Mission: 30 Days and 101 Ways to Demonstrate the Gospel
- Gospel Fluency
- Gospel 101
Short-Term Mission Trips: Going on a short-term mission trip is an excellent way to step out of your comfort zone, grow your faith, and experience God in new ways. We have global ministry partners in Kenya and the Philippines who love to host short-term mission teams who serve their communities. To learn more about mission trip opportunities, email Amy Land.
Phase 3
Primary Goal: Make Disciples
Characteristics: Groups in phase 3 see mission and outreach as part of their daily rhythms, seeking opportunities to invite people to church or their community group, share their faith, pray with people, etc. The focus of this phase is to continue your intentional evangelism efforts and help other people grow in missional living.
Next Steps and Resources
Outreach Bible Study: Pray for an opportunity to start an Outreach Bible Study with people who are curious about Jesus. You can do this one-on-one or with a group of people. Here are some resources to help you:
Disciple New Believers: Whether you get the joy of leading someone to Christ, or you meet a brand new believer, discipling someone who is new to the faith is exciting and full of opportunities! Here are a few next steps to take with new believers:
- How to Lead a Discover Bible Study
- Discovery Bible Study App
- Reinvestigating Jesus - Member Guide
- Reinvestigating Jesus - Leader Guide
Disciple New Believers: Whether you get the joy of leading someone to Christ, or you meet a brand new believer, discipling someone who is new to the faith is exciting and full of opportunities! Here are a few next steps to take with new believers:
- Connect them to community
- How can your group multiply to make room for new believers?
- Baptism - if they haven't been baptized, encourage them to take this first step of obedience. They can learn more about it here.
- Teach them how to read Scripture and pray
- Take some time to read Scripture and pray with them one-on-one to let them ask questions and learn how to cultivate those habits in their own life.
- Help them learn the joy of serving
- Invite them to serve with you so they can see the importance of service. Encourage them to explore where they are passionate about serving and challenge them to make it a commitment.