If I was a Community Pastor I would… #6 PARTICIPATE

Be interested in the things that locals are putting on. Go to precinct meetings, pop along to the seniors lunch, the art festival, the markets, etc… Keep up to date with whats going on on Council Websites, Noticeboards.

So often Christians put on events and think they need them to do evangelism. Events are helpful for congregation memeber in their personal evangelism where by they can use the extra, fun, casual settings of these events to bring their friends under the sound of the gospel.  However, you can save yourself a lot of energy of planning if you go to events the commnunity is putting on.

Firstly, it shows your support of the community and your willingness to invest in it. (Often Key Players will be there or lonelier locals in attendance)

Secondly, you can kill so many birds with the one stone: meet locals, relational time with believers/nonbelievers alike… take people with you!

Thirdly, I think it says something that we invest in the community and turn up to their events. Why do we put up flyers around town and expect them to turn up at our things if we never turn up at there things. Relationships should be recipricol.