{"id":2613,"date":"2013-04-16T06:00:30","date_gmt":"2013-04-16T12:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.churchvolunteerdaily.com\/daily\/mission-vision\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/"},"modified":"2013-04-16T06:00:30","modified_gmt":"2013-04-16T12:00:30","slug":"making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Externally-Focused a Way of Life for Your Church"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cHelp us to be more externally focused!\u201d<\/strong> is a common appeal from churches today, and many churches are learning that it\u2019s much more complicated than saying that your church is externally focused, your church has to actually make some systems changes to\u00a0be <\/em>externally focused!<\/p>\n

A church in Minnesota recently announced that they were externally focused because they allowed community groups to use their facility, while another church in Texas began to introduce pre-reading activities into their preschool Sunday school.\u00a0 While both are positive, those activities may not be enough to sustain the culture shift toward external focus.\u00a0 If a church is to actually BE externally focused, it will require more than a marketing campaign.<\/p>\n

Here are a few actions that may begin the shift:<\/em><\/p>\n

First, have conversations, preach, and teach about the value of your church in the community<\/strong>, with an emphasis on being the best church for <\/em>the community, not just doing outreach in<\/em> the community.<\/strong>\u00a0 If the congregation and leadership are not passionate about serving the community and partnering with community leadership, then it will be difficult to develop an external focus.<\/p>\n

Next, be careful to communicate that events alone are not going to be enough to meet the needs of your community.<\/strong>\u00a0 Events, such as service days and \u201chandout\u201d activities should be viewed as ways to begin the external ministry process, and not be viewed as the goal.<\/p>\n

Embed external ministry activities into the ministry description of every person serving in the church.<\/strong>\u00a0 In the list of responsibilities for each small group leader, Sunday school teacher, deacon, usher, team leader, what is at least one activity that reaches beyond the congregation and church facility and into the community?\u00a0 For example, one church\u00a0in northern Colorado that regularly engages up to 10 worship teams on a weekend, discovered\u00a0their local school district had no school music programs.\u00a0 Is it possible that one of the activities\u00a0a worship team could\u00a0provide would be\u00a0some basic musical training to public school students?<\/p>\n

Review your church\u2019s personnel policies to see if community engagement and community volunteering is encouraged, incentivized and rewarded in human resources practices.\u00a0<\/strong> If we expect our church membership to serve in our church and in the community, should not the same be expected for paid church staff?<\/p>\n

Provide illustrations<\/strong> in teaching curriculum and in preaching which are derived from external ministries.<\/strong>\u00a0 If all of the good stories are from serving in the church, people will not understand that serving beyond the walls of the church is valid and equally as spiritual.<\/p>\n

Invite, train, recognize and<\/strong> celebrate external service simultaneously with internal service.<\/strong> Segregating in-house service from community service can do a disservice to both service arenas.\u00a0 Consider doing only one ministry fair, which would include all service opportunities, and send the clear message that servanthood is the expected response, no matter where it happens.<\/p>\n

Avoid using language which reflects a preference in serving opportunities<\/strong>. Integrating information for all service is most effective in engaging people to serve.\u00a0 Provide information on all service opportunities to a specific age-group, on a specific day of the week, during a specific month or in a specific neighborhood.<\/p>\n

Develop partnerships with community organizations<\/strong> for identifying, training and developing people for service in church roles and in community leadership roles.\u00a0<\/strong> Is service on a community-benefit organization board a requirement for serving as a board member in your church?\u00a0 Is service in a church prerequisite for serving on a local community-benefit organization board?<\/p>\n

Lastly, think about the ways that your gifts, as an equipping leader, could be used in the wider community.\u00a0<\/strong>Discover new places to use your passion as a leader in organizations that touch lives beyond your church.\u00a0 It will change the way you lead and equip!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Photo Credit: PhillipC<\/a> via Compfight<\/a> cc<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cHelp us to be more externally focused!\u201d is a common appeal from churches today, and many churches are learning that it\u2019s much more complicated than saying that your church is externally focused, your church has to actually make some systems changes to\u00a0be externally focused! A church in Minnesota recently announced that they were externally focused because they allowed community groups […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":86,"featured_media":21864,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[117],"tags":[179,180,185,219,220,198,105,199,264,265,196,203,205,106],"class_list":["post-2613","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lead","tag-christian-volunteer-program","tag-christian-volunteer-programs","tag-churches","tag-jesus-2","tag-photos","tag-simply-strategic-volunteers-2","tag-volunteer","tag-volunteer-appreciation","tag-volunteer-appreciation-gift","tag-volunteer-appreciation-gift-ideas","tag-volunteer-program-blog","tag-volunteer-recognition","tag-volunteering","tag-volunteers-blog"],"yoast_head":"\nMaking Externally-Focused a Way of Life for Your Church - Group Children's Ministry<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201cHelp us to be more externally focused!\u201d is a common appeal from churches today, and many churches are learning that it\u2019s much more complicated than\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Making Externally-Focused a Way of Life for Your Church - Group Children's Ministry\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cHelp us to be more externally focused!\u201d is a common appeal from churches today, and many churches are learning that it\u2019s much more complicated than\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Group Children's Ministry\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GroupChildrensMinistry\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-04-16T12:00:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Don Simmons\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@groupkidmin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@groupkidmin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Don Simmons\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/\",\"name\":\"Making Externally-Focused a Way of Life for Your Church - Group Children's Ministry\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"\",\"datePublished\":\"2013-04-16T12:00:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2013-04-16T12:00:30+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/#\/schema\/person\/d62912b0b9a280d2b08d70fbd20e06ce\"},\"description\":\"\u201cHelp us to be more externally focused!\u201d is a common appeal from churches today, and many churches are learning that it\u2019s much more complicated than\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Making Externally-Focused a Way of Life for Your Church\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/\",\"name\":\"Group Children's Ministry\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/#\/schema\/person\/d62912b0b9a280d2b08d70fbd20e06ce\",\"name\":\"Don Simmons\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1d3abe0a3386d795986ff973303b3794da8172cc643cd23b5286de1f3fb234f2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1d3abe0a3386d795986ff973303b3794da8172cc643cd23b5286de1f3fb234f2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Don Simmons\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/author\/don-simmons\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Making Externally-Focused a Way of Life for Your Church - Group Children's Ministry","description":"\u201cHelp us to be more externally focused!\u201d is a common appeal from churches today, and many churches are learning that it\u2019s much more complicated than","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Making Externally-Focused a Way of Life for Your Church - Group Children's Ministry","og_description":"\u201cHelp us to be more externally focused!\u201d is a common appeal from churches today, and many churches are learning that it\u2019s much more complicated than","og_url":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/","og_site_name":"Group Children's Ministry","article_publisher":"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GroupChildrensMinistry","article_published_time":"2013-04-16T12:00:30+00:00","author":"Don Simmons","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@groupkidmin","twitter_site":"@groupkidmin","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Don Simmons","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/","url":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/","name":"Making Externally-Focused a Way of Life for Your Church - Group Children's Ministry","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"","datePublished":"2013-04-16T12:00:30+00:00","dateModified":"2013-04-16T12:00:30+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/#\/schema\/person\/d62912b0b9a280d2b08d70fbd20e06ce"},"description":"\u201cHelp us to be more externally focused!\u201d is a common appeal from churches today, and many churches are learning that it\u2019s much more complicated than","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/#primaryimage","url":"","contentUrl":""},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/lead\/making-externally-focused-a-way-of-life-for-your-church\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Making Externally-Focused a Way of Life for Your Church"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/#website","url":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/","name":"Group Children's Ministry","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/#\/schema\/person\/d62912b0b9a280d2b08d70fbd20e06ce","name":"Don Simmons","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1d3abe0a3386d795986ff973303b3794da8172cc643cd23b5286de1f3fb234f2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1d3abe0a3386d795986ff973303b3794da8172cc643cd23b5286de1f3fb234f2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Don Simmons"},"url":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/author\/don-simmons\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/86"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2613"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2613\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2613"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2613"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}