Outreach Ideas for Your Small Group
by David Stiles

One activity that I would highly recommend for every small group, is an activity that occurs outside of the regularly scheduled small group meeting. The activity? Participating in a small group outreach event.

The goal of a small group outreach event is: to work together to reach others with the love of Christ.

Small group outreach events are an ideal place for group participants to:

• learn more about each other and their unique skills and gifts
• learn more about God's love as they give rather than receive
• demonstrate a genuine love and concern for people
• fulfill the evangelistic mission of Christianity found in the Great Commission where Jesus called His followers to "go and make disciples".

1. Help someone who’s already doing outreach
Churches are full of people do ministry. There might be someone in your church who is visiting prisoners in jail or visiting hospitals. Others might be serving as "big brothers" to children in need or taking food to the poor.

Try to find out how your small group could help those already doing outreach in your church. You might commit to helping just one time or over a longer period of time.

Working with an established person will save time in planning and organizing your outreach event as well as provide your small group with a person in ministry who can answer questions and help with logistical issues.

As your group partners with others you might find yourself helping to sort clothes for a homeless shelter, visiting the sick, packing and delivering bags of groceries for the poor or serving at a soup kitchen. There is no end to the things your group could do!

2. Adopt a needy family
One benefit of small groups that  meet over a long period of time is that members have the opportunity to make long-term outreach commitments. Small groups can be a great vehicle for serving people who have on-going needs in your neighborhood or in your church. One small group I’ve worked with took this approach when a house in their neighborhood was destroyed by a fire. Members of the small group took turns each week, for a number of months, to bring a meal to the family while they waited for their house to be rebuilt.  The family was not part of their small group nor did they attend our church, but the members of the small group thought a weekly meal would be a practical way to communicate God’s (and the group’s) concern for the family in need.

3. Look outside of your own community for places to serve
There are a number of organizations that may not be located in your immediate community but are committed to helping others. Your group could be a real asset to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or a missions agency that could utilize your group to help to build a house for a needy person or spend a week assisting a church in another country.

These are just a few outreach ideas you might consider. I'm sure you'll find them rewarding. On a final note, I'd encourage you to consider two things if your group does decide do outreach events:

Structure part of the group's discussion around the outreach event. You might have a Bible Study that studies servanthood, reaching the lost, or  caring for the poor.  I would also encourage you to recruit an Outreach Coordinator from within your group to help with planning your group's outreach event. The Outreach Coordinator can help with scheduling of the event and working with logistical considerations such as location or materials that may be needed.™

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