Ministry breakthroughs with eternal, kingdom significance are happening across the country. They are stories of moments when outreach ministry reached a new level and transformed the churches involved. They are stories that offer everything from practical steps that others may be able to replicate to inspiration that encourages and fuels a drive to continue working toward another breakthrough that has yet to be achieved. And these stories, many of them unknown and under the radar, are worthy of celebration. As you read in these pages about how a bivocational pastor’s new vision revived a waning church, how the power of prayer is creating new opportunities for outreach and evangelism, how a study of the Good Samaritan moved a congregation to become actively engaged in taking on societal problems, and more, join us as we celebrate these recent ministry breakthroughs.
Bivocational Milestones: “God didn’t need a full-time pastor to grow a church; He just needed a pastor to do the right things.”
Rural Reconciliation: “It’s bringing people together not only from the churches, but from businesses, government and the schools.”
Social Justice Wake-up Call: “Our whole church has learned about social issues like AIDS, pverty, the environment–that we can bring the Gospel to people we often miss.”
Community Influence: “We have favor in the community now. We’re trusted.”
Neighborhood Prayer Revival: “There is a difference between knocking on doors or doing a service project in an area that has been prayed for versus one that hasn’t.”
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
The New Realities: If we are to live our call, we must create a generous church–and we must empower the next generation of leaders today. Leadership Network’s Greg Ligon moderates a panel of leading pastors–Greg Atkinson, Dave Ferguson, Huge Halter, Larry Osborne, Rino Rizzo and Greg Surratt
Multisite Forecast: Jim Tomberlin highlights variations on one of the decade’s most significant outreach innovations. Read this feature »
Max Lucado: The Outreach Interview
The wll-known pastor and best-selling author talks candidly of the challenges and rewards of ministry, and extends a call to conquer fear with hope. Read an excerpt »
Small Groups for the Unchurched
Easter Outside the Church Walls
The Possibilities of YouVersion Mobile Bible
Small Church, Big Idea: Community Garden
Making Connections at 12Stone Church
The Gospel on the Vegas Strip
Ed Stetzer “An outreach path without an evangelistic passion is utilitarian at best and eternally disastrous at worst.”
Dan Kimball “We should never rely more on methods or evangelistic tricks without focusing first on the way God uses relationships.”
Dave Gibbons “This is the generation in which the beatufy of God will be unleashed through this new wave of visionaries and dreamers.”
Brad Powell “Truth without relevance compromises our God-given mission.”
Mark DeYmaz “An old system is rembling and a new one–the multiethnic congregation–is emerging.”
