The Externally The Externally

Focused Focused ChurchChurch

Six traits of Ext. Focused Church:Six traits of Ext. Focused Church:

1.1. Inwardly Inwardly strongstrong but but outwardly outwardly focusedfocused

2.2. Integrates Integrates good deeds good deeds and and good news into life of the good news into life of the churchchurch

3.3. Values Values impactimpact and and influence in the community influence in the community more than more than attendanceattendance

4. Seeks to be salt, light, and4. Seeks to be salt, light, and

leaven in the communityleaven in the community

5. Sees itself as the “soul” of 5. Sees itself as the “soul” of

the communitythe community

6. Would be greatly missed by6. Would be greatly missed by

the community if they left.the community if they left.

Service is, and Service is, and should be, the should be, the

identifying mark identifying mark of Christians and of Christians and

the church.the church.

We have to tell the We have to tell the truth to a world that truth to a world that no longer believes no longer believes

in truth.in truth.

One of the most effective One of the most effective ways to reach people with ways to reach people with

the message of Jesus the message of Jesus Christ is through real an Christ is through real an relevant acts of service.relevant acts of service.

To To telltell the truth, the truth, we must we must showshow

the Truth!the Truth!

People have given up People have given up on the truth because on the truth because they do not believe they do not believe

people can be people can be trusted.trusted.

The world is full of people The world is full of people who have been hurt by who have been hurt by

those who were supposed those who were supposed to love them – people they to love them – people they should have been able to should have been able to

trust.trust.

Before churches will Before churches will be heard, they be heard, they

must re-establish must re-establish trust.trust.

To establish trust, To establish trust, the church must the church must first show their first show their ability to love.ability to love.

Two items clearly reveal the Two items clearly reveal the truth about what matters truth about what matters

most to us:most to us:

1.1.Our checkbooksOur checkbooks

2.2.Our calendarsOur calendars

Regardless of what we Regardless of what we claim, how we spend claim, how we spend our money and our our money and our time exposes what time exposes what truly matters to us.truly matters to us.

Churches talk about service, Churches talk about service, and everyone agrees that it and everyone agrees that it ought to be important to us,ought to be important to us,

but do we really know how to but do we really know how to effectively meet the needs of effectively meet the needs of our communities and reach our communities and reach

lost people?lost people?

Are we willing to step outside Are we willing to step outside the safety net of our church the safety net of our church pews and cross the street pews and cross the street

into into real-lifereal-life, , real-worldreal-world, , acts acts of serviceof service in order to share in order to share the truth of Jesus Christ?the truth of Jesus Christ?

People don’t care People don’t care how much you how much you

know until they find know until they find out how much you out how much you

care!!care!!

ShowShowing through ing through serving can help serving can help Christians and Christians and

churches churches telltell more more effectively.effectively.

The success of an externally The success of an externally focused church depends on focused church depends on

_______._______.

1.1.Getting involved in Getting involved in communitycommunity

2.2.Creating genuine Creating genuine relationshipsrelationships

3.3.Being truly usefulBeing truly useful

In the process of In the process of showingshowing, externally , externally

focused churches have focused churches have discovered again and discovered again and again, that people are again, that people are

more willing to listen to more willing to listen to their their tellingtelling..

Two Types of ChurchesTwo Types of Churches

1.1.Externally CommittedExternally Committed

2.2.Externally CuriousExternally Curious

The Externally CommittedThe Externally Committed

1.1.Increase number of people Increase number of people deployed into community – deployed into community – Agents of TransformationAgents of Transformation

2.2.Increase frequency or depth Increase frequency or depth of serviceof service

3.3.Move from service to Move from service to relationshiprelationship

4.4. Learn to leverage & Learn to leverage & increase impact by increase impact by beginning new beginning new ministries or ministries or partnering with partnering with existing efforts.existing efforts.

The Externally CuriousThe Externally Curious

1.1.Heard about this movement Heard about this movement and want more information and want more information on how to become more on how to become more externally focused.externally focused.

2.2.Ask: ”How did they do it?”Ask: ”How did they do it?”

3.3.Ask: ”How do we do it?”Ask: ”How do we do it?”

Page 13Page 13

Purpose Of This StudyPurpose Of This Study

1.1.Why should we be an Why should we be an externally focused church?externally focused church?

2.2.What are we trying to What are we trying to accomplish?accomplish?

3.3.How can we get started or How can we get started or improve on what we are improve on what we are doing? doing?

Page 14Page 14

1.1. Church will get its feet wet Church will get its feet wet and probably muddy! and probably muddy! (Page 14)(Page 14)

2.2. Community will be Community will be benefited by its service.benefited by its service.

3.3. Church builds relational Church builds relational bridges giving Christians bridges giving Christians opportunities to share God’s opportunities to share God’s grace in the midst of real grace in the midst of real need. need.

Chapter OneChapter One

WhatWhat is an is an

Externally FocusedExternally Focused

Church??Church??

““There is nothing There is nothing more powerful than more powerful than an idea whose time an idea whose time

has come.”has come.”

Victor HugoVictor Hugo

Page 15Page 15

Church effectiveness is Church effectiveness is not measured by what not measured by what

happens inside the happens inside the church but rather by church but rather by

the the impactimpact the people the people of the church have of the church have on on

their communitiestheir communities..

The people areThe people are

engaging their communities with engaging their communities with

1.1.truth truth andand grace grace

2.2.good news good news andand good deeds good deeds

Question: What is “truth”?Question: What is “truth”?

Page 16Page 16

John 17:17 (NIV) Sanctify them John 17:17 (NIV) Sanctify them by the by the truthtruth. Your word is . Your word is

truthtruth..

Joh 14:6 (NIV) Jesus answered, Joh 14:6 (NIV) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the "I am the way and the truthtruth

and the life. No one comes to and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.the Father except through me.

The church is becoming:The church is becoming:

1.1. The salt that preservesThe salt that preserves

2.2. The light that shinesThe light that shines

3.3. The leaven that The leaven that transforms a transforms a communitycommunity

DefinitionsDefinitions

Internally focused Internally focused churches churches concentrate on getting concentrate on getting

people into the church and people into the church and generating activity there.generating activity there.

Internally Focused ChurchesInternally Focused Churches

1.1.Powerful worship servicesPowerful worship services

2.2.Excel in teachingExcel in teaching

3.3.Offer thriving youth Offer thriving youth programsprograms

4.4.Vibrant small groupsVibrant small groups5.5.Measured by number of Measured by number of

people and activitiespeople and activities Page 16 Page 16

Isa 1:13 Stop bringing Isa 1:13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! meaningless offerings!

Your incense is detestable Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, to me. New Moons,

Sabbaths and Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot convocations— I cannot

bear your evil assemblies. bear your evil assemblies.

Isa 1:14 Your New Moon Isa 1:14 Your New Moon festivals and your festivals and your

appointed feasts my soul appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become hates. They have become

a burden to me; I am a burden to me; I am weary of bearing themweary of bearing them. .

Isa 1:15 When you spread out Isa 1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will your hands in prayer, I will

hide my eyes from you; even hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands will not listen. Your hands

are full of blood; are full of blood;

Isa 1:16 wash and make Isa 1:16 wash and make yourselves clean. Take yourselves clean. Take

your evil deeds out of my your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, sight! Stop doing wrong,

IsaIsa 1:17 learn to do right! 1:17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the oppressed. Defend

the cause of the the cause of the fatherless, plead the case fatherless, plead the case

of the widowof the widow

Isaiah exposes the Isaiah exposes the inadequacy of the inadequacy of the

faith of people who faith of people who focus on loving God focus on loving God

but forget about but forget about loving man.loving man.

Page 17Page 17

Isa 58:6 "Is not this the kind Isa 58:6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice loose the chains of injustice

and untie the cords of the and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed yoke, to set the oppressed

free and break every yoke? free and break every yoke?

Isa 58:7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Externally Focused ChurchesExternally Focused Churches

1.1.Intern. Strong/orient. Exter.Intern. Strong/orient. Exter.

2.2.Focus reflected in budgetFocus reflected in budget

3.3.Because they engage their Because they engage their communities with good works communities with good works & good news of Jesus, & good news of Jesus, communities are better places communities are better places to liveto live..

Externally Focused ChurchesExternally Focused Churches

4.4.Look for ways to be usefulLook for ways to be useful

5.5.Build bridges to their Build bridges to their communities instead of communities instead of walls around themselves.walls around themselves.

6.6.Don’t shout at the dirty Don’t shout at the dirty streams but get in the water streams but get in the water and clean it up!and clean it up!

Externally Focused ChurchesExternally Focused Churches

7.7.They determine They determine effectiveness not only by effectiveness not only by internal measures but also internal measures but also by external measuresby external measures

8.8.Ask: Whose lives are Ask: Whose lives are different because of this different because of this church?church?

Externally Focused ChurchesExternally Focused Churches

9.9.Nearly everything done on Nearly everything done on inside prepares and equips inside prepares and equips them not only for personal them not only for personal growth but also for personal growth but also for personal impact!impact!

10.10.Internally focused helps Internally focused helps individuals but externally individuals but externally focused helps the world!focused helps the world!

1. The identifying mark 1. The identifying mark of Christians and the of Christians and the church is (and should church is (and should

be)________.be)________.

ServiceService

Targeted Audiences:Targeted Audiences:

EFC moves toward two EFC moves toward two specific groups:specific groups:

1.1.Those on the margins of Those on the margins of societysociety

2.2.The cityThe city

EFC moves toward two EFC moves toward two specific groups:specific groups:

1.1.Those on the marginsThose on the margins

2.2.The cityThe city

Deu 10:18 (NIV) He defends the Deu 10:18 (NIV) He defends the cause of the fatherless and the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. giving him food and clothing.

Deu 10:19 (NIV) And you are to Deu 10:19 (NIV) And you are to love those who are aliens, for love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. Egypt.

The two items that The two items that reveal the truth about reveal the truth about

what matters to us are: what matters to us are: ____________ and and _______._______.

(Explain why to your neighbor (Explain why to your neighbor when asked to do so.)when asked to do so.)

Six KeysSix Keys

1)1)Let’s broaden Let’s broaden our outreach our outreach focus. (p. 38)focus. (p. 38)

Let’s not create Let’s not create something that something that already exists.already exists.

Let’s decide to open Let’s decide to open our doors to other our doors to other

community community organizations.organizations.

See p. 44.See p. 44.

Let’s decide that to love Let’s decide that to love and serve our and serve our

community, we must community, we must know our community.know our community.

Let’s decide to Let’s decide to invite everyone to invite everyone to

jump into the jump into the stream!stream!

Let’s decide to be Let’s decide to be open to innovative open to innovative

ideas and ideas and partnerships.partnerships.

(Matthew 5:13 NIV)(Matthew 5:13 NIV)

"You are the salt of the earth. "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its But if the salt loses its

saltiness, how can it be made saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer salty again? It is no longer

good for anything, except to good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled be thrown out and trampled

by men.by men.

(Matthew 5:14 NIV)(Matthew 5:14 NIV)

"You are the light of "You are the light of the world. A city on a the world. A city on a

hill cannot be hill cannot be hidden.hidden.

(Matthew 5:15 NIV)(Matthew 5:15 NIV)

Neither do people light a lamp Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its Instead they put it on its

stand, and it gives light to stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.everyone in the house.

(Matthew 5:16 NIV)(Matthew 5:16 NIV)

In the same way, let your light In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they shine before men, that they may see your good deeds may see your good deeds and praise your Father in and praise your Father in

heaven.heaven.

Calling &Capacity of The church

Mandates & Desires of God

Needs & Dreams

Of the City

Calling &Capacity of The church

Mandates & Desires of God

Needs & Dreams

Of the City

Calling &Capacity of The church

Mandates & Desires of God

Needs & Dreams

Of the City