As Christians, we are all called to a ministry.
For most of us, our “mission field” doesn’t include working overseas—more often, living for Christ means serving our coworkers, neighbors, friends, and family. Whether we work at a church or a department store, God calls us to live for Him in all circumstances.
But in our increasingly disconnected culture, engaging our communities can feel intimidating or even impossible. How do we broaden our ministry beyond our friends and family, the people who are closest to us?
Fortunately, expanding your impact is simpler than you may expect—often, the best way to broaden your outreach is to serve the people around you. To help you get started, here are three ways you can grow your ministry and reach your community for Christ.
1. Volunteer with a Local Nonprofit
If you are looking for a way to both engage your community and expand your ministry, try volunteering at a local nonprofit.
Search your area for any volunteer-based organizations that let you use your gifts and interests—if you love cooking, for example, you could sign up for shifts at a local soup kitchen. Here are a few examples of organizations that accept volunteers:
- Thrift stores
- Homeless shelters
- Child or adult literacy programs
- Pay-as-you-can restaurants and cafés
When you sign up to help a local charity or non-profit, you will naturally build friendships with a wide variety of people, both the people you serve and the people you work with. As you establish relationships, you can invite your new friends to your church, small group, or Bible study.
Volunteer-based organizations typically need all the help they can get—sign up for a shift and get ready to meet people from all over your community!
2. Serve Your Neighbors
All of us have a unique set of gifts. For example, you might have a knack for gardening, or you could love to plan and organize events. One way to expand your ministry is to turn these talents, passions, and side-projects into opportunities for service.
Begin looking for ways to use your skills in your community. Whether you’re a carpenter, musician, writer, accountant, photographer, or seamstress, you have abilities you can use to build relationships for Christ.
Below, we’ve listed a few ways you could use your gifts to serve the people around you:
- Offer to help an elderly neighbor with landscaping or yard maintenance
- Orchestrate a neighborhood event, like a cookout, concert, or block party
- Help a neighbor repair their home or vehicle
- Bring meals to a family that just moved to your neighborhood
Look for ways to invite others into your hobbies and passions—for example, if you love pottery, ask a neighbor to attend a community pottery class with you. Not only will you connect with others who share your interests, but you’ll build new relationships with the people around you, expanding your ministry.
3. Start a Bible Study
One of the best ways to reach your community is to start a Bible study.
For both Christians and non-Christians, studying Scripture can be intimidating. It’s hard to know where to begin—with so many materials and methods available, diving into God’s teaching can feel overwhelming. When you volunteer to lead a Bible study, you are providing others with a safe, structured space to explore God’s Word.
Open your group to your community and encourage everyone to bring a friend. You can partner with your local church, or host it in your living room. As you prepare your study, pray that God will use your group to establish your neighborhood in His Word.
When you volunteer to lead a Bible study, you are providing others with a safe, structured space to explore God’s Word.
You don’t have to have all the answers to lead a study—with the right tools, you can guide people through Scripture and learn God’s Truth together. At Precept, we are committed to equipping believers to lead others in Bible study so they can grow in their relationship with God. With a wide range of classes, workshops, and resources, we train you how to effectively lead and grow your own Bible study group.