10 New Ways to Engage Your Community
Five years ago, the 50 classrooms in the Clinton Baptist Church building, situated on 12 acres (including a baseball field!) in Prince George’s County, echoed with the somber tones of a church in decline and, like many other American churches, headed for death.
The faithful few members — nine, to be exact — were unable to even meet in their worship center due to a broken boiler. But God! Working through Pastor Colin Pugh, his wife Jeanette, and faithful followers, God revitalized Clinton in what many may call a miraculous way!
Clinton Church is now vibrant and partnering with its community in countless ways. They’re seeing almost 200 individuals each Sunday—many new believers, and God is adding to the church. Pugh can probably name 100 outreach ideas in ten minutes or less, in addition to the first one, Pray for Your Church, but here are ten others.
- Pray for your community
- Open your church for free funerals and weddings
- Allow homeschool cohorts to meet twice a week
- Host daytime and evening VBS’ and serve lunch and dinner
- Open up your parking lot for a community yard sale
- Have a veterinarian provide check-ups for dogs and cats
- Go to local fields and or courts and pass out waters
- Give away free ice cream after service
- Connect with the hospital to come to your church and give out flu shots
- Have a “Mom & Me” event at your church
Clinton Pugh is the senior pastor of Clinton Baptist Church. For more information about church revitalization, email [email protected]. Also, read Larry Davis’ book, “Grieving the Loss of the Church You Love.”