Connecting the Unchurched through Relationship Building

Building better, positive, caring relationships with people, as Jesus has done with and for us.

Team Purpose

This team’s task is to identify the un-/de-/badly-churched  in our church, school, and community and find ways to build loving and lasting relationships with them, tilling the soil for whenever the Lord desires seeds to be planted.

This will manifest itself primarily in following up with those in our school who are not churched as well as congregation visitors who have no church home.

The team will also work with the other teams to match people with categories and finding ways to build and nurture relationships with them.

The biggest question driving this team is, “how can I enjoy this person whom God made special and build a great relationship with him/her?” not “how can I get this person to Jesus?” It is keeping in line with the second greatest commandment and fulfills the entire law: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [Romans 13:9] Of course, we do not avoid sharing the Gospel of Jesus as the Lord directs and wills, but we don’t skip loving people and preparing them for it, either.

This team will work on avenues to connect and build, which are fun as well as deep.

Team Tasks

Prayer and Witness

Find ways to pray with and witness to individuals and groups who use our church facilities.

Work with the “First Impressions Team” and the School

Be a point of contact for church visitors and school families who are not currently churched. Work with those who desire to become members and with teachers and the school in building relationships with families/students who are un-/de-/badly-churched. Work toward relationships with school families who have family members who are not baptized. [A spreadsheet for a place to start is in the files section here: “2014-2015 – Church and Baptism Info (b).xlsx”]

Seek New Avenues to Build Relationships

Brainstorm ways to serve and build relationships with our community and neighbors which may not be the usual. e.g.

1. Provide an occasional staff breakfast or lunch for the teachers, staff, and faculty at Valley Oaks
2. Walk around and hand out food and encouragement to those at intersections or under bridges
3. Go to a washateria and pay for some loads of someone’s laundry
4. I heard about a church (don’t know where, but not in the Houston area) that gave some money to the local police department for their discretion to help folks out [like getting someone to a hotel for a night or to the grocery store for food]. Interesting idea!

Have fun coming up with some new ideas on how to reach, impact, and get to know someone on our community!

Here is a document about “LifeTree Café” (lifetreecafe.com) which might be an avenue to build relationships in a less threatening environment.