Last week, I talked to a woman on staff at a church that was having a dramatic impact on its community. They had adopted an impoverished neighborhood in town, setting up a mentoring program, building a park, and investing in the school. She was excited about the initiatives but one of her friends (from another church) was less impressed. “Why are you guys wasting all that time and money?” she asked. To her friend, effort and resources should be invested in the church itself, not the community.

Unsurprisingly, her friend’s church was shrinking and insular while her church was teaming with unchurched people. This week we’re featuring resources designed to help you be like the first woman’s church. Becoming Outward Focused contains principles to help you make the shifts toward engaging your broader community. Also check out our resource on Partnering with Community Agencies. Often the best way to reach the people in your area is to team up with local non-profits and businesses.