Five Expectations that will Kill Your Church's Outreach Work

The Bible has a lot to say when it comes to the Christian's responsibility to help others. Here is a sampling:

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10 ESV)

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. (Ephesians 4:28 ESV)

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. (Hebrews 13:16 ESV)

Even Jesus was described by Peter as a man who "went about doing good" because "God was with him" (Acts 10:38).

Why, then, do so many churches struggle with effectively doing good in their own communities? Why might your congregation be struggling with this? Maybe it's because they (or you) have the wrong expectations when it comes to benevolence work.

The following list isn't anything scientific. It comes from my own personal mistakes, experiences, and observations.

Expectations that Kill Your Church's Outreach Efforts:

1) Expecting Massive Involvement

Too often hard workers allow the opinions of the uninvolved (and uninformed) to shape their own attitudes and expectations about an outreach effort. If the uninvolved don't see value in the work, then the hard workers become discouraged and give up.

Don't do that!

Just because a particular effort doesn't seem "worth it" to a huge percentage of the congregation doesn't mean that it's not "worth it" to the people who are helped by it, and more importantly, to God!

Ask Gideon if huge numbers involved in a particular effort matter to God (cf. Judges 7-8). They don't.

2) Expecting it to be Perfect

Many good ideas never get out of the brainstorming stage simply because of "paralysis by analysis."

I've seen people be hesitant to help in a time of need (say, a house fire or natural disaster) because they want to provide exactly what is needed. That's good, but the unintended side effect is that while standing around with their hands in their pockets, waiting to be able to do just the right thing, the opportunity to help disappears—because others jumped in and helped as soon as a need arose!

Not every "at bat" has to result in a home run—sometimes you just need to get on base! It's better to jump in and help, even if what you do isn't "perfect" (in your own eyes) than to sit on the sidelines and do nothing.

3) Expecting it to Bring Quick Results

The scriptures are rife with exhortations to be a patient person. This is especially true for ministry. Consider Galatians 6:9-10 and 2 Thessalonians 3:13, where Paul wrote not to "lose heart" or "grow weary" in doing good—that in due time we will reap the fruits of our labors.

Sometimes outreach efforts fail simply because those laboring in them become impatient. They scatter the "seed" today, but they expect for the fruits of their labors to be harvested next week.

Such thinking in an agricultural context would be nonsense. With plants it takes weeks or months for a seedling to grow and mature into a fruit-bearing plant. The same expectations are also nonsense when it comes to outreach and evangelism. With people, the process may even take years.

Just don't quit before the harvest!

4) Expecting it to be Innovative

First of all, there's nothing wrong with something being innovative, per se. Second, I'm not talking about doctrine, but approach.

Sometimes in a quest for the "new," "cutting edge," and "creative," the "old," "useful," and "meaningful" is abandoned. Maybe sometimes an idea is ignored because of the "we tried that before" mentality (but were impatient—review point three).

While culture constantly changes, have the needs of mankind really changed all that much since... the beginning of time?

Nope. We all have a need for food, clothing, shelter, love, care, compassion, and friendship. Those things will be the same until the world ends.

Sometimes the best thing is the old, simple, sure thing. Don't let faulty expectations cause you to abandon it for new, flashy, and superficial.

5) Expecting it to be Exclusive

I remember talking to someone about doing a school supply drive for the underprivileged kids at local schools. In this discussion they brought up the point that some other local churches already did that very thing every year. They said it with an expression on their face and a tone in their voice that communicated their unspoken thought: "We're going to have to find something else to do."

So what if a church down the street is doing the same thing! Where is the rule that two churches in the same town can't do the same outreach work? For that matter, *who says that we can't do it better, or more effectively!

Don't expect to have exclusivity for every work your congregation does—just do it, and do it to the best of your abilities.

Just shine your light!

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 ESV)

—Daniel