Outreach Ministry Guides

Equipping Children's Ministry Volunteers Whether you are part of your church's children's ministry, or thinking about serving in children's ministry, the Children's Ministry Volunteer Handbook is for you! Too often, people view children's ministry as a place to drop off the kids so the adults can listen to the sermon, uninterrupted. They fail to see the power and potential of children's ministry. In Matthew 19:13-14, Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." While we may see the naivete of children as a detriment, Jesus sees it as a strength-there is beauty in the simplicity of the gospel. Investing in children's ministry is a worthwhile and crucial part of the church. This practical handbook features insights from six authors, all experts in the field of children's ministry, with over 100 years of combined experience. They will help guide you through the challenges and joys of children's ministry-and how it is vital to the Kingdom of God.

Be Our Guest Whether you are a volunteer in your church's guest services ministry, or thinking about serving alongside ushers, greeters, welcome desk hosts, and parking lot attendants at your church, the Hospitality Ministry Volunteer Handbook is for you! How does a member of community see your church? When they hear your church's name, what is their initial reaction? We want any individual who steps foot onto our church campus to immediately, feel Christ's love through our actions toward them-the question is, are we doing a good job at accomplishing that mission? We might not think of customer service and church hospitality in the same vein, but this book shows how a service mentality can make life-changing first impressions on newcomers. It's filled with specific, practical strategies and tools to help the hospitality ministry team show the love of Christ to every visitor.

How Can a Prayer Ministry Transform Your Church? Whether you are part of your church's prayer ministry, or thinking about starting or joining a prayer ministry team, the Prayer Ministry Volunteer Handbook is for you! We are often very quick to say we will pray for someone, when we hear, they are going, through tough times, but do we actually follow through with our promise to pray for them? How many times do we turn to prayer only in times of crisis, as a last resort, or simply to ask things of God? We need to make prayer the first course of action, guiding all of our life decisions. We must challenge ourselves to move beyond the dinnertime and bedtime prayers and progress to a thoughtful conversation with Christ. Join authors David and Kim Butts as they explore how a well-equipped, church prayer ministry team can, serve as a model and an encouragement to support the members of the congregation, and even the pastoral staff, in their prayer journeys. Discover how you can make your church a house of prayer for all believers.

Practical Outreach Ideas and Ministry Tools Never has there been a greater need to share the good news of God's love with those in our communities. This compact handbook shows how individual Christians and ministry teams can share the gospel by reaching out to and serving others. Featuring 121 outreach ideas, this book helps to equip ministry teams with practical tools to serve families, children, youth, seniors, first responders, the oppressed and under resourced, millennials, single parents, local schools and businesses, and more! Designed for ministry volunteers, the book is a compact handbook of outreach ministry helps which, in addition to the dozens of outreach ideas, also include outreach Scriptures and prayers, ways to share your faith, team discussion questions, and recommended outreach ministries and resources. This helpful little book is a great resource for equipping outreach ministry volunteers to serve others and to share the good news!

Talk About More Than the Weather You've driven to the hospital and stand outside a patient's room, ready to knock and ask permission to enter. But then what? How do you make a visit that actually matters? Here are hundreds of practical tips gleaned from the experience of veteran visitors-chaplains, pastors, and volunteers who've made thousands of visits in hospitals, nursing care facilities, rehab centers, homes, hospice centers, even prisons. They share what to do, what not to do, and how to connect in caring, compassionate ways with people who may be experiencing the worst days of their lives. Discover how to make visits that matter-that literally change lives-as you carry the love of Jesus to those who are sick, lonely, or simply curious about the Kingdom.