Rick Rusaw

Your church is not growing spiritually, if its members are not serving the people. Externally focused churches ask for a little from many people, not great things from a few. They partner with organizations that are already helping people in need. Learn how your church can be a partner with the whole community around it and with a little work from the many help the people with less than they have. Attract new believers and show them how to get involved with the community. Often new members may already have some contacts with the community that you do not know about. Help your members deepen their spiritual commitment through service. This book is well written. It tells you how to get started being an externally focused church and twelve ways that you can make your church grow by helping other people. All people are God's people. Preach the gospel of helping others and watch as they lead you to do the same.… (mehr)

A committee at our church uses this book to inform its social service projects. It made us wonder whether our community would notice if we disappeared. So we're on a campaign to improve our partnership with the community.
The approach of the book is rather 'preachy'. The quaint analogies distract from the impact of the points being made. Too bad, because the points are generally valid. The church that serves outside its own walls enjoys numerous benefits, most notably in adding the punch of credibility to its proclamation of the gospel message.… (mehr)