I have a new friend in ministry, a missionary who plants churches in apartment complexes. He tells me the property managers know that when residents know their neighbors they stay longer, leading to greater profits. So, they contract with his company. Management provides a discount on an apartment, access to community spaces, and a budget. My friend secures an activity coordinator who moves into the apartment and hosts community building activities. Through these activities and the relationships that emerge, the coordinators share their faith, drawing those who respond to Bible study and either engagement with a local church or with a church started at the complex.
This strategy isn’t new. Houston’s First Baptist Church did much the same thing in the 80’s and 90’s with great fruitfulness. What makes the strategy significant today is how insulated most people are from their neighbors. In the past, we engaged our neighbors on a regular basis, visiting their homes as children played together. Today, after a hard day’s work, most return home for a retreat, contented with connection mainly through social media and texts. Still, even tired unbelievers see the need for direct engagement. So, in multi-housing settings, my friend and his teams see a significant number residents, representing all demographics, responding positively to the connection activities.
As society becomes increasingly fragmented, people of all generations recognize the need for direct, personal engagement. It’s why social gathering locations like pubs (no, this is not an endorsement) and coffee shops fill to capacity. Karen and I experienced it last October when we hosted a neighborhood party at Halloween. While many walked by, stopping only long enough to pick up their candy, fifty paused for a genuine visit, thirty stayed for more than half-an-hour. This in a community with little prior interaction except for a wave when passing on the street.
So, what might happen if your church drew from my friend’s example and became an instrument of community in your community? What if we discovered the needs, concerns, and appetites of our neighbors, drawing some together around one or two of them? Perhaps, as we bonded with them through matters of mutual concern, we would find multiple opportunities to “give every reason for the hope we profess.” And perhaps, some would respond to Jesus call to become His disciple.
After all, disciple making has to start somewhere.
Just a thought.
Bro. Jim