Community Collaboration

Travis Walser

Is your church a part of your community?

A few years ago, our middle school ministry hosted a Q&A panel. We invited local law enforcement officers, teachers, coaches, and counselors to come and speak on questions posed by an audience of parents. That kind of content connects people with the church on a deeper level. It communicates not only the idea that we care about what is happening in the lives of people in our community, it communicates the action that we care. Across the country, there are churches that struggle for content coming from the inside. We promote events, we promote fellowship, we promote camps… but how often do we find ourselves forgetting about the community that is happening all around us. The community outside of the four walls we refer to as “the church”.

There are many issues that face our communities today ranging from business ethics to youth issues. Why does it often feel as though the church has grown silent on these issues? Somewhere we turned our communication inwards instead of outwards. It’s not just enough to tell our communities that we love them, we have to show that we love our community through action.

There are numerous opportunities to get involved with, and speak to, our communities that go unnoticed. Here are some ways that you can collaborate with and engage your community:

Contact Local Leaders

Call or email local community organizations and leaders and ask how your church can become more involved with community issues. Most local leaders are open to any help they can get, and by engaging the issues that they face we show a genuine interest and concern for what is happening outside of our churches. Volunteering at local organizations, or taking part in local meetups is a great way to engage our culture and express an interest in the needs of others.

There are numerous opportunities to get involved with our communities that go unnoticed. @TravisWalser Click To Tweet

Invite Local Leaders as Guests

Take it a step further and invite local leaders to a sit-down to discuss the subject in a short video. You’re not only creating relevant content that relates directly to your community, you’re also generating interest from other local leaders and taking part in community conversations. It’s a great way to develop local relationships and reach an audience outside of your church. Local government representatives can make interesting guests as well as police officers, organization leaders, business owners, entrepreneurs, etc.

Don't just tell them we love them, we have to show that we love our community through action. @TravisWalser Click To Tweet

Fill a Community Need

Your community has parks, nature trails, recreation centers, and other community properties that could use a little TLC. Offering your volunteer services as a means to get the job done earns a lot of community trust. Show your love for the community by organizing a park cleanup, trail cleanup walk, or remodeling effort. Rebuilding the local jungle gym, or mowing the local baseball park and patching the fence is a great way to engage parents and kids. Document the whole thing in a short video and inspire your community.

Poll Your Congregation

If you’re having trouble finding needs, look to your congregation. Your church is full of community leaders, parents, teachers, coaches, and business owners. Take some time and ask them what the needs of the community are and how your church could take part. This aids your members in reaching their own everyday community by providing the action they need to develop relationships and start conversations.

These are just a few of the ways we can begin to engage the world outside of our walls. We can use our words to express the gospel, but there are many times where we must use our hands to express it as well. In our culture today, it’s often more effective to show than to tell. Being a part of something means that you are connected to the rest of that something. Is your church a part of your community, or have you found yourself apart of your community? Don’t just tell the story of love, be the story of love.

Don’t just tell the story of love, be the story of love. @TravisWalser Click To Tweet

TRAVIS WALSER
Graphic Designer
Olive Baptist Church | Pensacola, FL
traviswalser.com

Since Travis began a relationship with Christ at the age of 16, he has served as a Worship Leader, Event Coordinator, Ministry Director, and public speaker. After seeking a degree in Computer Engineering for several years, he eventually pursued a major in Studio Art at the University of West Florida where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree. Previously, he was a Marketing Director and Administrative Assistant at a nationally recognized liquidation and salvage corporation where he worked for several years before choosing to fully invest himself into church media and communications.

He currently serves as a Graphic Designer at Olive Baptist Church, one of the largest churches in the Florida panhandle. Travis has a passion for developing the next generation of creative leaders and maintaining the relevance of the church in today’s visual media. In his free time he also enjoys dabbling in other forms of visual media including video production and effects, as well as web design.

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