Whole Church Convicted to Community Service

In 2007 when our Church plant first started to meet we were in an old church hall, that was just outside the community we were trying to reach.  It was the only meeting space available at the time and just across the road.  We thought that those 10 meters or so wouldn't be so difficult to cross in modern east London.  We were wrong!  No matter how much we prayed or tried break through, those 10 meters were a barrier for them to come to us and for us to go to them.

By the end of 2008 we knew we needed to think outside the box.  We still didn't have a venue in the area but that didn't mean we couldn't have a positive presence in that community. So in January 2009 we started Serving Sundays.

We decided that on the last Sunday of every month we would not have our traditional hymn sandwich but instead go out and offer to serve the local people in practical ways.  We met at our usual time 10:30am at the church hall.  We then split into two teams, prayer and door to door.  The prayer team would stay in the church and commit to pray for the ministry, while the others went out to deliver leaflets or do odd jobs for local people.  We didn't know what take up we would have but we did have a clear vision.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 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 5:14-16

Even if people didn't let us wash their car, walk their dog, paint their house or help them move we wanted them to see us serving and Glorify God.  Or as Tim Keller put it (at the Urban Plant-Life conferences in London) for them to think: "I may not agree with what they believe but I am glad they are part of this community!" 

We have been doing it for a year now and have been really encouraged by the results.  From the very first month we were having requests for jobs.  Some of the jobs we have done are:

• Painted bed rooms
• weeded gardens
• put up shelves
• mowed lawns
• helped people move
• visited people who needed friends 

One of the highlights for me was when we were weeding a muslim ladies garden.  She asked me, "Why are you Christians doing this?  I've been going to my mosque for 7 years and no Muslim has ever offered to help me with my garden."  What a fantastic opportunity that was to tell her about our serving Saviour, Jesus!  That lady hasn't become a believer in Jesus (yet) but we do visit her regularly and often pray with her. 

One of the hardest words to get past when you knock on a door is "Church".  As soon as people hear it many want to close the door.  Only yesterday morning I knocked on a door and after getting to the "C" word a lady said, "No thanks, not interested!"  I responded with, "No you don't understand.  We not inviting you to church we want to mow your lawn or wash your car!"  Her character changed immediately from defensive to open.  "Oh" she said, "Maybe you could come back in the spring to help me with my garden."  

We now have a venue for meeting in the community (Cafe Church) but we still do Serving Sundays once a month.  It has helped us as a church to unite in mission and to get excited about service and has brought us closer to the people we are trying to reach. 

Recently I came across this on Twitter:   

"Mission is more than the means by which the deficit of non-worship is rectified. Mission defines worship because God is a redeeming God." STimmis  

At Bonny Downs North we can't have amazing worship services because we don't have any musicians.  However, we can worship through mission, community service and evangelism.  If you are in a church where it is hard to find an in road into the community or in a church that struggles with worship each week, why not consider trying a Serving Sunday or something like it?