Keith, you asked for specific examples of ministries that might be logical for 3ABC in view of our context. It is a good question. In response, I would say that first of all the church should be the church and should be hesitant about starting any specific “mercy” or other ministries. By that I mean, the church should be there to care for and equip the saints. The church is not primarily there to provide soup and clothes to our neighbors, although we should care about our neighbors. I think that we should care for our neighbors less as the “church” corporately and more as the church individually.

You mentioned how Will got folks together to go clean-up Central Park. Oddly enough, I think it is a good example of ways that we can reach out to people in our neighborhood. Will and others saw an opportunity to serve the community and to be evangelistic and then gave time to it. Individual members serving at the Crisis Pregnancy Center would be another way.

I think an important thing that we as a church should do in our worship and life together in the city is to avoid trying to use suburban approaches to our church life. An example of having a suburban outlook in church life might be to expect to find guaranteed parking for your SUV every time you come to church.

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