Outreach

We are here to honor God and love you. You are here to honor God and love others.

What is MACC Outreach?

MACC Outreach is a time where the people of God demonstrate the compassion of Christ through action.  Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which he prepared in advance for us to do.”  Reaching out to this community is not a service project but an expression of who we are as God’s people.  As we strive to love God with all of our hearts we want to love our neighbors well (Matt 22:34-40) and Outreach is the fruit of that love.  Through Outreach we are being who God made us to be.

Engage

God’s people gather with the hope of being able to spread the message of the gospel (1 Pet 2:9-12).  We hope to engage members of the community every time we gather.  We use different methods of engagement (described below) to gain the attention of the community, but all methods lead back to our purpose, which is to proclaim Christ.   At a minimum our body is intentionally gathering bi-weekly, from 10:45 am until 12:15 pm to care for the community.  Our hope is that the Outreaches serve as a means to starting relationships with community members.  Through engaging we gather their contact information so that disciples may follow up with them in a more direct and personal manner.  Please join us any time to partner with us as we seek to bring God glory in the city of Detroit.  Simply call (313-820-9509) or email (leon@mackave.com) Leon Stevenson and he will guide you in serving with us.

Four Engagement Methods

1. Community Connection

Our community has viable businesses, non-profit organizations, local groups, etc. that exists and engage people daily.  We seek to partner with some of these organizations to increase the effects of our impact.  Partnering allows us to minister to the viable entity as well as the community.

2. Yard/Home Restoration

As God is transforming this community spiritually and physically, we seek to be his tangible extension, bringing forth the change we pray for. The process of beautification varies from mowing grass to fixing broken doors, but the end goal is leaving the atmosphere better than we found it.

3. Youth Development

We will pour into the youth today so that there may be generational impact tomorrow.  Through gospel focused activity we hope to develop healthy young believers.

4. Corner Store

We will supply the community with goods that are not typically accessible or affordable.   In an effort to promote dignity, we will not give away the goods but sale them at a greatly reduced rate (typically ten cents on the dollar).  Our aim is to empower individuals while bringing resources to the community.

How does it all begin?

1. It all starts with Prayer.

We start by meeting together and praying weekly.

1. We will initiate our gathering with three approaches:
   1. We will do a service outreach bi-weekly (more often in most cases) during the life of our church for the following reasons.

1. It allows us to serve the community.
2. It allows us to find and gather those we want to disciple.
3. It allows us to evangelize.
4. It communicates our permanence and regularity in the community.
5. It allows us to learn more about what the community desires and needs.
6. We are able to gain contacts from the outreaches. We want to meet spiritually hungry people in the community and make an initial contact with them that will lead to some sort of follow up.
7. It is a great conduit to give members and new people an opportunity to serve their community.

A few examples of upcoming outreaches:

• Harvest Party/3 on 3 B-ball Tournament – Corner Store Vegetables - Project Warm

Development Guidelines for outreaches:

• It is important that these activities be designed with community development in mind. Therefore they need to be activities that can recognize dignity instead of steal it. In thinking through any service activity it is of vital importance to ask how this service project would help or hinder those in the community from a development perspective.
• Instead of giving out fish, we want our service projects in the community to teach people how to fish. Our aim is to help them in establishing their identity as image bearers of Christ.

1. Contact analysis

1. We will gather all the contacts from every Outreach, categorize them, and distribute them to disciples so that they may be contacted.

Is Outreach only a church sponsored event?

No.  Outreach is a part of the Christian lifestyle, one in which each person is looking for opportunities throughout their day to glorify the Lord through service to their fellow man.  May our neighbors, co-workers, and family be the biggest witnesses of our Outreach as individuals.

Contact

We reach out because we believe that God is transforming this community.  Will you help us?  If you would like more information please contact Leon Stevenson at (313) 820-9509 leon@mackave.com.