Why Host a Neighborhood Picnic?
May 2, 2008
One of my consistent personal motivators for ministry is our house’s proximity to a Jehovah Witnesses’ Kingdom Hall. As I ascend the stairs to my back yard office, I frequently see the “Witnesses” gathering to head out for door-to-door knocking as they offer literature and home Bible studies. Their commitment to spread a heretical message (which denies the deity of Jesus) for the wrong reason (so that they will be included in the 144,000 in heaven) makes me question my own passion for spreading the true gospel for the right reasons.
Along with this, the presence of this religious gathering place in my immediate neighborhood affords me a window into how non-Christian neighbors might view Whitton Avenue Bible Church. Like many of our church’s neighbors, I am frankly not interested in the message and activities of the worship center on my block, and find it off-putting that when they come to my door, their sole aim is in me joining their community, with little concern about me or the neighborhood we share.
This is where our core values of proclaiming and portraying the gospel of the kingdom come into play. We are called both to speak of the mercy of God in the gospel and to show the mercy of God through our actions. Our neighbors should be able to say, “They believe what they preach” not only because we strive for theological precision but also because we are moved to love others as Christ has loved us.
These impulses lay behind our upcoming Neighborhood Outreach Picnic on May 17th (10 AM - 2 PM). Our primary goal in this event is to be a blessing to our neighborhood. The picnic will involve not only food but games for the neighborhood children, soccer and basketball, and a breakdancing demonstration. Along with these, we will have suggestion boxes where neighbors can share their concern for the community and offer ways in which our church can be part of the solution.
Let me be clear that none of these “portraying” activities can ever replace the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ. We could have the most active, healthy neighborhood in the Valley and unbelievers would still be destined for an eternity in hell. But in a country where gospel people (“evangelicals”) are viewed more as a voting bloc than as those who proclaim the way of reconciliation with God, we must be intentional in putting the effects of the gospel on display for our neighborhood.
Toward this end, let us pray as a church that God would work through our efforts in the neighborhood to exhibit the love and generosity and joy of his kingdom, and as we proclaim the risen King, that he would reconcile many of our neighbors to himself.