RELATIONAL OUTREACH #4: Practical Outreach Q&A

RELATIONAL OUTREACH #4: Practical Outreach Q&A

Speakers shared insights on living a transparent life of authenticity and hope, emphasizing the importance of showing the difference between the old and new versions of oneself. They also discussed building and fostering relationships within the church, reframing relational ministry as loving people rather than just fulfilling a duty. Additionally, they shared insights on building deeper relationships through vulnerability, openness, and loving others, highlighting the importance of casting a unified vision with fellow believers and connecting with family members in a similar stage of life.

Action Items

• [ ] Intentionally share your heart and purpose for Christ early in relationships to avoid a “spiritual friendzone”.
• [ ] Consider starting each day grounded in prayer and Scripture to fuel relational ministry authentically.
• [ ] Use reminders like sticky notes to regularly reorient your focus to serving others for Christ.
• [ ] Evaluate how to connect everyday actions directly to purpose to live intentionally.

Outline

How to start relationships with people from checkered pasts, using personal testimonies and sincerity.

• Speaker shares personal struggle with loving people hard, emphasizes importance of Christ at center of life.
• Discussion questions aim to help listeners learn from relational leaders who invest in others despite past mistakes.
• Speaker 2 shares their personal experience of finding hope and new life in Christ, despite a difficult past.
• Speaker 3 emphasizes the importance of living a pure life, even in the face of mockery or discredit, and how one’s example can open doors for others to come to Christ.

Building relationships with Christians outside of one’s church system.

• Speakers emphasize importance of staying true to God’s words, not labels or identities from past.
• Speaker 5 emphasizes the importance of loving God, His word, and each other in the church.
• Speaker 3 prioritizes connecting with people who share the same doctrine and direction, while also reaching out to those who don’t have it.

Building deeper relationships with others through shared experiences and open communication.

• Speaker 1 emphasizes the importance of casting a unified vision with fellow believers in ministry.
• Speaker 3 suggests that men can learn from women’s deeper relationships by sharing their feelings and communicating openly.
• Speaker 5 shares personal experience of connecting with someone from different culture through prayer and direction from the Holy Spirit.
• Speaker 5 encourages persistence and not giving up in pursuing connections with others, even with differences in common ground.

Avoiding spiritual friendzone in relationships and maintaining meaningful connections.

• Speaker discusses spiritual friendzone in relationships, where one person’s feelings are not reciprocated.
• Speaker encourages listeners to be intentional in building relationships with people they want to deepen their connection with.
• Speaker 4 shared insights on reframing relational ministry as loving people, not just meeting goals.
• Speaker 4 emphasized the importance of investing in others because of love, not obligation.

Balancing ministry efforts with protecting one’s heart from burnout and difficult people.

• Speaker 2 emphasizes love for God and people as the fuel for ministry, avoiding burnout.
• Speaker 1: Set boundaries with difficult people to protect your heart.
• Speaker 2: Be intentional in relationships to avoid spiritual friendzone.
• Speaker 2 shares about their experience with someone who came back to faith after initially pulling away.
• Speaker 3 discusses the terminology of having a “heavy hand” or “no hands” on someone, and how it relates to protecting one’s heart.

How to relate to family members who are Christians but not acting like disciples.

• Speaker discusses challenges of ministering to family members who claim to be Christians but don’t act like disciples.
• Parents desire to follow Jesus, but need consistent example and relatable support.

Patience and boundaries in sharing faith with resistant family members.

• Speaker 5 emphasizes importance of maintaining healthy boundaries with family while sharing truth of the Word.
• Speaker 1 discusses family trauma and the need for patience and prayer in dealing with resistant family members.
• Speaker 1 questions whether it’s realistic to expect equally deep relationships with everyone in the church.

Building relational depth in small groups.

• Focus on building deep relationships within small groups, rather than trying to reach everyone.
• Speaker 3: Texting not a great way to connect, face-to-face better.
• Speaker 1: Plan ahead, don’t rely on texting for commitment.

Discipleship, accountability, and spiritual growth.

• The speaker warns of becoming the “enemy” for truthfully holding others to God’s standard, and shares advice on how to lovingly and truthfully share God’s Word with committed disciples.
• Speaker emphasizes importance of holding disciples accountable to God’s word.
• Strategies for getting out of spiritual friendzone discussed.

Intentional living, starting the day with God, and surrendering to Him.

• Speaker 2 shares their experience of being in the “spiritual friendzone” and the importance of defining the relationship to avoid staying there indefinitely.
• Speaker 4 shares how they wait for someone to say something meaningful before responding, but also emphasizes the importance of being proactive in sharing hope.
• Speaker 5 discusses the importance of starting the day with intentionality, surrendering to God, and allowing Him to guide their day.

Connecting daily actions to God’s purpose.

• Speaker 4 uses sticky notes to focus on specific tasks and reminders, such as “do it for Jolie and Melora” and Bible verses.
• Speaker 1 shares a game called Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, where participants try to connect any movie actor to Kevin Bacon within 6 movies.
• Speaker emphasizes the importance of connecting daily actions to one’s purpose and faith.
• Speaker encourages listeners to be more intentional and grateful for their daily activities, connecting them to Christ.

Healing from church hurt through grace, forgiveness, and love.

• Speaker 3 reflects on church hurt and personal responsibility.
• Speakers discuss the importance of forgiveness and grace in reconnecting with God after experiencing failure or hardship.

This content was featured at the 2024 Antioch Collective Annual Assembly at The Crossings Church St. Charles County in O’Fallon, MO. For more like this, visit https://antiochcollective.org/