90 Days, Many Ways, One Gospel: An Outreach Emphasis at the Green Campus

A plan...

Fall is an exciting time of year where change is in the air. As school begins and the leaves change, Parkside Church Green Campus is beginning a new outreach initiative entitled, “90 Days, Many Ways.” There is no greater joy in the entire world than knowing Jesus Christ and sharing the message of Jesus with others. Nothing compares to the peace that we have knowing him and it is our desire for others to experience the same.

Our goal is to see many unbelieving people become committed followers of Jesus Christ during these 90 days. As a church, we want to encourage our members where they are in their lives (school, work, home, nursing home, etc.) to build redemptive relationships with unbelieving people. Some believe that full-time ministry is a requirement to make a lasting difference for the Gospel. However, Christians are often able to make a significant Gospel impact on the people that we are closest to. There are many places the Lord has put us in and our emphasis is to share Jesus in those places. Whether a believer is a school teacher, fireman, or stay-at -home mom, they can all fully participate in Gospel ministry and have a significant impact in people’s lives for the Gospel.

Many Opportunities…

During the 90 days, there will be many opportunities for the Green campus to share the message of hope that is found in the Gospel with unbelieving co-workers and neighbors. Believers will be strengthened and encouraged during these 90 days as they serve as a light into the unbelieving world. Equipping classes and testimonies of encouragement will be used to spur one another on. Some of our planned activities include:

Family Fun Day…

The 90 day emphasis will kick-off on Sunday, August 29, following our morning worship service with an exciting and free event for families in our area. On this day, our front lawn will be transformed into an exhilarating area of amusement! We will have a full range of cookout & carnival foods, inflatable jumps for kids, a 50-animal petting zoo, a velcro wall, and bungee basketball for teens, plus Ohio’s largest slip and slide. Family Fun Day is an ideal occasion for you to invite your unbelieving friends for an afternoon of fun, and more importantly, an opportunity for them to get to know our great God.

Thanks Canton…

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for everything that our gracious God has provided to us throughout the year. This year, it will also be a time for us to serve a full thanksgiving meal to those who need it the most. On Thanksgiving Day, people from the Green Campus will be invited to cook and serve Thanksgiving meals at a restaurant near downtown Canton for families and individuals who are in need. Together, for four hours, we will serve free hearty thanksgiving meals to anyone who walks through the doors of the restaurant. This will be an incredible opportunity for people from the Green Campus to reach out together to share the love of Jesus in a practical and meaningful way. It is our prayer that through our actions, unbelievers will see the kindness of our Lord and Savior.

While our 90 days outreach initiative will conclude on Thanksgiving Day 2010, our efforts to serve our community will continue as we will be strengthened by our individual and corporate efforts of sharing our love of Jesus with others.

There will be many other corporate ways that we will share the Gospel with others in the days to come. We invite you to join with us and pray during the early stages of this initiative. As John Dickson says in promoting the Gospel, “As we look around our workplace, home, friends, school, university or suburb, what do we believe to be the 'solution' to the problem of so many people not yet appreciating the truth of Christ? The most basic part of the answer must be 'prayer'—compassionate petitions to the Lord of the harvest to send out more workers, to give success to such workers and to grant salvation to our friends, family and the world.” (From Dickson's book: The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission.)  

Would you like to find out more about the “90 Days, Many Ways” emphasis? Are you interested in volunteering with these outreach events? For more information, email Evan Miller  at emiller@parksidechurch.com or visit www.parksidechurch.com/green/.