Here is a picture of a young woman named Heather Bradford. She came into High Pointe church office needing a ride, with her mother saying that she knew that the High Pointe could help her. She lives in Melissa.
She said that she knew about our church because she had served in our clothes closet, getting community service hours.
This church is having such an impact upon the community! Thank you to all of our Clothes Closet workers. You are doing the Lord's work, and God is being glorified through you.
Young people are very interested in service. In fact, in McKinney, high school students are required to have so many community service hours.
Another thing to note - the old paradigm for conversion was that people would believe first, then belong. Today, people are more likely to feel like they belong, and then believe. They may serve first with others and live out a life of faith, and only later fully believe and place their trust in Jesus. For instance, this girl, Heather is more likely to first serve in the clothes closet, before being baptized.
No matter how one looks at service, it is essential to being a missional church.
How can we make the unchurched feel more like they belong? How can we involve the unchurched in more serving prior to conversion?
