Matthew 10:5-8 (Message version):
“Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.”
We believe in both a gathered but also a scattered movement. As scattered servants we are called to love our cities and the people around us. But being alone or a small group of people can sometimes make it hard for us to get started!
By this short and simple “how to”, we want to help you as a young person to be practical and start to serve your neighbourhood in an easy and society changing way!
Here you find 5 steps for how you do a “Local Outreach”:
1. Research phase
Start by asking yourself these questions:
What am I passionate about?
What needs do I see in my city/neighbourhood among people and friends?
What do I feel is happening spiritual in the area? – (Ask God)
Talk to key people in the area to find out the needs. It can be city councils, local school teachers etc. – interview the people.
2. Discover phase
Contact and book a phone/skype meeting with a youth leader in VNY leaders team by emailing vny@vineyard.se or fill out the form below.
Talk about following things:
How can you start a local outreach activity?
Look into the “idea bank” or think of other activities you can do.
Set a clear “WHY” you do what you do. It’s important so that you do an activity out of the need that is present.
Decide if your activity is a long term activity or a “one-time-thing”.
3. Choose activity to do
You do this in conversation with your contact at VNY leaders team. Talk about:
Research where and when to do it?
How will it look?
Who is on your team?
Needed resources? Commitment – Decide and agree with when to do what to make the activity happen
4. Doing the stuff
Now the fun is happen and you can bring the activity out and make it happen!
Please also take pictures and document the activity.
After outreach is done, do following:
Record a short video story of how it was?
Write down a short summary
Send this to your contact in VNY leaders team
5. Evaluate and follow up
First of all, there is nothing called a mistake when you are trying to do a good and loving activity for the society. But there is still important to evaluate and see if things was successful or if needed to improve or even stop doing it. First you evaluate with your team and then with your contact in VNY leaders team
If it was a success
Consider doing it again
Put it in the success story bank and share with the rest of VNY
If it wasn’t a success
Change the way of doing
or
Stop doing it
Also good to share this with VNY so we know what not to do or what is good to change. aka the Failure Bank (important element).