OUTREACH & Missions

The Christian faith is, at its very core, a missionary movement. It teaches Christians to be outward rather than inward focused.

Jesus said that He “came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt 20:28; Mark 10:45). He said he “came to seek and save those who are lost.” (Luke 19:10).

In His prayer to God the Father, Jesus said, “Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. Jesus said to his followers, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you” (John 20:21), and “go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Matt. 28:19)

Our approach to outreach is expressed in this statement from Paul’s first letter to the church at Thessalonica. “We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.”  -1 Thessalonians 2:8

This statement captures the two-fold nature of genuine Christian outreach. It involves sharing God’s Good News; the message about Jesus which must be received in order for people to be forgiven and reconciled to God. It also involves sharing ourselves; giving our time, resources, and abilities from a heart of sincere love to bless people in need.

In order to do this we encourage and equip our church family to share their faith and use their resources to share the truth about Jesus and to demonstrate the love of Jesus with those in our sphere of influence. We also ask the God to give us wisdom and show us the opportunities we have to serve our local Cheltenham and greater Philadelphia communities. This takes place through teams of people who are committed to ongoing outreach as well as through periodic outreach events.