Walking with Nehemiah

So much of our attention in congregational development is spent dealing with internal issues and opportunities that we turn more and more inward. Even our “outward” work smacks of our “inward” bias as we invite people to our events and ponder how to make our events more compelling for those who aren’t part of our congregations. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, is known for saying “the world is our parish.” Simply stated, the streets are our sanctuary. Our communities are our congregations.
Yet too often congregations ignore their neighborhoods. They don’t consider the vast resource of people surrounding their church and seem to forget that Pentecost, the very event that gave birth to the church, happened in the streets. It's time for churches and congregations to engage with the people around them—most of whom have not yet made a faith decision but are hungering for the grace that only God can provide.
Participate in this study of Nehemiah and discover what people God is asking you to encourage, what walls God is calling you to repair, what ministry God might be calling you to lead or do, and where you should start. This book will give readers inspiration and practical tools for engaging with their communities in ways that help congregations and communities become whole.

Are the streets our sanctuary? Are our communities our congregation? Answered honestly, most churches would have to say, “no.” Yet even John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, is known for saying, “the world is our parish.” How do we turn our attention away from internal issues and opportunities and more toward those who aren’t members of our congregations? How can we make our events more compelling for those who aren’t part of our church? Walking with Nehemiah ponders these questions and helps us contemplate how we can create worship that reaches the people of our own communities.