QUARTERLY INITIATIVES
WCF’s Rise Up and Build will roll out a new project each quarter that contains both a Touch and Teach element. The Touch element will involve reaching out to the community in some way, through service, showing kindness, or otherwise engaging with those around us. The Teach element will involve sharing God’s word in some way. We will provide funding, templates when needed, and detailed instruction to assist in the implementation of the initiatives. Each project will have been piloted in one or more ecclesias prior to its roll-out, so that we can share helpful tips, success stories, and lessons learned.
RISE UP AND BUILD
CURRENT INITIATIVE
PRAYER WALK
An organized walk through the community around your ecclesia, praying for each household you pass. After you say a short prayer for each household, you leave a door hanger letting them know they’ve been prayed for. Each door hanger gives information about your ecclesia, and welcomes the household to reach out with any requests for prayer.
WHAT IS WCF’S ROLE?
WCF will send you professional designed door hangers, customized with your Ecclesia’s contact information.
A guide for organizing a successful prayer walk.
WHAT IS THE ECCLESIA’S ROLE?
Organizing the time and place for the prayer walk with your Ecclesia
Designating one person, or team of people, to respond to anyone in the community who send prayer requests
Incorporating community prayer requests into your Sunday service, or in a special prayer meeting.
PILOT ECCLESIAS
Toronto North Ecclesia, Ontario
The Toronto North ecclesia piloted this program in early 2023.
Here is a summary of their experience by a participant.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “And pray for us too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity” - Colossians 4:3-5.
It was fitting that Paul would refer to a ‘door’ as the conduit for his message! On a Sunday afternoon in early spring, four teams participated in a Prayer Walk in our local neighborhood after lunch at our hall. We distributed door hangers with our ecclesial contact information and an invitation for specific prayer requests. We followed the protocol of avoiding homes with pets and people out working in their yards, staying on sidewalks and driveways. We prayed for the local households on our walk of 45 minutes to a little over an hour, depending on one’s constitution. We have received no negative responses from the householders. Two prayer walkers shared their reflections upon praying for the neighborhood.
“Lord, as we reach out in prayer to our neighbors, may we have the opportunity, according to Your Will, to share Your message of HOPE with those who may be seeking HOPE in this dying world.”
“It was a sunny but cold spring day. We encountered three adults out walking, but no one at the houses where we delivered the door hangers. The feeling that I had was that most people are busy just living life. They don’t overthink about conditions in the world or the reality of life, but we hope and pray that God is still calling out a people for His name.”
We had 500 hangers printed, but not all were distributed on our first walk. We plan to distribute these on a subsequent walk along different streets in our neighborhood later this year. We have not had any email requests so far. We realize our responsibility is to spread the seed, and our Heavenly Father will provide the increase. Indeed, spiritual benefits were gained by the brothers and sisters who participated, as they fulfilled the Great Commission practically and tangibly.
If you take up this initiative, please share feedback and pictures with us at riseupandbuild@wcfoundation.org. We are also interested in hearing what themes our readers would like to have covered in the Fresh Ideas communique, including initiatives your ecclesias have tried and found beneficial for inreach or outreach.
PAST INITIATIVE
BIBLE BOOK
BOXES
The first quarterly initiative is creating and placing a Bible Book Box at your Ecclesia, or in your community. (You may be familiar with the concept of a Little Free Library, which is a trademarked name, but the same concept.) The box has been piloted with children’s books, although each ecclesia may select their own books as desired.