The Outward-Facing Church
Nov 09, 2026
I’m convinced there's never been a time in history when the world needed the church more. Not the sleeping church, not the judging church, not the greedy church, not the compromised church; but the holy, compassionate, mission-driven, on-the-move church. I believe it's time we turn our circles outward.
I live in Aloha, Oregon, and I love it. Some call it a suburb, but it's more accurately called a fringe village. It was situated on the west side of Portland before the suburbs came out and swallowed it up. It's always carried a bit of a rogue spirit. It wasn't a planned community, so it feels a little messy. A lot of the streets don't have sidewalks. It’s not a grid - it’s more like a tapestry. We don’t have all the perks of a city like a mayor or city hall or sidewalks on every street. It's unincorporated, so in some ways, it can feel like we're fending for ourselves. But it's filled with diverse, capable, creative, independent-thinking people, and I love it.
For the past 28 years Melissa and I have lived in this community, raised our kids, and been part of a church that has worked hard to serve and love those who live here with us. One of our values is to Leave it Better, and we’re continually seeking ways to live that out. A lot of times we feel like we’re coming up short - because the needs always seem to pop up like we’re playing Whack-a-Mole.
But in the past 18 months, something really beautiful has started to happen. A few of us started to get together - civic leaders, business leaders and faith leaders to dream and scheme for the common good of our community. We’re affectionately calling it the “Aloha Community Coalition” (working title). Just a bunch of regular people who want to make a difference. We ran an experiment over the past year or so to help our Farmer’s Market, clean up the streets and explore what a community center might look like. None of it is “done,” but we’re making progress and getting to know each other. And I love it.
This past weekend we gathered for another work session and the group came up with 4 new experiments. It’s so fun to be part of a community taking ownership for its own thriving.
In all of this, the church hasn’t been the focus. The community has. Like Hugh Halter shared recently with a group of leaders gathered in our area, we’re working to build an ecosystem where the Good News can thrive. That means we work on things that don’t directly benefit our bottom line. That means we don’t need credit for anything. That means we share our resources and celebrate wins of the community. Some days - some weeks - I feel like nothing at all is moving. But then a bright spot emerges and we find our way forward. It’s messy, it’s expensive, it’s frustrating, it’s exhilarating, and I love it.
I think God is doing something new in our community and around the world. I think the church is hungry to get out of the box. I think the world is ready to see what the Gospel is supposed to actually do in real places like Aloha - or wherever you live. I think taking one small step after another is the way to an avalanche of Good News.
If you’d like to chat about this, shoot me a note. It would be exciting to hear how God is moving in your unique place as well.
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