Approach | Deep Dive

This model is an easy way to remember the basics each time you lead an outreach.  We prefer that the entire team experience lasts no more than 2 hours. Our downloadable training documents include a number of “Best Practice” Outreaches in this format.

Prepare
Preparation can range from a simple five minute, organic conversation to a complex multi-day project with a large advance team. The preparation depends on the size and goals of the particular outreach.  You need to determine where you’re going, what you’re going to be doing, who you’re serving and how many people are serving.  (More detail and insight in our Training section)

Train
Communicate the information from your preparation (Where, What, How and Who). Then provide specific skill training related to the particular outreach.  Feel free to be detailed and assume that the team may struggle understanding the instructions.  Provide some outreach specific cautions like, “Don’t use grimy rags when you’re scrubbing off a dirty car because you may scratch the car.”  This is also a good point to insert what to say, “We’re washing your car to show you God’s love in a practical way. Jesus washed people’s feet which is not so relevant today, however people have dirty cars.”

Pray
Invite God’s help/empowerment to be upon your team.  This is also a good opportunity to share a biblical value with a very short, devotional style verse and application (this is not time for preaching skill development).  During prayer the team may hold hands, also may wait in silence for a minute.  You can also invite one or two people to pray out loud.  Again this is short and sweet, but nevertheless impactful and vital to success.

Go
This is really the point of the kindness outreach.  We are a “Go & Do” community working together, serving the people in our communities with God’s Kindness.  When you arrive at the location, you can divide up and give people different roles. Some are more comfortable holding signs for the car wash, others enjoy washing the tires while others are chatting with the car owners.  It’s all good and it’s all important!  It’s at this time that many of the Kindness Outreach Practices come into play. We’re not forcing ourselves and our kindness on people but rather expecting and looking for the open doors the Holy Spirit may provide for conversation, 10 second prayers, and introducing people to Jesus.

Debrief
So much can happen in a short amount of time.  The “Debrief” is when we share our God stories, what doors He opened, conversations we had, and prayers we prayed  We can also give information about our next Kindness outreach.  We frequently pray for the people we met and we thank God for His work in their lives.

Share
This is an opportunity for people to reinforce their Kindness Outreach experience.  We’re asking the team participants to post a photo on social media, write in their journal or email a friend about the outreach.  This helps the person remember what they did, saw, and learned.  It also helps them to remember how it felt to serve others – with no strings attached.