Stories of churches redefining success and changing lives highlight the annual issue focused on smaller congregations.
Contact: Lindy Lowry, Outreach Magazine, 760-597-2237
VISTA, Calif., June 23, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- It's an irony of American culture: The vast majority of churches nationwide are small, but society measures success most often by ever-increasing numerical growth.
However, in the pages of its July/August 2011 issue, Outreach magazine celebrates Small Church America with profiles of five smaller churches that are redefining success -- and changing lives -- by focusing on the number that matters most: 1. Influencing one life at a time with God's love, these churches and others like them are overcoming social divides and making a difference in their communities.
"I think this was one of Outreach magazine's best issues ever -- and a very important one," says Dan Kimball, teaching pastor at Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, Calif., and an Outreach columnist.
The magazine highlights Caveland Church, a Cave City, Ky., church that provides a place for drug addicts to heal; racial reconciliation taking root at Rock of Our Salvation Church in Chicago thanks to the joint efforts of a black pastor and a white social worker; members of Restoration Church in Long Beach, Calif., who give and learn love from women in shelters; and Amadeo Church in Higley, Ariz., which embraces diversity of class, race, denomination, gifting and personality.
"Smaller churches like these have much to show us and teach us," Outreach Editor Lindy Lowry says. "They are having a profound impact in communities nationwide. These stories are inspiring. Our annual July/August spotlight on small church America has become one of our most anticipated issues."
The new issue also features the voices of a dozen pastors of smaller churches, sharing what they've learned in their ministry experiences; The Outreach Interview, featuring Pastor Shaun King of Courageous Church in Atlanta; an article about how networks and denominations support small churches; and a look at how well seminaries prepare pastors-to-be for the realities of life in a small church.
Copies of the July/August 2011 Small Church issue are available to news media on request. More church profiles, resources and additional information about small churches also are available at OutreachMagazine.com/smallchurch.
Vista, Calif.-based Outreach magazine offers the ideas, insights and stories of today's outreach-oriented, Bible-based churches. Founded in January 2003 by church communications company Outreach, Inc., Outreach is an award-winning, bimonthly periodical for church leadership. Each year, Outreach publishes the Outreach 100, a special issue in September that features the 100 Largest and Fastest-Growing Churches in America; the Small Church issue (July/August); and the Outreach Resources of the Year (March/April). Outreach is available by subscription. For more information, visit OutreachMagazine.com.
