About Us Reaching Out
Although we enjoy the friendship, fellowship and community we share as believers in Christ, we were never intended to keep the Good News to ourselves. God's Word gives us many commands to tell others about Jesus through witnessing, sending missionaries, providing for the needs of others in our community and simply building relationships with people who need salvation.
We endeavor to accomplish our goal to REACH OUT through Missions, Evangelism and Benevolence.
Rarely does a month go by without missionaries coming to present their ministry and preach the Word. Currently we support about 25 different foreign, home and local missionaries or missionary works in their efforts to respond to God's call on their lives to reach a specific group of people.
For the second year, we offered helping hands to a Home Missionary in the Forest area just East of Ocala. This area is among the poorest communities in Florida. We collected a large amount of backpacks and school supplies to donate for their annual Back To School Outreach. People from our church traveled to the Forest and helped give haircuts, handout backpacks and school supplies, supervise children and share the love of Jesus. It was wonderful to be a small part of the large work God is doing through the Houcks, missionaries giving their lives for this missionfield only an hour away!
We honor missionaries and consider their sacrificial giving and compassion to be greatly respected. We are inspired by them and partner with them through financial gifts, prayer, gift baskets and one time gifts. Without missionaries, we cannot possibly obey "The Great Commission" given to us by Jesus.
click the logo above.
Each major ministry ares (Children, Youth, Men, Women & Senior Ministries) as well as many small groups are asked to plan and offer at least one major outreach into the community every year.
As a church body, we recognize that this is an area where we must grow and increase our sense of urgency about a lost and dying world that we come into contact with every day. Personal evangelism is also of great importance. There is nothing like building a relationship with a neighbor, co-worker or someone else who has not received received salvation by confessing Jesus as Lord and repenting of their sins.
Some of the most effective evangelism we have seen take place has happened in the context of small groups at our church. Reaching to the heart of people and meeting them at the place of their need is often best accomplished in the context of a small group. We are excited to see this ministry area expand and have a larger scope of "reaching out" in the months ahead!
Our desire is to develop more church-wide evangelism events or simple projects. In June, we saw hundreds of people through our doors and on our property at the Dedication Community Open House! It is apparent that men and women, teens, boys and girls in our community are curious about church and if we have anything to offer. Praise God we have the greatest gift of all time to offer them - eternal life in heaven through Jesus Christ. He is the ONLY way and we must be diligent in our efforts to get the message out to others.
We are also official members of the Pocket Testament League. This very practical ministry enables us to equip ourselves with the Gospel of John and a clear explanation of how to receive the gift of salvation. If you aren't a member with "pocket power," visit the website by clicking the banner above to learn more!
The first Sunday of each month has now been designated as "Benevolence Sunday." On that day, we will feature a specific ministry or need and have collection bins ready to receive items as requested. Some months we will focus on needs in the community or of local ministries; other months we will focus on needs within our own church family.
With Angel Food - Everyone Qualifies! We are joining efforts as a host site for this ministry based in Georgia. On the last Saturday of every month, people can pick up food ordered either by phone or online at our church. Angel Food creates packages of quality food at a largely discounted price. Packages are available designed specifically for senior citizens living alone as well as special dietary needs. For more information, go to www.angelfoodministries.com. Food is available for people in our community as well as those in our own church family!
As a part of the Assemblies of God, we are also welcome at any time to be a part of The Convoy of Hope. We can serve around the country or request the convoy come to our own community for a special event.
Primarly, Convoy of Hope provides help and hope to people in need in the United States and around the world by providing food, clean water and supplies. To do that, they’ve held community outreaches, rendered aid to disaster victims, and implemented sustainability and nutrition programs in more than 100 countries.
Each year in the United States alone they hold up to 50 community events with the help of thousands of volunteers who serve tens of thousands of guests. At each event free groceries, job and health fairs, and activities for children are provided. In doing so, volunteers are given an opportunity to connect with members of their community, and guests are shown love and respect regardless of age, race, physical appearance, or spiritual condition. Just a little over a year ago, The Convoy came to Ocala and received hundreds of volunteers from Assemblies of God and other churches.
Convoy of Hope is considered a “first responder” organization in disaster relief. With a fleet of tractor-trailers, a 300,000-square-foot warehouse, and a high-tech Mobile Command Center we have become an active and efficient disaster relief organization by providing resources and help to victims of disasters. However, we do not go at it alone. We rely heavily on the faith-based community and national and state disaster relief agencies and organizations. We have also developed a disaster preparedness program to educate communities so that they can prepare for and respond to disasters.
What a wonderful thing to be a part of something so much bigger than what we can do here in Dunnellon on our own. When there is a disaster, we have Convoy of Hope prepared with supplies and ready to receive volunteers to take the love of Jesus by providing for the physical needs of people at their greatest moment of crisis!
