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Pastors, do you feel like you could be doing more when it comes to outreach? If so, you’re not alone.

New polling shows that only 29 percent of pastors consider themselves to be “excellent” at connecting with the surrounding community. An even smaller 10 percent believe themselves to be “excellent” at talking about faith with people.

In many cases, the reason pastors struggle to lead effective outreach is not an issue of belief. In fact, 54 percent of pastors say that they believe one of the primary roles of community service is loving and serving others as Jesus taught. So if the gap is not one between theological belief and concrete ministry, what is it?

Recent evidence suggests that the gap exists because ministry leaders are trying to accomplish their outreach goals within their respective individual congregations rather than considering how they can operate as part of the big-C Church. When pastors partner with established outreach campaigns and take advantage of technology, they not only connect with more of their community, but their outreach workload becomes lighter.

In other words, it’s not about an individual pastor working harder. It’s about remembering that every believer is part of the body of Christ—a body that can do incredible things when it works together.

Minding the Gap: The He Gets Us Campaign

When the He Gets Us ads hit YouTube, social media, and major television commercial spots, communities all over the country witnessed Jesus’ message of radical love.

But that was just the beginning. Thanks to the Gloo platform, ad viewers who visit the He Gets Us website have the option to provide their information and request to be connected with a caring person at a local church.

That may sound simple at first, but this model is revolutionary. He Gets Us flipped the script on outreach by creating universal campaigns that resonated with people all over the country. It created videos so compelling that non-churchgoers felt motivated to take the time, and perhaps the risk, of asking for a local church pastor to contact them.

The Gloo platform makes connections like these possible for He Gets Us and a variety of other outreach partners who want to serve communities and churches. Participating church partners on the Gloo platform are passionate about serving those who are exploring and can provide needed follow up and community connection.

“Using the Gloo Explorer Connection Platform makes sense,” says Tamara Taylor, the marketing coordinator at Crenshaw Christian Center in Los Angeles. “You can directly connect with [people], speak with them, and invite them into your service.”

People who may not have traditionally been served by the church are now making new connections. And pastors with limited time and resources who used to find themselves wishing they could do more to connect now have people in their community right there in their inboxes, their text messages, and their pews.

Understanding the Gap: The Transformative Power of Local Outreach

The He Gets Us videos were widespread. But the text conversations between a pastor and community member, the meetups for coffee, and the commitments to pray over an illness or bring a meal? Those are local, personal, and a testament to the role that face-to-face relationships play in the lives of both Christians and those yet to know Jesus alike.

Churches can still do what they do best—meeting the physical, relational, and spiritual needs of their community. By partnering with existing campaigns like He Gets Us, churches are able to make the most of their resources in ways that are meaningful to their neighbors.

Rather than spending endless hours trying to connect with people, or maxing out a budget line in an effort to draw a crowd, church leaders and volunteers can better steward their resources and channel them toward the needs of people who HGU brings their way.

Closing the Gap: Reach Ties It All Together

While He Gets Us is a remarkable example of the big-C Church empowering effective outreach in local churches, the great news is that it’s just one of the campaigns guiding the faith-curious, the hurting, and the lonely to local churches. The Gloo Explorer Connection Platform, which facilitates local church connections for He Gets Us as well as campaigns like Churches Care and many others, has connected over 195,000 people to local churches across the country.

As people respond to ads that speak to felt needs, Gloo connects them to a local church, which may receive as many as 12 connections each month. Many pastors and their growing ministry team members, who are leaning into this work, then use the Gloo free texting features to begin a conversation and build a stronger relationship with each person.

A true outreach ecosystem, the Explorer Connection Platform is made possible by kingdom-minded donors who want to support local churches in building life-changing relationships. The campaigns disseminate the message. Technology facilitates the connection. Donors empower the process. All so that churches can do what they do best—be the hands and feet of Jesus in their local communities.

Learn more about how your church can more effectively minister to your community by harnessing the power of connection.