According to a dictionary definition a suburb is a residential area bordering a city. While it is common to think of all suburbs as fitting a similar mold, they can in fact be very different from one another. For example, the year 2000 census reveals that while many suburbs continue to increase in population, many others are in decline. There are, of course, differences in the kinds of people who live in each suburb. Long established suburbs may have aging populations. Newly developed suburbs may have many young families and therefore many children. Some suburbs have a sizeable student population because of a nearby university. Another suburb may find a particular ethnic group may predominating.

Obviously these differences can influence the focus of a congregation’s outreach and mission. For example, one might not start a preschool or Christian Day School in an older suburb which has few children or a senior center in a newer suburb. While many differences may exist, the things suburbs have in common make them awesome mission fields ripe for the harvest.

Since a suburb is a residential area, it contains a wealth of neighbors. Opportunities abound for telling about Christ, whether it be to the neighbor on your street, over your back fence, or in the apartment next door. Friendship evangelism has often been described as one of the best ways for new people to come to church. A new church seems less intimidating to a visitor when he is accompanied by a friend. Philip invited his friend Nathaniel with the simple words, “Come and see!” Nathaniel came and met his Savior, Jesus. “Come and see!” might be all you need to say to have your neighbor accompany you to church and hear the life giving words of Jesus.

Another important outreach tool is the Welcome Wagon/new resident listings that are available for most suburbs. Such lists help members quickly find new neighbors who are now searching for a church home. Then members can make a phone call or send letters of introduction and an invitation to worship as a good first step in contacting new residents. After this initial contact, follow up with a personal visit by a member or the pastor and give them a welcome packet.

One of the difficulties in doing suburban outreach is the “competition” with other churches. Many suburban corners feature church after church after church. “Which one do we attend?” a bewildered new resident might ask. Suburban ELS congregations need to be conspicuous with the Gospel message as they proclaim the certainty of salvation through the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. ELS congregations offer certainty in uncertain times as they clearly proclaim, “Grace alone, faith alone and Scripture alone.”

Spiritually hurting people reside everywhere. They need God whether they live in the suburbs, the inner city or a rural area. Sin not only hurts our soul, but it also makes us deserving of God’s eternal condemnation. The only source of true relief from our pain and the only source of reconciliation to God is through Jesus Christ and Him crucified. His work of paying for our sins by His death on the cross is complete. Christ’s resurrection proclaims God’s forgiveness of all sins. Through the healing truths of God’s Word the Holy Spirit creates faith in Jesus, by which eternal life is ours!

Suburban outreach started soon after Pentecost, as Luke reveals, “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 5:42).

Bradley Kerkow is Pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in North Mankato, Minnesota.