W. Davd Phillips

I came across this idea inadvertently. As a pastor, a couple of mornings per week I make my way to a local restaurant for breakfast. I would also take a book and read or do some studying there when all was quiet. I got to know all the wait staff and management. I also do this a couple of times a week at a local cafe where I would go have a late lunch, and sit, study, read and chat with the staff and ownership. I never really told the what I did intentionally. However, by the work I was doing and the books I was reading and the conversations we had, they figured out I was a pastor. Soon, I noticed something that just sort of happened. I became the pastor to those businesses. They would sit down and talk and share their problems, ask questions, and seek counsel. At Christmas time, I brought a bucket of gifts to them that included gift cards, homemade treats, and other things.

Your church can do this as well. You can adopt a business or businesses. You may, for example, adopt a large store like Home Depot or Lowes. Have your small groups adopt different departments in that store: one could adopt the paint department, another the electrical department and still another the lighting department. The small groups could get to know the people in those departments. Then they could write notes or even give gifts on holidays or special days. Imagine an employee walking into work with a group of folks from one of your small groups throwing a surprise birthday party for them! There is something about making a person feel special for both you and the person.

Or, another twist of this idea would be to adopt several stores on main street or in a strip mall. Those mom and pop stores that are crucial to most town’s main street could be adopted by your small groups. Shop there, get to know the people there, and bless them. Work with them to set up a special shopping day where your church provides food (snacks, hotdogs, etc) and fun and then stores have special sales. You could even do the advertising for them.

If you have sharp business people in your church, they can volunteer their time to work with the mom and pop stores which are generally owned by entrepreneurs who are learning business practices through trial and error. That ministry would be invaluable.

In doing this, you are blessing the business(es) on multiple levels. You are building foot traffic for sales so you are helping the business. This is IMPORTANT! You are providing them with FREE consulting services and promotions which many small businesses need. You are blessing the employees and owners. You are blessing, either directly or indirectly, the community. And you are building a positive reputation in the community.