A Chaotic Church: Use the church building for the community too!

An intentional use of demographic data to solve social issues. That’s the Gospel in action.

A majority of churches are located in, or near, residential communities. Church leaders often isolate the building to worship services, excluding the needs of the community.

To be an intentional church, analyze the members’ demographic data along with community data to identify social issues. This provides a clear line of sight into the social good programming a church can design and implement for data-driven care.

The Gospel is a strategy. Social good programming is a part of the Gospel. Economic changes are on the rise, so an intentional church must couple its Biblical values with strategic creativity to advocate and care for the marginalized.

Hunger is universal. A church can become a trusted food center addressing the community’s food insecurity needs.

Mark 6:38-44 No one deserves to be hungry.

More than Vacation Bible School

Most Vacation Bible School programs are less than a week long. It’s a short-lived transaction with no follow-up support.

What if a church designed a summer enrichment program addressing childhood hunger along with spiritual, academic, and workforce development?

Through No Kid Hungry, eligible churches can become summer meal hubs for children up to 18 years old. The hub would open after the last day of school and close before the first day of school. The grants not only cover food, but payroll for a church to hire employees.

1 in 5 children are food insecure according to No Kid Hungry in 2024. Child food insecurity means they do not have adequate access to nutritious food. The Annie E. Casey Foundation found 4.1 million more children faced food insecurity in 2022 compared to 2021. In today’s 2025 inflated economy and government funding cuts, one can only imagine how food insecurity is impacting children and their homes.

An intentional church’s summer meal hub isn’t just about nutritious food. It provides an enrichment curriculum to address spiritual and academic development, career preparation, physical exercise, and so much more. Equipping a child with the proper advancement tools allows them to return to their community to break cycles and transform others. It’s a ripple effect.

A church could hire its members and from the local community to operate the hub. Employing church members’ ensures Christ and the church’s culture are intertwined in all efforts. Employing community members allows children to see familiar faces, and directly supports the local economy. As children reach working age, they’re able to become employees delivering the same services they’ve received.

For churches without a building, there may be affordable opportunities to host in low-income apartment communities. This would place a church directly in a food insecure area, and possibly a food desert.

Matthew 25:40 We must care for those in need.

A church food pantry

Children aren’t the only ones experiencing food insecurity. Churches can establish food pantries in partnership with state food banks to provide adequate and nutritious foods to anyone. This could be a lighter lift for a church to begin social good programming.

A root cause

Let’s be transparent. A reason why food insecurity exists is due to unlivable wages. Livable wages aren’t available to everyone which is why there’s mention of workforce development. What knowledge, skills, and education opportunities can be offered to transition people from jobs to well-paid careers? An intentional church is the bridge for career advancement through workforce partnerships and education.

As much as a church asks for increased giving, there should be intentional action to ensure members’ have access to livable-wage employment opportunities. Members are able to give more when there’s overflow, and not deficit.

Philippians 2:3 Put others first. 

It’s time for churches to put the needs of the people first, and not its optics. Social good programming requires a level of care and effort. It’s love. Imagine the ripple an intentional church can create with solid programming. The Gospel is intentional and churches should be too.

Now let the church say, “Amen!”