By Susan Kane, Church Multiplication

St. Louis, Missouri—Connecting with the community is one of the most important ways a church can grow, whether it is new to the area or has been a part of the community for many years. Community Christ Fellowship, in St. Louis, Missouri, has found that community outreach events are excellent ways to do this.

Community Christ Fellowship began in 1953 in a small neighborhood, and by the early 1980s, more than 250 called the church home. However, by 2003, that number dwindled to less than twenty. It was at that time in the life of the church that Pastor Randy Butler was called to be the senior pastor of the small struggling congregation.