Targeted Outreach Beyond the Walls

The Church has a responsibility to identify its gifts in order to glorify God and bless others. Each church has a unique set of gifts to offer, and through them they can become a redemptive good in their community. So what is targeted outreach?

Targeted outreach is connecting the gifts of the church to the needs of the community in a precise way. It sounds simple, but a church must be diligent, doing the hard work of identifying its gifts, equipping its saints, and sending them out to meet others face-to-face, engaging them personally in conversation, in prayer, and in Biblical teaching and preaching. Sound familiar?

If we grow in our core values, we will discover our unique identity in Christ, and through that identity we will know how best to minister to those around us. Let us pray about the days ahead, about our formation, and for how God will shape us into a church that reaches out in a confident and precise way.

Face-to-Face Discipleship

The nature and function of the Church is to be ‘incarnational’, which is a fancy way of saying being present “in the flesh” in our mission and ministry. Because God saw fit to come and dwell among us (John 1.14), we as God’s Church—His representatives in the world —are to go out into the world, per His command, in order to make disciples.

In a world that is increasingly ‘online’, the Church must be increasingly ‘on foot’. We must maintain our incarnational mission to be present in all we do. Because God was really there for us, we must really be there for others. This can only happen if we are in fellowship, gathered and present so that we may bear one another’s burdens…actually.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6.2, ESV).

At Asbury, we want our growth in grace to be bone deep. We want for everyone to experience God, and not as a feeling, but really, truly from the inside, out. Let us disciple one another, face-to-face, sharing in true fellowship, being there for one another.

Personal Conversation & Engagement

Christians are ‘sent’ people. We have been commissioned by Jesus Christ to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28.19, ESV). Therefore, we must have conversations that are personal, that engage others where they are so that we can walk with them to where God is calling all of us.

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” —Romans 10.13-15 (ESV)

At Asbury, we want to be personal and personable—you could even say approachable. And we want to engage because we ourselves have a similar experience, that there were people who engaged us because we needed that encouragement, that push, that sometimes makes all the difference. It made a difference because people took time to invest, to care enough to say something. Let us care, let us say something, and let us do so by engaging others.

Biblical Preaching & Teaching

It’s no secret that God’s word has been under attack within the times we are living. To be Christian is to be a disciple, a learner and follower of Christ. There is no way for a Christian to learn or follow Christ apart from God’s word. And God’s word is exactly that, God’s word.

The Scriptures are God’s self-revelation to us. They contain within them “all that is necessary unto salvation” (to quote several orthodox catechisms over the centuries). Without His word, the preacher has nothing to preach; the teacher has nothing to teach. Therefore, if there is to be preaching, then His word is what will be preached. If there is to be teaching, then His word is what will be taught.

At Asbury Chapel, we will preach the word of God and we will teach the Scriptures in their fullness. Our very membership vows state, “Do you receive and profess the Christian faith as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New testaments?” These reasons, and many more, are why we have Biblical Preaching & Teaching as a core value.

Prayer

There is nothing that we want to do as a church apart from God. Therefore, we must commune with Him in order to be shaped and molded; in order to grow in grace; in order to know Him and His love. The Scriptures tell us in 1 Thessalonians 5.17 to “…pray without ceasing,…” (ESV). Unceasing prayer means ongoing communion with God, and so we are to be a people full of prayer and prayerful in all that we do.

John Wesley, in his book A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, said this in regards to prayer: “Whether we think of, or speak to, God, whether we act or suffer for him, all is prayer, when we have no other object than his love, and the desire of pleasing him.” God is the object of Asbury Chapel, therefore prayer is our first core value. It is one way God’s revealed grace brings us before God and keeps God ever before us.

So, Asbury, let us pray…

Our Team

Rev. Whit Martin

Pastor

Rev. Whit Martin is a native of Gainesville and has served churches across the state of Georgia for the last 18 years. A graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary, he has a passion for Bible study and discipleship. He is an ordained elder in the Global Methodist Church. Whit and his wife, Ashley, have three children and are looking forward to all God will do through this faithful expression of Methodism in Gainesville.

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Stacey Terry

Executive Assistant

A native of Rome, Georgia, Stacey and her husband, Jeff Terry, have lived in Gainesville since 1999. She joined Asbury Chapel during its initial formation, clearly seeing God’s sovereign hand leading her to the ministry. Stacey credits her strong faith from her formative years and a mother who modeled what it looked like to follow Christ as well as a Bible-believing church with a strong youth ministry. Following graduation from UGA, she worked in the business community for 12 years then left the workforce to raise her children. Over the years, Stacey has led countless women’s and student Bible studies. Returning to the workforce in 2017, God opened the door to several jobs that sharpened her administrative skills preparing her for Asbury Chapel. Stacey and Jeff have three adult sons.

“God has planted in me a love for people and a desire to know Him through His Word. I want everyone to know the same joy I have found through Christ alone.”

-Stacey Terry

Heather Allen

Family Coordinator

As Family Coordinator at Asbury Chapel, Heather Allen infuses the joy she knows in her heart with the Church’s children through Asbury Kids as well as church gatherings, service opportunities and small group times. The spiritual development of Asbury families is of primary importance to Heather as we walk alongside one another to build enduring relationships with our Lord and Savior. While growing up Methodist and having lived in Hall County all her life, she has developed a vested interest in the community and its people, especially children and families. Heather credits her mama with shepherding her Christian formation and always demonstrating for her a deep, abiding love of Christ. As a teacher at Wauka Mountain Elementary, she spends her days serving children and their families as they learn and grow.

“Being a part of Asbury Chapel is the continuation of a wonderful journey of faith for me. I have worked in both children’s and youth ministry over the years, and Asbury has now become such a gift to my heart.”

– Heather Allen

Dana Blackwood

Worship Leader

A native of Atlanta suburbs, Dana has served in full-time Christian ministry for 35 years and joined Asbury Chapel in October 2023. He served at the Church of The Apostles in Atlanta for over 21 years and while there held many roles, the last being the Associate Rector for Music. Dana now is a professional contractor in Northeast Georgia building custom homes. Though his full-time occupation has changed, Dana’s heart is driven by the desire to be a channel that Christ uses to lead others to worship our matchless Savior, Jesus. Dana and his wife, Dawn, live in Habersham County.

“For me, becoming part of Asbury Chapel is a God thing. I quickly connected with the vision and mission of the church. I want to make a difference if I can and share what I have gained in knowledge and experience. I know my life will be enriched by the relationships I make and the journey we will share together.”

– Dana Blackwood

Our Leadership

It is the people that the Holy Spirit has used to make Asbury Chapel a wonderful, joyful place of worship, and the group pictured below is no exception. These are our leaders. They are often referred to as our ‘Executive Committee’. They have prayed, discerned, labored, and loved this church into existence in accordance with God’s will. They meet and talk regularly, pouring over what it means to be faithful to God in all we do.

This team consists of Dick Williamson (chairman), Charles Hudgins (vice-chair), Becky Martin (staff-parish relations), Barclay Rushton (treasurer), Amy Philips (member-at-large), Greg Syfan (Finance), Chris Parks (member-at-large), and Wesley Martin (stewardship). It is an honor to work with these folks and they exhibit servant leadership that inspires me each day. We are blessed by this group.