A Heart of Service
Spirit-Led Servant is one of our Core CHRISTlike characteristics, and we wholeheartedly believe it is something we should focus on.
God has given each of us unique gifts and talents so that we can serve the church and our communities. These opportunities arise every single day. As we learn to Live Surrendered to God and what he wants for us, becoming a Spirit-Led Servant will turn into a lifestyle.
Projects
Projects are annual, all-church events, that are excellent “first serve” opportunities and give Open Door Disciples the opportunity to see what it would be like to do ministry as a lifestyle. Each of the “Serve” events ministers to our campus communities. Through these projects, we live out what it means to be a spirit-led servant who relates with others-centered love to our community.
Serve Our City
Serve Our City is an annual county-wide initiative that was started by Open Door over ten years ago in Elyria. Each year, all four campuses participate in this effort on the third Saturday of May to serve each of our local cities alongside government departments, local ministries, and others in the community.
Serve Our Schools
During Serve Our Schools, which started as an event called the Family Fair, Open Door provided free backpacks and school supplies to children of families from the county as they prepared to go back to school in the fall. As this project has changed over time, we now focus on specifically serving the many foster families and vulnerable children that live near our campuses.
Christmas Serve
During the advent season, we believe that this is a wonderful time to be generous and demonstrate the love of Christ to our communities. Each of our campuses partners with a ministry in their community to serve them during the Christmas season.
Programs
Through programs, our church to regularly reaches out through service and evangelism to our communities. Programs are championed by a specific campus but are work with servants from any campus.
Generation House
Generation House is a home in Elyria, Ohio that leads families out of homelessness while modeling Christ. It is a Christ-Centered Home for families in transition.
WeCare Elyria
WeCare, established in partnership with the City of Elyria, the Elyria Campus, and other local churches in March of 2020 provides food and life’s essentials for Elyria’s Seniors and individuals with disabilities in Lorain County, Ohio. Twice a month, we deliver non-perishable food to them.
Awana
Awana, a ministry of our Lorain Campus, equips local volunteers to give children, K-6th Grade, the opportunity to know, love, and serve Jesus and begin the adventure of becoming more like Christ, no matter their background.
Silver Maple Recovery
Silver Maple Recovery is a drug and addiction recovery center for men. Pastor Jason Russ leads a Bible study here with these men and there are opportunities to serve and love on these men as they are going through the process of recovery.
Autumn Aegis
Autumn aegis offers post-hospital, post-surgical and restorative care to patients seeking high-quality medical rehabilitation and is an award-winning retirement community.
Partners
Our partner organizations help us to strategically support ministry that is happening in our communities and in our region. As we link arms with them, we can facilitate the work of God beyond the reach of Lorain County. Each partner is matched to a campus which champions the ministry connection.
The Garden Christian Academy
The Garden Christian Academy nurtures the minds and hearts of students of diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds by providing a classical and Christ-centered education that is affordable for all. Located in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood, The Garden Christian Academy partners with families to grow their children with an education that prepares them for the most good—intellectually, emotionally, physically, socially, and spiritually.
Cornerstone Pregnancy Services
Cornerstone Pregnancy Services cares for women and their children with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ. They value life and believe every person has purpose and worth.
Good Knights
Good Knights empowers families with children by delivering beds and other essential items to powerfully supplement the family’s resources as they rise out of poverty and into self-sufficiency.
Building Hope in the City
Building Hope in the City is a Christian mission organization focused on the renewal of urban Cleveland. It uniquely links local congregations and volunteers with the many people it serves to foster relationships and spur personal and community transformation.