Who We Are

About

Traditional outreach in Christian culture is based on reaching out to people and attempting to get them to attend church or a special event. This is commonly known as the “Come and See” model.

While such methods have historically had a certain amount of effectiveness, the Grand Rapids Dream Center combines effective traditional means with nontraditional means for a radically different dynamic in “reaching” people. The Bible says in Mark 16:15 and Matthew 28:19, “Go ‘INTO’ all the world and share the Gospel making disciples of ALL nations.” This is known as the “Go and Tell” model. Our method is not focused on taking people out of their local environment to go to a different location but rather is based on literally meeting people where they are.

Oftentimes, when the phrase “Meeting people where they are” is mentioned, in church culture it can mean that we accept you. Come to us or our church just as you are. This is good, true, and needs to happen and we believe in this. But it is half true from the Dream Center perspective, because we aren’t only lovingly accepting you in life where you are or how you are living, but we are literally, physically, and geographically coming to your neighborhood to meet you where you are, where you live, and where you hang out. The result? A powerful level of comfort that enables the Dream Center to build relationships that wouldn’t happen if we were trying to make personal connections with individuals who were in a foreign environment.

Our GRDC Structure is centered around a framework we refer to as A.C.T.S. which represents Assistance, Community, Teaching, and Service.

Assistance

Meeting needs, starting relationships.

  • Food Assistance
  • Bed Deliveries

Community

Growing relationship, doing life together.

  • Adopt-a-block community night impacts
  • Events
  • Reflections Community Home Impact

Teaching

Transformative relationship, learning together.

  • Powerhouse Sidewalk Sunday School
  • Bible Studies
  • World Changers
  • Next Generation World Changers
  • Ministry Training and Equipping

Serving

Impactful relationships, giving back together.

  • Serve Events & Projects
  • Community Clean Ups
  • Weekly serving

We accomplish this from these key components; knowing people, empowering them, and having weekly consistency.

  • First, our heart first is to get to know individuals, families, and the community. Through this process, we are able to know and understand an individual, family, and/or neighborhood.
  • Second, by getting to know people we are able to understand how we can serve, transform, and empower by being and sharing the Gospel to individuals, families, and community to truly make a difference. When people realize that the Dream Center may be able to empower them in ways that they really need, doors of opportunity are opened to further the relationship that would otherwise not be possible.
  • Third, is consistency. By making a commitment that we will be in the neighborhood on a weekly basis, trust is developed as people see that the Dream Center is faithful in building long-term relationships and doing what we say we are going to do.


It is through these three components that people are witnessing the love of Christ in action!

We also want to recognize that there are many powerful ministries and churches in Grand Rapids that are doing a great job of reaching people and it is our desire to work with these organizations, as well as with individual volunteers, hand in hand with as much collaboration and partnership as possible to fulfill the shared mission of the Gospel!