When most people picture church outreach, they imagine polished projects, smiling volunteers, and heartwarming stories. While those moments certainly exist, Pastor Dino Rizzo reminds leaders that true outreach is rarely neat—it's often messy, unpredictable, and full of surprises. And yet, it is in that very mess where the beauty of God's love shines brightest.
Outreach Isn't Always Clean
As the Executive Pastor at Church of the Highlands and co-founder of ARC (Association of Related Churches), Dino Rizzo has seen countless outreach efforts unfold across communities. Some are planned and organized, while others happen on the fly. He recalls a time when his team unexpectedly received a truckload of leopard-print pajamas. At first, no one knew what to do with them. But instead of discarding them, the church set up tables in a neighborhood and gave them away.
"They were gone in ten minutes," Rizzo explained. Later, a man approached him and said, "You gave my wife those pajamas. I needed that." What seemed odd or insignificant became a profound act of care.
This story highlights a truth that Dino Rizzo often teaches: outreach doesn't have to be perfect to be powerful.
Simple Gestures, Eternal Impact
Not every outreach effort requires big budgets or flawless execution. Sometimes it's the simple things—like giving away sandwiches outside LSU's campus bars late at night, or handing someone a grape snow cone on a hot summer day—that open doors for the gospel.
For Dino Rizzo, those "small but messy" acts of kindness carry eternal weight. In fact, his own journey to faith began through such a moment. A stranger noticed him, offered a snow cone, and shared the love of Christ. Two weeks later, Rizzo gave his life to Jesus.
Beauty in the Brokenness
Why does outreach often feel messy? Because life is messy. When churches step outside their walls, they encounter real people—struggling families, single parents, people battling addiction or financial hardship. These aren't problems with easy solutions, but they are opportunities to embody the compassion of Christ.
Dino Rizzo reminds churches that the mess is where ministry truly happens. "You see a need, you meet a need," he says. Whether that's through pajamas, food, or even disaster relief efforts, God uses ordinary gestures to communicate extraordinary love.
Embracing the Beautiful Mess
The beauty of outreach is not in its polish, but in its authenticity. Every imperfect project is an invitation for the church to demonstrate that God cares—not in theory, but in action. Dino Rizzo's stories reveal that what matters most isn't how tidy an outreach looks, but how deeply it touches lives.
For pastors and leaders, the encouragement is simple: don't wait until you have the perfect plan. Step out, notice the needs around you, and be willing to embrace the mess. Because in those unpolished moments, God does His most beautiful work.
About Dino Rizzo
Dino Rizzo, a 35-year ministry veteran, co-founded Healing Place Church with his wife, DeLynn, where he served as senior pastor for two decades. Through his passion for inspiring believers to serve their communities, Dino Rizzo founded Servolution and authored "Serve Your City." Rizzo serves as the President of ARC (Association of Related Churches), which has planted more than 1100 churches worldwide, and is on the Senior Leadership Team at Church of the Highlands.
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