Mission 98 in action: resources, stories, tips
We’ve all heard the phrase, “love your neighbor.” But what does that actually look like today? This ancient phrase comes from a famous story in the Bible: A man, beaten and left for dead, is ignored by people who just walk by—until one person stops. He bandages the wounds, takes the man to safety, and pays for his care. From this parable we can see 3 simple ways to love your neighbor in everyday life:
Patty has lived in her community for eight years. Admittedly, Patty doesn’t know many of her neighbors. However, Patty wants to know her neighbors because the thing is, Patty has felt a prompting that she hasn’t been able to ignore. Start a Bible study for women. Start it in the clubhouse right where you live.
Hosting well-thought-out events in apartment communities is a powerful starting point to engage residents, but events are just the first step toward deeper connection. In apartment ministry, the goal isn’t hosting well-attended gatherings for residents. Instead, the goal is to see relationships grow and lives transformed through Christ. Hosting events that give people a reason to come out of their apartments, engage, and start to build community is a form of hospitality which can lead to meaningful connection.
When considering serving a local apartment community, one person you need to spend time and effort building a relationship with is the property manager. If you don’t live onsite at an apartment community, and you aren’t connected to a resident who lives onsite, the most effective plan is to approach the property manager carefully in advance and obtain their approval. Property managers may be skeptical or even against any kind of ministry activity happening in the apartment community, and if that is the case, it is a closed door for the time being. However, property managers often change their minds over time, especially if you are proposing a real way you can care for the community.
Community isn’t something that happens accidently. Community grows when intentional space is made to gather and connect. We know this, and yet, often times, it’s tough to think of ways to connect with apartment residents. Here is a list of event ideas that actually bring residents out of their apartments and into new relationships with each other.
If you are looking for a space to join other likeminded individuals who are interested in starting (or enhancing!) a local apartment ministry, you’ve come to the right place. This month we are kicking off the Apartment Ministry Accelerator Cohort. Here are the details: Goal of the Apartment Ministry Accelerator Cohort: Prepare participants to confidently start and sustain a local apartment ministry by providing practical tools, faith-centered strategies, and relational approaches for building meaningful community among neighbors. Who is Apartment Ministry Accelerator for? Anyone interested in starting a local apartment ministry or enhancing an already established apartment ministry
Timeline: Participants attend three sessions virtually. Sessions begin on Thursday, January 29th and participants may choose from an afternoon (noon to 1:30PM) or evening session (6PM-7:30PM). Follow up sessions are Thursday, February 12th and Thursday, February 19th. Registration is required. Participants can register via the Mission 98 events page.
Why do I support Mission 98? Their mission resonates with me, it’s simple. It’s not simple in the “easy” kind of way, but it’s simple in an anyone can do this kind of way. When I first heard about Mission 98 and apartment ministry, I thought, these people are on to something. Through the Community Growth Foundation, Mission 98 gets three things:
A church providing twenty-eight uncooked Thanksgiving meals to families in a small but full apartment community that often goes overlooked. A staff member at an apartment community remembering a local church’s offer to serve residents and asking for help for seven families in need of extra support and then the church IMMEDIATELY making that support happen. Thirty-nine turkeys bought by donors who will never meet the apartment residents they are giving to, but decide to give anyway. Thirty-nine turkeys bought by donors who will never meet the apartment residents they are giving to, but decide to give anyway
A pumpkin patch is an unusual sight in Las Vegas, but there it was, the entrance in front of the leasing office lined with pumpkins intentionally scattered so residents could walk around the patch and pick a favorite. The pumpkin patch wasn’t just spread out to help it feel like a real pumpkin patch, it had other intentions: promote lingering, encourage conversation, lay the groundwork for getting to know neighbors.
When you realize that everyone else is new or just looking for connection too, it’s easier to let your guard down, to welcome others into your life, and to be the light that God calls us to be. My husband and I have since moved into a single-family home but try to take what we experienced in our apartment living and apply it to our neighborhood life as much as we can. The world is so divided, and our differences are being thrown back into our faces as though they are things we should fear. There is no better time than now to live out this commandment for the world to see. We are not called to divide and exclude. We are simply called to welcome, include, and love, and the perfect way to start is with our neighbors.
On Saturday, November 1st, 2025, we are joining together with our friends at CityLife to rally people across the United States to pray over apartment communities. We want to saturate apartments across the U.S. with prayer.
As we walk through apartment courtyards, sidewalks, and parking lots, we will be praying for the residents who call apartments home. We will do this by praying for their physical needs, emotional peace, openness to God, and a sense of belonging.
Today we are working with partners in 16 states! This means we are providing both in-person and virtual customized training to churches, parachurches, and individuals, access to regional resident impact directors, ongoing support, monthly webinars, and an online community of people who share stories, ask questions, and learn about apartment ministry together. All of this is 100% free and made possible through a growing number of churches, organizations, and people like you.
