CitySERVE - by Dave Donaldson & Wendell Vinson

Your guide to being a church that meets community needs

"I believe the vision, models and expertise shared in CityServe will spark a fire inside to see the miracle God can do in your own neighborhood."

Tommy Barnett

Pastor and Founder, The Dream Center

Your community needs you.

Get Inspired

Discover new ways to meet needs through inspirational stories of churches of all sizes reaching out and transforming their communities.

Get Equipped

Receive advice from forty leading experts in compassion ministries on everything from starting a community non-profit to acquiring funds from many sources.

Get Started

Begin building compassion models that are scalable for any church and community.

What People Are Saying

“I buy a book hoping for one good idea; CityServe has a hundred.”

Rick Bezet

Founder & Lead Pastor, New Life Church, AR; co-founder, ARC

“CityServe is an effective road map to bring together businesses, churches, and government to offer proven solutions to the systemic problems in our communities.”

Charlie O’Reilly

former chairman of the board, president, and CEO, O’Reilly Auto Parts

“Performing the Great Commission with compassion becomes automatic with a lifetime commitment to move everyone, every day, closer to Jesus. CityServe is one of the best tools to inspire and equip you to do it.”

Barry Meguiar

president, Meguiar Inc.

“At Focus on the Family we know that the first line of defense for families is the local church. That’s why I’m so excited about CityServe. This book will be a tremendous resource for churches as they engage in the critical work of helping troubled marriages, equipping parents in the challenges they face, and embracing struggling families with the hope of Christ.”

Jim Daly

president, Focus on the Family

"CityServe comes at a perfect time when businesses are encouraging workplace compassion through volunteerism and giving. A top resource for any companies team!"

Anne Beiler

co-founder of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels

40 Experts Share their wisdom

About CITYSERVE

You want to make a lasting difference through compassion ministry; however, you’re busy with all of the other demands and its hard to know where to start; You want your church to be known for meeting needs but at times feel under-resourced and overwhelmed. CityServe was written for difference makers like you.

CityServe, written by forty leading experts in community-based and global compassion will inspire and equip you to

become a leader of influence in your community
adopt proven models for churches of any size
recruit and mobilize volunteers to serve
partner with government and local businesses
acquire funds and in-kind gifts

Read CityServe and find the guidance you need to impact your community in ways you’d never imagined.

Here's how it works

Meet the authors

Dave Donaldson is the former national director of Operation Blessing, co-founder of Convoy of Hope, and a board member for the Courage Award Foundation, a partner of the National Football League (NFL). A veteran of Washington, DC, he served on the National Council for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA), and now is co-founder and chairman for CityServe International.

Wendell Vinson is pastor of Canyon Hills Church in California, one of the leading multisite churches in the nation, pioneering fresh approaches to church revitalization and evangelism from the “neighborhood to the nations.” He is the architect of the CityServe model in Southern California and is co-founder of CityServe International.

Contributors

Tommy Barnett
Co-pastor of Dream City Church, founder of Los Angeles Dream Center

Jonathan Reckford
CEO, Habitat for Humanity

Jonas and Anne “Auntie Anne” Beiler
Professional counselor, co-founders of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels

Scott Wilson
The Oaks Church, TX; founder, The Oaks School of Leadership

Rick Bezet
Founder and lead pastor, New Life Church, AR; co-founder, ARC

See full list of contributors

Greg Burris

Executive director, Give 5; former city manager, Springfield, MO

Danita Bye

Leadership coach and author of Millennials Matter

Stanley Carlson-Thies

Founder and senior director, Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance; former policy director, White House Faith-Based and Community Initiative

Darren DeLaune
Senior executive pastor, New Life Church, AR

Bridget Dierks

Vice president of programs, Community Foundation of the Ozarks

Steve Donaldson

Founder and president, Rural Compassion; co-founder, Convoy of Hope

Joyce Dexter

Lake City Church, ID

Jim Franklin

Cornerstone Church, CA; CityServe Fresno; host, Franklin Live

Sharen Ford
Focus on the Family; Former manager, Department of Human Services, CO

Alton Garrison

Assistant superintendent, Assemblies of God; director, Church Transformation Initiative

Wayde Goodall

Founder, WorldWide Family; former dean, College of Ministry, Northwest University

Doug Green
North Hills Church, CA; former chairman, Vanguard University

Rich Guerra
Superintendent, Assemblies of God SoCal Network

Steve Haas
Chief catalyst, World Vision International

Rod Haro
Fowler Worship Centre, CA; CityServe Central Valley

Doug Heisel
New Life Church, CA

Bill High
Founder and CEO, The Signatry; former CEO, National Christian Foundation Heartland

Fitz Hill
Dream Center, AK; former president, Arkansas Baptist College; former football coach, San Jose
State University

Julie Horner
Senior director of publishing, My Healthy Church; adjunct faculty, Evangel University

John Hughes
Director, CityServe National Grant Center

John Johnson
Assistant superintendent, Assemblies of God SoCal Network

Tom Knox
Founder and CEO, CareFamily; former senior vice president, Christian Broadcasting Network

Mark Lehmann
Cornerstone Church, MD

Dan de León
Templo Calvario, CA

Lee de León
President, Templo Calvario CDC, CA

Barry Meguiar
Founder and president, Meguiar’s, Inc.; founder, Rival Outside the Walls

Ryan Odle
CityServe International

Marvin Olasky
Editor and chief, World Magazine; best-selling author, Tragedy of American Compassion

Jay Pathak
Mile High Vineyard, CO

Mike Quinn
New Break Church, CA; CityServe San Diego; Church Multiplication Network

Chuck Bengochea
Former CEO, HoneyBaked Ham and Family Christian Bookstores

Gene Roncone
Highpoint Church, CO; Highpoint Podcast Network

Dave Runyon
President, Unite Denver

Robert Showers, Esq.
Simms and Showers Law

Brian Steele
Executive director, Phoenix Dream Center

Cary Summers
President, Museum of the Bible; former executive for Herschend Family Entertainment and Bass
Pro Shops

Paul Thompson
Executive director, Carlsbad Consulting; Senior Adjunct, Center for Creative Leadership

Randy Valimont
Griffin Assembly of God, GA; president, Calcutta Mission of Mercy

Doug Wead
Historian, New York Times best-selling author, former White House special assistant to the President

Rich and Robyn Wilkerson
Trinity Church, FL; co-founders, Peacemakers