Ways to Reach Out

Which of the following is your church doing well? Which should it consider pursuing?

1. Create an awareness of and a passionate concern for the unchurched/nonbeliever.
   • Lifted up in sermons
   • People are rewarded for bringing new people
   • Friendship candles on altar (One candle is lit for each guest attending the previous week; one is intentionally left unlit to remind the congregation of those still unchurched.)
   • Agenda of all groups (e.g. empty chairs, item on meeting agendas)
2. Intentionally pray for the unchurched/non-believer.
   • On prayer lists
   • People are challenged to pray for the unchurched/non-believers they know
   • People pray for the lost as they walk among them (e.g. neighborhood prayer walks)
   • Invite the lost to share prayer concerns
3. Develop, maintain, and cultivate prospect lists. Sources for such lists include:
   • Guests
   • Fishing pools (ministries that attract outsiders, such as vacation Bible school)
   • Referrals (including those from companies providing newcomer lists)
   • Telemarketing
4. Intentionally seek the unchurched/non-believers and build relationships with them.
5. Dedicate your talents, gifts, and passions to serving and reaching the unchurched/non-believers.
6. Target a specific group and develop ministries to reach them.
7. Focus on providing servant evangelism--acts of unconditional love--for the community.
8. Regularly hold special events especially designed to reach the unchurched/non-believer. For example:
   • Bring-a-friend worship services
   • Once-a-month worship services featuring daycare children’s choir
9. Regularly utilize marketing tools to extend invitations to the unchurched/non-believers. Such as:
   • Media (e.g. TV, radio, print, billboards)
   • Telemarketing (such as to new residents)
   • Direct mailings (mailings to a specific target group, such as the prospect list)
   • Mass mailings (mailings to every household in a particular geographic area)

SOME HELPFUL EVANGELISM RESOURCES

ALPHA Course: A ten-week course designed to introduce non-believers and seekers to Christian and to a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Course materials can be borrowed from the North Indiana Conference Media Library. Call Bonnie at 800.783.5138. Materials can be purchased through Christian Book Distributors (CBD). Call 800.247.4784. Or visit www.alphana.org for more information.

Becoming a Contagious Christian: A course designed to equip believers for effective evangelism in today’s world. It can be done in four two hour sessions or eight 50-minutes sessions. It’s available through Zondervan. Call 800.727.3480 or visit www.zondervanchurchsource.com. Or contact Willow Creek at 800.570.9812 or www.willowcreek.com.

Igniting Ministries Campaign: A television and welcoming ministry of the United Methodist Church denomination, providing TV spots three times a year, hospitality resources, marketing resources and grants, visitor follow-up programs, etc. Visit www.ignitingministry.org.

Starting a New Worship Service or Congregation? A very helpful resource for churches launching a new worship service to reach the unchurched is the book entitled, How to Start a New Service, by Charles Arn. There are also helpful resources on the conference website and through Ed Fenstermacher at the Conference Service Center. Call 800.783.5138 or e-mail to ed@nicumc.org. Ed can also assist a church that would like to help start a new congregation.