People Spots
Online
Produced by James W.
Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants
Provided as a service by New Life Ministries
Understanding Outreach Today
by James W. Moss, Sr.
Times have changed. Things are different now. Is that a surprise? Happy Hollow Church has been slipping over several years. Concern is growing. There hasn’t been any conflict. No one is fighting. The numbers are just decreasing in a progressive fashion. The few new arrivals just aren’t enough to replace the ones who are missing. Rev. Mary Shrimpton is puzzled. What is happening?
The case at Happy Hollow is classic. It is being repeated in thousands of churches today. First there is little awareness of normal attrition. Basically, the average church will lose 10-15% of their worshipping congregation every single year. For a church averaging 50 that is 5-8 people. For a church averaging 100 that is 10-15 people. These are the normal loses that come to a church apart from conflict. It is relentless year after year. That is more people than will walk through the door without a very intentional strategy of outreach.
Let me give some definitions: outreach is the things a church does to walk people through the door once; evangelism is the things a church does to introduce a person to Jesus.
The council at Happy Hollow Church is asked, “What percentage of your money is spent designed to specifically bring new people to the church?” After looking over several reports they came to the conclusion nothing had been spent specifically designed to bring new people to the church.
There program efforts had been studied. Nothing had really been done specifically designed to walk new people through the door. Pastor Shrimpton was quizzed to examine her work schedule. She had done very little in her efforts to reach new people. She had worked hard but her energy had been spent taking care of the existing church.
Why should the pastor and people at Happy Hollow be surprised that normal attrition is gnawing away at the congregation? It sounds like they have been getting what they have worked for.
The challenge: reaching new people
The real surprise is the volume of work required to get new people to walk through the door. I believe it requires more effort to get a new first time visitor than ever before.
Of course the best method of getting new people to arrive is for the people of the church to invite their family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. But people won’t invite others unless they are comfortable with what is happening in their church. Help your people by designating a Sunday every two or three months as the day to invite your friends. Invitations work best when they are specific. Please come to church on November 7.
Strategy: mulitply the number of "touches"
Outreach won't happen by chance. You need a strategy, and a strategy is simply a plan for outreach.
Greenvillage Church of God designed a strategy of inviting the 400 homes closest to the church once a month for a year. That is 4,800 touches. I would be ecstatic to get 5 new families off of that effort.
Imagine if your church develops a prospect list of 200 families. These are persons who aren’t going to church anywhere. They are persons your church is cultivating. You make a once a month contact for a year. That is 2,400 touches.
Invite the people in the 400 homes closest to your church for a block party. The church would provide the meat and drink. Have them bring a covered dish. That is 400 touches.
Mail a large card to the 3,000 homes closest to the church twice a year. That is 6,000 touches. On top of that throw in newspaper articles and ads. Also look for some radio spots. Outreach efforts need to be date specific. Please do not do generic invitations. What are they? They say, “Come to our church sometime.” They don’t work. Have every invitation be to a specific date. For instance, invite people to come to church on November 7 or some other very specific date.
The goal of outreach is to walk new people through the door of your church. No responsible outreach program ever guarantees the people will stay. Whether they stay will depend upon whether what they find is what they were expecting and whether the church has presented a welcoming atmosphere. I hope you are getting the impression that outreach today involves a lot of different touches. Expectations have to be reasonable. You are looking for 5-10 new families a year.
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Also see:
 |
A Plan for Outreach - People Spots Vol 8, Issue 1 |
|
Normal Attrition - People Spots Vol 7, Issue 16 |
|
Starting a New Service - People Spots Vol 7, Issue 18 |
|
The River: Advertising Campaign by Ronald W. Waters |
|
Walking People through the Door - People Spots Vol 5, Issue 2 |
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Read about Jim's seminars and books.
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October 28, 2004. Volume 7, Issue
19.
People Spots Online
is prepared by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants. It is provided as a service by New Life
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