Aug. 2 Broadcast to Inspire Thousands to Join Movement
VISTA, Calif., July 26, 2011 /
Christian Newswire/ -- What does it take to get communities back into church? Hundreds of congregations around the country will find out when they participate in a free online webinar Aug. 2. The broadcast will cast the vision for National Back To Church Sunday (NBTCS), set for Sept. 18, and equip churches to join in the largest community outreach in the nation.
The webinar, sponsored by LifeWay Research and Outreach, Inc., will instruct churches on how to build excitement for the event, engage their communities and partner with other churches for a greater impact. The webinar features Philip Nation, LifeWay's director of ministry development and equipping/teaching pastor at The Fellowship at Two Rivers in Nashville, Tenn.
"We want to give church leaders and members a vision for what is possible through National Back To Church Sunday," Nation said. "We hope many will choose to launch citywide initiatives as well, and we'll give some practical advice about how to do that."
More than 1.4 million invitations went out for the 2010 NBTCS campaign. During the webinar, Nation will share practical tips about making NBTCS a success, and how to keep the momentum going for the growth of the church.
More than 5,200 congregations have joined in the 2011 NBTCS event to date, and 10,000 churches are expected to take part this year. In addition, more than 100 citywide coordinators are facilitating cooperation among churches and denominations for greater impact on communities. A citywide coordinator guide and a NBTCS specialist are available to give direction and support to these leaders at
backtochurch.com/participate/city_groups.
This year, a new, online assessment tool is available to aid churches in developing their individual strategies. Churches may take the questionnaire
outr.ch/assessment and download free resources that specifically fit their needs. Outreach also offers a church kit that includes a campaign planning guide, sermons ideas, graphics and widgets for church websites or social media, promotional materials and much more at
backtochurch.com/store.
National Back To Church Sunday was launched three years ago in response to a survey of 15,000 adults in the United States. Results showed a personal invitation from a family member would prompt 67 percent of Americans to visit a church, and 63 percent said an invitation from a friend or neighbor would cause them to attend a service.
Since its inception, National Back To Church Sunday participants have invited more than 2.6 million family members, friends and neighbors to their churches. Last year, 3,800 churches signed up and reported an average 26 percent increase in attendance.
"Through studies at LifeWay Research, we've learned that the more personal an invitation, the more effective it becomes," Nation said. "The National BTCS on Sept. 18 is a prime opportunity for church members to reach out with the simplest and most effective tool they have for touching their communities with the gospel -- a personal invitation."
Outreach, Inc. (www.outreach.com) is the largest provider of outreach products and services in North America, including "Outreach" magazine, a leading publication for church leaders worldwide. The company was launched in 1996 with the mission of empowering Christian churches to reach their communities for Jesus Christ. Outreach, Inc., endeavors to create a network of churches and ministries working together to invite and connect every person in America to a Bible-believing church, and ultimately, into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
About LifeWay:
In operation since 1891, LifeWay Christian Resources (www.lifeway.com) is one of the largest Christian resource organizations in the world. LifeWay Research exists for the purpose of equipping church leaders with insight that will lead to greater levels of ministry effectiveness through research-based books and reports based on statistically validated surveys. LifeWay Research is one of the most trusted sources of information about the church, culture, and faith.
