Americans dying for Christians to reach out to them

While many unchurched people would be happy to attend church if asked, a scant 2% of worshippers actually invite anyone to church in a given year! Since people won't even INVITE others to church, then it is even less likely that people are fulfilling the great commission and teaching unchurched friends, co-workers, and loved ones about matters of faith and salvation.  There can be no doubt that this trend MUST be stopped.

In order to stop the trend, it must be examined.  There are many reasons people don't invite others to church.  Perhaps they are worried what people might think of the service, the pastor, the building, other members, etc.  Maybe they are shy, but have you ever ate at a restaurant that provided great food and service for a reasonable (or even slightly unreasonable) price?  Some just get busy and don't have time.  Our goal is not to just fill up pews, but to reach a lost and dying world.  With the moral decay in this country, and in the world, we are running the risk of allowing our world to deteriorate into a world that is worse off for future generations for the first time since the fall of Rome.  More importantly, we constantly miss opportunities to reach the lost every day, and condemn them to eternal punishment.  There must be ways to get people to invite friends and family to church and get them talking about matters of life and death.

Fortunately, there are tools out there to help churches reach out to the unchurched.  We have all done the traditional outreaches such as VBS, camp, Easter egg hunts (Jesus is alive! Hide the eggs!) and the like, but are there opportunities we are missing?

One such tool is often looked at as a handy thing to have, and many churches have it, but is rarely if ever, used to it's fullest potential as an outreach.  About every three years, a church should seriously consider a pictorial directory.  How can a directory be an outreach?  Easy!  From the very beginning of the process of having a directory made, this can be used as an outreach.  First of all, you reach out to those who used to attend, but haven't in a while.  Maybe they just got out of the habit, maybe they left over an offence, or maybe they just found a church that they liked better.  Whatever the reason, when the invitation committee calls to schedule their appointment with the photographer, they can ask probing (but inoffensive) questions, take notes and report to the pastor, and then invite them not only to have their picture taken for the directory, but also invite them back to church.  Then, the pastor can compile all the notes and make his visiting schedule accordingly.  During the day(s) the photographer is scheduled to take the pictures, the pastor, especially if he is new to that church, can be there and warmly greet each person as they arrive and spend five minutes or so with each family.  Finally, after the directories are printed and delivered, they can be used to show friends and family what the church looks like, who attends, and what kinds of activities are available.  Clearly, this tool is not used to its fullest potential in most churches, even those churches who make new ones every three or four years.

There are many benefits to using a directory as an outreach tool.  It gives the church a sense of togetherness by each person seeing themselves in the context of other members.  It helps mend fences and can be used to welcome a long lost brother or sister back into the fold.  Lastly, and most importantly, it reminds members that they hold the key to happiness in a lost and dying world and gives them an easy, non-threatening way to invite unsaved loved ones, friends, and acquaintances.  When used, this can be one of the most effective tools for church growth.