Creating a Culture of Awareness to Reach Ouside the Church Walls
by Wesley S.K. Daniel

1. Cultivate awareness in your church about outreach beyond the walls of your local church. Teach members that it is God's will for churches to grow. Cultivate a vision that there are thousands of people in our neighborhoods who long to be reconciled with the love of Jesus Christ.
2. Create an atmosphere of prayer. Invite individuals who have the gift of intercessory prayer to pray for the non-churched by name.
3. Identify non-churched friends, co-workers, and family by name, age, needs, interests, and concerns. Group them by common age, needs, interest, and concerns.
4. Develop new and effective ministries for each group. For example, initiate short-term classes and small groups that address current trends and issues in our society and world.
5. Undertake a direct-mail campaign. Use direct mail as a nonthreatening evangelistic tool to invite the non-churched to special activities and to create a positive image of your church in the community.
6. Work with your outreach team to develop and design a comprehensive plan for the assimilation of non-churched people. New people must be spiritually fed and nurtured in their faith journey, and the church must intentionally facilitate these opportunities for growth and vitality.

Many active members do not feel comfortable inviting others to church or sharing their beliefs. The above steps are ways that members can feel confident about inviting others. The invitation is based on issues that are immediately relevant to their non-churched friends. As members gain confidence in sharing their faith, they will become more effective in fulfilling the primary mission of the church; which is to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

Wesley S. K. Daniel, former staff of the General Board of Discipleship, is now serving as a superintendent in the Des Moines District of the Iowa Annual Conference.

Posted 7-2-03.