|
Consultant Pat Keifert reveals some amazing study results. "Every year for more than a decade my research associates and I have run a very simple test in thirteen different congregations around the country. We send in twelve visitors who are not known to each particular congregation. We ask the congregations to identify the visitors) that is, to tell who their visitors were. We have found that in no instance since we started this exercise has any congregation been able to identify more than six of the twelve." 1
This is even more amazing when you consider that every church will tell you that their number one strength is that they are warm and friendly. However, the data suggests that about 50 percent of their visitors get ignored. Now we all know that it's not intentional, but the vast majority of congregations are not trained and prepared to reach out to their guests.
A minister, who is an avid student of outreach and one who has worked with his congregation in this area, sent to me a recent email he received from a guest.
"I visited your church and went to class. Everyone seemed to enjoy each other and were very friendly toward one another. I stayed around after class and no one spoke to me. I mean, no one even said hello. Your church seems very close, but I came looking for a friend because I am so lonely. I guess church is not the place to find someone to talk to. I'll just stay home and watch the TV evangelists. I might as well, for all the good it does to go to church. I hope the next person who comes to your church looking for a friend will be treated better. So long."
That story should break the heart of anyone with the mind of Christ. Jesus sacrificed his life that none should parish. He came to seek and save the lost. And churches are not prepared to respond when God sends his lost sheep right into their midst.
The most receptive people to the Gospel are folks who are visiting our Sunday morning assemblies. And the number of unchurched visitors appears to be on the rise. As stated m the editorial, here is a major discovery -- people are not coming out of curiosity, they are coming because they have hurts and life struggles, and they need help. This means that they are receptive if we show the love of God by meeting their felt need. The seeker in the above story revealed a deep felt need, "I came looking for a friend because I am so lonely."
The average Church of Christ is only reaching about 10 - 15 percent of their visitors. With training and commitment a church can easily reach 30 percent or more of its guests. Some of the new members will be transfers, but a good number will be new births in Christ.
Almost every congregation says that the main area of ministry they want improved is evangelism. If that is true at your church, get more information about the Sharing Ministry.
FOOTNOTES:
1 Pat Keifert, "The Welcoming Congregation," Net Results , May, 1996, 15.
| 