Reaching the Unchurched

Notes from: Surprising Insights: From the Unchurched and Proven Ways to Reach Them by Thom S. Ranier

First impressions make a difference

• Adequate parking
• Clean modern facilities
• High-quality preschool / nursery
• Variety of quality programs
• Relevant and quality music
• Friendly - outgoing greeters / congregation
• Good signage
• Comfortable - pews, temperature, sound level
• Attention-holding preaching

 Requires personal evangelism

• Members must be willing to talk about their faith
• Provide resources for family evangelism

Preaching to the Unchurched

• Biblically based
  • Utilize meaty teaching and preaching
  • Verse-by-verse expository preaching
  • Teaches the Bible in original context
• Incorporate doctrine
• Incorporate life application
• Must change life of listener

Key Issues for retaining members and increasing return visits of guests

1. Doctrine
   • Unambiguous in beliefs
   • Clear teaching of beliefs
   • Understanding of major doctrines critical to health of the church
2. High Expectations
   • Membership expectations communicated to members
3. Entry Point Class
4. Small Groups and Sunday School
   • Helps build relationships
5. Clarity of Purpose
6. Ministry Involvement
   • “Glue” that holds people to church

“The church that seeks to be a church of excellence in all things will see God’s blessings.”

Learning from Big ‘Mo’

Unleash 2007 - Perry Noble

Myth — It’s all about style

• Style doesn’t dictate church growth
• If a church is growing  - it’s not by accident — it’s leadership — God’s leadership
• Thriving church doesn’t happen by accident –Godly leadership is in place

Leadership Lesson from Big Mo (Moses)

1. Listen and Obey
   • Leadership is as easy as listening to God
   • Time with God is essential
   • Can’t have vision for church if not consistently spending time with God
   • God never gave vision to a committee
   • Most churches structured for failure
     • Pastor has to work thru committee and do what committee says when pastor is one with training — let pastor lead
     • Obey leader - get on board with their vision
     • Fight over dumbest things and hamstring pastor
     • God gave vision to a person who surrounded himself with a team — it never came to a committee
     • Leadership is as easy as listening to God
       • Pastors must listen to God
       • Members must trust that pastor is listening to God
     • If Stop seeking face of God, church will shut down
2. Do not compromise the vision of God
   • Powerful people in church will try to alter vision
   • Everyone will not be pleased - don’t alter vision to please them
3. Moses didn’t try to do it all
   • Don’t believe pastor is only one who can do everything
   • Pastor trains and equips people to do ministry — and they do it
   • Members need to own vision
4. Attempt the impossible
   • There is no safe vision
   • Stop using size as an excuse — NewSpring started with 15 people
   • Stop using facilities as an excuse
   • Stop using money as an excuse — if it’s God’s will, it’s God’s bill — he’s not limited by money
   • God is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine (Deut. 6:10-12)

 Lord, may we dream big and may we have a heart for your church.