This post originally appeared on TIM’S BLOG and we thought it was so wonderful that we wanted to share it too!
Craig Groeschel says,
“to reach people no one else is reaching, we must do things no one else is doing!”
In our communities, where the number of people who aren’t connected to a church is growing rapidly, we need to be willing to do things differently.
In his book, Zombies, Football and The Gospel, Reggie Joiner contends that 25% of people around you attend worship which means, 75% percent of your community are not only not attending worship, it’s not even on their radar! It doesn’t even cross their minds on Sundays! In many ways, we are losing the “Sunday is for church war” in our culture. For 3 out of 4 people around us in our communities, Sundays are for football, family and fun.
How will the church connect with people in our community who will never step foot inside the building?
I’m not saying we need to quit what we’re doing exactly, Sunday mornings are working for 25% of people and that’s a bunch! But we need to figure out some ways to engage people in the community who would never think to step foot in church.
The church must go to them.
What if we – the church leaders and the church people – could plan an event or other way to allow people to connect with the gospel message, the hospitality of the church and the benefit of focusing on eternal things. It wouldn’t have to be on Sunday mornings and if it was, it may not need to be at the church.
What if we began soccer church – a optional chapel service at the park at 8:15 am on Sundays during the summer. What if the church provided a community family event? What if there was a way to help people experience the church without them having to come to us? Meet with your team of leaders and talk through this question: How can we reach those in our region who aren’t connected to any church?
Is there something we need to do that no one is doing?
Tim Price is the Director of Harvest Ministry Teams, a non-for-profit equipping ministry for young leaders. Based in Troy, IL, Harvest is involved in worship ministry events and training events for students and leaders all over the Midwest. He also serves on staff part-time at Troy United Methodist Church. Tim writes at TIMPRICEBLOG.COM sharing ideas, clarity and insights to help others confidently lead the church they serve. @HMTRESOURCES.