Vista, CA (PRWEB) August 11, 2010 – The church in the United States is in a general state of decline, with fewer than one in five Americans attending on a regular basis and almost 8 million – 150,000 per week – leaving churches each year. To help invite them back, Outreach Inc. is offering “reDiscover Church,” a 37-page booklet that can help church members reach out to family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.’
The “reDiscover Church” booklet, customizable for individual churches, discusses 10 reasons why people leave church, and why they come back. The booklet also helps equip members for national “Back to Church Sunday”. Sept. 12, a movement that seeks to reach people who once attended church and invites them to a special Sunday service.
“Tragically, people have left churches across America, but the good news is, many will return if somebody simply invites them,” said Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, who also is a pastor, author and columnist for “Outreach Magazine“. “This simple booklet is a powerful resource to bring them back.”
In 2008, the American Religious Identification Survey showed that 83 percent of American adults identify themselves as Christians. In contrast, another survey that same year by the Barna Group indicated only about 20 percent of Americans attends church on any given Sunday.
A study by LifeWay Research and the North American Mission Board of 15,000 adults found that 67 percent of Americans say a personal invitation from a family member would be effective in getting them to visit a church. A personal invitation from a friend or neighbor would effectively reach 63 percent. A survey of pastors discovered that awareness of these statistics makes a big difference in motivating pastors to empower congregations to invite their family, friends and neighbors to church.
