What Is Back to Church Sunday?
Back to Church Sunday is a campaign specifically designed to increase church attendance by empowering church members with the tools they need to welcome neighbors, friends, and loved ones back to church. Using great resources for planning, promotion, and execution, your church can plan a Sunday that will excite your members, encourage invitations to visitors, as well as welcome and connect these visitors to your ministries. There is a national date in the fall of each year when hundreds of churches around the country will spend one Sunday focused on visitors and guests, hopefully convincing them to give church another try. The next "National Back to Church Sunday" is set for September 12, 2010. The National Back to Church Sunday 2009 event was a success. View the blog post regarding that day here: http://www.backtochurch.com/blog/post/back_to_church_sunday_-_september_13_2009/
What makes Back to Church Sunday Different?
Back to Church Sunday makes it easy for church members to invite their friends and family by creating a worship service specifically geared toward visitors. Aimed at reaching the "un-churched" and "de-churched"- people who used to go to church, but don't any more.
The campaign is based on a simple idea. Statistics show that if you ask un-churched people to come with you to church, most likely they'll say yes. Most people who don’t or no longer attend church simply haven’t made time for it—as Mark Batterson puts it, “Many de-churched people are a simple re-invitation away”!
But inviting newcomers is only part of the campaign; the other part is getting the church ready for them to show up. A free downloadable planning guide offers advice on everything from sermon planning to instructions for greeters. The campaign also offers an interactive Facebook page (Back to Church Facebook Page), the "Rethink Church" booklet addressing the top-ten reasons why people drop out of church, and all kinds of other media, articles and resources to make your Back to Church Sunday event a highlight of your church’s history!
The goal is to make visitors feel at home in your church!See What Church Leaders Say About the Back to Church Campaign:
“It’s unfortunate that many people leave the church, but there is a large segment that will return. If you’re interested in learning how to get them back to church, I encourage you to check out this material. It will help you reclaim those who left and retain those who return.” –Sam Rainer
50% of the current US population would be candidates for a Back to Church Campaign."–Gary L. McIntosh, D.Min, Ph.D
"Back to Church Sunday has the potential to be a day that changes the future course of someone’s life! In a world where so many people fall into the definition of “De-churched” this is a doable effort for any church that wants to reach more people For Christ!"–Chad McCallum, Compass Church, MI
"This resource will help you strategically reach out to those who have come and gone but might come back to your church. Many de-churched people are a simple re-invitation away."–Mark Batterson, National Community Church, Washington, DC
"ReThink will revolutionize the way your church does outreach. Too often, those who leave a church are overlooked, and often even ignored. This booklet offers simple, clear and effective ways to reach out to those who have left a church. Read this booklet and begin to ReThink your outreach!" -Bob Whitesel, author of Inside the Organic Church and The Waypoints Series.
"I enthusiastically support Back to Church Sunday because it is an opportunity to welcome home the prodigals - which delights God."–JJohn, Philo Trust, UK
"When people come to church for the first time, or come back after a long absence, they notice everything. In fact, most of them form innate judgments about the environment within seven seconds of walking through the door. Details matter in creating an atmosphere that makes people feel comfortable and keeps them coming back week after week. In the ‘Back To Church Sunday’ Campaign Guide, Outreach has meticulously outlined a clear, powerful plan for reaching and reconnecting the de-churched. Packed with assimilation tips, this guide will help every willing church leader discover how to prepare the way as God prompts people across the nation to come back to church this fall."–Nelson Searcy, Lead Pastor, The Journey (New York City) and founder, www.ChurchLeaderInsights.com