Each One Reach One

As reports of declining church attendance capture the attention of social chronicles, my pastor is fighting back with God's Word.

Today Pastor Mac concluded the stewardship series by teaching our congregation from the gospel of Luke how to be 'inviters'. As an outreach pastor, I listened eagerly because I have sought but never heard anyone teach how to consistently succeed as an invitational evangelist.

You may remember the story about a man who held a great banquet and invited a lot of people all of whom gave excuses not to attend. Pastor Mac taught that there are three reasons first time attenders will accept your invitation and how we should respond.

1. The first group will come simply out of respect for you. When you invite friends relatives co-workers and if they refuse, ask them to do you a favor by being your guest.

2. The second group have felt needs in their lives that our church can meet. Should they decline your invitation tell them about our awesome small groups, marriage ministry and children's church.

3. The third group will come out of simple curiosity. If they decline your invitation tell them them to come and see our beautiful facilities and hear the good music or laugh at the goofy jokes Mac tells.

The only way that the body of Christ will reverse the downward trend of church attendance is by recognizing that that the Word of God is the only solution to life's challenges and that each one of us has the power to bring others under the influence of God's Word.