Nine Ways to Create Momentum for Fall Outreach (Part 1 of 2)

Legendary football coach Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant said, “Have a plan. Follow the plan, and you’ll be surprised how successful you can be. Most people don’t have a plan. That’s why it’s is easy to beat most folks.”

In a recent survey it was revealed that 79% of churches have no, to little, plans for fall outreach. This may be the reason why 80-85% of the churches in America are either in plateau or declining.

Designing, executing and implementing outreach plans and strategies is one of the skills pastors need to create positive momentum in their churches.

Here are a couple insights that you can apply in planning your fall growth thrust.

1. Develop a team
Too many pastors try to carry the load all by themselves, which is an unbiblical notion. Christianity is a team sport. Team building is one of the skills successful pastors need in their tool belts. Learning to pick the right players on your team is crucial. Guiding and leading the team is imperative. Trusting the team to execute the plan is empowering. Celebrating and encouraging the team is vital. I encourage pastors to use short-term task forces with a specific task along with a starting and ending point. If you built a task force for each of your major outreach initiatives for fall, winter and spring your team building skills would improve each time. Team building is a skill which is honed through the “learning by doing” process.

Getting key influencers involved in the process is vital to building positive momentum.

2. Develop a time line
To develop a good time line, start with the last date of the project and work backwards. If you are doing a fall growth push here are a couple ideas. End your fall outreach campaign on the first weekend in November with a family friendly comeback event and start July first with the selection of the team. This is what I call the “three month rule” which is to begin the detailed planning process at least three months before launch of the outreach campaign. Here is an overview of what would happen in those three months:

November
Celebrate and evaluate progress
Family friendly comeback event
Membership class offered

October
Newcomers luncheon set
Bible 101 or seeker study offered
Small groups launched around theme
Sunday worship theme launched
Second Touch teams equipped and empowered

September
Teaching series on outreach and prayer launched
Prayer walking implemented
Affinity groups launched – youth, singles, men’s & women’s ministries
Executing marketing plan
Equipping congregation with promotional tools

August
A clear call to prayer made to the entire congregation
Prayer emphasis kick off
Marketing and promotional plan set
Marketing and promotional tools sent to printer
Small group leaders trained and prepared

July
Team selected
Theme developed
Promotional strategy selected
Graphic images & promotional tools designed

3. Brainstorm ideas for a delivering strong biblical content that address the heart language issues of your mission field

Many pastors struggle with the creative aspects of leadership. I recommend that pastors research and purchase many of the good outreach or spiritual growth campaigns available. Many of these come with time lines, job descriptions, graphics, sermon ideas and small group materials. The key is planning ahead. After the church has done a few of these campaigns, then they can take a shot at developing their own.

Reprinted by permission from Gary Rohrmayer EvangelismCoach

Back to School Outreach

Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota has turned a fall school-year ritual into an outreach to needy children at its partner public school, Crest View Elementary.

It started several years ago when community service director Sonny Fuller sought to help the school children, many of them from lower-income families, who attended Crest View.

Sonny created the Crest View school supplies drive by inviting church members to shop for pencils, notebooks, crayons, backpacks and lunch boxes. During the month of August church families who shop for back to school needs for their children buy extra for the Crest View kids.

“Sometimes the kids wouldn't start school because their parents would want to have supplies first", outreach pastor Phil Winn said. "Now our members look forward to buying supplies for kids who didn't have any."

Because of the relationship built between Living Word and Crest View “when the school has a need they just give us a call because they know we will help."

This back to school outreach is something that any church of any size can do well. It doesn’t take a lot of time or money and makes everyone feel a part of giving to the needs of others.