Churches of all denominations are expected to celebrate National Back to Church Sunday on Sept. 18 in an effort to reverse declining church attendance and encourage everyone to revisit congregational life.
Lending his voice to this year’s event is Texas Rangers all-star Josh Hamilton, the 2010 American League Championship Series’ MVP who credits his comeback from drug addiction and suspension from the game to his faith and church.
“God’s Word tells us to spur one another on toward love and good deeds and not give up meeting together,” Hamilton said. “We are to walk through life with other believers. My family and I have found that church is a wonderful way to do this, so I encourage you to join thousands of Americans as they go back to church on National Back to Church Sunday.”
Organizers of the event say it has become the single largest community outreach in the nation with 10,000 churches expected to participate in 2011. This year’s event will be held the second Sunday after Labor Day to accommodate more churches.
Since it began in 2009, National Back to Church Sunday has seen increased success with church members inviting more than 1.4 million family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers to special services last year. Some 3,800 churches participated in 2010 reporting an average 26 percent increase in weekly attendance.
This event was launched in response to a 2008 study by LifeWay Research and the North American Mission Board of 15,000 adults, which found that 67 percent of Americans say a personal invitation from a family member would be effective in getting them to visit a church. Sixty-three percent said an invitation from a friend or neighbor likely would get them to respond.
“We found that the effectiveness of the invitation was often tied to its form: the more personal, the more effective,” said Philip Nation, ministry development director of LifeWay Christian Resources and National Back to Church Sunday spokesman.
“We were encouraged by the response and feedback from churches that participated in [the event] last year,” said Eric Abel, vice president of marketing for Outreach Inc., a church communication and marketing company. “Creating ways to empower church members to reach out to their friends and neighbors is exciting, and we are looking forward to this event continuing to gain momentum.”
Outreach Inc. has partnered with National Back to Church Sunday and is offering a 2011 church kit including an updated campaign planning guide, new suggested sermons, a promotional video, graphics and widgets for church websites or social media, invitations, posters, a preparedness assessment, suggested follow-up sermons and small group materials. These and other materials including church postcards, banners, bulletin shells and personal invitations are available at www.backtochurch.com/store.
An interactive Facebook page is also available at www.facebook.com/backtochurch, and a list of participating churches is available at www.backtochurch.com/roster. When churches register, their names and locations are added to the roster, allowing unchurched people to easily find a church to attend on that special
Sunday. (EPA)
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