LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Leading church consultant Thom S. Rainer will share nine habits of churches that reach and keep the unchurched during an upcoming conference in Nashville.

The March 20 "Reaching the Unchurched" conference at Brentwood United Methodist Church will offer church leaders a glimpse into four years of exclusive research on healthy churches. Rainer is the author of "Surprising Insights from the Unchurched," published in 2001.

The conference is $99 per person. A $10 discount is available for second registrants, and the cost for each additional attendee is $79. Attendees may register online, or by calling Church Central Associates at (866) 515-0520.

Information shared at the conference is based on research into 4,000 churches of various denominations or nondenominational origin that are reaching and keeping the unchurched.

"One of the most frustrating, agonizing issues church leaders face is how they can reach the unchurched," Rainer said. "Many churches aren't even trying it for fear of failure."

Rainer is president of Church Central Associates, publisher of ChurchCentral.com. He also serves as dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He has authored 14 books on the church, and is internationally known as a speaker, conference leader and church consultant.

Spiritual warfare expert Charles E. Lawless also will share research during the conference. Lawless is co-author of "Spiritual Warfare: Biblical Truth for Victory," published in 2001, and "Discipled Warriors: Healthy Churches Winning Spiritual Warfare," published in 2002.