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15 proven ways to reach the unchurched, part 3

by: Thom S. Rainer

This week we look at the last six of the 15 characteristics of the unchurched-reaching churches that were part of our study. It is my desire that the number of churches that are healthy, growing and reaching the unchurched continues to rise. Let these characteristics be used as a tool to evaluate your church, use them to encourage and give fresh ideas to your ministry.

The fellowships of many churches have become havens for mediocrity. The formerly unchurched were completely turned off by poor music, unkempt facilities, poorly prepared sermons, and ill-equipped Sunday school teachers. The typical American unchurched person has come to expect excellence in the business world, in the marketplace and in the entertainment industry. Often we heard the formerly unchurched voice surprise that God's church would accept anything that did not approach excellence.

"I got to the point as I visited churches," Doug L. said, "that I began to believe that churches didn't give a rip about anything. It was a big letdown until I found Faith Community Church." Faith is the church that Doug eventually joined, the place where he accepted Christ. "Thank God for the people of Faith!" Doug exclaimed. "Their attitude of excellence may have been the difference between heaven or hell for me."

The formerly unchurched, for the most part, gladly attended an inquirers' class prior to their becoming Christians. By the time they were courageous enough to visit a church, they were eager to learn more about the church. Most of the effective churches in our study combined the inquirers' class with a new members' class. We need to remember that an unchurched person who visits our churches typically has an insatiable appetite to learn more. That’s the reason they desire strong biblical teaching and preaching. And that’s the reason they eagerly attend an inquirers' class.

Churches that reach the unchurched are high-expectation churches. Their members are excited and fulfilled Christians. They belong to an organization that makes a difference. They gladly share their faith, invite friends and family members to church, and generally express excitement about their church. Leaders of these churches do not hesitate to ask members to get involved in ministry. They constantly urge them to develop a witnessing lifestyle.

High-expectation churches receive much because they expect much. The unchurched are in turn attracted to churches where the people are excited about their faith and the church where they serve.

Churches that reach the unchurched know the purposes for which the church exists better than comparison churches. We categorized the six major purposes of the church according to Acts 2:42-47:

. Worship

. Evangelism

. Ministry

. Prayer

. Fellowship

. Discipleship/equipping

A church that understands its purposes is more likely to evaluate itself according to those purposes. If the people of the church truly understand that evangelism is one of their major functions, they will ask questions if lost people are not being reached, and they will seek to be more effective in that area.

How do leaders help the people of the church learn the purposes of the church? They write mission statements. The pastors preach it, and the teachers teach it. They put it on publications. They repeat it. The purpose-driven church is more likely to be an unchurched-reaching church.

The formerly unchurched told us in many ways and many times, "We don't want to sit on the sidelines." These new Christians are incredibly eager to get involved, and their enthusiasm is contagious. Unfortunately, some churches do a fair job of reaching the unchurched only to see them leave within a few months. Many of these churches have rigid and antiquated rules that prohibit ministry involvement of new members. I understand that new Christians should not be made Bible teachers immediately. But why not get them involved in a greeter ministry? I promise their smiles will not be forced. Why not get them involved in an evangelistic ministry? They probably know more unchurched people than anyone else in the church. A pastor in California said quite bluntly, 'We try to get new Christians involved quickly before they get over Jesus!"

I do not put prayer near the end of this article as a postscript or an addendum to more pressing matters. Indeed, I feel as though I have not given adequate attention to the power of prayer in this discussion. But I say now without hesitation or reservation that prayer is key to reaching the unchurched. I rarely heard from an effective church that did not have a strong emphasis on prayer.

Evangelizing the unchurched is spiritual warfare. Satan and his demonic horde will do anything they can to hinder someone from becoming a believer. Only prayer can effectively break the bonds of complacency, tradition and nitpicking that keep a church's focus off evangelism.

Most of the effective churches in our study not only had pervasive prayer ministries; they made certain these prayer ministries included a specific focus on lost and unchurched persons.

Lest we forget as well, the leaders of churches that reached the unchurched were people of prayer. And while an average of 45 minutes per day in prayer may seem small, the effective church leaders' prayer lives were more time-consuming than the anemic level of most Christians. Prayer is powerful. And prayer is a requisite to reach the unchurched.

Read part 1 and part 2 of this series.

Thom S. Rainer, Ph.D., is president of Church Central Associates LLC and founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Considered one of the leading experts on the church today, he is the author or co-author of 16 books on the church and has written articles or reviews for more than 30 publications. Dr. Rainer has also served as a pastor and interim pastor in 10 churches and has consulted with more than 300 churches, denominational entities and religious organizations.