Naperville Lutheran Church one of many inviting 700,000 back to church

More Than 700,000 Neighbors Invited by Participating Churches across U.S. on Back to Church Sunday

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

SAN DIEGO, CA (ANS) -- Church members across the United States invited more than 700,000 of their friends and family and created worship services specifically geared toward visitors during the first-ever national 'Back to Church Sunday' (BTCS), held by hundreds of congregations across the country on Sunday, Sept. 13.

Often known as 'Rally Sunday', a media release says participating churches reported surges in attendance, confessions of faith, new members and baptisms.

According to a survey conducted by Outreach Inc. after the event, many visitors were favorably impressed toward the church and the Gospel.

Members of Word of Life Lutheran Church in Naperville, IL., gather around their 'Back to Church Sunday' float that they displayed in a local parade on Labor Day.

Some participating churches reported attendance was up by as much as 25-30 percent. One pastor reported his church's attendance shot from an average of 155 to 220 for BTCS. Another reported an attendance jump from 150 to 196, still another from 60 to 70.

"Church was packed out," said one churchgoer. It "hasn't been like that in a long time. I loved it!" Another said, "It was a little challenging getting a parking spot. Praise God!"

"Had a wonderful time with our new church family," one visitor said. "We shared a meal and are getting to know people."

According to the media release, the campaign is ongoing, with some churches holding BTCS events on other days. It is aimed at reaching the "un-churched" and "de-churched" -- people who once went to church, but don't any more.

LifeWay Research, an arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, found that 82 percent of un-churched people surveyed said that they'd be open to visit a church, if a friend or family member invited them. BTCS is stirring congregations to do just that.===>Click headline to access complete article . .

===> Check out http://www.BlessYourBlock.org for a creative strategy to get your congregation out of their seats and into the streets ...
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