Luke Simmons notes: A few years ago I read a shocking paragraph in Thom Rainer’s book, The Unchurched Next Door:
82 percent of the unchurched are at least ‘somewhat likely’ to attend church if they are invited. Perhaps we need to pause on this response. Perhaps we need to restate it: More than eight out of ten of the unchurched said they would come to church if they were invited.
Well, a few years later, the research has shown Rainer’s estimations are slipping. Nonetheless, recent statistics are encouraging. A recent survey discovered that 63% of people are somewhat or very willing to receive information about a church from a family member and 56% are somewhat or very willing to receive information from a friend or neighbor.
Some Implications for Austin City Life
So, invite people to our church gatherings. Better yet, be the church to them. Redefine the church for them by being like Jesus to them. Serve them. Love them. Hang with them…and invite them into your City Group, to City Group missional events, and to Austin City Life Sunday gatherings…for their eternal good and God’s everlasting glory!
