In the spring I visited and spoke for Senior Sundays at churches; we handed out brochures and had a display at Summer Orientations, mailed to all freshmen we could get an address for and students and I wrote a ton of personal notes.
A new Church College Minister in our town sent out a copied "Dear Freshman" letter. Later in the fall, he told me that not a single freshman had told him they had read his letter....so, he said he wanted me to tell him the ONE thing that worked best and he would do that the next fall. I couldn't decide if he thought I was really smart (I knew the one magic thing.) or really stupid cause I knew the one magic thing, but did all the others too!
I heard a story this past weekend that reminded me that you never know what or how students connect to your ministry. I performed the wedding of a former student who came to Christ in our ministry. One of the groomsmen was the guy who brought him to our ministry. I asked the groomsman how he got connected to our ministry. He said he had attended one of our local churches and they had encouraged him to also come to the BCM.
So, I asked, "How did you get connected to that church?". He said, "The first week of school at something, I sat next to this really cute blond girl.". She said, "Why dont you go to First Baptist with me tonight.". He said I wasn't the least interested in going to church, but thought I would go anywhere with her. They went and sat together....he didn't see her again the whole next week. So, on Wedneaday night, he went back to First Baptist to connect with her. She wasn't there that night....so, he went back the next week. Still no cute blond, but by then he said, "I was hooked on the church."
Later in the semester, he saw the cute blond on campus...he said, "Hey, I've not seen you at First Baptist lately.". She said, "Oh, I don't go there; I just wanted to visit that night and didn't want to go by myself."
A guy came to Christ and is walking with the Lord today cause a cute blond invited another guy who wasn't the least interested in going to church. So, what's the ONE thing....I don't have a clue! Oh yeah. Personal invitations work really well!
I would agree that personal invitations work well in getting people to attend church. I know that in my personal experiences, I have gone to new churches because people have invited me, and not because I looked to the church up and thought they had some good things going for them.
ReplyDeleteI would add that getting students intentionally involved in personally inviting people on a regular basis could be a good strategy for growth.