The value of event evangelism

Research reveals churches' attractional events 'do work'

Fort Worth, Texas—Block parties, festivals and other evangelistic events are essential ingredients for effective churches, according a study by the Scarborough Center for Baptist Church Planting at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the North American Mission Board. “Our findings suggest that many of our nation’s most effective evangelistic churches are utilizing attractional evangelistic events,” said Jerry Pipes, NAMB’s team leader for mass evangelism. Researchers polled 3,200 Southern Baptist Convention churches last year as part of the Evangelistic Event Research Project. From that group, they identified 500 “A–churches” and 500 “B-churches.” A-churches were those with a membership of 50 or more who experienced at least 10 percent growth between 2002 and 2007 and baptized more than 12 people in 2007. They had a membership to baptism ratio of no more than 35 members to 1 baptism, and 25 percent of new members came from conversions as evidenced by baptisms.

MAIN ATTRACTION Ron Satterwhite, pastor of First Baptist Church of Port Tampa in Tampa, Fla., shares the gospel using magic at a block party during last month’s Crossover Orlando. Research shows that Southern Baptist churches involved in similar types of outreach events have more effective ministries.

B-churches were those of the same size range that baptized at least one person in 2002 and between four and nine people in 2007.

A-churches were identified as highly effective with their evangelism efforts. They reported, on average, one baptism annually for every 25 members. B-churches were identified as less effective than A-churches but still more effective in evangelism than most SBC churches. They averaged one baptism annually for every 104 members.

“We define evangelistic events as special events, which intentionally draw lost people through relationships and attraction, clearly present the gospel and provide an invitation to respond,” Pipes said.

In the research, several common denominators emerged among highly effective churches: 

• They sponsor attractional evangelistic events, do several of them annually, do them especially well and get excellent results from them. 
• Two-thirds of highly effective churches sponsor both evangelistic events and an active personal evangelism program. 
• Significantly more highly effective churches sponsor evangelistic events than less-effective churches. 
• They sponsor significantly more evangelistic events and do significantly better preparation and follow-up for evangelistic events than less-effective churches. 
• They sponsor more holiday-related, revival-like and sports and recreation evangelistic events than any other types. More than half sponsor revival-like evangelistic events.

The report comes at a time when, in some quarters, the value of attractional methods has been questioned for reaching communities with the gospel.

“A lot of churches have pursued a missional approach to evangelism and church growth to the neglect of attractional evangelistic events that will draw people in,” Pipes said. “It’s like asking a pilot flying over the Pacific Ocean whether he wants his right wing or his left wing. The answer is you need both wings—both missional methodologies and an attractional model.”

Frank Page, president-elect of the SBC Executive Committee, said the study confirms what many pastors have learned firsthand.

“I think it’s on target, and I say that not only from the statistics but from 34 years as a pastor,” Page said. “Attractional events do work.

“This research helps correct some erroneous thinking and helps provide a recognition of reality among churches who might have inadvertently pulled back from these events,” Page added. (BP)

Western Recorder issue date July 13, 2010