Looking toward 2016, many churches will be making plans to conduct outreach events. In doing so, it’s helpful to note the caution offered by LifeWay president Thom Rainer in “Three Reasons Why Big Events Are Ineffective in Most Churches” online at http://thomrainer.com/2015/11/three-reasons-most-churches/. In the article he makes this comment:
When I speak with church leaders and ask them to describe how they reach their communities, many of them point with pride to a major event, such as those that take place at Christmas, Easter, or the Fourth of July. But when I ask them to assess how many people are currently a part of their churches because of past events, most often I get an awkward silence.
Rainer goes on to stress the importance of using each outreach event, not as an end in itself, but as part of an overall disciplemaking strategy.
