What evangelism strategy leads to more than twice as many baptisms than those who fail to utilize it?

by Steve Parr

August brings forth what I like to call the “Baptist New Year.” Ordinarily a new cycle for the year begins for you Sunday School or Small Group Ministries with new leaders taking their posts, an emphasis on training opportunities, new groups getting started, and younger members promoting to new classes or groups. That makes this the perfect time to consider the value of intentionally connecting your Small Group ministry by whatever name you call it to your outreach. Check out the results of the research that follows. It comes from and excerpt of a report that we will be releasing in November on Difference Makers in Evangelism where we examine mindsets, methods, perception, and styles.  You will definitely want to read the full report when it is released. Check the following out as an appetizer:

Almost ninety-five percent (95%) of Georgia Baptist Churches have a small group ministry such as Sunday school or the equivalent by some other name. Groups have a tendency to have an inward focus but can serve as a great source of team evangelism engaging a large proportion of the congregation in evangelism if equipped and led to do so. A 2008 study revealed that an overwhelming ninety percent (90%) of the top evangelistic churches connect their small group strategy to their outreach strategy. We ask churches on the most recent annual church profile to respond in this question: Are your small groups/Sunday school classes intentionally connected to your outreach strategy?

The churches that make the connection baptized 16.3% more when viewing as a ratio and almost three times as many when viewing as a total. Similar studies have shown a connection between training and the growth of small groups and Sunday school. A previous study revealed that while churches that provide training at least four times per year were growing that those who failed to equip leaders had declined during the same three year span. These issues are connected because trained leaders are more likely to lead their members to engage in evangelism by virtue of motivation, better understanding of purpose, passion, and skills.

Do not make the mistake of failing to develop your outreach strategy and the research affirms that you will do best by connecting your strategy to your Sunday School and Small Groups. They give you the manpower in a way that is already organized to focus on their unique life stage that can take your evangelism to a higher level of effectiveness. Be sure to check out the forthcoming webinar on Evangelism Through The Sunday School and Small Groups to learn key ideas to help you make the connection.