Assumptions Behind Ministry-based Outreach

Here are some known facts that affect evangelism (or the lack of it) in local churches:

    Between 75% - 90% of new believers come to faith and church involvement through a relationship with a Christian friend or relative.
    Most Christians have few or no meaningful relationships with non-Christians. That is because the longer people are in the church, the more friends they develop in the church, and the fewer meaningful relationships they have outside the church.
    Most non-Christians have few or no meaningful relationships with Christians.
    This “disconnect” inhibits many Christians from being effective witnesses, many non-Christians from tangibly experiencing God’s love, and many churches from growing.

But effective outreach involves more than just connecting people around shared interests; social clubs can do that. The seminar presents a 4-step process to show churches how to: 1) identify the most responsive groups, 2) establish connections with these people, 3) nurture meaningful relationships, and 4) respond with Christian love in times of receptivity.

The reason Ministry-based Outreach is so effective is that the gospel travels best over natural “networks” of friendships and relationships. M-bO intentionalizes the process of building and nurturing relationships, involving many people in the church who might otherwise never consider themselves “evangelists.” It is a process of outreach that sees new people come to faith and sees churches begin to grow.