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Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year

Many bemoan the decline of the church. We hear a steady stream of reports about how droves of people, especially younger generations, are abandoning Christianity. But new research shows that unchurched Americans are surprisingly more receptive and open to the Christian faith than is commonly assumed.

Researcher and practitioner Rick Richardson unveils the findings of the Billy Graham Center Institute's groundbreaking studies on the unchurched. A study of 2000 unchurched people across the country reveals that the unchurched are still remarkably open to faith conversations and the church. Even unchurched "nones" and millennials are quite receptive if they are approached in particular ways.

In this book you will also find best practices from further research into the top ten percent of churches that most effectively reach the unchurched. People who were previously unchurched share what actually moved them to faith and Christian commitment. And the research shows that churches and organizations can be transformed to become places where conversion growth becomes the new normal.

If people tell you "the sky is falling," don't believe them. In today's troubled world, unchurched and unbelieving people are newly receptive to hearing good news. You can lead the change that will help your church reach people—who then reach others.



Rick Richardson is director of the Billy Graham Center Institute and its Church Evangelism Initiative, and professor of evangelism and leadership at Wheaton College Graduate School. He previously served as evangelism and discipleship pastor at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois, and was the evangelism champion who helped launch Willow Creek Community Church's first multisite campus. His books include Reimagining Evangelism and Evangelism Outside the Box.

Foreword by Ed Stetzer


1. Introduction: The Challenge Congregations Face in America
Part 1: Recovering a Missional Imagination for the Unchurched in America


2. Exposing Common Myths About Unchurched Americans


3. Embracing a New Narrative About the Unchurched


4. Engaging the Receptive Millennials, Nones, and Nominals in Your Life


5. Exploring the Conversion Community Equation
Part 2: Developing Missional Leaders


6. Modeling Outreach Others Can Imitate


7. Multiplying Missional Leaders
Part 3: Cultivating a Missional Congregation


8. Belonging to the Broader Community


9. Blessing the World to Reach the World


10. Bringing the Community to Church


11. Building a Community of the Beloved Through Hospitality


12. Conclusion: From a Conversion Community to a Conversion Movement


Acknowledgments


Appendix 1: Billy Graham Center Resources


Appendix 2: Contributing Research Projects


Notes

"I am deeply encouraged to hear the research in this book that backs up my experience that people of diverse ethnicities in our cities are very receptive to the gospel and the church. Not only was I encouraged but I was also helped to know what to do about that receptivity so we can serve and reach more people."



"Jesus calls every local church to be a missional community of disciples who make disciples, experiencing growth primarily through the conversion of new disciples rather than the transfer of existing ones. Yet too many churches have given up hope that they can be missionally effective with today's emerging generation. Through rock-solid research and decades of on-the-ground experience, Rick reveals how the most fruitful churches of our time are effectively making and multiplying disciples in a rapidly changing culture, and he shows us exactly how we can do the same. This book is a must-read for every Christian leader."



"Rick Richardson is a true champion of the faith. His fire for evangelism and passion for the lost are inspiring. He has spent decades promoting evangelism among the students of Wheaton College as professor of evangelism and leadership, and he has blessed me personally with his care and concern for the lost, especially for the younger generation. I'm glad he wrote this book, and I pray it moves many to take a more active role in sharing their faith." weniger anzeigen expand_less