Link to Ted Edwards Home Page
We are planning our Friend Day at West-Ark on Sunday, May 6. One of the
greatest potentials for us to increase our Sunday attendance is by reaching
out to our friends. Since our friends know and trust us -- there is a better
possibility that they may attend and respond to the Gospel if we invite
them.
We will have a lot of people visiting on this day, but not just for number's
sake so that we can brag about how many people we had in attendance. The
purpose of Friend Day is to help us carry out the Great Commission, and
this can be achieved by empowering and involving all of us in reaching out
to our friends.
On Friend Day, everyone brings his or her friends, and the sermon is
centered on the good news theme of "What It Means to Have a Friend in
Jesus." Our friends are asked to fill out a visitor card. We will use the
cards in follow-up geared towards encouraging our visitors to make return
visits. Hopefully, we'll increase our opportunities to build relationships
and present the gospel. On May 6, our Friend Day is designed for church
growth and expansion of the Kingdom.
I have heard of congregations getting up one week and announcing at the end
of a service, "Everyone invite a friend next week." Then the following week
they actually thought that everyone would follow this good advice and they
would have an overflowing crowd. Of course this is a good idea, but the
approach didn't work because it lacked "believability."
We can all be involved in two ways.
First of all, please continue to pray three times daily for our Friend Day
from now until May 6. The Friend Day Prayer Bookmarks in the foyer are for
your use to help remind you to pray.
Secondly, pick up a stack of Friend Day invitations and hand them out to
people that you come in contact with.
Last week, Michael Cole stood up on behalf of our Elders and shared that (so
far) they have 59 commitments from their friends and neighbors to attend
Friend Day.
This Sunday Gary Brown will stand up in front of the church and share how
many commitments our deacons have received collectively.
April 22 our Bible Class teachers will turn in how many commitments they
have (so far) for our Friend Day.
Then the week before Friend Day (April 29), we'll have a way that the entire
congregation can turn in how many commitments we all have so far.
By doing this, we understand that everyone is involved in inviting people to
our Friend Day. We'll also know how many parking spaces closest to the
building to reserve for our visiting friends.
See you in Bible Class!
Link to Ted Edwards Home Page