Transcript The Principle of Community - Baptist General Convention of

The Principle of Community
The Power of Enrollment
Bob Mayfield
Baptist General Convention
of Oklahoma
The Principle of Community
Human beings have a built-in desire to
belong someplace where they will be
loved and accepted as they are
Community
Maslov’s
Hierarchy of
Needs
People have a
need to
“belong”
Community =
belonging
Enrollment
Enrollment is the action a group takes to
initiate an offer to someone to “belong”
Belonging is the principle; enrollment is the
activity.
Community of Evangelism
What would a “community of evangelism”
look like?
What would your class need to do in order
to become a “community of evangelism”?
How Important is Enrollment?
According to a survey of
Oklahoma’s 100 fastest
growing churches,
enrollment is the
thermostat for
attendance and
evangelism.
Enrollment – Key to
Evangelistic Communities
Oklahoma’s 100 fastest growing
churches, 2001-2005:
Enrollment
+48%
Attendance
+44%
Baptisms
+59%
Enrollment – Key to
Evangelistic Communities
Oklahoma’s 100 fastest declining
churches, 2001-2005:
Enrollment
-32%
Attendance
-25%
Baptisms
-34%
Rainer Scale of Receptivity
Survey of unchurched Americans
Out of approximately 280 million
Americans
160 million are unchurched (60%)
Rainer Scale of Receptivity
U5 – Resistant & antagonistic to
the gospel
U4 – Resistant
U3 – Neutral (not receptive or
resistant)
U2 – Receptive
U1 – Highly receptive to the gospel
Rainer Scale of Receptivity
Per cent of Americans in the 5 response
categories
U5 – 5% (antagonistic)
U4 – 21% (resistant)
U3 – 36% (neutral)
U2 – 27% (receptive)
U1 – 11% (highly receptive)
38% of unchurched America is receptive
to the gospel!
*PowerUP churches reported a 5%
increase in baptisms – in only 7 weeks.
Rainer Scale of Receptivity
A common response from a U1
after hearing a gospel
presentation:
“Why hasn’t someone told me
this before”
Further findings from the Rainer
Scale
Most of unchurched would prefer to attend
on Sunday morning
82% of unchurched were at least
“somewhat likely” to attend church if
invited
Less than 20% of unchurched have EVER
been invited to church (80% never invited
to church)
52% of unchurched feel guilty about not
attending
Observations
Enrollment helps the class
become a “community of
evangelism”.
Common sense says that if the
church has more lost people
enrolled in Sunday School, it
has a greater opportunity for
evangelism.
Evangelism Potential
SS Enrollment / Resident Members = %
Example: 130 (enr) / 100 (RM) = 130%
Healthy Sunday Schools have more
people enrolled in SS than they have
resident church members
Evangelism Potential
(Enrollment/Resident Membership)
Less than 90%
90%
100%
110%
120%
130%
140%
150%
160%
Poor
Weak
Fair
Average
Good
Very Good
Excellent
Outstanding
Superior
Average Oklahoma
Evangelism Potential
68%
68% of Oklahoma Baptists
are enrolled in Sunday
School
Essentials for Growing
Enrollment
Stop purging!
How many Southern Baptists does it take to
have a net enrollment gain of ONE person
in one year?
400
Essentials for Growing
Enrollment
Stop purging!
Ongoing class ministry to current enrollment
New groups
New groups reach new people faster
Essentials for Growing
Enrollment
Stop purging!
Ongoing class ministry to current enrollment
New groups
Smaller groups – larger groups encourage a
bystander attitude. Smaller groups encourage
participation, community, and intimacy
Ask! Ask unchurched people to enroll in your group