Everybody Tell Somebody

People and communities need to experience healing, renewal, and wholeness found in Jesus Christ. Holy-Spirit led disciples of Jesus Christ share faith, hope, and justice to transform lives, communities, and the world.

The Coastal Plains Region team will invite and resource congregations and leaders that are willing and ready to grow the health and fruitfulness of their congregations, to work together to:

Connect and engage 10,000 new first-time visitors to participate in the life of our local churches by the end of 2024

So that Coastal Plains congregations are connecting and engaging with new and diverse people in our communities in relevant and meaningful ways and they experience healing, renewal, and wholeness found in Jesus Christ.

We will know that we are making progress towards our goal, when:

• 10,000 new first-time visitors participate in the life of CPR churches by the end of 2024.
• Improve the first-time visitor retention by 10%
• Grow average worship attendance by NN%
• Grow overall congregational vitality from NN% to NN%
• Simultaneously, reduce the number of transfers from other UMC congregations.

• The 2018 General Social Survey produced Eastern Illinois University found that more people now identify as “no religious affiliation” (23.1 percent) than evangelical Christian (22.6%) or Catholic (23%).
• The Pew Research Center’s surveys showed that over the last ten years, the percentage of Americans who identify as Christian has dropped twelve percentage points. From 77 to 65.
• “The church is called to be more than a house of content. We are called to be the light of the world.” – Rev. Nona C. Jones – From social media to Social Ministry.   We must shift from a mindset of just delivering content in the sanctuary and online, to cultures of reaching and gathering.
• A Barna Research Group survey showed that 8 out of 10 people would attend a church service if someone invited them.

• Developing a Healthy Ethos for Evangelism
• Friendliness versus Hospitality
• Worship that welcomes and includes
• From guests to disciples
• Congregational Care System
• Leadership: from doers to equippers

Everyone Tell Somebody (Kick-Off Day) – Presentation (PDF)