Source: PC(USA) – Presbyterian News Service – PC(USA) records steepest membership loss since reunion in 1983.

Membership in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) fell by 69,381 in 2008, the Office of the General Assembly (OGA) has announced in its annual statistical report, continuing a trend that began in the mid-1960s.

Total membership of the denomination is now 2,140,165.

According to the Research Services office of the General Assembly Council (GAC), the 2008 decline was the PC(USA)’s largest numerical and percentage net membership loss since Presbyterian reunion in 1983.

Almost 104,000 people joined the PC(USA) last year, but that good news was more than offset by the 34,101 Presbyterians who died, the 34,340 who were members of the 25 congregations that left the PC(USA) for other denominations, and the staggering 104,428 who were removed from the rolls by their sessions without apparently joining any other church.

Can a positive spin be put on this?   The General Assembly Stated Clerk announces

Parsons insisted that “Presbyterians can be evangelists!”

“But we often stumble over the words. Can we not challenge one another to be able to answer these basic questions,” he said. “Why do I believe in God? Why do I go to church? Why do I go to that particular church?”

Fewer congregations were dissolved in 2008 than in 2007 — 65 vs. 71 the previous year. And 40 new churches were organized last year, 23 more than the previous year. The PC(USA) currently comprises 10,751 congregations.

This suggests the need for

• Additional personal evangelism training.
• Personal or Congregational Coaching to help existing congregations in personal evangelism, not just church planting or transformation
• Evangelism Trainers who can help members articulate their faith or share their personal stories of God’s activity in their life.

Part of this ministry’s goal is to help individuals learn how to share their faith without being obnoxious, and without stepping into all the politics of denominational positions on social issues.

Later this year, I will launch www.EvangelismTrainingUniversity.com, to help provide some personal evangelism training.  It will have a susbscription fee with it, but the material is in the works.

There is a signup form to get more information as it unfolds over the summer of 2009.

The course is still in the works, so there is not a lot of details I can provide at the moment.

Eric Hoey, in an additional statement wrote:

In a June 18 statement, the Rev. Eric Hoey, the GAC’s director of Evangelism and Church Growth,  . . . . . attributed the large number of new members, in part, to the “Grow Christ’s Church Deep and Wide” initiative that came out of the 218th General Assembly (2008).

“Grow Christ’s Church Deep and Wide” created a groundswell of local and regional activity. The initiative challenged all levels of the church to acknowledge our decline and to commit to four areas of growth: evangelism, discipleship, servanthood and diversity,” Hoey said.

“Presbyterian News Service has written a series of articles about congregations that are engaged in innovative outreach programs in order to Grow Christ’s Church Deep and Wide,’” he added.

Note: Shameless self-promotion follows.

I’ve collected a few more stories of how people are using and finding my book How To Welcome Church Visitors.

We have been giving church hospitality workshops for over 15 years and of the 25 or more books we have used in the past, yours is by far the best contribution to the field with all it’s nuts and bolts practicality.

We’ve been photocopying the cover and telling our client churches that if they want to start improving their first impressions, they should start here with How To Welcome Church Visitors.

Bill and Gail Royster
Church Hospitality Trainers
The Welcome & Hospitality People
Houston, TX

One who claimed the bonus coaching session with me after purchase had this to say:

How To Welcome Church Visitors is a well-written, thought-provoking resource that is going to be a blessing to anyone who reads and applies it’s content to their church needs.

This book is especially important to me, as I serve on my church evangelism board and recently volunteered to manage our greeter program.

I measure the worth of a book by the number of ideas I’m able to apply to real needs. I found no fewer than 25 great ideas that I can apply immediately!  I recommend this book without reservation.

Chris Walker’s coaching ability is wonderful. He’s a clear thinker with a way of cutting through the clutter and confusion surrounding a problem.  He focuses on the most practical path to a resolution and effectively communicates how to reach the intended goal.

Les Dahlstedt
St. Matthew Lutheran Church
Rocklin, CA

The Rev. Paul Stokes has published a review for GEAR (the Group for Evangelism and Renewal in the United Reformed Church).

Ron Crandall, connected with Asbury seminary, wrote about his take on this book.

One Presbytery in the Presbyterian Church (USA) bought and gave away copies of How To Welcome Church Visitors to over 50 of their church congregations.

Free Webinar on First Impressions – April 28, 2009.

Register Online

Order your copy: How To Welcome Church Visitors

• How to improve your first impressions ministry for first time church visitors
• What to say to a first time visitor.
• How to train church greeters.

Do you want to retain more of your church visitors?

That process starts with a great first impression.

A first impression leads to a second visit.

A second visit leads to a third.

Additional visits help assimilate your visitor.

It all starts with great first impressions.

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Time: 3:00pm Eastern US Time

(Adjust for your time zone)

Register on line :

************REGISTRATION HAS PASSED *************************

In this FREE online webinar, evangelism trainer and church consultant Chris Walker will share practical steps to

* How to improve your greeting of first time visitors to your church
* How you can organize a church greeting team
* What you can say to church visitors
* Six words you never want to say to a first time church visitor.
* Why church hospitality is not evangelism.

Chris Walker, of www.Evangelismcoach.org will offer valuable insight into helping you improve your ministry of first impressions.

*** No product pitches or sales (with exception of book mentions), but donations towards the cost of the webinar can be made after the webinar. ****

After the event, a PDF handout will be made available to participants.

Date doesn’t work for you?

To be automatically informed as to our next webinar, signup for our Free Evangelism Newsletter.

You’re email will not be sold or shared. Ever.

No Spam either.

How does your church connect with the community?

Is your church over programmed but not developing mature Christians?

Is your church known in your community for it’s service?

Would the community notice if your church closed its doors?

Are your members leveraging their community service for as times to share their faith?

This webinar has passed

In this FREE online webinar, evangelism trainer and church consultant Stephen Pate will share practical steps to

• Get church members beyond the walls of over programmed churches
• Help pastors to grasp this philosophy of community service for evangelism
• Cast a vision for community based servant evangelism
• Find active ways to serve your community in Jesus name.
• Experience the transformational growth and watch your church grow.

Stephen Pate, author of Evangelism Where You Live: Engaging Your Community, will join me, Chris Walker, of www.Evangelismcoach.org in discussing this strategy as part of your evangelism outreach to your community.

*** No product pitches or sales (with exception of book mentions), but donations towards the cost of the webinar can be made after the webinar. ****

After the event, a PDF handout will be made available to participants.

Date doesn’t work for you?

To be automatically informed as to our next webinar, signup for our Free Evangelism Newsletter.

You’re email will not be sold or shared. Ever.

No Spam either.

One of the joys I get in my travels as an evangelism trainer is meeting new people all over the country. 

Pastors from various denominations and gifted lay ministers. 

At this conference, new initial groundwork was laid to start a new track of the Dunamis project sometime next year in multiple places in Washington state as well as perhaps just over the border from southern Western Canada.

Tierra Nueva Ministries

Prior to The Evangelism Dunamis, I had an extra day, and spent the morning with Mike Neelley (left) and Bob Ekblad of Tierra Nueva Ministries. 

Bob (right)  had returned from the southern tip of Argentina the night before, as he is an international speaker and trainer. 

Tierra Nueva (New Earth) is an ecumenical ministry located in Burlington, Washington, that seeks to share the Good News of God’s liberation in Jesus Christ with migrant farm workers, new immigrants, and permanent Hispanic residents in Western Washington.

Tierra Nueva is caught up in a vision of a shepherding ministry that seeks after lost sheep until they are found (Luke 15:4).  They have consciously structured our ministries to:

  •  seek after lost sheep until they are found–through Skagit County Jail Ministry, migrant chaplaincy, and Tierra Nueva Honduras.

  •  care for, defend, and protect–through the Family Support Center.

  •  gather, feed and heal–through our English and Spanish faith communities, bilingual jail services and healing services.

  •  equip and send out–through the People’s Seminary events and courses.

Mike told me of one gang member he disciples who is smoking a joint while studying the Bible.  He told me of a sex offender he meets with.  He told me of former meth addicts who are now working for the ministry trying to get their life reoriented around following Christ.

This kind of Christianity on the edges is messy as God works transformation in real life.  People on the margins.  This takes a special calling and is the prime opportunity for evangelism as broken people seek to find their purpose in life.

Bob has written two books that are now on my reading list of books to get

• Reading the Bible with the Damned
• A New Christian Manifesto: Pledging Allegiance to the Kingdom of God

Presbytery of North Puget Sound

The executive of the Presbytery of North Puget Sound, Corey Schlosser Hall (right), organized a lunch for us. 

Some Cambodian church planters (left) joined us at lunch.  It seemed to be a divine appointment for Bob Ekblad (tallest one in the back)  to meet these church planters at lunch.  I had time to visit and talk with these men about their work among Cambodian immigrants they work with.

Leadership Coaching visit with a small rural church

That evening, I had the joy of visiting with Pastor Tom Ross of Deming Presbyterian Church and Mount Baker Presbyterian Church.  He and 3 elders for some evangelism coaching — talking about the burning questions on their mind. 

These were small rural churches in the hills of Northwest Washington, with about 15-25 in worship.   A 3rd elder was from a church of about 600, tucked in the back of a subdivision, away from the main traffic flow.

Two questions were on the minds of those gathered:

• How can we increase awareness in the neighborhood.
• How can we talk with individuals who are comfortable with their non-Christian spirituality.

We spent about 90 minutes brainstorming.  They reported to me what a blessing it was to have me lead that session and they felt energized with a new list of ideas (see Church Leadership Coaching Session).

One elder wrote (edited for spelling and clairty):

 Thank you for the wonderful evening when Chris
Walker visited.  I found his style very natural
for our little church.  We needed his calmness and
small town way about him.  I know that what he does is
truly from the heart.  He allowed us to express
ourselves and our needs.
He responded to our questions and gave us his
undivided attention.  I
believe we found in his answers some answers that were
right in front of us. 

Evangelism Training 101

The Evangelism Dunamis is focused on personal evangelism training.  (See related article: 10 Practical Ways Of Sharing Your Faith)

It began on Thursday morning and ended in celebration on Saturday afternoon where people offer their stories of what God was doing in their life during the event.  Several people from lots of different Christian traditions attended.

Much of the content for The Evangelism Dunamis is found in various pieces here on Evangelism Coach, and it is always fun to present the material live. 

This time, my co-presenter was Susan Finck Lockhart (See Guest Article: Sharing your faith in the ordinary course of life), who is part time pastor of El Calvario Presbyterian Church in Waco Texas.

We focused on some theology, including the wonder of grace, but much of the teaching time was also given over to lots of practical work, praying and sharing in small groups:

• Sharpening the focus of your testimony
• Using a Gospel Scripts.
• How To Practice A Gospel Presentation 
• Praying for those who don’t know Christ.
• Listening for God’s call to a particular region or people group.
• Sharing in small groups about your faith journey.
• Learning how to recognize Kairos moments.

Conference Follow up.

For my newest subscribers through the EvangelismCoach feed and Monthly Evangelism Tips Newsletter, here are some important links that I highlighted at the Evangelism Dunamis.

• Using a Gospel Scripts.
• Personal Testimony Questionnaire

• Evangelism As Storytelling
• The Power Of Testimony
• A 2 part Questionnaire

I will also post over the next few days, the actual slides that we used for the event since I wasn’t able to get them printed as handouts.

Feedback?

Did you attend the conference?  I’d love for you to put your words of encouragement in the comment form, or email me privately if you wish.

One of the joys I get in my travels as an evangelism trainer is meeting new people all over the country. 

Pastors from various denominations and gifted lay ministers. 

At this conference, new mission outreaches were launched as well as the initial groundwork to start a new tract of the Dunamis project sometime next year.

Breathtaking Alaska Scenery

It’s hard to talk about Alaska without speaking of the jagged mountain peaks, glaciers, and an all around cross cultural food experience:

Moose tacos and reindeer sausage. 

I also enjoyed the first sight of snow for me this season. 

It was also new to me to try an get a grasp of the size of Alaska.

The state is bigger than Texas, and I’m told that two Texas sized states would still fit in Alaska.  The Aluetian island chain actually crosses the International Date Line and as such, is the only US state to experience two days at one time, and the first state to experience the brand new day.

I invite you to see the full photo album mountains at my Facebook photo Album.

Evangelism Training 101

The Evangelism Dunamis is focused on personal evangelism training.  (See related article: 10 Practical Ways Of Sharing Your Faith)

People arrived on Wednesday and the conference continued through the celebration on Sunday morning, finishing with a communion service where people offer their stories of what God was doing in their life during the event.

Much of the content for The Evangelism Dunamis is found in various pieces here on Evangelism Coach, and it is always fun to present the material live. 

We focused on some theology, including the kingdom of God, but much of the teaching time was also given over to lots of practical work, praying and sharing in small groups:

• Sharpening the focus of your testimony
• Using a Gospel Scripts.
• How To Practice A Gospel Presentation 
• Praying for those who don’t know Christ.
• Listening for God’s call to a particular region or people group.
• Sharing in small groups about your faith journey.
• Learning how to recognize Kairos moments.

Given the remoteness of the location at Victory Bible Camp in the rugged Alaska mountains, we didn’t really have an “on the street” opportunity.  We usually like to include a live practicum, based on the Phillip and Ethiopian Eunuch.story.

Conference Follow up.

For my newest subscribers through the EvangelismCoach feed and Monthly EvangelismCoach Newsletter, here are some important links that I highlighted at the Evangelism Dunamis.

• Using a Gospel Scripts.
  • Personal Testimony Questionnaire
  • Evangelism As Storytelling
  • The Power Of Testimony
  • A 2 part Questionnaire

Upcoming Evangelism Dunamis

The Next Evangelism Dunamis will be in Mount Vernon Washington (Oct 23-25), just outside of Seattle. 

If you are in the Pacific Northwest, or even want to come down from Alaska, see Seattle WA Personal Evangelism Training Conference for registration. 

Registration covers only catered meals.  A love offering for advancing the vision will be received nightly.