A series of nationwide evangelistic television commercials sponsored by the North American Mission Board resulted in more than 6,200 total responses to an offer of a free JESUS video and 48 first-time professions of faith in Christ.
The idea was to reach people who are attracted to values-based programming and thus might be receptive to the gospel. So we ran spots on shows like Cosby and Little House on the Prairie, then told our telephone encouragers when to expect responses from viewers, said Ron Lawson, NAMBs media strategy director.
Telephone encouragers are part of NAMBs Evangelism Response Center, which channels calls from viewers into homes of volunteers willing to talk with them about Christ.
The advertising was placed on the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS). Two of NAMBs most popular TV spots were used, one in which Mary Lou Retton describes Jesus as a perfect 10 and the other, titled Living Water, taken from the words of Christ from scripture. Viewers were invited to call a toll-free number to receive a free copy of the JESUS video.
Source:Baptist Press, December 7, 2000.
When asked in a recent Zogby poll to name the best place for a single person to meet a prospective spouse, respondents scorned the nightlife in favor of a less worldly alternative.
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A poll of 1,004 adults nationwide revealed 34.7 percent think the best place for singles to hang out is church and church-related events. A close second was community events (29.8 percent). Bars ranked last (2.4 percent). On mission churches are aware of the single factor and the opportunities for evangelism they present.
Almost half of those over 65 named church, while answers from younger respondents were distributed fairly evenly between school, work, church and community events.
Source: Reuters/Zogby, August 2000.
During a typical week, people have trouble getting through to a human being at Protestant churches. Thats one of the conclusions drawn from a new study on what it takes to make phone contact with a person at a church these days. Among the key findings of the study were:
In attempting to reach nearly 4,000 churches during business hours, a human being was accessible on the first call attempt at only one-third of the Protestant churches called.
Despite making as many as 12 call attempts per church, 40 percent of the churches never provided access to a human being.
Although answering machines can be purchased economically, 44 percent of the churches that never answered their telephone did not have an answering machine.
Source:The Barna Update, August 22, 2000.
Donations to charities continue to increase in the United States. The top 20 groups raised more than $38 billion in 1999, an increase of 13 percent over the previous year.
The Salvation Army was the top fund-raiser. Among other charities in the top 20 were Lutheran Services in America, Habitat for Humanity International, Catholic Charities USA, World Vision and Campus Crusade for Christ International.
Charitable giving has increased steadily over the last decade, in line with the growing economy.
Source:The Chronicle of Philanthropy, October 2000.
There were literally hundreds of people back home praying for us, knowing we were going on this mission trip. There was this strength that made me get up and go. It came from God.
Clarke Bynum, six-foot-seven-inch, former Clemson University basketball player, who on a church mission trip ran into the cockpit and subdued a deranged man, saving Flight 2069 from London to Nairobi.
Source: Crosswalk.com, January 4, 2001.