It was fantastic to see so many of you at the Spark Conference on August 16th.  I give a huge shoutout to Pastor David Lambert, Matt Ward, the FBC Staff and so many volunteers from FBC Thomson for their work to bring this conference to the Kilpatrick Baptist Association.  I have received lots of great feedback on the job they did in hosting.  Folks were blessed by the different breakout sessions as well as the main session with Thom Rainer.  I trust that you received training that will help you engage more fruitfully and productively in the ministry areas to which you are called. 

I first became familiar with Thom Rainer around 25 years ago when I heard him speak in conferences and read his books.  One of his books that I read was “The Unchurched Next Door.” The book was written out of a desire by Thom Rainer to understand the attitudes and beliefs of the unchurched across our nation with the hopes that a better understanding of them would help the church to more effectively reach them.  What he discovered after interviews with around 400 unchurched individuals was very interesting.  In his research he found several things about the unchurched that surprised him.  Here are four of them: 1. Most unchurched would prefer to attend on Sunday A.M. if they attend.  2.  Females are more likely to either be the most antagonistic or the most receptive.  3. Most of the unchurched feel guilty about not attending church. Finally, and perhaps most surprising….4. 82% of the unchurched are at least “somewhat likely” to attend church if invited.  While this book was written 20 years ago the statistics still largely hold true. 

               Pause for a minute and think about that last discovery for a minute.  More than eight out of ten unchurched individuals said they would come to church if someone invited them. If that statement is true, then it would seem that the first step toward reaching them would simply be to invite them.  Rainer also discovered as part of his study that only 21 percent of Christians invite anyone to church over the course of a year?  Is it possible that many among us are among the 79% who never invite anyone to our church where they might be exposed to the teaching of God’s Word and the gospel?  I would encourage you not to be afraid to invite someone to church.  It is entirely possible that they are simply waiting for an invitation.