Promoting Church Attendance in this Economy.... Good Strategies?

A Church in Prattville, Alabama, Gives Away Free Gas Print E-mail
Written by Amanda McKenzie   
Sunday, 25 September 2011 11:00 pm

 

A church in Prattville is helping to relieve some of the pain at the pump.

 

Dozens of cars lined up at the Quick Stop on Fairview Avenue for free gas from the United Christian Church. 

 

The church said it's a new program meant to reach out to the community in these tough economic times. 

 

It started out as a perk for church members and to help increase attendance, but the word has spread.

 

"This is something that we wanted to bring to the community," pastor Thaylee Dickerson said. "We know that the economic times are not good right now so we want to try to help as many people as we can with gas so that they can just make it a few days."

 

The United Christian Church gave out 500 dollars in gas. Fifteen dollars was given to each car as drivers filled up their tanks.

 

The church plans to continue the free gas day once a month. 

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NJ church offers "reverse collection" baskets
SAMANTHA HENRY, Associated Press
Updated 03:22 p.m., Sunday, September 25, 2011

 

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey church that believes "God's love delivers" sought to prove that theory literally on Sunday by allowing parishioners to skip donating to the collection basket — and take money out instead.

Leaders of the Liquid Church, which has three branches in New Jersey, gave away the usual Sunday collection of $30,000 cash in unmarked envelopes containing a $10, $20 or $50 bill.

Lead pastor Tim Lucas said the "reverse offering" was meant to teach churchgoers that faith in God — not government — is the only route to recovery in the current financial crisis. He said the event went off without any problems, nor were there hordes of people who just came looking for free money.

"For us, the success of this effort comes from empowering people to be the solution, instead of expecting the government to do it. We're hoping this fosters an outbreak of generosity, that people creatively invest the money in good works to make themselves and their community better," Lucas said Sunday afternoon. "We believe the economic crisis is a spiritual issue, which is why we are moving forward with God's recovery plan."

Parishioners at the Christian-based church — which has about 2,000 members and branches in Morristown, Nutley, and New Brunswick — appeared to take the "do good deeds" message to heart.

"I think this is a fabulous idea," said Michelle Clifford of North Caldwell, who recently began attending services at the church. She got an envelope containing $10, which she planned to return to the church, and said she was so inspired by the message that she would donate at least $20 of her own money along with clothes and other items to a local homeless shelter.

"They took a strong step of faith which shows people that church isn't all about the money, it's about touching hearts. And that's what I saw today, a lot of people feeling blessed, excited about doing good things with the money they got," Clifford said.

Church officials say they had heard of a church in California trying a similar "reverse collection" tactic, and they thought it was a good idea at a time when so many people are struggling financially.

"The national economy might be in the ditch, but at the end of the day, your personal economy is what matters," Pastor Rich Birch said. "The Bible teaches simplicity and living within your means, and that God gives us resources and trusts us to use them. So in a real way it's saying 'God trusts us,' it's a bit of a teaching metaphor, and when we literally give them money, it's saying God trusts us to use it properly."

As an example, Birch said one churchgoer told him she planned to use her money to buy cake supplies to bake goods for a fundraiser to help victims of the recent flooding that ravaged several New Jersey communities.

The "reverse collection" event is just one of the church's programs aimed at benefiting the community.

Church officials say they plan to donate an additional $60,000 to local projects, including helping communities with flood recovery in each of the three counties they serve.

 

The Christian Post > International > N.America|Sun, Nov. 20 2011 01:12 PM EDT

Churches That Embrace Technology Attract Younger Congregations, Study Finds

Evangelical Churches Are Leading a Religious Trend to Utilize Technology for Congregations

By Sara Kim | Christian Post Contributor
*
These days, technoology is playing more and more of a prominent role in the life of the Church.

A study released in September by Hartford Seminary insinuates that technology such as LCD TVs and iPads are illuminating religious communities these days. In the decade-long study, the scramble to embrace technology was one of the most significant changes in American congregations.

The study analyzed over 30 religions, including Protestants, Mormons, Muslims, Catholics and Jews, and found that congregations that have significant numbers of young adults are twice as likely to use technology heavily.

The report found evangelical Christians to be the most tech-savvy group.

Technology is most dramatically used during many churches’ sermons, such as at Fellowship Church in Dallas, Texas. The parishioners at this church follow the sermons of Pastor Ed Young, Sr., through high-definition video as Young is beamed from the mother church in Grapevine, Texas, into their sanctuary.

Young is part of new generation of worship leaders who are using technology--including high-def video and even holograms--to present their Sunday morning sermons from “mother” churches to their “satellite” churches.

In addition to technology used during sermons, more churches have even embraced technology concerning monetary donations. E-giving has many benefits, says Deborah Matthews of ACH Direct, such as church members’ being able to “remain faithful to their commitment to give even when they are not physically at church,” such as during summer vacations, inclement weather and illnesses.

According to the 2010 Federal Reserve Payments Study, over three-quarters of noncash payments made last year were made electronically.

At Morning Star Church in Dardenne Prairie, Missouri, Pastor Mike Schreiner encourages his congregation members to text message their questions to him throughout his sermon. His assistant, John Carrington, screens the questions, and the chosen ones are shown on a computer screen in front of Schreiner and read anonymously. The worship leader feels the accessibility that texting gives to his members is important.

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