Does Your Church Have Faith?

Written by Donna J. Gandy

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Bobby Welch shares from the heart how his church experienced a remarkable moving of God's Spirit when they brought evangelism to the forefront of Sunday School.

Of course it does—as do you! Faith is a vital part of your ministry and growth as a congregation. And FAITH, the evangelism strategy that links Sunday School and evangelistic witnessing, can also become a vital part of your ministry and growth. Developed and pioneered by First Baptist Church, Daytona Beach, Florida, FAITH is a tool for training believers to share their faith effectively and often. But FAITH is also a strategy that involves the Sunday School members in witnessing to inactive class members, potential members, and others in the community, and then follows up in discipleship, nurture, and caregiving. The objective is to share the gospel, bring assurance of salvation, and restore persons to fellowship and discipleship. The ultimate result will be spiritual, ministry, discipleship, and numerical growth for the Sunday School and the church.

This means that information about Sunday School visitors, church guests, and community prospects must be processed immediately; assignments must be made; and follow-up activities must be tracked. Sunday School departments, classes, and members will become involved in contacting, nurturing, and assimilating prospects, new members, and inactive members. That is where your role as ministry assistant and information specialist becomes essential to the success of FAITH in your church. The process requires more than typing letters to visitors and preparing prospect cards. Materials for training the teams must be prepared and distributed, visitation assignments made, follow-up visits assigned, results recorded, information mailed, data accumulated, attendance recorded. All of this is vital to assuring that people are reached and nurtured in their new faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.

During the past five years almost 7,000 congregations have begun the FAITH strategy. They have sent key leaders to FAITH training clinics throughout the country. It is essential that the ministry assistant who will be working with the FAITH ministry attend the training clinic with the staff. Not only do you need to be involved in FAITH as a participant (it will enrich your life and witness tremendously), but you need to become familiar with all of the information management processes that will enable its successful implementation. When you attend the clinic, spend time with the secretary at the host church to discover some of the tips and ideas that will help you set up your own process. Your work is key to FAITH! You will be a part of winning many people to faith in Christ. I can’t think of a better way to invest your ministry.

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Does Your Church Have Faith?