The Value of New Units in Reaching People - Part 1

Written by J. David Apple

God is reawakening many churches to the work of the Great Commission. He is helping churches reemphasize the basic elements of a healthy church that is designed to bring glory to Him, help believers grow in grace, and reach unsaved and unchurched persons. Many churches are poised for reaching persons who are not already participating in Bible study and worship.

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Churches will be able to accommodate new people and the return of non-attending members primarily by enlarging the tent (Isaiah 54:2-3) of its open groups strategy. Churches make application of this principle by starting new classes as part of their ongoing Sunday School ministry at the church facilities.

New units will be defined in the three following categories:

1. New Bible study groups which are part of the traditional, ongoing Sunday School of churches. These units will help the church reach more persons in their traditional organization. We will lead churches to start new classes among the five age groups (preschool, children, youth, young adults, adults).
   
2. New open Bible study groups which intentionally target unchurched persons and likely meet away from the church facilities. These groups will generally focus on one or more target groups of unchurched persons even though they will often include some believers. These small groups will be designed to help participants have a link to other ongoing opportunities for ministry, Bible study and worship in the church.
   
3. New churches. These new churches will either start as a worship site which transitions to include ongoing Bible study classes (Sunday School) or will start as a Bible Study group(s) which transitions to include a worship service.

On the average, each new group or class averages an increase of 10 new people in the church. If this average is maintained, then starting 100,000 new units would bring 1,000,000 new people into the work of the churches. We are challenged to impact 1,000,000 persons through this emphasis.

It becomes apparent that this goal is not accomplishable through our own efforts. Only through the direct influence and leadership of the Holy Spirit could this kind of goal be achieved. It is because of this fact that a strong call to prayer is issued. The goal of 100,000 new units will be undergirded by seeking to enlist at least 1,000,000 persons as prayer warriors for unsaved persons and for revival.

How can we best support new units to help them start effectively and help them continue to function effectively?

1. Focus on prayer. Pray for unchurched persons. Pray for opportunities to connect with and cultivate relationships with unchurched persons.  Pray for opportunities to start Bible study groups and share the Gospel with unchurched persons. Pray for persons who will take leadership in starting or strengthening a new Bible study group targeting unchurched persons.

Be a prayer warrior for:

• Specific unsaved persons
• Opportunities for reaching and ministry to unchurched persons
• Spiritual renewal

Commit to pray for churches to start 100,000 new groups for the purpose of reaching 1 million plus people each year for Christ.

2. Develop a growing passion for unreached persons. Identify specific group(s) of persons not being reached through existing Bible study and ministries of the church.
   
3. Develop promotion and publicity to the people and group(s) you seek to cultivate and reach.
   
4. Piggy-back with existing outreach and ministry projects such as VBS, Upward Basketball, FAITH opinion poll visits, special worship or social events.
   
5. Focus on the purpose for starting new units: To reach people who are not being reached through existing ministries or classes. The purpose for reaching is nurtured through Scripture, such as but not limited to: Deuteronomy 31:12-13, Isaiah 54:1-4, Isaiah 61:1-3, Matthew 28:19-20. Application of reaching people is nurtured in Scripture such as Acts 2:41-47.
   
6. Give priority to reaching unchurched persons.
   
7. Understand and apply principles for reaching unchurched persons.

Arthur Flake was right:

• Know your possibilities (prospects as well as leadership base)
• Enlist and train leaders
• Enlarge the organization
• Provide space and age appropriate resources
• Go after the people

In summary, reaching new people is driven by principles that relate to:

• Strategy. Maintain a clear focus on the assignment of reaching unchurched persons as an application of the Great Commission and the model of our Lord.
  
• Specific target group. Although believers are commissioned to go to everyone, effectiveness will be increased as a specific group of people become the focus of the new class. It is easier to focus on reaching a group of people if there is at least one common characteristic identified (such as age range, affinity, or life transition) of the group.
  
• Communication. In order to reach a specific group of people, effective communication must take place to those who are the target of the ministry, to those who are among the leaders of the group, as well as between participants and leaders.
  
• Leadership. A minimum of three persons need to be committed to start any new group. A minimum of one worker is needed for every five persons who are enrolled in the group.
  
• Relationships. Chances are increased that persons will be reached as members and leaders focus on building and strengthening relationships with persons they are seeking to reach and assimilate.
  
• Space and resources. Each group needs a space where they can meet that provides age-appropriate furnishings and resources.
  
• Multiplication. Each group is designed to reach new persons, to send persons from the group to serve in other ministry/ministries, and to initiate starting new group(s).