Back to Church Sunday Resources
last updated on: 16th Apr 2012
Seven out of eight people who come to Back to Church Sunday come because they were personally invited by someone (in person, not just an invite through the door). Without us boldly inviting those we know, none of the other things we might do (like putting up posters, purchasing airtime for the excellent radio advert, making special mention on our church website or posting invites through doors) will come to much. The posters, websites, radio ad’s and all the other excellent ideas are important, but they serve to re-enforce and not replace one person inviting another to join them.
For a wide range of resources, training ideas and videos visit here: http://www.backtochurch.co.uk/taking-part and here: http://www.backtochurch.co.uk/get-ready-to-invite
Prayer Card
Many of us struggle to know how best to invite friends and who to invite. One resource that quite a number of churches found helpful last year is the specially created prayer card. The simple idea being rather than people finding out it is Back to Church Sunday a few weeks beforehand and maybe feeling guilty about not inviting someone, that during Spring or Summer in a Sunday service, everyone is given a prayer card and invited, during the service, to prayerfully add the names of a few people they think God might be nudging them to invite. They then pray regularly between now and September 30th for an opportunity to invite them and boldness to do so if it comes. If God gives the opportunity then great – if not no need for guilt! Hopefully this slightly different approach might encourage those who struggle to invite people to do so. The prayer card can be downloaded from here.
Two case studies
For practical ideas of how Back to Church Sunday worked in two quite different churches you can download a back edition of Shaped by God News here: The article is on page three.
Everybody Welcome 
A number of churches have found the Everybody Welcome course especially helpful in looking at how to make our worshipping communities as welcoming as possible. There’s more information about Everybody Welcome on page two of a back edition of Shaped by God News here: and a commercial tie-in with Back to Church allows you to get a 30% discount on Everybody Welcome if ordered from here
Simply Sofa
Another genius, and yet so simple, Back to Church Sunday idea (or really good for any day of the week). Take one sofa, a Christian and a mug of tea… See http://sbg.dioceseofleicester.com/?p=23 for more!
For a wide range of other ideas even seminar style teaching videos go to the national Back to Church Sunday video channel: http://vimeo.com/backtochurch For details of how to register your church click here: http://www.backtochurch.co.uk/taking-part
