Spring 1984

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The following research deals in specific church situations and makes detailed recommendations. Some readers will want to make adjustments for various church styles, but we think the principles expressed here are widely applicable.

The visitation teams headed back to the church at the close of a Thursday evening's work. One group in particular was excited about their call at the home of Tom and Emily Kenyon. After some polite small talk, the conversation had turned to religion. The group leader followed the basic evangelistic outline they had learned and eventually asked whether the Kenyons wouldn't like to make a Christian decision.

Tom and Emily responded affirmatively and prayed the prayer in the booklet. Follow-up material was left with the couple, along with an invitation to attend church the next Sunday. This experience, when shared with the other calling teams, was enough to qualify the entire night of calling as a fine success.

The next Sunday Tom and Emily Kenyon did indeed attend church. While they didn't know anyone and could not find any of the three who had called that Thursday night, they tried to be friendly and enter into the Sunday morning activities. They attended the church once more two weeks later. It was their last visit. A phone call from the church, following up on their earlier decision, was met with a polite but noncommittal response. The Kenyons had just left through the 'evangelistic back door.'

What happened? Why did these apparently genuine Christian decisions not proceed naturally into church involvement and continued growth? Why do many modern evangelistic endeavors have similar dropout patterns? In talking with pastors and church leaders across the nation, we have found that the evangelistic back ...

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