In an effort to help Southern Baptist Convention reaching the goal of one million baptisms, LifeWay plans to launch 100,000 new Bible study units to outreach new people for Christ. The initiative will help to set up Sunday school classes as well as many other evangelistic programs including clubhouse and home gatherings for Bible Study.
While commenting on the effectiveness of the initiative, Jay Johnston, director of LifeWay’s Faith/evangelism and discipleship area commented, "One of the key goals for the church resources division is to help churches grow. By providing new-unit helps like CDs and evangelism curriculum we are helping create an atmosphere for churches to start new units. When a church starts new units the church will win people to Christ and we will see an increase in baptisms."
According to Topper Reid, pastor of Hunter Street Baptist in Birmingham, Ala.,, churches that organize new bible study units are succeeding in church growth. "Creating new units allowed us to do evangelism through the Sunday school and reach new people," Reid said, adding, "Many of our existing new classes gave birth to as many as five new units through the years."
Meanwhile, Wayne Poling, Sunday school specialist in LifeWay's church ministry leadership area suggested that the purpose of starting new units is to reach people for Christ at anytime, anyplace and it’s not for believers only.
Church ministry leaders are encouraged to input suggestions for starting new classes by logging on to www.lifeway.com/newunits. Along with information regarding new classes, church leaders are also asked to write testimonies of their current classes’ success to testify how the new program can aid in spiritual growth.
