Unchurched Next Door : Understanding Faith Stages As Keys to Sharing Your Faith

by Thom S. Rainer

• ISBN13: 9780310248606
• ISBN10: 0310248604
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-09-01
• Publisher: Harpercollins Christian Pub

Summary

If You Invite Them, They Will Come.It's true. In a national survey done by author Thom Rainer and his staff, eight out of ten unchurched men and women said they would come to church-if only someone would invite them. When and how is the next big question. Rainer helps you figure out where your neighbors, friends, and coworkers are in their spiritual quest, and how you can know who among the unchurched people in your life are receptive to Christ.In this fascinating book, Rainer identifies five "faith stages"-levels of responsiveness, prefixed with a "U" for "Unchurched"-that represent your running buddy, your sister-in-law, or your hairdresser:U1 Highly receptive to hearing and believing the Good NewsU2 Receptive to the gospel and churchU3 Neutral, with no clear signs of being interested yet perhaps being open to discussionU4 Resistant to the gospel, but with no antagonistic attitudeU5 Highly antagonistic and even hostile to the gospel"A discovery we made is that reaching lost and unchurched people is not always best accomplished with some cookie-cutter strategy," Rainer writes. "The unchurched are different in how they respond to the gospel." How different? You'll be amazed at the variables that exist when it comes to how open people are to the Christian message. Once you've recognized which stage your unchurched friends and family are, you can much more effectively connect them with Christ. Open this book, and open your mind and heart to the powerful new possibilities of reaching The Unchurched Next Door.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	9	(2)
The Research Team	11	(2)
Introduction: Why Justin Is Not Like Jane Is Not Like jack	13	(22)
Chapter 1: The Unchurched Next Door	35	(22)
Chapter 2: Faith Stages of the Unchurched	57	(22)
Chapter 3: "Religion Is Okay for the Weak-Minded"	79	(24)
The World of the U5
Chapter 4 "Just What Is Truth?"	103	(24)
The World of the U4
Chapter 5: "Church Is Just Not My Thing"	127	(24)
The World of the U3
Chapter 6: "Jesus Is just Alright with Me"	151	(22)
The World of the U2
Chapter 7: "What Must I Do to Be Saved?"	173	(22)
The World of the U1
Chapter 8: The Formerly Unchurched Offer Some Insights	195	(20)
Chapter 9: Ten Reasons We Have Not Reached the Unchurched	215	(18)
Chapter 10: Reaching the Unchurched at Their Faith Stages	233	(16)
Appendix A: Faith Stages Inventory	249	(2)
Appendix B: Research Design and Statistical Review	251	(3)
Appendix C: Faith Stages Survey Instrument	254	(7)
Appendix D: Faith Stages Survey Responses	261	(7)
Notes	268	(1)
Name and Subject Index	269