STRATEGY:CASE STUDY:What's After October Conferences 1995
A Practical example of interagency mobilization and conference development. This was the founding project of Brigada-orgs-missionmobilizers.
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER 1
Originally from: JeffPike@XC.Org (Jeff Pike)
Originally dated: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 15:25:13 -0400
I wanted to pass on for your comments a recent development in the strategy for the 10/40 Training weekends.
After Bill had talked with Beverly and Dave Bryant with Concerts of Prayer a new opportunity has come up that would be in place of the meetings in September.
On the evening of Saturday Oct. 21,1995, there are scheduled roughly 500 Concerts of Prayer around the USA. Dave Bryant heartily agreed that a day of "What can you do after October?" seminar could be offered for about six hours and include the basic mobilizing material and resources.
The trick here is to train or facilitate a large number of folks that could actually present the basic seminar in as many places as possible. The benefit would be that the concerts of prayer promotion (teamed with "March for Jesus" promotional contacts) plus the 100 Gateway Cities Prayer contact churches would virtually guarantee a good crowd. By linking with Concerts of Prayer This would reach the largest numbers of folks in as many towns as possible.
What do you all think? Beverly is sending out a mailing soon to the 28,000 churches and our plans would like to be mentioned in this mail out if possible.
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER II
Originally from: "NWilson" <NWilson@cproject.com>
Originally dated: Tue, 18 Apr 95 20:12:35
PLEASE GIVE INPUT ON A POSSIBLE CHANGE FOR 10/40 Training Conferences:
As you may know, Concerts of Prayer is hosting meetings in some 500 cities on the evening of Oct. 21 in connection with Praying Through the Window II. Beverly Pigues, David Bryant, and Bill Stearns have suggested that the 10/40 Training Conferences could "cowbird" by offering the 10/40 Training seminars during the day of Saturday, October 21, in the same location as the Concert of Prayer in as many cities as we could before the Concert of Prayer that evening. This would buy us a 6 more weeks to prepare and save some effort in advertising and finding meeting places and dates. The challenge would come in staffing it, as it would be moving from four dates spread out over the weekends of September to just one in October.
Should we go for it, using speaker-teams of three and just do it in five cities? Should we heavily document it and make videos and such so that we don't have to provide speaker-teams at all? Any other suggestions?
Do you vote yes or no on changing the date to Octr 21?
Will you promote this?
Who could you round up as speakers?
PLEASE RESPOND BY MONDAY, APRIL 17, as the Christian Information network is sending out a package very soon to their 28,000 churches on the events surrounding Praying Through the Window II.
What's After October III
Originally from: "NWilson" <NWilson@cproject.com>
Originally dated: Tue, 18 Apr 95 20:13:00
CONFERENCE PLANNING
I have just received a two-page summary on running a conference which I requested from a professional business-conference coordinator. Email your fax number to me at NWilson@CProject.com and I'll fax it to you.
BLACK SPEAKERS
I also just got a list of African-Americans who could speak on the topic of foreign missions. I have not contacted them about speaking for 10/40 Training conferences, but here is the list--the first three are relatively broadly known, and the last three, while capable of speaking on the topic, may not have as much of a life emphasis on foreign mission:
CLARIFICATION ON SPEAKERS
A coupe of weeks ago when I listed three names that Caleb Project could offer as speakers for 10/40 Training Conferences; I listed the city they lived in (Phoenix, L.A., and Denver) rather than cities they would speak in (which caused Bill Stearns to write back with concern). I listed their resident cities to help you team one of your own speakers up with them in that area. If you do the same in listing potential speakers, this may help.
~Nate Wilson
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER III
Nate Wilson
I don't remember seeing anything but positive feedback on the idea proffered by Bill Stearnes, Jeff Pike, Beverly Pegues, and Dave Bryant on renaming the 10/40 Training Conferences, "What's After October" and scooting them back 6 weeks to conincide with the Concerts of Prayer on Oct. 21.
Can we assume that we should move forward with this idea?
Bill Stearnes and I conferred together yesterday on specifics, since none of you made specific suggestions, and here is our suggestion.
Could you please respond with your "yea" or "nay" or suggestion for improvement? I would like to hear from every one of you either through this email conference or one of my addresses below.
Nate Wilson, c/o Caleb Project, 10 West Dry Creek Circle, Littleton, CO 80120
Office phone (10-12 AM or 2-4PM Mountain Time) : 303-730-4170
Home phone (6-7 AM or 6-7 PM Mountain Time) 303-781-0365
Fax: 303-730-4177 Internet: NWilson@CProject.com
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER: CALEB PROJECT'S COMMITMENTS
Originally from: "NWilson" <NWilson@cproject.com>
Originally dated: Mon, 06 Mar 95 12:39:59
Greg Fritz asked me to respond for him concerning Caleb Project:
1. Regionalized mobilization conferences are something we're highly interested in. This focus on the 10/40 Window is of particular interest because of the investment in media resources we've already put in that direction.
2. We may have a person who could give part-time (maybe 10 hours a week) to facilitating the development of these 10/40 Training conferences--nationally and/or for Denver, but we're not ready to make a specific commitment on that until we hear from other agencies in this brigada group
3. Beyond that, we see two areas in which we can make definate commitments:
>We'll be glad to use our START material as a resource. We will probably need to do some revising of our current material. **If you would like to provide input on the revision, ask us for a copy of our current START material to review. Gwen Hanna, who is in the brigada group will be the point person for the START material.
>We'd also be glad to "chip in" to the pool of speakers. Two of our best speakers (Shane Bennett & Wade Harlan) are interested, and there are a couple more people who would also be interested. In addition, we could provide sidelight seminars for conferences in cities near Denver, Muncie IN, LA, and maybe VA Beach (Prayer Journeys, Perspectives, Student/Generation X Mobilizing, People Specific Advocacy)
IDEA:
One of the biggest links we need to make to pull this whole thing off is to recruit *conference coordinators* on the ground for each city.
After talking with Michael Schwartz about this, it seems that all of us could tackle this challenge by first putting in writing what would be involved in being a conference coordinator, then having each person who is "in" on this braganda group to commit to finding the conference coordinator for a particular city of the 18 cities we're targeting.
-Could someone with experience in coordinating a conference write up a checklist for what would be involved in coordinating one of these conferences? (It would need to cover: Who will speak, Speakers' transportation & food & lodging, Handling conference expenses, Location of conference, Mailing through CIN database, Other publicity, Handling Standard Resource Materials, Sidelight seminars, Registration money, How to handle meals for conerence attenders, What else?)
-Could we all write in and claim a city, commmiting to find a conference coordinator on-site?
(Once a person claims a city, if anyone else has contacts in that city, we can send contact info to that person. We'll need to keep a running tally of who has what city and what progress is being made in each city--Jeff, could you arrange to send out such a list once every two weeks or something like that?)
If noone else is better acquainted with PA (and I'm not terribly acquainted with it), I (Nate Wilson) could take Harrisburg (I know a couple of mobilizers there).
Originally from: David Dougherty <71220.2600@compuserve.com>
Originally dated: 09 Mar 95 09:03:05 EST
>> THREE QUESTIONS FOR YOU:
1. Should we use _No_Turning_Back_?<<
This sounds like an excellent choice. I'm especially positive about Verwer's acceptance across a wide span of evangelicals.
>> 2. How many copies should we tell OM Lit to make for us? (If we anticipate using 10,000 copies, they'll need to know that before going to press!)<<
I think this would depend on how these would be distributed, if they would be sold, we could figure a percentage of the audience (20-30%?) but if they would be given to each attendee, that would make a big difference.
>> 3. Would anybody like to write a group-study guide for it? (George said that would be fine.) <<
I would like to, but there's no way I can fit it into my schedule in the time frame we're talking about.
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER VI
Originally from: Larry Walker <0005068029@mcimail.com>
Originally dated: Fri, 10 Mar 95 18:21 EST
For a middle aged baby boomer taking a couple of weeks to figure this thing out is not too bad.
I think the conference idea has real merit. I am concerned about maintaining quality though. In choosing a conference coordinator we need to have people that do not just have good intentions, but that also know what it takes to have a good conference. No conference is better than a bad conference. Missions mobilization already has a reputation for being kind of flaky. I am concerned that we not replicate that image.
Am I being a stuffed shirt?
Larry Walker
ACMC and Co-Coordinator for Mission Mobilization Resource Network
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER VII SUMMARY
Originally from: JeffPike@XC.Org (Jeff Pike)
Originally dated: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 23:22:29 -0500
Greeting Everyone!
Here is a quick update with some comments summarized and questions yet to be answered by all:
Bill --- suggests we call these rallies "10/40 TRAINING WEEKEND"
Beverly --- we need to stay focused, too many seminars sound too complicated for average participant. Clear vision, clear action steps.
Larry --- we don't want to plan something stupid, it needs to be professional, not flakey.
Dave D. --- its got to be broader than just focusing on the Charismatics. Hey and try to keep your messages short!
Caleb Project ---They want to be facilitator for tracking of local organizers, but waiting for a sign from above for specifics.
Other developments:
InterCristo of Seattle has tent. agreed to be first contact for mission activists and send out info sheet that points to next steps. Bill will get out more details on this.
Resources:
We don't want to get into resource sales, distribution business, right? So we're talking to Christian Booksellers Assn. people about local Christian bookstores carrying the basic materials. Also, pray for William Carey (Library) that they'll carry these basics so all of us only need to tell folks to call 800 MISSION for all their key mission mobilization resources.
re: NO TURNING BACK by G. Verwer. Nothing but good reviews from y'all so far. This is a suggested resource to fill the need we saw for a basic resource on personal discipleship with an outreach slant. Anybody want to do the study guide it'll need? Bill will connect with William Carey Libary to see if they'll distribute it. Since we as a concensus group don't want to get into the business, we'll let George and OM Lit work with William Carey to figure out how many to print, etc..
YWAM has a number of good discipleship books that can be had from YWAM Pub in Seattle.
QUESTIONS:
1. Should we collectively do these training weekends or not? Are you "in" meaning we still do not have a total consensus.
2. What breakfast cereal do you eat? I'm a grapenuts man myself.
3. If this is a go. How many mobilizer trainers can you count as available to go and speak at 3 or 4 weekends each in Sept. 95? So far Bill and Amy plus 3 folks at Caleb Project.
4. If this is a go? Can we find someone to do an outline/mini-manual on how to organize a local training weekend? What cities would you and your group like to "claim" to help the locals organize and to provide trainers?
Jeff Pike and Bill Stearns
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER VIII
Originally from: Larry Walker <0005068029@mcimail.com>
Originally dated: Tue, 14 Mar 95 12:53 EST
Brigada Members:
Crudos to Jeff Pike for setting-up Brigada! Count ACMC in on the Rallies for September. I do want to express my concern for maintaining quality for the conferences and everything we do in the mobilization network. I have observed over the years that we mobilizers tend to be visionaries and our ideas can and should feed on each other, but there is a tendency to not ask the hard questions and a tendency to attempt too much too fast and to suffer with a reputation for mediocrity which is deathly in our cause. Dave Dougherty and I have been sensitized to this lately at a change dynamics course that we took at Fuller Seminary. I am convinced that one of the obstacles to mission mobilization is the insensitivity of mission mobilizers to contemporary culture. It would be easy for our rallies to unleash a horde of overly-zealous enthusiasts with just enough knowledge to be dangerous that would only increase the negative image that missions faces in so many churches. I suggest that some basic principles of change dynamics be included in the curriculum that is being developed. DD and myself could help with that (right Dave?).
I offer the following suggestions on the Rallies:
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER VIII SUMMARY
Originally from: JeffPike@XC.Org (Jeff Pike)
Originally dated: Sat, 18 Mar 1995 17:23:39 -0500
But what we've been asked to do is provide some kind of training response to 28,000 churches in the Praying II effort that want to know what to do after October. That's really the core of what the "10/40 Training Weekends" are all about. Bringing in other churches that haven't signed on to pray during October is almost incidental. This is the classic cowbirding ploy: to tuck in basic mobilization training within the movement that's already bigger than all of us. Just heard Mike Little again project 50 million praying during October. So the September dates are obviously not within our comfort zone but are the dates during which these churches can best be served. Make sense?
Let's clarify what we're talking about:
1) Promoting as we can or want to among our constituencies.
2) Providing a body or 3 or 4 to serve on one of 6 mobilizer/prayer training teams.
That's it.
The logistics of the venue are up to locals; and if locals won't or can't handle it, we can't present a Training Weekend. The "success" or attendance of a Training Weekend is up to the 10/40 praying churches, not us. The only risk we run is hoping like blazes the offerings taken cover our trainers' airfare. That's the extent of our stretch to hop on the fattest old cow most of us cowbirds have seen come along in a while!
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER: USCWM & LOGISTICS ADVISOR
Originally from: "NWilson" <NWilson@cproject.com>
Originally dated: Mon, 20 Mar 95 13:25:40
USCWM:
I had a good talk with Dave Imboden (USCWM) last week, and I thought it would be good to report briefly:
Dave said that he already had plans in the works for the US Center to coordinate a similar set of mobilizer's workshops in 35 States in the Spring of 1996, therefore it would be hard to jump on our bandwagon. However, he said that he could see merit in doing this to coincide with the October 1995 prayer emphasis and that the USCWM regional reps could probably help out to some degree with these 10/40 Training conferences. (Dave, we'd love to hear from you directly, too, if you're up on brigada.)
LOGISTICS ADVISOR:
Glen Tyler, a friend of mine in Denver visited me last week, and when I shared the vision of these 10/40 Training Conferences, he reminded me that it is his profession to organize business conferences. He volunteered to give professional advice for free to anyone in this conference on setting up the 10/40 Training conferences. I'll also ask him to write up a short paper outlining his advice on how to do it. Please run any questions by me to relay to him. If your questions would not benefit everyone in this briganda group, then send your question directly to me at NWilson@CProject.com
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER: CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
Originally from: "NWilson" <NWilson@cproject.com>
Originally dated: Mon, 27 Mar 95 14:24:34
We need to get moving on these 10/40 Training conferences!
>From what I've seen on Brigada, it appears that the issue of WHO will speak at these conferences hasn't been nailed down yet. We all need to donate a couple of speakers to come up with a team for each conference. I suggest we use teams of 3 with a variety of people on each team--each team should have at least one speaker with some name recognition, and each team could have one person to add a special viewpoint (i.e. a female and/or a younger person and/or someone of another ethnicity besides Caucasian). These speaker teams could be formed according to locale and the trios could speak at the three cities nearest them.
In order to form the teams, we need to first come up with the speaker pool from which to form teams. Either that, or we need to get just a few speakers to commit to recruiting the other two members of their own teams.
Could every one of you please send a message to brigada to let us all know whom we can begin expecting to speak? I'll start by listing for Caleb Project:
1) Wade Harlan, Los Angeles
2) Shane Bennett, Phoenix, AZ
3) Nate Wilson (if acceptable), Denver, CO
Who's next?
Originally from: William Stearns/All Nations Literature <stearns@usa.net>
Originally dated: Thu, 30 Mar 1995 17:21:05 -0700 (MST)
I faxed a sample overview to your office just now. Please call and let me know what you think. Jeff Pike would like to conference-call with us to then report on brigada what's happening.
A few tidbits are different, you'll see. The Arizona Perspectives coordinators are rabid to have the training in Phoenix. Also, the Sentinel Group wants in on the action. Dave Imboden from USCWM has virtually said they're not going to do anything, and was miffed that this seems to take the place of what he said he announced at our "consensus" meeting in January--that the Center was going to do a series of regional mobilization training workshops this fall. I remember his mentioning something off in the future as a vague possibility, but I sure didn't think the 10/40 Training Weekends were something we should apologize about to him, as he suggested. (!?) Bruce Camp with EV Free also sounds as if he's out of the picture. I'd say if you have time it'd be tremendously important to re-contact these guys by phone and ask if the rest of us can promote their interests at the Training Weekends and if they're SURE their entire organization isn't going to participate. (A lot of mobilizers are still living out the mobilization curse of seeing what needs to be done and then doing it themselves INSTEAD OF MOBILIZING OTHERS to take their part. Maybe although they themselves can't do it, someone else could represent their groups.) Anyway, let's not lose them if possible.
Speaking of contacting these guys: Are you--Is Caleb Project--going to be the communications hub? Hope so!
If so, I'll initiate as many queries as possible to local mobilizers to see who'll host the thing in their city. What'd be helpful is if they could respond to you rather than Amy and me. (We're heading out Sunday for a few days in California. Be back Wednesday and I'll try to keep touch by e-mail.) I don't want to be a communications bottleneck.
Oh, incidentally, the World Christian Magazine listing is me! It won't be announced till April 17, but I'm taking on the special projects division of World Christian Mag--mobilization and short-terms!! And obviously what we're doing with the Training Weekends fits right in!
As I see it, we need to immediately:
--Determine trainers' availability,
--Give the firing gun to local mobilizers to organize,
--Blitz into publicity channels the announcement of these events and
--Finish up the resources.
Amy and I (and I think but haven't finally confirmed...)and Beverly Pegues of CIN want to take: Seattle Sept. 8-10, Portland Sept. 15-17, San Francisco Bay Area/San Jose Sept. 22-24, Los Angeles (along with Wade!? as a team of 4?) Sept. 29-Oct. 1
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER X
Originally from: David Dougherty <71220.2600@compuserve.com>
Originally dated: 04 May 95 09:23:42 EDT
We've found it really tough to sustain our OMF prayer conferences in many areas across the country. The need for the function conferences fill is still with us, but the increasing costs of producing them, coupled with the difficulty in promoting them to secure adequate attendance is really tough. I think that the training conferences planned for this fall will benefit from the "core/host" church concept with a single congregation that is wholly behind the meeting, and then including others as possible. This is like the model of the "Seven Dynamics" seminar you did at Kevin's church in Garden Grove.
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER XI
Originally dated: Thu, 4 May 95 12:12 EST
From: John McVay, Heartland MissionsFest, Tulsa OK
As I earlier e-mailed Nate and Jeff, count me in for October 21. Here are some suggestions and additional responses:
* Let's only do the October 21 conferences in whatever city we can do them well! Suggested criteria:
Motivated coordinator/publicist
Active network in place, whether Concerts of Prayer, ACMC, Perspectives alumni, etc.
For example, I know mobilizers in Oklahoma City, Wichita, and Northwest Arkansas that could, potentially, do a great job with this. But few of their prospective people would travel out of town to Tulsa to attend our event here.
* I plan to be at ACMC's National Conference in Wheaton. But I may not be able to stay too long Saturday afternoon. (I need to fly out Saturday to get back home at a reasonable hour to kiss my wife and five kids - including my adorable 7 week-old daughter, Annie, who gets credit for me being silent the last 7 weeks on Brigada!)
* I can advertise the October 21 conference once I receive:
1. An brief outline or paragraph
2. Info on how to contact whoever's doing the Concert of Prayer here
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER XII
Originally from: Beverly Pegues <73422.3471@compuserve.com>
Originally dated: 04 May 95 16:30:08 EDT
I was pleased to see your E-Mail of 4/18 regarding speakers of African descent. As much as possible, I feel that the speaking teams should look like the throne room of God. I'm sure the Lord would further bless this effort as we include as many ethnic groups as possible (even if this means training speakers before the 10/21 date).
With regards to your question regarding using speaker teams or videos. I feel we should keep the organization of everything as simple as possible. Video and audio taping one of the cutting edge conferences is an excellent idea. The tapes can keep running when we can't. With regards to information Christian Information Network will be sending to 28,000 churches, I'm not sure what you and others are referring to. We have recently sent follow-up packets to churches/ministries that have signed up to participate. By the way, since things have not yet been finalized, I haven't submitted anything to the Praying Through the Window Committee. Therefore, nothing will be sent out until it has Committee approval.
A point of clarification about 28,000 churches that were involved in the first phase of Praying Through the Window, 6,227 were churches in the United States.
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER XV CONFERENCE SUMMARY
Here is a unique resource--an opportunity for a pre-fab conference that you could trigger in your area:
BACKGROUND: There are over 6,000 local churches in the U.S. which have already committed to participating in Praying through the 100 gateway cities of the 10/40 Window this October. In your city, there may be hundreds of these churches. What will happen after the October prayer emphasis on the 10/40 Window is over? Will it be another flash in the pan for missions?
The IDEA: Imagine the potential of gathering leaders from all the churches who are "Praying Through The Window" in your area around the time of the October prayer emphasis and infusing them with a vision for making missions an integral part of their church instead of just another flash in the pan.
The PLAN: A consortium of mission mobilizers, many of whom are a part of this email conference, have offered their resources to make this kind of conference easier to put on. There are several key links which can be made through this consortium:
MARKETING: The Christian Information Network has the addresses of all the churches which have committed to Praying Through The Window this October, and they can help you contact all the churches in your area who would be interested in such a conference.
LOGISTICS: Marches For Jesus can provide a location and conference helpers if you hold an "After October" conference on October 21. They will already be coordinating the logistics for a Concert of Prayer in your city that night, and they are willing to set up early to help with an "After October" conference during the day.
SPEAKERS: Professional speakers with experience in church mission mobilization will be needed too, if you do not already have access to some in your area. The consortium mentioned earlier has members willing to pay their way, if necessary, to help speak. This group is also meeting July 15 at the ACMC national conference in Wheaton (you're invited to join if you're going to be there) to put together an outline of topics to cover in such a conference. We may also be able to make videotapes of well-known speakers covering the material.
MATERIALS: You'll also need some key mobilization resources to have on hand to sell to these church leaders. The consortium reccommends the following five resources, and can help you get them inexpensively. (You are welcome to add to this list, but we feel it would be good to pick some of the best and not overwhelm people with too many choices.)
Would you be INTERESTED in triggering this kind of event in your city? Contact Nate Wilson (the consortium communication facilitator) at: <NateWilson@XC.org> or 303-730-4170
(Please note: Nate will be travelling July 1-18 and will not be receiving messages during that time.)
WHAT'S AFTER OCTOBER" CONFERENCES XI
From: NateWilson@XC.Org (Nate Wilson)
You remember the June 28 article here outlining an idea for a pre-fab follow-up conference to Praying Through The Window this October? There's still time to pull one off in your city, and here's an update on some of the resources available:
*The Christian Information Network can write a cover letter and mail brochures for the "After October" event in your city to all the churches in your area which are "Praying Through The Window" & bill you for the postage. I originally said that they would be able to do that mailing in time for an October 21 conference date, but it turns out that the earliest they could send mailings for us would be the last week of October.
*Caleb Project, due to their help in writing the "100 Gateway Cities" book and producing the "Light The Window" video, has been selling these materials too, and has a small database of purchasers which would, therefore be interested in this follow-up conference. If you want a few contacts before October, contact <NWilson@CProject.com>
*Bill and Amy Stearns have already completed a brochure, outline, and handouts for the "After October" conference they're putting on and would be glad to send/fax that material to you.
*LOCATIONS for "What's After October?"
Los Angeles: Kevin Guttman <74562.3305@Compuserve.com> Church On Brady, Nov. 18?
Denver: Nate Wilson <NWilson@CProject.com>, Cherry Hills Church, Nov. 18?
Cincinnati: Bill & Amy Stearns <73502.3126@compuserve.com> Faith Bible Church Oct. 21, 1-5pm ($10)
Tulsa, OK: John McVay <TCF@aol.com> Victory Christian Center, Oct. 30 6-10pm
FROM: Nate Wilson <NWilson@CProject.com>
Sorry that I haven't been extremely regular in the sending out of messages on this conference. A lot of this has been due to coordinating the "What's After October" workshop for Denver. Allow me to give a report:
About two dozen people from one dozen churches in the Denver area showed up, and we had a great time. Larry Walker discussed contextualizing our mission message to meet yuppies where they're at. Bill and Amy Stearns presented a scheme of drawing a church deeper into mision vision and involvement, and Chris wrapped the workshop up with vision for what a mobilized church can look like and can do. In between each lecture there was time for discussion and application in small groups guided by a team of local mission professionals. Participants also walked away with a folder chock full of information on organizations and resources that could help them in building their church mission program.
Bill Stearns, who spoke at all three "What's after October" workshops to date, passed on a little bit of information on the other two: The one which Bill and his wife, Amy, did in Cincinnatti was good, but only a few people showed up. John McVay fared much better with the one he coordinated in Tulsa, netting 40 (or was it 70? Have you guessed by now I'm not good with numbers?) Bill or John, do you want to add anything?
This brings me to a question:
The audience that I targeted for W.A.O. did not come. I knew my message was just what church leaders all over Denver needed, but no church pastors or non-mission-activist laypeople came. The pastors must have looked at the invitation and said, "this is missions; it does not pertain to me--I'll pass it on to the mission committee." Almost everyone who came was on a church mission committee.
Joe Brate, who did a concert of Prayer in Birmingham, AL, and Greg Fritz, who did a Concert of Prayer in Denver voiced similar concerns to me last week when a disappointingly small turnout came. How do we get more people to a mission-oriented event??
So my question is: Is it possible to target and reach the non- mission-activists in a church with a workshop or conference to help them grow in their mission vision, and if so, how do you get them to come in numbers large enough to make the effort worthwhile? I'm sure part of the answer lies in the success of John McVay's effort--he had a regular annual mission conference going, with a local network in place, so people were ready when he issued an invitation to a new kind of mission conference. But how do you do this? And how do you draw the whole spectrum of the church rather than just the mission fanatics?
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