United Church of Christ Seeks to Evangelize
The United Church of Christ, which traces its origins to the New England pilgrims and Puritans, wants to reclaim the evangelizing characteristics of its roots.
The church is launching a three-year program of “Evangelism Institutes” across the country, with the first sessions in September in Texas and Louisiana.
The Revs. Alan Johnson and Martie Swan, who coordinate the program for the denomination’s Board of Homeland Ministries, said: “We need to make evangelism ‘acceptable’ among mainliners, to reclaim the name and the practice from our heritage rather than dismissing it as something someone else does.”
Like other mainline denominations, the United Church of Christ has lost members since 1965, its rolls shrinking from 2.07 million to 1.64 million. In the new program, institutes are to be held in 15 regions to train clergy and laity in evangelizing methods such as Bible study, talking to others about faith, and attracting and welcoming people to church.
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