Last month I heard a great story about the use and impact of publicity...

Jo Poulsom, from The Community Church in Bristol, reported how the church had put out a number of leaflets advertising courses that they, and other local churches, were putting on for the community. The leaflet, a simple double-sided sheet of A4 roll-folded (like you fold a letter to put it into an envelope), was delivered in houses in the locality and left in public venues, such as libraries and cafés.

Here’s a disturbing thought. When it comes to outreach, you might just be praying all wrong. Your church prayer meetings might be emphasising all the wrong things. Your prayers for your community, your friends, your neighbours and family might be focusing on entirely the wrong target.

Praying for people to become Christians can actually be counter-productive. It can hinder outreach, and hold back church growth. It can end up achieving the exact opposite of what was intended.

Yes, thats right - summer time is just round the corner and its time for you, your small group and your church to start thinking how to make best use of those hazy summer evenings, the good weather and all the fun of summer.

There's no better time to invest into building relationships outside the church. Here's the scoop on how you can engage your group in reaching out this summer.

Book Review : Surprised by Hope, Tom Wright

OK. Let’s play word association. I say ‘Heaven’ and you say ‘Hell’; I say ‘Resurrection’ and you say ‘Easter’; I say ‘Left’ and you say ‘Behind’; I say ‘eschatology’ and you say ‘what?’ or cheat and say ‘Second Coming’.

If that’s something (anything) like the way the game would go, then you’ll find Tom Wright’s book challenging, informative, stretching and stimulating.