Building Up Church Attendance

ARE there seats in your church that should be filled? Is your church some­times accused of being out of touch with the community?

You may be aware that the Religion in American Life program is a national cam­paign supported by American advertising, communications, and industry to "sell" the single idea "Go to church." On television, radio, and billboards; in newspapers, maga­zines, and advertising pieces, the message is repeated more than a billion times each season.

But what has this to do with you and your problems as a pastor? Briefly, this:

The Ministerial and Public Affairs de­partments of the General Conference sup­port jointly the annual Religion in Ameri­can Life program because it provides Adventist pastors with a proved means of increasing church attendance and improv­ing community relations.

Whether your coming evangelistic pro­gram is to be centered around public meet­ings, lay visitation, or cottage meetings, one of your chief concerns will be to attract the attention of the people who you hope will listen to your message.

When you use the printed materials pro­vided by RIAL, you are buying more than paper and printing. You are putting behind your own church program the accumulated impact of advertising that has already gained wide acceptance. The skills of artists and copywriters beyond the resources of the church are contributed to the prepara­tion of advertising of professional appear­ance and strong appeal. All this is available through our participation in the program, with no restrictions on how the pastor may use it.

In communities that sponsor a local RIAL campaign, Adventist pastors may reap the added benefits of working with other pastors and community leaders on a project that Adventists can support whole­heartedly. In times likes these, when issues such as Sunday legislation divide us from some of our fellow Americans, such an op­portunity for cooperation is invaluable.

When your RIAL announcement reaches you through the mail, send for the congre­gational program kit and give some serious study to how the materials in it can strengthen the work of your church.

Remember, Religion in American Life is not another campaign to promote. It is a strong arm extended to help you carry out more effectively the program of evangelism to which you and your members have com­mitted yourselves. Pastors who have used these facilities have increased their church attendance 10 to 15 per cent. The Religion in American Life program will work for your church too.