Some newcomers could be heading your way soon, if a new campaign by evangelism resources group Outreach Inc. is a success.

The San Diego-based organization is launching a national Back to Church Sunday campaign, intended to help make it easy for regular churchgoers to invite friends and family along to a service with them.

The program kicks off on Sunday, Sept. 13, with church attendees being encouraged to ask along the "unchurched" and "de-churched"-those who used to go to church, but stopped doing so. According to a LifeWay Research study, more than 80% of people would be open to visiting a church if they were asked by a friend or relative. But only 2% of church members invite an unchurched person to a service with them in a given year.

Back to Church Sunday organizers say that most people who have dropped out of church probably haven't lost their faith in God, but have just gotten out of the habit of going to church. "Many de-churched people are a simple re-invitation away," said Mark Batterson, of the National Community Church in Washington, D.C.

Outreach has created a planning guide for churches participating in the effort, which includes everything from sermon planning to instructions for greeters. Churches are advised to make sure their buildings are "visitor friendly," by checking on things like clear signage and clean bathrooms.

"When people come to church for the first time, or come back after a long absence, they notice everything," said Nelson Searcy, lead pastor of The Journey in New York City. "In fact, most of them form innate judgments about the environment within seven seconds of walking through the door."

For more information, go to www.backtochurch.com.

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