Attract Reach Keep Blueprint Report

Attract ● Reach ● Keep
Blueprint
5 Strategic Steps to Moving Beyond the Walls
Prepared by
Lynette Hawkins
Table of Contents
Introduction
5 Strategic Steps
1. Create a plan to communicate beyond the walls of

the church.
2. Set up team(s) to focus on communication,

outreach, welcoming and keeping new people.
3. For every communication effort, determine a

target audience
4. Shape messages and ministries/ministry events

that encourage lean-in
5. Be faithful to the Great Commission
"Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in
the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
© 2010 Copyright Lynette Hawkins, All Rights Reserved. Copying any part of this 2
document must be granted permission by author. www.awesomeinsight.com
PREFACE
Welcome! I say welcome because what appears to be at the core of
every healthy and growing church is a church that grows in their
relationship with Christ and knows how to welcome with Christian love.
As we journey together to become more familiar with communication
planning and how to effectively position your ministry in the
community, it is my prayer that you will grow in your understanding of
very practical ways to share the Gospel with others in your community
as you seek to be even more faithful to the Great Commission.
Today, more traffic may come to a congregation’s website than would

ever pass by that congregation’s building. The yellow pages and
religion section of the newspaper are no longer the only sources
available to reach and invite the community to a worship service.
Although the Message of the Gospel has not changed, the way in which
people communicate and respond has been impacted by the changes
in methods of communication.
To assist ministry leaders who are challenged to attract, reach and

keep new people, we have prepared this report. This coupled with
information we share in the ARK seminars and other resources help to
share ideas to reach out & invite. This report offers a simple approach
to encourage congregations to start with understanding of their target
audience and build plans to communicate and connect people to Christ
beyond the walls of the church. It is so important that we understand
the target group’s needs and begin to communicate in ways that are
relevant to those we are attempting to reach. It is our goal to share
ideas to effectively communicate with people who are with out church
homes and may not have a relationship with Christ.
This report provides practical, easy to follow information to assist you

in working with ministry leaders at your church and help establish
systems to touch lives. The report includes strategies, ideas and
resources that you can use to pass on this information.
We have developed the content in an easy to follow way; sharing 5
practical strategies. Note from the start that, a warm welcoming
invitation and good advertising alone will not grow a church. The
church is called to make disciples. Scriptures states:
Matthew 28: 19
“
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit,”
NRSV
Growing, healthy congregations are faithful to making disciples in

Christ’s name. When a congregation understands the local church’s
role is disciple making, growth may very well occur. Welcoming,
inviting and reaching out beyond the walls of the church are creative
ways we can fulfill our purpose to make disciples. It is so important
that everyone reading this report knows up front why we are doing
this. The answer is simple. We are called to make disciples.
Creating ideas that fit a church’s budget, goal and local culture are
critical to any communication plan. We aim to share ideas that can
work with smaller congregations of less than 100 people as well as
larger congregations. How often a medium is used and how broadly
the message is shared will greatly depend on what a congregation’s
budget can afford.
Again, welcome!
Lynette Hawkins
HOW DO WE KNOW THIS APPROACH TO
MINISTRY COMMUNICATION WORKS?
Look to the Book of Acts
Our approach to effective ministry communication planning is simple.

It models a biblical approach to reaching outward. We suggest these
steps:
• Pray
• Identify a target audience
• Understand the People You’re Trying to Reach
• Communicate so They Lean-In (Tailor the message)
Paul, a missionary apostle, is a great example of how we rely on God

as we approach people with the Good News. In looking at Paul, we see
how he engaged the people he was attempting to reach. His approach
was to tailor or adapt based on the audience. We call this targeting. In
other words, he took the Message and adjusted the way he
communicated based on the culture or context.
Paul segmented his audience. His approach to the Hellenistic Jews was
different than the approach for the Athenian Gentiles. When Paul
shared the Gospel with the Athenian Gentiles he started at the altar of
the Unknown God but when he shared with the Jewish people he
started with Abraham and on to Jesus. Another way of saying this is
he used common ground to effectively communicate and reach those
he was trying to reach.
As ministry leaders, we urge you to understand your target audience.

Whether planning a specific ministry event or getting the word out
about the church and worship service, communicate so that a specific
target group understands; yet remain faithful to God’s Word. Ministry
leaders must find a balance between making the Message relevant to
the target and maintaining the biblical understanding.
Although the way we communicate today may have changed, the

Message has not changed. As we reach out and invite, we too must do
as in the Bible. When Paul spoke he adapted his presentation for the
people to understand, but the Message did not change. We must seek
to meet people where they are.
Make Reaching Out an Effective Communication Plan
Moving beyond the walls of the church is an essential part of church

vitality and growth. Becoming more outwardly focused allows the
ministry to grow in size but also in the ways in which it can serve
God’s people.
Too often congregations take a very inward approach to ministry in

that most of the events, activities and ministries are set up to serve
the members of the church. In some cases, very little is done to invite
people who are not family members or connected to the church in
some way. Some church leaders struggle with how to reach out,
encourage members to invite and stay connected to visitors when they
come to the church.
In this report, we will share very practical strategies and ideas to help
equip leaders to overcome some of the challenges of attracting,
reaching and keeping those who are yet to come. Our additional
resources available in our seminars, ARK Huddle and other sources
further clarify how to effectively communicate.
Our ideas are based on five basic strategies.
1. Create a plan to communicate beyond the walls

of the church.
target audience
4. Shape messages and ministries/ministry
events that encourage lean in
Step #1 Create a plan to communicate beyond the
walls of the church
One of the reasons so many of our congregations struggle with

reaching new people and young families is that there may be no plan
to do just that. Reaching out starts when steps are taken to be even
more faithful to the Great Commission and “go.”
With communication tools and a strategic plan to be intentional in

reaching out your church can begin reaching out. There are some basic
elements that must be in place to help shape a plan.
Let’s review these basic steps:
a. Goal: What will be the goal(s) of your communication planning? For

example: Is it to reach new neighbors, reposition the ministry or reach
more young families?
Determining a goal for communication helps to set a direction on how

to proceed. It also gives you a measuring tool once the plans are in
place and you look back on what has been accomplished. When your
ministry team can agree on the goals of communication, you’re well on
your way to gaining “buy-in” on what is to take place next.
b. Strategy: How will you approach communication planning? This
step may require that you take a look at what events and ministries
will need to be communicated. In addition, how will you connect
people to Christ and the church once the events are planned. One
place to start is to take a look at a 12 month calendar
• Annual Events
• Special Services
• Occasional Events
• One-Time Events
What will be your strategy for each of these areas?
c. Communication System: What are the tools you’ll use for

communicating and how? List all of the communication tools you use.
Here’s an example of what your system may look like.
Website/
Social
Networking
Sites
Flyers/Invite Email
Cards
Bulletin
Bulletin Board Newsletter
Banner Outdoor Sign
How will you use each communication tool?
Step #2 Set up team(s) to focus on communication,
One of the first steps to take when planning to reach out is to create a
team or team structure to support the efforts of attract, reach and
keep. This step is essential in that there is a need to have leaders with
a heart for reaching out and welcoming people. If your church has
systems in place to help discover spiritual gifts, now may be a good
time to seek those individuals who have gifts for evangelism and
hospitality.
Find volunteers who are committed to serving in the areas of

communication, outreach, welcoming or hospitality, membership
assimilation. Here’s our view of the roles of these teams.
a. Communication
Team
An Overview of a Communications
Team
Responsible for all the messages
about church activities within the
congregation to the community/public.
The work of this team may vary
depending on the individual
congregation, its leadership and how
it is defined by the leadership. This
team may include people who work
on the newsletter, website, social
networking, advertising, bulletin and any other tools used at your
church. The overall responsibility is to manage the communication
system for the church.
Why Consider A Communications Team At All?
Organizing your communication provides a better way to reach people

who are open to responding to invitations. If we send a message out
with no target in mind, those who are without a church home may
never see it. Planning as a Communications Team helps to shape the
message and communications items with thoughtful prayer, vision and
insight to where God is calling you to go. The work of this team may
also help to identify insider-words that need to be explained when
used in printed materials and verbal announcements.
b. Outreach Team
An Overview of an Outreach Team
This team often called the Evangelism Team seeks to lead, plan and
facilitate all aspects of the Great Commission by focusing on the needs
of the people beyond the walls of the church and providing opportunity
for members to invite and be even more faithful to Great Commission.
(Matthew 28:19-20). This team also provides leadership and tools to
connect people who visit to Christ and the church. This team may
manage the visitor contact and an intentional connection system.
Team tasks may include

• Keeping the Great Commission on minds of members
• Plans for outreach activities
• Tracking Sunday attendance
• Communicating beyond the walls
• Building community partnerships to reach
• Identifying new events and opportunities to “go”
• Training the membership on outreach
Why Consider an Outreach Team at All?
Motivating and equipping members to invite people outside of the

church is possibly one of the most effective ways to build new
relationships and bring new people. This team offers an organized way
to tap some of your members’ circles of influence we call, F.A.S.K.
(Friends, Acquaintances, Strangers & Kin). If every member would
share invitations within their FASK circle and make an effort to reach
out, imagine the number of people who could be reached for Christ.
c. Welcoming
An Overview of a Welcome Team
In some congregations, this team is called “the first impressions

team.” A welcoming team may consist of ushers, greeters, parking lot
attendants, first aid, security and any one who new people may see
when they arrive. The welcoming team serves with an extraordinary
welcome by providing a warm and safe atmosphere to usher in God’s
presence. This team serves the people and creates an atmosphere for
hospitality. The team oversees the welcome and first impressions.
Why Consider a Welcoming Team at All?
Intentional welcoming via a team(s) provides an opportunity for you to

give God’s best. If you think welcoming is simply having an usher take
someone to their seat and collecting the offering on Sunday morning,
you may need to broaden your thoughts. A team greeting and paying
attention to the details helps to set the tone for welcoming. They
provide the friendly smiles, warm greetings and communication that
demonstrate Christian love from the moment guests appear on the
church doorsteps.
d. Keeping New People Team (Keep)
An Overview of a “Keep” Team
A “Keep” team maybe just the working name for the people that follow
up on visitors, integrate people into the life of the congregation and
those that make sure that new members meet people and discover
their gifts. Some congregations refer to this team as the membership
team. In some cases this team works very closely with the Evangelism
team managing the assimilation process for the church. The
responsibilities of this team or teams vary by congregation. The
important work they do focuses on a:
• Church visitor follow up
• Spiritual gift discovery classes
• Connecting new members to small groups & ministries
• New member classes and integration
• Shepherd or buddy system
• New member follow up
Why Consider a “Keep” Team At All?
Many congregations experience an “open back door.” In other words,

people join the church but they never see them again. Having an
intentional system of communicating with newcomers helps to close
the back door and encourage active involvement in ministry. The
Keep team components build the system that manages the
relationship from visitor to new member to active ministry leader.
The key to any successful event or ministry that reaches beyond the
walls is to follow up with the new people. Suppose you have a
wonderful “Church in the park event” and more than 300 people show
up. Will they come to visit your worship services because the music
was good and the church was nice enough to sponsor this event?
No…They will possibly connect to your congregation if they feel and
sense a Christian spirit of love through someone who may call, thank
them and give them every reason to want to come back.
Building a system that connects new people with their contact

information, follow up and further invites increases the possibility
that first time contacts may come again. Some congregations call,
others visit or drop off a loaf of homemade bread, regardless of the
method, follow up does matter.
Here’s an example of how a system can work.
#4 Invite them #5 Follow UP &

Back Connect them to
the ministry
Outreach/Keep
Teams Keep Teams
#3 Welcome #1 Reach Target

Visitors & Lean-in
Messages
Welcome Teams
Communications
Teams
#2 Reach Out to
Community
Outreach Team
Step #3 For every communication effort, determine a
target audience
The first step in any effective communication efforts for reaching out
is to do your homework and know who you are trying to intentionally
reach. This step is important so that you can understand their
language, know what they deal with in life and prepare to effectively
share.
Be Intentional!
a. Know who you are
If you are a congregation seeking to reach out for the first time, a
good place to start is looking at your membership first.
• Who currently attends your church?

• What are some common characteristics they share?
• Why do they seem to like your church?
• If you’re missing some from the pews such as young adults…why?
This step will uncover who you are but also who you may be able to
attract. If you are a church with families that has had a history of
strong children’s ministries, then use that as a basis for your
intentional reach out plan. Acknowledge who you are first.
b. Identify a target audience for every ministry

communication
When creating a flier, website or simply an

announcement, ask yourself, “Who are we
trying to reach?” Whenever, you are
making plans for a community event,
determine how you can effectively
communicate to a specific audience.
c. Get use to being intentional and

identifying target audiences
Encourage ministry leaders to identify a specific target group when
forming new ministries and new events. This does not mean that the
church will only be open to this group. As you know, the doors of the
church are open to everyone; but targeting helps to pinpoint a specific
group to tailor the communication messages and ministries.
d. Do your homework.
Take the time to understand the needs, language and where your
target audience goes. It is hard to reach people who are not churched
if all your fliers are delivered to neighboring churches. Seek
understanding of the people you want to reach.
Step #4 Shape messages and ministries/ministry
events that encourage lean-in
BEING RELEVANT MATTERS!

If I were to tell you that the local grocery store has cat food on sale at
20 cans for $1.00, would you run out and buy any? The answer is
simple. If you have a cat you would at least pay attention to the
message. People pay attention to things that matter to them. For cat
lovers the price of cat food may matter. Why is this relevant to
reaching out to the unchurched?
a. Shape relevant messages.
To get the attention of those yet to come, the communication method

and ministry must be RELEVANT to those who are to receive it. In
other words it must speak to a need or concern of that group. When a
message is relevant, people are likely to lean-in and pay attention
to what is being said.
The Lean-In Explained
Hundreds of messages are delivered to our

communities everyday. It’s likely that people
will pay more attention to those messages that
connect with some aspect of their every day
lives. To get lean-in, the message must be
perceived as “relevant.”
Key Point: People pay attention when the message taps a personal
need or interest. If you really want to get the attention of the
unchurched and get them to LEAN-IN, create a relevant message for
a relevant ministry!
b. Apply the Lean-In Factor to All Your Communications
Take a close look at every way you communicate from the church
bulletin to the outdoor sign. Will people lean in and pay attention?
Realize…
UNCHURCHED PEOPLE DO NOT ALWAYS

WAKE UP
WITH CHURCH ON THEIR MINDS!
Step #5 Be faithful to the Great Commission
It’s time to “go”
According to recent studies on Americans there are millions who do not

regularly attend church. People who are formerly unchurched often
share they came to visit their new church because of an invitation by a
friend.
Invitations are how we reach out to people in our call to make

disciples. To make disciples we must simply go and start with inviting
others to experience the love of Jesus for themselves.
Getting over the fear of the e-word may be one of the biggest hurdles
members of your congregation face. Teaching moments about sharing
faith can help to ease the fears of evangelism. To help members
uncover how to talk about church and share the Gospel, preaching and
teaching moments with tools and insight will be helpful.
Before planning a special service or preparing for an outreach event,

be sure to familiarize yourself with the communication tools that can
help you get the word out. Here’s a short list of just a few:
Church Website
Millions of people visit the Internet each day looking for spiritual and
religious information. Young adults are more likely to go to a search
engine to look up the location of your church than a phone directory.
Is your site use to share upcoming events, video streaming and small
group activity? With that in mind, how can you go?
E-mail
Electronic mail is convenient and a very efficient way to get the word
out about the life of your congregation. From e-newsletter to
announcements, this tool can connect to the community of members
and new comers. Today, web-based email services are available to
make it easy to share with hundreds or thousands of people without
spending any money. How will email be a part of your efforts?
Press Coverage
Getting free publicity by being featured in the local newspaper or

television is a great way to get the community buzzing and members
sharing even more. If you are going to contact the media about an
upcoming event, it does matter that you know how to be most
effective in positioning the ministry. Its so important that you know
what information to share and how to share it to get the attention of a
reporter or news crew. How will you think out of the box to get media
coverage this year?
Community Walks
New apartment buildings, sub-divisions and people moving in are

happening in many neighborhoods. As our neighborhoods change, do
we have a presence to let newcomers know about our ministry?
Social Networking Sites
Social Media or Web 2.0 opens up opportunity for two-way

communications between the ministry leaders and the community.
From blogging to texting or placing a ministry page on a social
network, this tool requires new understanding on ways to effectively
use it to reach the next generation. Although this approach to
communication is newer, it is growing in its impact with reaching
younger people. Learning ways to connect with these tools can add to
the ability to get “lean-in” and reach people where they are.
Advertising
So often media sales rep connect with churches to share about

mediums available to reach out. Some of these mediums are awesome
others may be a total waste of money because they have little
opportunity to reach out for you. Do you know how to evaluate
advertising options?
Events for the Community
With the economic downtown, families are looking for free options to
share with their families. Sometimes ministry events like outdoor
picnics, seminars, Vacation Bible School are the best kept secrets of
the church. What events are you planning and how will you connect
the guests?
Leadership skills are keys to being effective.
Strong, effective leadership drives strong effective communications. As

you seek to build plans to move beyond the walls, be sure to take the
time to identify leaders with a heart to reach out and lead into new
territory. The success of any communication effort will greatly depend
on how the leaders shape the various ministries they oversee.
Magnet Leaders help to attract the types of people who share gifts
for this type of ministry.
An Overview of a Team Leader within Communication Planning
As leader of any aspect communications ministry, you may facilitate, build,

budget, organize and lead many aspects of the team. You are leader of the team
that will help to proclaim the Gospel in the community and congregation. The
leader will help to facilitate the communication initiatives of your congregation.
Duties and role may be further defined by the leadership of your church and the
work you oversee. To shape the work of each team, a job description should be
written to shape the scope of work and expectations of the team leader.
Here are a few guidelines to be sure to include in what you expect.
1. Establish a Vision for the Team
Every effective leader takes the time to shape the vision for the team. The team
leader may need to meet with the leadership of the church to collaborate on the
vision for that particular ministry. Agreed upon vision and goals and how they
align with the congregation’s overall mission and vision are essential. Encourage
leaders to determine long term and short-term goals for the team. It may be
helpful to create a mission statement for each team.
2. Recruit Volunteers
Identifying people who desire to be a part of aspects of communication planning

requires intentional recruitment of volunteers. Recruitment is a person-to-person
contact. Yes it is great to announce it in worship service, put a message on the
bulletin board and bulletin. However one of the best ways to get committed team
members is to:
a. Ask people in person. - Call or stop members at Sunday service and
simply ask for the skills and talents to be shared with this team. Explain
the purpose of the team and the tasks that are ahead of you. Let them
know ways you can see them helping the team.
3. Lead the Team
Ministry leadership requires understanding of what it takes to be an

effective Christian leader. Some of the best volunteer leaders show
their Christian love through their personal commitment and dedication
to God’s work and the work of the team. Building team leadership
skills that understand how to recruit, motivate and lead teams is
essential.
Start Today…
Now is a great time to begin to shape plans to reach beyond the
walls of your church. Whether you’re an older established
congregation or one that is just getting started, the act of “attract,
reach, keep” happens when you take the steps to start. With
attention to being intentional with a strategy and relevant
approaches to communication, your congregation can move forward
and seek more ways to be a faithful and healthy congregation. As a
point of review, here are the five strategies outlined to make plans
to attract, reach and keep those who are yet to come.
1. Create a plan to communicate beyond the walls

of the church.
target audience
4. Shape messages and ministries/ministry
events that encourage lean in
It is our hope, that the approaches shared will bless your ministry as
you seek ways to reach out and invite. Being effective in positioning
your ministry to the community is one factor in overcoming the
challenges faced with changes in the neighborhood, declining
membership and financial woes. Blessings on your ministry!
About the Author
Lynette Hawkins
Lynette Hawkins writes, speaks and
presents seminars on topics relating to
effectively communicating to reach the
next generation of disciples. She is an
elder in her church and very actively
engaged in leading communications and
evangelism. She works with clients who
seek effective ways to move beyond the
walls in positioning the ministry to the
community and making plans to attract,
reach and keep new people. Her practical
tips are based on Scripture, research and
experience. Lynette has more than 25
years of professional experience in
marketing and communications. She has
ushered and greeted too.
Our Resources Include

She is the lead consultant for Awesome
Seminars Insight, an initiative of Beyond Marketing
Attract, Reach & Keep, Hospitality, Group, Inc. Her articles appear in
Leadership Development Christian publications and she was
recently interviewed about hospitality on
Consulting & Leadership Coaching TCT (Total Christian Television). She is an
Facilitating retreats, building strategic
active blogger at
plans
blog.awesomeinsight.com. If you would
ARK Huddle like to contact Lynette, you can reach her
An affordable members community at info@awesomeinsight.com. Her website
to get access to practical how-tos. is www.awesomeinsight.com.
samples, checklists, LIVE e-lessons by
http://www.awesomeinsight.com/
2010 Lynette Hawkins.

All rights reserved. No portion of this report may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic,
mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other - except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the permission of the author.
Published in Greensboro, North Carolina by Beyond Marketing Group, Inc.
info@awesomeinsight.com

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Attract ● Reach ● Keep

1. Create a plan to communicate beyond the walls of

2. Set up team(s) to focus on communication,

3. For every communication effort, determine a

4. Shape messages and ministries/ministry events

5. Be faithful to the Great Commission

Today, more traffic may come to a congregation’s website than would

To assist ministry leaders who are challenged to attract, reach and

This report provides practical, easy to follow information to assist you

Growing, healthy congregations are faithful to making disciples in

Look to the Book of Acts

Our approach to effective ministry communication planning is simple.

Paul, a missionary apostle, is a great example of how we rely on God

As ministry leaders, we urge you to understand your target audience.

Although the way we communicate today may have changed, the

Moving beyond the walls of the church is an essential part of church

Too often congregations take a very inward approach to ministry in

Our ideas are based on five basic strategies.

1. Create a plan to communicate beyond the walls

One of the reasons so many of our congregations struggle with

With communication tools and a strategic plan to be intentional in

Let’s review these basic steps:

a. Goal: What will be the goal(s) of your communication planning? For

Determining a goal for communication helps to set a direction on how

What will be your strategy for each of these areas?

c. Communication System: What are the tools you’ll use for

Here’s an example of what your system may look like.

Bulletin Board Newsletter

Banner Outdoor Sign

How will you use each communication tool?

Find volunteers who are committed to serving in the areas of

Why Consider A Communications Team At All?

Organizing your communication provides a better way to reach people

An Overview of an Outreach Team

Team tasks may include

Why Consider an Outreach Team at All?

Motivating and equipping members to invite people outside of the

An Overview of a Welcome Team

In some congregations, this team is called “the first impressions

Why Consider a Welcoming Team at All?

Intentional welcoming via a team(s) provides an opportunity for you to

d. Keeping New People Team (Keep)

An Overview of a “Keep” Team

Why Consider a “Keep” Team At All?

Many congregations experience an “open back door.” In other words,

Building a system that connects new people with their contact

Here’s an example of how a system can work.

#4 Invite them #5 Follow UP &

#3 Welcome #1 Reach Target

• Who currently attends your church?

b. Identify a target audience for every ministry

When creating a flier, website or simply an

c. Get use to being intentional and

BEING RELEVANT MATTERS!

a. Shape relevant messages.

To get the attention of those yet to come, the communication method

The Lean-In Explained

Hundreds of messages are delivered to our

b. Apply the Lean-In Factor to All Your Communications

UNCHURCHED PEOPLE DO NOT ALWAYS

It’s time to “go”

According to recent studies on Americans there are millions who do not

Invitations are how we reach out to people in our call to make

Before planning a special service or preparing for an outreach event,