• What is the Good News? 

     God sent his son Jesus to earth.  Jesus died so that our sins may be forgiven.  By accepting this gift and trying to live our lives after Jesus’ example, we enter into a personal relationship that leads to eternal life. 
• Why do we need to bring it to others?

     If you were walking by a lake, holding a life preserver, and saw someone drowning in the water … wouldn’t you throw the life preserver to them?  You are holding something that can save that person.  That’s the way it is with the Good News.  The Bible says there is no way to heaven except through Jesus Christ.  If someone is living a life without Him … doomed to eternal death … isn’t it the right thing to do to throw them what they need to be saved … the Good News?
     In Matthew 28, Jesus gave us the Great Commission ... 'go and make disciples of all the nations.'  As Christians, we are obligated to share the news of this wonderful gift with the rest of mankind.
• Why does someone need to be saved? 

     Well, in the long term, Christians believe that it leads to eternal life in heaven.  In olden days, the fire-and-brimstone preachers often used the scary prospect of the alternative to frighten people into Christianity.  But for many people in today’s “instant” society, waiting for a reward that comes after your death may not be enough to turn their life around.  Another great thing about being a Christian is the benefit that you receive here and now. 
     Do you wish you had a friend who was always there to listen and loved you no matter what?  A Christian has that friend spiritually in Jesus.  There’s also the care and comfort of the church family to support you throughout a lifetime of trials and tribulations.

We have 35,000 people to reach!  (see below)

Responsibilities of the Evangelism Ministry Group (Work Area) in the Local Church
   1. To work with the pastor, the COM, and the Administrative Board to make evangelism a vital part of the congregation's ministry.
   2. To care for all members of the congregation (including those who are inactive), as well as people who are not members of any congregation; to help all know and respond to the love of God in Christ.
   3. To work with all groups and people in the congregation to keep an updated prospect file and to provide for visitation programs.
   4. To be familiar with the overall goals of the congregation and how evangelism relates to these.
   5. To set goals for congregational growth and to plan specific evangelistic events and missions.
   6. To develop and carry out programs of membership care, including plans for growth in devotional life and for the distribution of devotional resources.
   7. To learn about recommended programs and resources that assist the congregation in its ministry of evangelism.

HOUMA – The Roman Catholic Church remains the largest and fastest-growing denomination in Terrebonne Parish, reflecting a rich heritage of south Louisiana Catholicism, a new study shows.

However, evangelical and independent churches have seen strong increases in numbers since the Glenmary Research Center in Ohio released its last religious census in 1990.

In "Religious Congregations and Membership: 2000," the Glenmary Research Center in Ohio found that nearly half of all Americans are associated with the 149 religious denominations that participated in the study.

In Terrebonne Parish, more than 64 percent reported participation in one of the 18 denominations included in the parish total.

Although some denominations declined to participate, the study is the most comprehensive exploration of the growth of religious groups in the country. The U.S. Census does not take note of Americans’ religious affiliation.

In Terrebonne, the three largest denominations are Catholics, 55,177; Southern Baptist, 9,581; and United Methodist, 1,505.

Lafourche’s numbers reflect the same trend, with Catholics ranking first with 67,301, Southern Baptist with 4,157 and United Methodists totaling 1,473.

The three denominations are also the largest nationally, with the Catholics at 62 million, Southern Baptists with 20 million and United Methodists with 10 million.

Although church membership throughout the United States declined, it rose by more than 4,000 people in Terrebonne and almost 21,000 in Lafourche.

Catholic membership in Terrebonne Parish increased by 9,934 parishioners or 22 percent. Southern Baptists lost 473 members or 4.7 percent. United Methodists dropped by 335 members or 18.2 percent.

The Rev. Steve Folmar of First Baptist Church of Houma, said that some of the drop in membership came from the oil bust of the 1980s. Many of the people included on church rolls from those years were removed in the past decade.

However, he said that his church has experienced much growth during the past year, with the number of people attending Sunday worship services increasing by nearly 250.

In one of the biggest changes since 1990, more than 1,400 people are now affiliated with independent, non-charismatic churches in Terrebonne. In the last census, no churches of independent denominations were reported in the parish.
 

A NEW GENERATION

Many religious scholars find that the trends throughout the country tend to lean toward the charismatic and independent churches, with younger generations seeking a change from the traditions of their parents and grandparents.

"Old-line Protestantism tends to be very traditional, particularly in their worship. They are into organs and classical European hymns," said David Roozen, director of the Hartford Seminary Institute for Religion Research. "The thriving congregations are much more into contemporary music, praise choruses and that kind of thing."

Although the census only lists one congregation with independent affiliations, a search through the Yellow Pages of the BellSouth phone book indicate 23 churches in the Houma area that list themselves as Bible churches, Christian, Full Gospel, Independent, Interdenominational or Nondenominational.

Part of the reason most of these churches are not included in the study is because they have no national headquarters. That makes it difficult for religious census officials to track down the churches and report membership numbers.

Some of the churches come from other denominational backgrounds but made the switch to become a self-supported church, with no national religious affiliation.

What is now known as Calvary Christian Fellowship in Bayou Blue used to be Calvary Baptist but made the switch to become independent in the past decade. Liberty Family Church on La. 311, one of the predominant nondenominational churches in Houma, used to be a Baptist church, known as Liberty Baptist. It also made the switch during the past decade.

Roozen attributes much of the growth in these types of churches to the active recruitment encouraged by non-denominational churches.
 

OLD VS. NEW SCHOOL

"Old-school Protestantism has been passive in part because they are somewhat skittish about confronting someone about their faith," he said. "To ask if you believe in Jesus Christ or if you are saved, that is not a public thing for them. This new breed of churches actively works on evangelism instead of just passively letting it happen."

The Rev. René Monette, pastor of Living Word Church on Valhi Boulevard, said his congregation has almost tripled since 1990 and now has more than 1,200 members.

When he began his church in 1979 in an American Legion building, he said that few churches of nondenominational status existed in Houma. The only two he could remember were Grace Christian and Terrebonne Full Gospel.

However, as Houma grew, so did the number of independently affiliated churches, most starting within the past 15 to 20 years.
 

‘HUNGRY FOR THE TRUTH’

"People today are more hungry for the truth, and that which is really real," he said. "Maybe they can find that more in this type of church than a traditional church."

Nationally, the churches that lost the largest number of members were the Presbyterians, which dropped by 11.6 percent and the United Church of Christ, which lost 14.8 percent.

Although the Presbyterian churches in Houma dropped by 35 percent or 46 members, the Church of Christ denomination increased by about 49 percent or 150 members, perhaps spurred on by evangelical outreaches such as the seminar they are sponsoring at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center this weekend.

The denomination suffering the greatest lost in Terrebonne Parish during the past 10 years was the Episcopal Churches in Houma. Although they still have two churches, the number of adherents dropped by 438, a decrease of 61 percent.

Roozen said that drops in numbers like these often comes from older congregations that have a hard time attracting younger members.
 

STAYING POWER

The Rev. Fred Tinsley of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Houma said he has noticed a decline in membership during the past 10 years. However, he realizes that his church needs to attract younger members and get people to stay once they join.

"We are trying to incorporate people into the life of the church and the community once they visit, that way they don’t just go in the front door and out the back," he said.

Tinsley more than 65 percent of his church members are 55 or older. He hopes to hire a staff member soon whose focus will deal exclusively with young people.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints grew by more than 19 percent nationwide. But in Houma, its growth was even more pronounced, with an increase of 179 members, an addition of about 60 percent for the church on La. 311.
 

ABOUT THE STUDY

All information in the report was collected by the Association of Statisticians of American Religion. Nationwide, 285 denominations were asked to participate in the study, but only 149 responded. Groups furnished their own data, by turning in their statistical reports at the end of the year 2000.

Although the study invites all religious bodies to participate, not every group chooses to do so, somewhat skewing the final statistics of religious development throughout the country.

Specifically in Terrebonne Parish, Black Baptist establishments reported 5,961 adherents in the 1990 data but did not turn in any information for the most recent study.