We are blessed to serve in a time where many churches offer wonderful children’s ministries. We strive to make sure our ministries are safe, creative, fun, biblically sound, and attractive to the families that attend our church. We work hard to make sure our programs engage kids, teach them the truth of God’s Word, and provide a welcoming place for families who visit. But here’s the reality that we can’t ignore: 65-70% of American families never attend a Gospel-preaching church—and many of them never will.

It’s easy to focus on how to improve the ministries we offer within our walls, but if we’re honest with ourselves, we know that being a church on the corner, no matter how wonderful, is not enough. There are children in our neighborhoods growing older every day, never hearing the life-changing message of Jesus. Research from George Barna tells us that nearly half of all people who come to faith in Christ do so before the age of 13, and the likelihood of making that decision drops dramatically after age 14.

If we’re waiting for families to walk through our doors, we may lose our chance to reach the children in our communities. And that’s the challenge I want to present to you today.

We must get outside the walls of our church—somehow, some way. Every church is different, and how you reach your unchurched community may look different than what others do. But the question each of us must answer for our ministry is: "How will we reach the unchurched in our community?"

Let me share why I am so passionate about this.

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