Call to lapsed Christians hits the airwaves

Christian media company, Whistling Frog Productions, has put together a syndicated radio advert that will hit the airwaves as churches deliver personal invitations ‘back to church’ to half a million people across the UK in the coming days.

The 40-second advert features a variety of voices rapping the invite back to church.

It tells listeners: “You might have left for so many reasons, but am I wrong to sense that now’s the season, to stop, turn around, walk back?

“Don’t look to make no airs and graces. Faked up smiles and masked up faces. No need to make no innovation. Please accept this as your invitation.”

As many as 200,000 listeners in West Yorkshire will hear the ads from next Monday after Whistling Frog, with the support of the Jerusalem Trust, struck a deal with Real Radio.

Churches are being encouraged to club together with other churches in their area to buy airtime on their local commercial stations.

The theme for this year’s Back to Church Sunday on September 27 is ‘Come as you are’.

Canon Paul Bayes, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s adviser on church growth, said the advert provides churches with the opportunity to “speak to their communities with the message of invitation”.

“It’s a fantastic advert, getting across the message that thousands of Christian voices across the country will be asking one simple question to their friends and family – will you come to church with me this Sunday?” he said

Back to Church Sunday first started in the Anglican Diocese of Manchester in 2004 and by 2008, had spread to 38 dioceses as well as congregations in Churches Together in Scotland, the Church in Wales, Baptist, Methodist, United Reformed, Salvation Army and Elim Pentecostal Churches.

The Church of England estimates that around 16,000 of its churches will take part in Back to Church Sunday this year.


On the Web:
The advert is available for download at www.audiopot.org/track.php?do=detail&linkid=2808