New Report Reveals True Impact of Evangelistic Events

A new report into the impact of five large scale evangelistic and social action projects published this week shows that in spite of many successes, there is still much that churches and Christian agencies can do to improve future outreach events.

The report, commissioned by the Jerusalem Trust, supported each of the events, and was carried out jointly by Churches Together in England and Frontier Youth Trust in Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and London in November 2006.

FYT is a Christian network dedicated to mission with young people at risk and is directly involved in youth work through a wide range of projects, agencies, churches and individuals.

Churches Together in England is the national body set up by the churches in 1990 as a visible sign of the churches' commitment as they seek a deepening of their communion with Christ and with one another, and proclaim the Gospel together by common witness and service.

The report examines five projects held over the past six years (Manchester 2000, Festival Manchester, Soul in the City-London, MerseyFest and NE1) and finds that the vast majority of young people involved were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences and that the impact on them has lasted.

The events also provided great opportunities for churches and Christian agencies to work together and to develop strong and durable links with local police forces and other statutory authorities and voluntary groups.

The report also highlighted two areas of concern, however. While very large events can have a big immediate impact, focusing on a smaller number of estates, where projects can be chosen more carefully, and detailed plans for follow-up put in place, provide more sustainable outcomes, the report said.

It also said that although local communities were mainly positive about the events, few people remembered who had been behind all the good work. The report recommends branding the events more clearly as Christian social action projects and reinforcing that message with the use of postcards and hand-outs which carry the core messages.

The report is the first independent research carried out and highlights the contribution such events can make towards stronger and healthier communities and churches.

The Jerusalem Trust said the research was "important reading for anyone wishing to run or take part in such events and is particularly timely given that Hope 2008 (www.hope08.com) looks set to be the biggest ever such initiative, with thousands of churches nationwide taking part".

The full report can be downloaded at: www.cte.org.uk