| United Methodist ads ignite church visits By Kathy GilbertUnited Methodist News Service The United Methodist Churchs U.S. advertising campaign is successfully encouraging people to visit a local church, according to the Barna Research Group Inc. Barna has concluded that people who saw denomination Igniting Ministry advertisements in 2002 are twice as likely to visit a local congregation as those who did not. And 46 percent of the people in the target audience who had seen the ads said they are willing to visit a United Methodist church, a gain of 10 percentage points over 2001. Being exposed to the advertising translates to greater likelihood to visit a church, said the Rev. Larry Hollon, top executive of United Methodist Communications. The agency manages Igniting Ministry, the denominations advertising and welcoming program. Igniting Ministry ads that ran in the Baltimore area, Washington, D.C., and Hagerstown during Lent and back to school season had a significant impact in creating an impression of United Methodist churches as places of welcome and hospitality, said the Rev. Bruce Jones, chairman of the conference Commission on Communications for the Baltimore-Washington Conference. In Baltimore, 47 percent said they would be somewhat or very willing to attend a United Methodist church after viewing an Igniting Ministry ad. Forty-one percent of Baltimore respondents said their overall impression of The United Methodist Church was somewhat or very favorable, the study showed. TV ads were most viewed, with 63 percent of those surveyed having seen the advertising on television. The ads run during three periods each year on national cable networks. Additional placements on television and other media newspaper, outdoor and radio reflect local church participation in the campaign. The report from the Ventura, Calif.,-based Barna reveals that people who see the advertising get a clearer picture of what United Methodists have to offer. Barna research confirms that Igniting Ministry successfully communicates key United Methodist characteristics. The study assessed statements about the church, touching on diverse opinions and beliefs, acceptance, supportive nature, respect for other religions, and deeper meaning and purpose in life. The advertising is working because it communicates The United Methodist Churchs key distinctions, Hollon said. Seventy percent indicate that The United Methodist Churchs messages are important and believable. The highest ratings of importance were found among people who feel something is missing from their lives (50 percent), are experiencing emotional pain or frustration (52 percent), and feel the church will likely help them find personal fulfillment (49 percent). The research involved telephone interviews with people identified as seekers and data from 156 test United Methodist churches in the denominations five U.S. regions. Baltimore is one of the five test regions used in the survey. In the test, seekers are defined as people in search of spiritual fulfillment, whether unchurched, marginally churched or church attenders. In addition, 70 percent of pastors of the test churches said their congregations have experienced a renewed sense of commitment to welcoming new people. Igniting Ministry, which premiered in September 2001, uses national cable network commercials and other means to raise public awareness of the denomination. The churchs 2000 General Conference approved $20 million to support the campaign. More information is available at www.ignitingministry.org. | 
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