Telling the Story of the Local Church

by Velma Sumrall and Lucille Germany The Seabury Press, $7.95

Reviewed by Lorolie A. Brown Copy editor, Input magazine Grand Rapids, Mich.

SITUATION: You want to tell people about Jesus Christ; to let them know how your church can meet their needs.

QUESTION: How do you get the attention of people conditioned to video, stereo, technicolor, and four-color foldout?

ANSWER: You use the channels they're tuned in to: film, slides, tapes, television, radio, newspaper, flyers, leaflets, mailouts.

Sumrall and Germany say we short-circuit the gospel message if we confine ourselves to the traditional sermon, Sunday school, and prayer groups as our means of communicating God's message.

The authors inventory the forms of mass media, talk about their possibilities, and then tackle the practical what-you-need and how-to-do-it with thorough step-by-step suggestions.

The key is to discover the talents, abilities, and available equipment of the people in your congregation. ...