North Highlands Bible Church
As youth pastor at North Highlands Bible Church across the street from from Lake Highlands High School, Aaron Parish understands that there are plenty of ways to connect with young people. He reaches out into the community to interact with students and works to ensure they feel welcome at NHBC anytime. On the third Sunday in September, he’s making that offer official.
Sept. 15 is National Back to Church Sunday, and NHBC is inviting all of Lake Highlands to attend their church – or any other. More than 80% of unchurched folks would be interested in attending if invited by a friend, organizers say, yet only 2% of church members have invited someone.
“Everyone knows how hard it can be to keep up with good habits,” Parish says. “It only takes a week or two to get us off kilter. National Back to Church Sunday is kind of a guilt-free way to step back into church. It’s like we are saying to people, ‘Here’s a time when we can all come back together for something God designed long ago.’”
NHBC’s 200 members are getting ready for the big day – their first year to participate – by updating the main entry and beautifying their new playground. Some, they know, will be returning after a few lapsed months or years. Others will be Sunday newbies.
“To people who’ve never stepped into a church before we say this: we understand. We understand that church can be an intimidating place, so we’ll let you come as you are. We understand that there are a lot of questions about Christianity, so we’ll enter into a conversation with you when you’re ready. We understand that we’re making some pretty incredible claims, so we’ll remain humble and respectful to you as you investigate.”
Back to Church Sunday isn’t just about kids, but Parish knows many couples return to their spiritual roots when they begin having families.
“North Highlands Bible Church is proud of what we offer to children and students,” says Parish. “Being situated right next to the high school places us in proximity to teenagers asking some of life’s big questions. We’ll help you find some clarity on Tuesday nights for high school and Wednesday nights for junior high. Our AWANA program for kids through 6th grade is also a hit in the community.”
The church, much like the high school, attracts individuals and families from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. That’s just the way they want it, Parish says.
“We are surprisingly diverse, and we love it. We have different ethnicities, and we all have different life stages. We focus on our ministries which grow people into healthy followers of Jesus. Many follow Jesus, but sometimes we need to grow more healthy. That’s what NHBC is all about.”
More than 40,000 churches around the country will open their doors wide on Back to Church Sunday, including several in Lake Highlands. The average congregation sees a 27% growth in attendance on that day.
