Across Southern Illinois, God is opening new doors for outreach and the Thompsonville church is stepping forward in faith to walk through them.
More than a year ago, the Thompsonville church began using the OneAccord platform, a tool that helps churches manage websites, public events and Bible study interests. While OneAccord offers many features, the church has especially embraced its ability to connect with individuals requesting Bible studies through BibleStudyOffer.com.
But the members wanted to do more.
Burdened by a desire to reach their communities, especially in Carbondale and the surrounding region, church members began asking a simple question: What if we offered free Bible studies to anyone searching for truth?
On March 1, that vision became reality.
The church launched a Facebook advertising campaign promoting free Bible studies throughout Carbondale, Thompsonville and surrounding communities within a 40-to-50-mile radius. The campaign ran through the end of April, and the response exceeded expectations.
So far, 84 individuals have signed up for Bible studies, including 29 from the Carbondale area and 55 from the Thompsonville region.
The outreach quickly became larger than one church alone.
The West Frankfort church joined the effort by creating its own free OneAccord account and receiving 30 of the Thompsonville-area interests for follow-up ministry. The partnership has allowed both congregations to actively participate in outreach while strengthening unity in mission across the district.
Yet perhaps the most exciting development has not been the number of interests, but the number of members becoming involved in ministry.
What began as a digital outreach effort has become a church-wide witnessing movement.
Children as young as 10 now work alongside their parents preparing and mailing Bible study lessons. Young adults personally deliver materials to homes. One 91-year-old church member and her spouse have enthusiastically joined the effort as well, faithfully helping deliver studies to new contacts throughout the area.
Their involvement has inspired the entire congregation.
To encourage continued participation, the church has introduced a “Bible Study Offer Spotlight” during select Sabbath services, where members share testimonies and experiences from connecting with people in their communities. Those stories have sparked even greater interest, leading more members to volunteer for the growing ministry. The church is also prayerfully preparing for the future.
As Bible study interests continue progressing toward decisions for Christ and baptism, Thompsonville plans to guide new believers through a structured discipleship process using the “Discipleship Handbook” from the General Conference’s GROW Your Church initiative. Members hope the process will not only strengthen new believers but also help current members grow as they mentor others in their walk with Christ.
The Thompsonville church family believes this model could extend far beyond Southern Illinois. Their prayer is that more churches across Illinois will embrace tools like OneAccord to expand their outreach and disciple-making efforts.
Ricky Carter is an elder at the Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church.