The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem
Script to Introduce the Program

Tonight I want to tell you about an exciting new opportunity for our church. It’s a book, video study, and worship event that can be a powerful tool for evangelism, energizing our congregation and bringing new people into the church.
 
The program is called “The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem,” and it is based on the writings of Adam Hamilton, pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas.
 
“The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem” is a five-week study that we can make into a churchwide event. The study consists of resources for adults, youth, and children. We can have Worship, Education, and Evangelism working together on this program that will reach out to our members and into the community.

In this program, Adam Hamilton travels with us from Nazareth to Bethlehem in this fascinating look at the birth of Jesus Christ. Using historical information, archaeological findings, and personal reflections, Hamilton illuminates this most amazing moment in history. We follow the footsteps of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and others, gaining insight into our own journeys with Christ.
 
“The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem” is already a successful, tested program. During the five-week series at the Church of the Resurrection, worship attendance increased dramatically. 
 
I’d like to share a clip from one of the videos in the study series. The speaker is Adam Hamilton. 
 
[Show “Preview: Excerpts from The Journey” on DVD.]

Here’s how the program works: 
•	We publicize the study to church members through the newsletter, bulletin, handouts at worship, and announcements from the pulpit. We publicize it to our community through postcards, flyers, posters, a banner, and announcements in our local newspapers. Text and images for these materials are included with the program.
•	We ask adult Sunday school classes to participate in the study. We also create new study groups of adults, youth, and children. 
•	Our pastor may choose to plan sermons, incorporating ideas and video clips from the program.
•	Then, the program begins. It can include sermons and small-group studies for adults, youth, and children happening at the same time. Here are the subjects that will be covered during the five weeks of the program: 
1.	Mary of Nazareth
2.	Joseph of Bethlehem
3.	Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth
4.	From Nazareth to Bethlehem
5.	The Manger

•	When the series ends, we evaluate and analyze what we learned, using tools provided with the program.

Using this series, we can touch people deeply. We can bring new members into our church. We can remind people about the birth of Jesus and what it means to each of us. And we can help the members of our church and community grow together by providing a place where all of us can learn together.