Vision
By the end of 2013, TILM will invite one million Mormons to hear the gospel.
To achieve this goal, God willing, TILM will hold media campaigns in various communities with signficant LDS populations.
Explanation of Vision
Only the Holy Spirit brings people to faith. This goal is focused on the activity TILM can control, namely the number of invitations generated. We trust in the power of God's Word and expect many Mormons will be brought to faith.
The Heart of this Plan: Media Campaigns
TILM will invite Mormons to hear the gospel directly through media campaigns—a strategy recently tested in late 2009 and early 2010. TILM media campaigns use media messages (billboards or post cards, for example) to direct carefully targeted Mormon audiences to an ever-expanding Internet presence. Witnessing to Mormons is a challenge. It has often been said that Mormons and Christians have the same vocabulary but different dictionaries. That is why carefully designed web sites are being developed where Mormons can discretely learn more about God's true plan of salvation in a language they can fully understand.
To support this effort, TILM will reach out to Mormons by equipping Christians to witness. For the duration of each campaign, targeted cities will be a focal point for equipping seminars, training and providing specific witnessing tools that Christians can use to engage Mormons.
TILM media campaigns are targeted. This was the case for our first campaign conducted from November 2009 to February 2010. As a part of that campaign, TILM targeted women between the ages of 25-45 and asked if they were "Feeling Worthy?" The feeling of worthiness is a significant stress point among women due to the culture and the theology of the LDS church. A total of five billboards were placed in the three largest cities of Eastern Idaho (Pocatello, Idaho Falls and Rexburg). These geographical areas have a large and historical LDS influence. Future target audiences for media campaigns may include young Mormon males and young Mormon couples. For each audience, TILM will develop a strategic Internet presence using web pages, blogs, and other social media.
The Lord blessed TILM's initial media campaigns with visible results and valuable lessons. For instance, we learned:
- We had the right message!Reports from Eastern Idaho and from other Mormon outreach ministries said we hit the nail on the head and that we received the attention of the local LDS churches. The traffic on other web and blog sites indicated that our message was effective.
- Billboards and direct mailings will drive Mormons to a Christian website. TILM received over 2,000 unique visitors in a three month time span.
- Witnessing to Mormons is spiritual warfare! Witnessing to Mormons is cross-cultural outreach that takes effort, time, and patience. Prayer is an important component both before and during a campaign.
- Involving area congregations in a billboard campaign is very important. We were surprised and encouraged how the billboards inspired Christians to engage Mormons to talk about faith in Christ.
TILM media campaigns serve two important purposes in advancing our mission of bringing as many Mormons as possible to heaven. They not only enable us to directly invite Mormons to hear the gospel, they also give us the credibility to teach and encourage area Christians to use our Biblical witnessing approach. The following strategy is intended to maximize both purposes.
A potential side benefit of media campaigns is the potential to take our message viral—to broaden our impact well beyond the targeted regions. This happened with our first campaign. Media outlets picked up the story about the billboards. Blogs and discussion groups addressed it and out-of-state radio stations requested interviews.
With all that we learned from our initial campaign, we are both excited to move forward on a broader scale and confident that our message, approach, and the organizational structure is in place to have a dramatic impact on reaching Mormons.
Media Campaign Strategy
- Preliminary Steps TILM holds informational meetings with Christians interested in supporting a TILM media campaign in their area. If interest remains, local groups will form a task force and encourage others to get acquainted with TILM. Local groups will also begin raising funds for the campaign. (Since there are not many large congregations in heavily populated Mormon areas, it is unrealistic to expect them to support the whole cost of a campaign.)
- Preparing Steps TILM will utilize billboards and other forms of outdoor advertising as the centerpiece of each campaign. For the sake of effectiveness, TILM may also test alternative media and promotional materials to enhance the campaign. Examples could include mailings, yard signs, bumper stickers, signs on mass transit, localized Google ads, radio, etc. TILM would also hold one or more seminars to introduce people to our approach and equip them to witness Christ to Mormons. This would include furnishing materials to aid in witnessing.
- Actual campaign Most media campaigns will last two to three months. TILM will have a number of trained e-mail evangelists to answer all email communications generated through the campaign. It is our experience that some Mormons will want to discuss what the Bible teaches as they wrestle with the false doctrine of their own church. During the media campaigns, TILM will send out regular emails to Christians with encouragements and tips for witnessing. Once the campaign is completed, TILM will hold debriefing sessions with all involved.
- Post Campaign TILM is committed to helping those who want to leave Mormonism. We realize that the transition out of Mormonism into Christianity is quite difficult for most Mormons. Therefore we will plan on nurturing their new faith through internet Bible Classes and worship services. We are also committed to collecting and analyzing data so that we can apply that information for future campaigns. TILM will develop a video and/or written account of these campaigns to share with supporters on what was accomplished through the Lord's blessing.
Total projected cost to fulfill this three year vision: $1,000,000.
Blessings and Benefits
- Fulfillment of the Great Commission—getting the Gospel to one million Mormons.
- Use outcomes, lessons learned, feedback, data, etc. to teach and benefit others.
- Develop a contagious attitude of outreach. Equip Christians with the confidence to witness in any and every situation. ("If you can witness to a Mormon at the door in truth and love, you can witness to anybody.")
- TILM's witnessing methodology is transferable to other ministries. (Equipping, use of media, internet, etc.)
- Opportunities to seek expert advice, partnership and collaboration. (TILM doesn't pretend to know it all.)
- Expose solid, Biblical, Law/Gospel approach to other Christians.
- Explore the best possible and most effective use of cutting edge technology of our day (the internet, web pages, blogs, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) for the sake of the Gospel. Consider Luther's day and the way God use new technology—the printing press—to spread the Gospel!
- Internet presence will provide an ongoing witness to the world for years to come.
- Give people the opportunity to become involved in and support a pure Gospel outreach ministry.
- Expose Mormonism to help Mormons. Clarify and address the spiritual needs of LDS members.
Our Partnership
Accomplishing the vision of inviting one million Mormons to hear the gospel by the end of 2013 will require significant resources. The LDS Church has a seemingly unlimited war chest of resources and a missionary force of over 50,000 people to accomplish its aggressive goals.
This vision has led us to like-minded friends for advice, collaboration, and financial backing. Together, we believe that God can use this aggressive vision to expose the hearts and minds of misguided Mormons to the real Jesus Christ found in God's Word.
With God's help, we have every confidence that our efforts will be blessed.
On behalf of the TILM staff and board of directors,
Mark Cares
President
