NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ Christians are being urged to invite relatives, friends and neighbors to join them for this weekend’s “Back To Church Sunday.”

Organizers of the annual outreach say nearly 1.4 million invitations have been sent out from 3,500 churches this year.

The Rev. Philip Nation, Director of Ministry Development for LifeWay Research, says its survey of 15,000 Americans found that a majority would be open to hearing about a local church from a relative, friend or neighbor.

Nation says churches that took part in last year’s “Back To Church Sunday” saw an average 19 percent increase in attendance.

He says the outreach is held in September because many families have moved into a new area or are setting schedules for the rest of the year as their children start school.