The
GROWING
Church
17TH ANNUAL
FLORIDA CONFERENCE
LAY SERVANT MINISTRIES TRAINING EVENT
“TAKING JESUS TO THE STREETS”
Facilitated by:
Rev. Sharma D. Lewis
District Superintendent
Atlanta/Decatur/Oxford District
Stone Mountain, GA
August 16-18, 2013
Evangelism…..
EVANGELION OR EVAGELIUM (FROM KOINE GREEK
EUANGELION) – THE GOOD NEWS
ONE BEGGAR TELLING ANOTHER BEGGAR WHERE TO FIND
FOOD.
PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS DIED FOR OUR
SINS, SO THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING ON THE FACE OF THE
EARTH MIGHT BECOME A CHILD OF GOD AND EXPERIENCE
GOD’S LOVE.
Fact Sheet…..
APPROXIMATE WORLD POPULATION IN 2012 IS NOW
6.7 BILLION
GOOD NEWS: APPROXIMATE 4.7 BILLION LIVE WHERE THE
GOSPEL IS ACCESSIBLE
DISTURBING NEWS: APPROXIMATELY 2 BILLION LIVE
WHERE THERE IS LITTLE OR NO ACCESSIBILITY TO THE
GOSPEL
Biblical Mandate…..
“THEREFORE GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS,
BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON
AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND TEACHING THEM TO OBEY
EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. AND SURELY I AM
WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE.”
MATTHEW 28:18-20
“HE SAID TO THEM, ‘GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH
THE GOOD NEWS TO ALL CREATION.”
MARK 16:15
“…..REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS OF SINS WILL BE
PREACHED IN HIS NAME TO ALL NATIONS, BEGINNING AT
JERUSALEM. YOU ARE WITNESSES OF THESE THINGS.”
LUKE 24:47-48
“AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME, I AM SENDING YOU.”
JOHN 20:21
“BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT
COMES ON YOU; AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN
JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE
ENDS OF THE EARTH.”
ACTS 1:8
Instilling
E
VANGELISTIC
Values in your Congregation
START WITH PRAYER
CONSISTENTLY PREACH ON THE IMPORTANCE OF
EVANGELIZING THE COMMUNITY
TRAIN YOUR LEADERS
FUND EVANGELISM MINISTRY
PLAN AND STRATEGIZE ABOUT EVANGELISTIC METHODS
Develop
EVANGELISTIC
Styles
CONFRONTATIONAL
INTELLECTUAL
TESTIMONIAL
INTERPERSONAL
INVITATIONAL
SERVING
CONFRONTATIONAL
BIBLICAL EXAMPLE: PETER
THEME CHAPTER: ACTS 2
CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLE: BILLY GRAHAM
TRAITS: CONFIDENT, BOLD, DIRECT AND TO THE POINT
INTELLECTUAL
BIBLICAL EXAMPLE: PAUL
THEME CHAPTER: ACTS 17
TRAITS: DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, LIKES TO DEBATE, MORE
CONCERNED WITH WHAT PEOPLE THINK THAN WHAT THEY
FEEL
TESTIMONIAL
BIBLICAL EXAMPLE: BLIND MAN
THEME CHAPTER: JOHN 9
TRAITS: GOOD STORYTELLER, GOOD LISTENER, AND LINKS
THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE WITH THOSE OF OTHERS
INTERPERSONAL
BIBLICAL EXAMPLE: MATTHEW
THEME CHAPTER: LUKE 5:29-31
TRAITS: CONVERSATIONAL, COMPASSIONATE, GETS ALONG
WITH MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE, FOCUSES ON
PEOPLE AND THEIR NEEDS
INVITATIONAL
BIBLICAL EXAMPLE: WOMEN AT THE WELL
THEME CHAPTER: JOHN 4
TRAITS: HOSPITABLE, PERSUASIVE, TAKES OWNERSHIP, SEES
OUTREACH EVENTS AS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES
SERVING
BIBLICAL EXAMPLE: DORCAS
THEME CHAPTER: ACTS 9
TRAITS: PATIENT, HANDS-ON, SEES NEEDS AND FINDS JOY IN
THEM, ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS, AND
ATTACHES VALUE TO TASKS
Characteristics of
EVANGELISTIC
Churches
1. INSTILL AN EVANGELISTIC CULTURE
2. VISION AND MISSION THAT EMPHASIZES EVANGELISM
3. HOST EVANGELISTIC WORSHIP SERVICES / EVENTS
4. SET SIGNIFICANT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
5. DEFINE THE EVANGELISTIC POOL, THEN GO FISHING
What Brings
PEOPLE TO CHRIST
and the Church?
57% – WORD OF MOUTH
14% – VISITING AROUND
14% – NEWSPAPER
15% – SOCIAL MEDIA
Top 13 Reasons
UNCHURCHED PEOPLE
Choose a Church
90 % – PASTOR / PREACHING
25 % – CHILDREN’S / YOUTH MINISTRY
88 % – DOCTRINES
12 % – OTHER GROUPS / MINISTRIES
49 % – FRIENDLINESS OF MEMBERS
11 % – WORSHIP STYLE / MUSIC
7 % – LOCATION
42 % – OTHER ISSUES
41 % – SOMEONE’S TESTIMONY WAS
A WITNESSES TO ME
38 % – Family Member
37 % – SENSED GOD’S PRESENCE / ATMOSPHERE OF CHURCH
25 % – RELATIONSHIP OTHER THAN FAMILY MEMBER
25 % – SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS
Will
VISITORS
Join?
12% – FIRST TIME
38% – SECOND TIME
55% – THIRD TIME
Why
INVITE?
AVERAGE CHRISTIAN COMES INTO CONTACT WITH
SEVEN UNCHURCHED PEOPLE EVERY DAY.
IF YOU INVITE ALL SEVEN, FOUR WILL SAY “YES!”
OF THE FOUR, TWO WILL ACTUALLY COME TO
CHURCH.
Who to
INVITE?
FAMILY WITH
NEW BABY
Neighbors
Nearby and Distant
NEWCOMER TO THE
COMMUNITY
RELATIVES
PERSONS MOVING IN,
BUILDING OR BUYING NEW
HOMES
HOBBY, HUNTING
FISHING, FRIENDS
VOCATIONAL
ASSOCIATES
YOU
CLOSE
PERSONAL FRIENDS
CONTACTS IN
ORGANIZATIONS AND CLUBS
How to
INVITE?
START WITH PEOPLE YOU ALREADY KNOW.
KEY CHRISTIAN HOLIDAY EVENTS.
CREATE INVITATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES – “SPECIAL
RECOGNITION SUNDAY” (TEACHER, POLICEMEN, FIREMAN,
ETC.; FAMILY AND FRIENDS DAY, UMM CAR SHOW,
HALLELUJAH FESTIVAL, FREE CONCERTS, MANY HEARTS
MANY HANDS)
PRINT AND DISPERSE CHURCH INFORMATIONAL CARD.
Additional
INVITATIONS
to Christ
SUNDAY SCHOOL
BIBLE STUDY
NEW MEMBERS
SMALL GROUPS
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
CONFIRMATION
OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
MISSION TRIPS
Never…..
ALWAYS.....
NEVER…..
ASSUME THAT EVERY PERSON IN A GROUP OR SETTING
IS ALREADY A CHRISTIAN.
ALWAYS…..
SEARCH FOR A WAY TO EXTEND AN INVITATION TO
ACCEPT SALVATION.
Research and
ENDNOTES
UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 2012 (WWW.QUICK-FACTS_CENSUS.GOV)
THOM S. RAINER “SURPRISING INSIGHTS FROM THE UNCHURCED AND PROVEN WAYS
TO REACH THEM” COPYRIGHT 2001.
ATLANTA MARIETTA DISTRICT WORKSHOP “CONNECTING PERSONAL KINGDOM
TRANSFORMATION WITH SOCIAL KINGDOM TRANSFORMATION”, JANUARY 14, 2007.
FACILITATOR, REV. DANN DUNN, ASBURY SEMINARY
GEORGE BARNA – BARNA RESEARCH GROUP “WHAT EVANGELISTIC CHURCHES DO”
(VIDEO SEMINAR)
NET RESULTS RESEARCH CENTER
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