Invitational Ministries Made
Easier
or
Witnessing by Just Being
Yourself
Based upon Evangelism Without Additives : What if
Sharing Your Faith Meant Just Being Yourself by Jim
Henderson
What’s the Difference?
Share Your Faith, Live
Your Life
vs.
Live Your Faith, Share
Your Life
When you hear the word…
What do you think of when you hear the
word “evangelism”.
Think of at least two positive words that you
associate with it and two negative words
that you associate with it.
Share in large group.
Why Should We Witness?
To fulfill God’s mission, the reign of God on
earth.
It’s not our mission.
It’s not even the Community of Christ’s
mission.
It’s God’s mission. And He calls us to help.
God’s Mission
God is up to something!
We are not setting the agenda.
We are part of an unfolding story.
Doctrine and Covenants 154:
“My Spirit is reaching out to numerous
souls even now . . .”
Doctrine and Covenants 163
“Above all else, strive to be faithful
to Christ’s vision of the peaceable
kingdom of God.”
But Evangelism Isn’t Easy!
Program
Formalized and Structured
Takes a lot of Nerve
Designed for extroverts
Luke 10
Model of Evangelism
Dwelling In the Word
– Listen to it read aloud
– Second reading, notice where you stop
– What is God saying to you today?
– Share with a reasonably friendly partner
Ordinary Attempts
Free Attention Giveaways
paying attention to people because we
want to nudge them toward Jesus
Instead of asking them for something, we
give them something…our time, attention
and interest.
The ‘small’ things
Think of a time when someone did
something small for you, but it was huge.
Drink of water, an opening in traffic, a door
opened, a coffee paid for.
What happened?
What was your reaction?
How, if at all, were you changed?
Matthew 10:42 Revised
If anyone …even cowards for Jesus
Gives even …small things are the big things
A cup of cold water …ordinary things are the
real things
Because he is my disciple …good intentions
count too
He will not lose his reward …it counts, and
God will multiply its effectiveness.
How to be like Jesus
Ask great questions
Don’t get in a frenzy to move people closer
to the kingdom
Operate in a relatively small geographical
and cultural space
Be approachable to others. Be friends with
them
Look for, and be, a relatively friendly
stranger
Nothing to Lose
“Freedom’s just another word for nothing left
to lose”
We are the freest people on earth because
we have eternal security as well as
internal security. We can risk, attempt, and
fail and still be safe~
What are we afraid of?
Why Not?
Share with your neighbor two reasons why
you don’t invite, evangelize, witness,
evangelize or whatever term you want to
use.
Share in the large group.
Are there common reasons?
Cup, Saucer, Plate
Solitude
Community
Ministry
Attempting the Ordinary
Ask someone the question: “How are
you?”
Then listen. Don’t interrupt. Don’t witness
or preach or say anything religious. Just
listen.
Learn to be present.
If that’s too risky
Practice noticing the people God has put
around you.
Take a small notebook or tape recorder with
you and begin to write down observations
about the people you notice whom you’ve
never ‘seen’ before. Ask God to give you
new ideas about how you could serve
these people.
Are they lost or just missing?
The “lost” are those who Jesus misses most.
The “Lost”
What images do you get when you hear people
referred to as “lost”?
Who are the found?
Which group is superior?
Is it easy to relate to the lost? – to love them? To
want to be with them?
What if they are just “Missing”?
“Missing people aren’t bad;
they’re just not where they’re
supposed to be.”
Brian McLaren
A coin, a sheep, a person
Luke 15
verse 4 – who lost the sheep?
verse 8 – who lost the coin?
verse 13 – the boy chose to leave, but
how did his father receive him?
Were they missing or lost? What’s the
difference?
Seinfeld Evangelism
“Ordinary attempts could also be called
Seinfeld Evangelism – we make a big deal
out of what some people think of as
nothing. We count all the small, ordinary
encounters in life. We look for Jesus in all
the ordinariness the way Seinfeld looked
for humor.
Attempting the Ordinary
“Momentology”: the practice of making a big deal
out of the moments one experiences in life.
Pay special attention and keep track of moments
(e.g. getting bills paid, having correct change,
hearing from an old friend). When you notice
God in your own life, it’s easier to recognize him
in someone else’s. Make a big deal out of
others’ moments as well.
In other words..
Be yourself.
Be human.
Be normal.
Be real.
Be intentional.
Making the E word go away
“If being Christians meant we were the
most ‘real’ people on earth rather than the
most religious, evangelism as a program
would disappear forever.”
People aren’t shopping for a religion. They
are looking for something real.
The Gospel According to You
Two Basic Practices Jesus Used to Share
the Gospel:
1. Speak the gospel: “Preach the good news
to all creation”. Mark 16:15
2. Serve the gospel: “Whatever you did for
one of the least of these brothers of mine,
you did for me”. Matthew 25:40
It’s Big!
How Big is Small Talk?
The primary reward of small talk is that it builds
relationships.
Speaking and feeling are closely related.
It’s not the words…it’s the heart.
The impact is enormous.
Conversation > Community>
Conversion
In a pluralistic society, the possibility of
conversion, that is changing the way one
perceives essential reality, is opened up
through conversations with people who
live with a contrasting view of reality. One
adopts and internalizes the new worldview
through socialization into a community
sharing that new worldview.
George Hunter
Celtic Evangelism
Celtic Christians treated Outsiders like
Insiders (hospitality)
Celtic Christians talked about everyday
issues ( real and relevant)
Celtic Christians looked for the good
(affirming)
Attempting the Ordinary
Ask questions. Jesus asked a lot of
questions. He didn’t always know the
answers.
Make small talk. How people smell each
other. Be willing to be bored for Jesus.
Practice normal talk. Take out the religious
jargon.
Say “wow”
Listen!
Ask Great Questions
Where are you from?
Where do you live?
How long have you been…?
What would you change if you could change
one aspect of your life?
Count to Three
Wait time: simply waiting just to pause
longer than you are accustomed to when
you’re talking to someone.
Why? People need more time to think and
respond than we normally give them.
Only fools rush in
Spiritual Formation
Create a niche in your missing friend’s life
by being someone “who really cares”.
Grow spiritually by resisting the temptation
to preach or correct
Wear down a person’s will to resist God.
Free attention giveaways cause the
person to trust you in spite of the fact that
you are religious.
Attempting the Ordinary
“Nonmanipulative intentionality”
The “phone call” ordinary attempt
“Hold the door for someone” ordinary attempt
Five Loaves and Two Fish
The “grocery store” ordinary attempt
The “freedom fighter” ordinary attempt
Religion or Reality?
Jesus wasn’t in the religion business. He
wasn’t selling a religious point of view. His
business was reality, and whenever he
encountered a ‘reality seeker’ he
responded to that person.
“People don’t need a better religion; they
need a better reality”
Do What You Can Do
“15 Minutes at Borders”
Do What You Can Do
Pray behind their backs. Pray as you walk
around your neighborhood. Walk around
your neighborhood.
Be a Coward for Jesus (CFJ) Jesus didn’t
ask us to be brave, just to be ourselves.
Mystify and surprise people with kindness.
Ask questions and then really listen, with no
strings or agendas attached.
Attempting the Ordinary
Doing a lot with very little
“When I see folks at the grocery store
or the post office or on the street, I’m
now much more open to looking them
in the eye and asking how they’re
doing. I might even coo at their baby
– and I’m not really into cooing at
babies!”
Attempting the Ordinary
“I finally met the neighbor I’ve only waved at
for two years. I actually introduced myself”
Table ministry – being in the neighborhood,
having dinner together for the sake of
having dinner together. Welcoming the
other into sacred space.
Attempting the Ordinary
“Now I stop to talk and listen to
another neighbor, an older man with
few teeth, when he’s out with his dog.
I think he doesn’t get too many
people to listen to him, and he loves
to talk.”
Ordinary Attempts Practice Guide
Ask someone “how are you?” – and then
actually listen.
Pray for people “behind their backs” and tell
them later.
Ask a tip sensitive server in a restaurant
about his or her life outside of work.
Listen to someone, anyone.
Give away a little money.
Think small. Don’t change the world, just
change something.
Say “wow”. Make a big deal out of small
stuff.
Do what’s doable. It’s all you’re going to do
anyway.
Count what matters. Conversations, not
conversions.
Be yourself. It will intrigue people.
Henri Nouwen
“When you are aware that you are the beloved,
and when you have friends around you with
whom you live in commuity, you can do
anything.
You’re not afraid anymore. You’re not afraid to
knock on the door while somebody’s dying.
You’re not afraid to open a discussion with a
person who underneath all the glitter is much in
need of ministry. You’re free.”
1 John 4:7
Dear Friends,
Let us practice loving one another,
for love comes from God and those
who are loving and kind show that
they are the children of God.