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Starting An Evangelistic: How Do I Do It In a Small Rural Chruch?

Discussion in 'Evangelism, Missions & Witnessing' started by Jamal5000, Nov 4, 2003.

  1. Jamal5000

    Jamal5000 New Member

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    I'm quite unhappy with the evangelistic efforts of my church to reach the unsaved.

    I believe we can best reach them by going door-to-door.

    How do I initiate this approach?

    Are there any books/resources that I can use?

    Could you please share with me how your program works?

    Thanks a bunch everyone.

    J5Grand [​IMG]
     
  2. USN2Pulpit

    USN2Pulpit New Member

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    Not everyone will go along with it. Many will wish you well and "pray" for you in your efforts. Don't worry about the ones that are not willing. Pick just a couple that are, and work with them. Take them with you, and for the first few times, you do all the talking. Develop them as you go, until they are willing to take the step of speaking.

    One baby step at a time...
     
  3. dianetavegia

    dianetavegia Guest

    Can I suggest you offer a class on witnessing? Most people are afraid to witness or are too shy to speak to strangers or even their family about Jesus.

    We have visitation every other Tuesday night (with some slight changes) and out of 27- 35 people who show up less than half will go on visits and only a couple of us will do cold calls to witness!

    Jesus said: Mt 10:19
    But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

    Mr 13:11
    But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

    Lu 12:11
    And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    I feel the same way about witnessing. I pray ahead of time that the Holy Spirit will give me the words for THAT person... because every need and every life is so very different that learned words won't work.

    Praying, Jamal, that the Lord leads soul winners to YOU who have the same desire to join you in this effort!

    Diane Tavegia
     
  4. Thankful

    Thankful <img src=/BettyE.gif>

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    Our church teaches and trains people who witness in a program called Evangelism Explosion. This is an intense program with lost of memorizing of scripture. The group meets for study and then visits people in their homes.

    It is an excellent witness training. You can get more information at www.eeinternational.org/ or www.lifeway.com/

    You may have to find a church near you that teaches this.
     
  5. DeanPastor

    DeanPastor New Member

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    First of all realize that evangelism is CAUGHT not TAUGHT...in other words...I would start by being a soul winner my self. If you are the pastor begin by taking your men with you on soul winning visits...invest your life into theirs...sometimes you end up seeing some of them being saved. After a while they will learn and they ca begin to take men with them...doing this wil build a school of soul winners in a few years.

    If you are not the pastor, go to him and share your heart...he should rejoice that od has sent him someone who wants to win souls. If he uninterested...well, I would find a church that cared enough to at least have a pastor who is a soul winner. Timeis to short to dally around with dead church's and dead preachers!

    As you begin to present converts during the invitation, people will begin to take notice.

    Secondly...preach hot hearted evangelistic sermons that have a rich doctrinal content...I recomend the expository method. Stress the need for salvation.

    Thirdly...Program Big...our church only runs about 150 in Sunday School but you would think we were a mega church the way we program. We make church big business and evangelism is our lifeblood!

    Lastly...find a vehicle that will work for your setting. We use G.R.O.W. It calls for a once a month commitment...meets people where they are, and is simple to implement...we average about 10-15 people every Tuesday night. thats 40 - 60 folks involved in visitation. Are they all Soul Winning visits? No...but God Rewards our efforts.
    GROW cost about $300.00 to implement

    And I would also add have big days, rallys, eveangelism training events...and set goals. Our goal this year is to baptize 35. We baptized 22 last year. We are growing about 15% a year and plan to keep it up with the Lords help.

    And btw...we are a rural church...North Texas Wheat fields and cattle ranches...

    You can get the GROW Material through Lifeway Publishing

    Hope this helps
     
  6. DeanPastor

    DeanPastor New Member

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    Resources for evangelistic programs

    GROW Outreach teams that win by Jerry Tidwell
    Evanglism through the Sunday School by Bobby Welch

    Real Evangelism by Baily Smith (A life changer)
    The Masters Method of Evangelism by RObert Coleman (A Classic)

    Effective evangelistic church's by Tom Rainer
     
  7. Thankful

    Thankful <img src=/BettyE.gif>

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    Another good source study program is "Share Jesus Without Fear" by William Fay & Ralph Hodge, published by LifeWay Press. This is an excellent study in sharing the Gospel and Witnessing.

    This book reminds us to remember that the Bible will provide the answers. The Holy Spirit will provide the power. We are also told not to be discouraged that it may take as many as 7 or more contacts before a person accepts Jesus as his savior. You may be the first contact or the seventh, but one must keep trying.

    May God Bless You in your endeavors to follow Him and tell others of His love and His grace.
     
  8. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    I do not spend any time teaching evangelism. I spend a great deal of time modeling discipleship. When you make disciples they see how you live the Christian life. When you model the Christian life they see how its done. Sharing your faith is more listening than talking. It is sharing with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and not some canned program.

    I once asked a man when he was in his sixties at the time, "Ed, I have noticed that everyone of the men you meet with know how to share their faith, What do you do? His reply was, "Nothing." He told me that people will share their faith when they are ready. He just kept meeting with them and encouraging them. When I staretd doing that I found the same thing to be true.

    The gospel is good news and can only be carried by a bearer of good news. No program can convey a message of good news. Ever notice how so many new believers share the good news and others come to Christ. What do they know? Their life is different. Not too long ago I led a man to Christ and he was so excited that he found the answer that within the next feww weeks he shared with everone he knew. Everyday I got phone calls about questions he was asked. Within the next few weeks he read the Bible and led people to Christ. He didn't know anything about a program. All he knew was that his life was different. When he came to Christ he wanted to celebrate with a party.
     
  9. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    I am assuming that by small you mean a town of less than 40,000 and maybe even way less. I also assume that it is fairly isolated (call it a forty minute drive to next town). With these assumptions in mind, I make these obsevations.

    First, remember God has called us to be faithful not "successful". In a town as I described, it will not take very long before you've knocked on every door in town. Further, everyone will problably know everyone. Two or three degrees of separation at the most. So, the key is getting your people into an "evangelistic" state of mind. That way they plant, water and nurture the seed as they go about their daily lives. Will that take discipline on their part? Yes.
     
  10. Ulsterman

    Ulsterman New Member

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    May I recommend the book "Tell It Often, Tell It Well" by Mark McCloskey, published by Here's Life Publishers, P.O. Box 1576 San Bernandino, CA 92403. (ISBN 0-89840-124-0) This book is not about door to door as such, but is a very thorough treatise on the subject of personal evangelism.
     
  11. dawna

    dawna New Member

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    Hi I think the key is to pray and pray hard!!! thats the first thing asking God to help you spread his good news to lost souls in your community pray indiviauly and as a church. abbout sharing the good news in your town. Ask God to give you direction on how to do it. start a youth group and getting the gospel to the children be faihful we have word of life olymian club this is a good bible based club teaching the bible and having fun doing it. its for k-6th graders. ask God to open doors to getting the gospel to the familys of the kids who come. word of life also has a teen club as well.

    you can contact word of life here http://www.wol.org/about/contact.php

    and here is another web site for getting the gospel in your community as a chruch sharing the Good news of jesus in your town its got some Great ideas.


    http://www.servantevangelism.com/questions/Questions.htm


    remeber Pray!!! talk to God about it he loves your town and He died for them . ask God to help you in sharing the Good news !! [​IMG]


    your siter in Christ,
    dawna
     
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