session seven: real life evangelism participants manual shared learning...

Session Seven: Real Life Evangelism Participants Manual

Copyright Indiana Conference UMC 2014

Shared Learning Experience

Session Seven

Real Life Evangelism



Today’s Objectives

Spiritual Centering

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (Common English translation)

20 So we are ambassadors who represent Christ. God is negotiating with you through us. We beg you as Christ’s representatives, “Be reconciled to God!” 21 God caused the one who didn’t know sin to be sin for our sake so that through him we could become the righteousness of God. -- Apostle Paul Reflection…

1. How does this scripture speak to you?

2. What does being an “ambassador” of Christ mean to you? How are you and your church members doing at being Christ’s ambassadors?

3. Describe a specific time you connected with someone outside your church and shared Christ’s Good News. What happened? How might you do this more often?

• Learn how to connect with those in your daily

life in order to build relationships.

• Learn how to share your faith story.

• Discover the keys to your church developing a strategy to connecting with outsiders.



Action Plan Review

Please share with your group:

1. Accountability: Were you able to accomplish what you said you were going to do? If not, what got in the way?

2. Application Learning: What happened when you applied what you learned in the books or Saturday sessions to your specific situation?

3. Peer Mentoring: Look for opportunities to help each other with any challenges. (Chances are we all have similar struggles or have dealt with the same types of struggles in our careers.)

How did your homework assignments go?

1. Come up with a plan to help your church identify its three greatest strengths.

2. Come up with a plan to help your church determine its target group.

3. Use at least one of the tools suggested for assessing your community.



Video Reflection…

1. How have you thought of evangelism?

2. Do you agree that evangelism is more of a mindset than program? How is this perspective reflected by your church?

3. What are some ways that you naturally interact with people during your week?

4. How might you intentionally use those moments as opportunities to connect with

others evangelistically or missionally?

Get Their Name

1. With each successive generation, the number of persons connecting with God through the church is ______________________ significantly.

2. It is a long-held ________________________ that those who left the church for college would one day return.

3. The church’s evangelism has been waiting on folks to arrive who are already

Christian but are _________________________________ from a church home.

4. Evangelism must be about us building relationships with people we ___________ know.

PRACTICING EVANGELISM

Service: Good __________________+ good _________________ = Good News

Small Groups: Where we are regularly asked where we have _______________ God this past week.

Worship: Where we share one of the above stories in our __________________ services.



Six Step Plan

1. We must have an _____________________________ ____________________

to connect with those outside church.

We may have to sacrifice some of our _____________________and _________

in order to rub shoulders with them.

2. We need to set a ___________________, such as starting a conversation once a

day with them that might lead to sharing your faith story.

3. Trust that __________ is building a real relationship with someone through you!

4. Have mutual ______________________. Understand that people have a true

desire for_________________________ and ____________________________.

5. Enter into a conversation with the person. This has four parts:

• _______________________________ with them.

• Focus on them. Ask _________________________ about them.

• Spark ________________________ about you.

• Sprinkle in your _____________________ _____________________.

6. Become a _________________________!

If everyone were inviting someone to your church as often as you invite someone to

church, how would you be doing?



Extending Invitations

• We ________________________________________ must set the example!

• To worship. The three “Wow’s” of every congregation’s worship are: radical

__________________________ (exceeds their expectations), ______________ ministry, and ____________________________ ministry.

• To bridge events: P-Free Zone (no ____________________, ______________

or ______________________________.)

• To God: Discipleship pathway

A discipleship pathway is not a _______________________________, but an intentional ________________________ that allows and creates an expectation of continual ______________________.

Toolbox:

• Asking the “so that…” question • Using a team/church covenant • MissionInsite demographic tool* • Prayer Team • Leadership Development Team • Lifecycle model • Vision and values statements • Outward-focused exercise

• Natural Church Development* • Community Windshield Tour* • Prayer Walking* • Community Leadership

Interviews* • Bridge events • Discipleship pathway • Action Plans

Step 2 & 3 Tools… • Town hall meetings • Focus groups • Ministry audit • Team ministry approach

• Prescriptions • Leadership development system • Unified board structure

• Coaching

*Information can be found at the Church Development section of the Conference website (www.inumc.org).



Action Plan List some specific steps you could take and/or resources you could consult to develop your skills in the areas that we covered today: ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

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What is one action that you will take between now and our next session together? ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

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________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

What will success look like concerning that action? ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

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Best Practices

□ Move the fellowship hall to the front door—upgrade hospitality

□ Re-do your signage and upgrade the outside!

□ Hold 2 or 3 big events a year and invite, invite, invite.

□ Do neighborhood blitzes. Set up in a local supermarket.

□ Upgrade all print materials. Direct mail—internal cards and external mailings.

□ Liven up the worship experience. Go to a sermon series.

□ Call the newspaper with information.

□ Go off site if you need to. Link your mission work with evangelism.

□ Go online—have a strong web presence.

□ Upgrade nursery and front entrance.

□ Risk turning off some folks.

□ Pick 2 or 3 things you can do best and stick to them. It all starts with you!

□ Plan to do the full “Unbinding the Gospel” program in your church making it a priority—

churches who do this find a great deal of growth in spirituality, small groups and

openness of people to share their faith.

□ _____________________________________________________________

Additional Resources

Beyond the First Visit-The Complete Guide to Connecting Guests to Your Church, by Gary L. McIntosh Fusion: Turing First-Time Guests into Fully Equipped Members of Your Church, by Nelson Searcy

Turn Around Strategies for the Small Church, by Ron Crandall Unbinding the Gospel and Unbinding Your Church, by Martha Grace Reese A.K.A. Lost-Discovering Ways to Connect with the People Jesus Misses Most, by Jim Henderson Q Place, a model to provide safe places for persons to ask their spiritual questions. Website: www.qplace.com

Preach Invitational Living

• 80% come by invitation

• 10% drive by • 5% from the web

(Growing!)



Intentional Outreach to the Non-religious

Being the church wherever you are all week long—gathering, discipling, serving.

A. Connecting the dots

Intentionally design every outreach ministry serving the non-religious with a follow-up strategy.

Example: Public school tutoring program

1. Tutor students, building relationships 2. Hold a recognition dinner with parents (e.g. pizza) in their honor 3. Give them a gift for completing the program (e.g. a family night at a local

baseball game) 4. Invite them to attend VBS, church camp, etc.

B. Connecting with the non-religious

1. Do what you normally do—what you love to do—where you rub shoulders with others, in your circles of influence (e.g. walking your dog in your neighborhood)

2. Pray that God would give you opportunities for “normal” conversations with the people you encounter

3. Be open to responding, especially to spiritual questions or life concerns (e.g. tell them you’ll pray for them; better yet, pray for them right then and there–if that’s normal for you)

4. Invite persons you encounter over for a meal

5. Ask them to join you in doing an act of service for someone else or the community (e.g. joining in a neighborhood cleanup)

6. Pray for these persons

7. Repeat 1-6 and continue developing your relationship with a handful of persons God has connected you with

8. Consider hosting a conversation about faith questions with them (e.g. using Q Place questions)

9. Invite them to join you in an activity at your church (Bible study, Sunday school class, worship, social or service activity, etc.), and share in normal ways how Jesus Christ is making a difference in your life.



Don’t view these people as “projects” but as brothers and sisters in Christ, fellow travelers.

C. Connecting with other believers in our church

1. Once a month gather for a time of just having food and fun 2. Once a month gather to serve. Repeat.

In both cases, pray but keep it non-religious, “normal.” Challenge one another to invite a non-religious friend or two.

Continue the Conversation!

Facebook page = http://www.facebook.com/makingdisciplestransformingcommunities Blog Site = http://churchdevinumc.wordpress.com/



Session Evaluation

Facilitator: _____________________________ Date: ________________

Overall Poor (1)

Fair (2)

Good (3)

Strong (4)

Excellent (5)

1. How would you rate the session overall?

2. Presentation of session

3. Session content

What, if anything, would you suggest to improve this session in the future?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What is your biggest take-away from this session?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Other comments: ________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Thank You!



Overall Shared Learning Experience Evaluation

Total Course Poor (1)

Fair (2)

Good (3)

Strong (4)

Excellent (5)

1. Objectives were clearly stated and met

2. Materials were useful/relevant

3. Topics covered were what was expected

Facilitator Poor (1)

Fair (2)

Good (3)

Strong (4)

Excellent (5)

4. Presented the subject effectively

5. Demonstrated knowledge of content

Overall Poor (1)

Fair (2)

Good (3)

Strong (4)

Excellent (5)

6. How would you rate FCJ Step 1 overall?

7. Recommend to friend/colleague

What, if anything, would you suggest to improve the Shared Learning Experience?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What is your biggest take-away from the Fruitful Congregation Journey?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Other comments: ________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

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