What works best to share the gospel message among those where you live? Here are several ideas that church leaders across Missouri have considered or are doing.
1. Recruit and train Christian music groups to conduct a musical festival at a special event. Raise money for backpacks to help poor children to be ready for school.
2. Ask an elementary school principal for the name and contact information of a newly immigrated child. Have families in the church adopt the child and their family.
3. Conduct an evangelistic block party. Use a block party trailer to provide bounce houses, popcorn, face painting, etc., to conduct a fun carnival in a community. Ask a Christian illusionist or storyteller to include the gospel into his presentation.
4. Train and make plans now to send evangelism teams to participate in Crossover St. Louis in June 2016, conducted the week prior to the SBC Annual Meeting. Use that training and experience in your own community to share the gospel during one week to practice – and harvest!
5. Conduct a Community Day in which healthcare professionals (blood pressure/eye exams), family budget counselors, dietitians, and Christian entertainers serve the community for a day. Roving witnesses share the Gospel and minister. Follow-up.
6. Conduct a free car clinic in a housing project, especially friendly to single mothers. Change oil and provide maintenance tips. Solicit free giveaways to use. Present the Gospel and follow-up.
7. Precision Harvesting: Contact the U.S. Post Office and send out postcards to a specific carrier route, not just zip code. The cards offer something free, such as a Bible and Bible study. Map the most responsive streets and blocks. Start there conducting evangelistic Bible studies such as the Seven Stories of Hope or Catching Fire.
8. Conduct an ESL class for immigrants. Identify the largest groups that respond and begin a work among them using English, but also in their heart language. This can be a “Season of Service” to Light Up Missouri! See www.mobaptist.org/light.
9. Conduct an evangelistic Bible study series for senior citizens at a retirement center. Seek to evangelize those in their family to leave a godly legacy.
10. Conduct or participate in a swap meet in which people barter rather than pay for goods. Seek to strike up spiritual conversations that lead to individuals expressing interest in the Gospel. Seek to evangelize entire families of those who are seekers.
11. Conduct a series of after work evening self-help classes on a variety of topics—car maintenance, parenting, budgeting, and other issues. Presenters give their testimony and explain the Gospel during each presentation. Consider calling it an “Adult VBS” and hold it concurrently with a nighttime VBS.
12. Keep track of every argument made by those you encounter with the gospel. Sponsor an apologetics training event for all partnering churches during one day -part when they are in the area. (We recommend the MBC’s Rob Phillips – rphillips@mobaptist.org)
13. Keep track of each new believer’s testimony, looking for trigger points that moved them closer to Christ. How were seeds planted, nurtured, and harvested? Amplify those efforts.
14. Conduct a special evangelistic event by bringing in a special talent such as horse whisperer, motorcycle exposition group, feats of strength, fishing pro, etc., to attract crowds. Train decision counselors and follow-up any response cards in a timely manner.
15. Video record how-to building or cooking demonstrations and post them on YouTube, GodTube, or Vimeo. Advertise that these same demonstrations will be conducted at your church. Include an evangelistic presentation and follow-up with those who attend.
16. Use EvangeCubes or Creation to the Cross C2C cards to present the Gospel to smallish groups of two or three people. Call for decisions to follow Christ. Follow-up by going to those they know that need the Good News. Keep going until you get a group of 10 or more together and start an evangelistic Bible study. C2C is free – www.mobaptist.org/c2c for information.
Mark Snowden serves Missouri Baptists as Evangelism/Discipleship Strategist (573) 556-0318 or msnowden@mobaptist.org.