Evangelism: Best Practices

"As a reaction to a very aggressive, manipulative and often degrading type of evangelization, we sometimes have become hesitant to make our own religious convictions known, thereby losing our sense of witness.� Although at times it seems better to deepen our own commitments than to evangelize others, it belongs to the core of Christian spirituality to reach out to the other with good news and to speak without embarrassment about what we 'have heard and ... seen with our own eyes ...watched and touched with our hands' (1 John 1:1).� Receptivity and confrontation are the two inseparable sides of Christian witness.� They have to remain in careful balance.� Receptivity without confrontation leads to a bland neutrality that serves nobody.� Confrontation without receptivity leads to an oppressive aggression which hurts everybody."� Henri Nouwen, Reaching Out.

Presbyterians have traditionally been guilty of offering an evangelism of "receptivity" (if we build it they will come).� Perhaps, as Nouwen writes, our reluctance has been in response to the aggressive nature of others.�

If our evangelism�has retreated into mere "receptivity," your new church offers the opportunity to more aggressively bring the gospel to the unchurched.� Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, your witness will be strengthened as�you evangelize in the name of the risen Christ.

Best practices:

Don't overprogram.� Our privatized postmodern culture doesn't generally respond to "public" evangelism, i.e. crusades, revivals, door-to-door, mass mailings, etc.� "Friendship" evangelism (incarnational) may be�a more effective way�to start.� It is based on networking.� In fact, it requires that all church activities and events become evangelistic as we invite our network to become involved (not to simply spectate and consume).
It is vital to continually expand�your network to include the contacts of new arrivals, including "visitors."� The more mature believers will simply not have the extensive contacts with non-believers.� But the new arrivals will, and you must encourage them to invite their friends and associates.
Be visible in service to the community.� How do you want to be known in your target community?� At first you will not be known at all, especially if you have no facility.� In all likelihood you will be known by your Outreach and Mercy Ministries.� Consider how to shape these and publicize them to let your light shine in a way that glorifies God.
Don't hide your Vision and Values (see Mission Vision Values).� Produce materials (e.g. handouts, fliers, etc.)�that allow any visitor, member of a small group, participant or recipient of a Mercy Ministry or Servant Evangelism activity to know who you are, what is your vision and what are your values.
Be prepared for God to bring people you didn't expect (or quite know what to do with).� That is the way He works, and we must keep in mind that we must place great value on those He has called.
Shorten the gap between Evangelism and Discipleship.� This means that visitors are quickly invited into Small Groups, and are given the opportunity for active participation in everything the church does.� Membership undoubtedly means a higher level of commitment but do not fail to disciple even the newest seekers into the mainstream of the church.

Go back to Evangelism: First And Second Years

Go on to Evangelism: Environmental Factors

Last Modified 6/7/05 2:59 PM

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