1. Crusade (Evangelism)
Description
Crusade evangelism is a strategy that has been used since the First Great Awakening in mid-1700’s. It began in England and America where popular preachers gathered together large crowds of people, and preached the Gospel to them. Some of the leading evangelists to use this strategy include D. L. Moody, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, Charles Finney, Billy Sunday, and in more recent years, Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, Luis Palau, and Greg Laurie. Without a doubt, millions of people around the world have heard the Gospel and received eternal life as a result of these crusades. They are, and continue to be, a meaningful and effective way of spreading the good news about Jesus Christ.
Crusades creates an opportunity of reaching out to a large number of people. For crusades to be effective they require a lot a planning and preparatory work to be done before the day of launch. There are a number of critical factors which affects the effectiveness of crusades e.g. the location, time of the year, resources, security, community liaison issues e.t.c. Successful crusade execution therefore requires all of the above mentioned issues and many more to be carefully considered and planned for.
Execution Checklist
As highlighted above, for the program to be a success it has to be effectively planned. Below are the steps that the Evangelism and outreach team has to take in order for the program to be success.
- Decide on the venue to be used. You can decide to use church premises if the space is sufficient and strategic. If there is no sufficient space at the church premises, strategic places within the community have to be sought.
- Financial budget for the program
- Seek permission with the relevant local authorities to hold the program.
- Secure equipment that will be used during the program. These are chairs, cameras, PA system, generator, toilets
- Make an announcement in church about the program
- Launch a program campaign that will run through up to the day of the crusade.
- Select temporary teams within your church that will be needed during the planning of the program.
- The team responsible for cleaning the auditorium
- The team responsible for the toilets
- Security team
- Marshals
- Equip your members with fliers, posters and tear off slips that will be used to register the invited guests. Visitors contact information is needed to remind them of the program through SMS and phone calls.
- Transport for those that will be attending the program. Announce the designated pick up points.
- Duration of the Crusade
2. Street Witnessing (Evangelism)
Description
During his earthly ministry, Jesus did not hesitate to speak with people he met on the road and in other public places (Luke 9:57-61; John 4:7). He wanted to share his important message with as many people as possible. Today, street witnessing is an excellent way to share the gospel.
This platform provides an extra-ordinary opportunity to meet individuals in the streets and homes to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. The biggest advantage of street witnessing is that it provides an intimate approach of sharing the gospel as it is usually a one-on-one process of sharing the gospel. This helps in building a relationship and also ensuring that there is a complete understanding of the message being shared through questions and answers.
Execution Checklist
For effective street witnessing to be executed the following preparations have to be done
- Ensure individuals participating are adequately trained on how to minister and respond to questions
- Pair inexperienced individuals with the seasoned street witnesses
- Map out the area to be covered
- Prepare handout and connect material to be used.
- Prepare a budget if required
- Set out the required targets and expected outcomes
- Ensure feedback is given after every street witnessing program
3. Invite A Friend Day (Evangelism)
Description
Does your church have a culture of people bringing new people on a Sunday morning? Sometimes as leaders we just expect it to happen and get frustrated when it doesn’t. Ideally every Church Service should be an ‘Invite an unchurched Friend’ event but if you find that’s not happening, you can organize a monthly special ‘Invite a friends to Church’ Sunday as a way to start. ‘Invite a friend’ day is a very practical way of increasing visitor traffic in your church if intentionally executed. Each member of the church has an unchurched friend or colleague who does not attend your local services and each of them takes the initiative of inviting them this will significantly increase visitor traffic.
Execution Checklist
- Six to eight weeks beforehand set your first date and passionately cast a vision for it – give your reasons for doing this. Help them catch the vision and jump on board.
- Have a Big Build Up: Building momentum means increasing the faith level of your church members and getting them excited about what your church is doing and where you’re going together.
- Get Your Welcome Team Ready: It would be a great shame to put all your effort into the organisation and execution of Invite a Friend Sunday if, when the visitors come they are given a poor first impression. Ensure the team has received adequate training. Look at your meeting place with fresh eyes, you’ve met there for years and might not notice the ripped wallpaper, or the mop bucket in the entrance. Clean, repaint, get the place welcoming and presentable.
- Visitors card: Make sure your welcoming team have a clear process of getting visitor contact information.
- Make it Easy For People to Invite Friends: Have church flyers printed and distribute them to your church members.
- Start A Monthly Sermon Series: If you’re having an invite a friend Sunday the first Sunday of every month, have the series start on that day. This will help to keep the visitor hooked as they want to stay through out the series to get a complete understanding
4. Door To Door Witnessing
Description
Door-to-door preaching is an approach to evangelism where a Christian will go from household to household in a certain area to evangelize to residents, often in conjunction with passing out gospel tracts. There are a number of issues that must be carefully considered in executing a successful door-to-door campaign. The times for door-to-door witnessing must be carefully considered as it must not be inconvenient times. Door-to-door witnessing means invading people’s free time and one must respect their privacy. If no one answers, do not look through a window or through an opening in the door. Never walk across anyone’s yard. It shows disrespect when you do. Never walk into a yard that has a dangerous looking dog in it or a “Beware of Dog“ sign on it. If there are children present in the yard you might wave but never speak to them but go directly to the door. When someone answers the door, the first thing to do is to apologize for intruding before further engagement. Invite people to a special church event, find out the spiritual needs of the community, offer to pray with people who mention a spiritual need and engage in evangelistic conversations when people are open to such conversations.
Execution Checklist
- Train your volunteers door to door witnessing. Part of the training should include:
- Know that when knocking at a stranger’s door, you are invading their free time and privacy, you must respect that. Do not take too much time.
- If no one answer do not look through the windows or door opening, walk away.
- Dress appropriately
- Always carry with you cards with the church’s information, website, address and contact details to give your audience.
- Properly introduce yourself by giving your name, where you are coming from and your intention.
- Prepare material to give away during witnessing.
5. Community Volunteer Activities (Outreach)
Description
“Get involved in your community!” It’s a statement you see everywhere. Whether it’s a walk for diabetes, running for county council, or a local blood drive, help the homeless, community clean-up, nursing home help, have a sports team, host a conference, meeting, or special event e.t.c. Getting involved in the community is an appeal that Christians can and should respond to. There are a number of ways your church can get involved in your community. However, the most important question should be the basis for community involvement. It doesn’t have to be just for good PR. It ought to be for the gospel. The effectiveness of a community volunteer program therefore is dependent on your ability to understand the pain points of your community and then get involved in those relevant areas.
Execution Checklist
- External and internal environmental scan: this helps you to assess the community by identifying the areas of need. Assess your own internal environment as far as human and financial resources are concerned
- Identify the area you want to volunteer in
- Identify the Purpose (the “Why?”)
- Action Steps (the “How?”)
- Schedule (the “When?”)
- Budget (the “How much?”)
- Stakeholders and Leaders (the “Who cares?”)
- Outcome Assessment (the “When are we done?” and “How well did we do?
6. Clean Up Campaign (Outreach)
Description
Local authorities are usually underfunded and many public places are not properly maintained. This is an opportunity for your church to stay visible in your community and to also show your community that you care. For a community clean up to be successful, it must be well-planned. From picking the right project to recruiting enough volunteers, putting together an effective event takes effort. Community cleanup projects can come in many forms e.g. trash and litter collection, beautification projects, flower planting incentives, beach clean-ups, river clean-ups e.t.c
Execution Checklist
- Pick the right project for your community: choose the area of focus for your neighbourhood clean-up carefully. The right project is one that fixes an existing problem and inspires others to get involved.
- Make a detailed event plan: once you’ve chosen the right way to clean up your community, it’s important to make a specific plan for the event. Your plan should include date, Meeting location with access to restrooms for volunteers, number of volunteers needed, outline of all the work to be completed, list of supplies you will need, required permits or licenses needed post event steps
- Engage the community leaders or relevant stakeholder
- Choose an enthusiastic leader
- Recruit volunteers early
- Get supplies donated e.g. trash bags, shovels, rakes, gloves, paint and paintbrushes, wheelbarrows e.t.c
- Assign specific tasks during the cleanup
- Prepare evangelism literature and information collection cards
7.Bridge Events (Outreach)
Description
Bridge events are designed explicitly to draw people from the community by providing for them something they need or enjoy; for instance, career guidance seminars for youths in your community run by professionals in your church. Pitching a wellness tent for free medical checks. The wellness tent can be run by a few medical professionals in your church plus volunteers. There are many creative bridge events that can be run. Once people come to the bridge event it’s easy to create relationships that will lead to sharing of the gospel.
- Necessary authorization needed
- The area where the campaign will be held
- The equipment needed for the program
- Duration of the campaign
- Assignment of project managers within the team
- Enrollment of volunteers among church members
- Financial budget for the campaign
- Availability of evangelism literature and information collection cards.
8.Digital Evangelism (Evangelism)
Description
There is no doubt using digital media, and resources helps the evangelizing of the world. Most people have access to the internet all over the world, and even the most remote places on earth have internet cafés. Ten years ago there were only a few million users worldwide, mostly in developed Western nations; today, more than one billion people access the World Wide Web. When people in your community are looking for answers to life’s hard questions, they don’t always come to your church to learn the answers. Digital technologies have changed how Christians across the globe share their faith? Your church is now able to reach a wider audience than you may realize and it’s still kept it personal, even though you may be far away. There are no more physical boundaries as the church continues to raise a new generation of mobilized Christians. A recent Barna Group study revealed that 58% of millennials believe digital platforms have made sharing their faith easier. And it’s making a real difference: the same study showed that more than 50% of respondents who were recently told about Jesus, heard the Gospel from friends on Facebook (14% mentioned other social media platforms). The digital revolution is facilitating changing attitudes to evangelism and your church should ride this wave too.
Execution Checklist
- Decide on your target audience
- Choose platforms you will employ e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram e.t.c
- Plan a budget
- Appoint people who will be working on the chosen platforms
- Draw a content creation strategy
- Pick up launch dates for the platforms
- Equip all church members to join and invite others
9.Soup Kitchen, Hanging Out With The Homeless (Outreach)
Description
According to Matthew 5:7, mercy is an investment: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” The initial investment was given to us when we were saved from the eternal consequences of our sin. Let’s not bury what we have been given but rather seek opportunities to invest. One of the most fundamental exercises in mercy is feeding the poor. Starting a soup kitchen is a direct approach to connect us with those who physically hunger and give us the opportunity to address their spiritual hunger as well. Soup kitchens are frequently located in lower-income neighborhoods. However they can also be set up in cities because that is where most homeless people are found
Execution Checklist
- Paper work: Register your new charitable organization as a nonprofit organization
- Decide on the venue where the Soup kitchen will be located
- Draw financial budget
- Raise funds
- Source kitchen equipment needed
- Duration of the program
- Assignment of project managers within the team
- Enrolment of volunteers among church members
- Transport for volunteers
- Availability of evangelism literature and information collection cards
- Service with a smile
10.Family Movie Night (Outreach)
Description
Hosting a church movie night is an effective way to invite your community to come visit your church and get to know you. Movie nights are no-pressure events, and encourage people who might not otherwise attend to visit and find out what your church is all about. It’s also an impactful outreach to support your community with inspiring messages about God, love, family, marriage, and more. After the movie you can engage in discussion about the movie. Ask them what they learnt from the movie and also share the word with them. When deciding to host a church movie night, the first thing to determine is your theme. This will help you pick the right film. Add your church movie night information to your promotional materials and make it an unforgettable experience
Executive Checklist
- Choose theme
- Prepare a budget
- Venue
- Filming equipment
- Campaign material, posters and fliers
- Assignment of project managers within the team
- Prepare your hospitality department
- Toilets
- Provision of snacks attendees
- Availability of evangelism literature and information collection cards.