EFFECTIVE EVANGELISTIC STRATEGY.
Source: www.evangelismcoach.org
The Gospel spread primarily through relationships. The most effective evangelistic strategy is to first try to reach those with whom you already have something in common.
The people your church is most likely to reach are those who match the existing culture of your church. Whatever type of people you already have in your congregation is the same type you are likely to attract. The fact that a church may be unsuccessful in reaching certain types of people is not a matter of right or wrong, but a matter of simply respecting the wonderful variety of God’s people.
Explosive growth occurs when the type of people in the community match the type of people that are already in the church, and that match the type of person the pastor is.
Growing churches focus on reaching receptive people; non-growing churches focus on re-enlisting inactive people. It takes about 5 times more energy to reactivate a disgruntled or canal member than it does to win a receptive believer.
GO WHERE THE FISH ARE BITING.
Source: wehco.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com
This is the principle of receptivity. Jesus told the disciples they were not supposed to stay around unresponsive people. The Holy Spirit wants to direct us to the people He’s already prepared to respond. We should not focus our efforts on those who aren’t ready to listen. There are far more people in the world who are ready to receive Christ than there are believers ready to witness to them.
LEARN TO THINK LIKE A FISH.
Jesus was effective in dealing with people because he understood and was able to defuse the mental barriers they held.
The longer you are a believer, the less you think like an unbeliever. If you want to advertize your church to the unbelievers, you must learn to think and speak like they do. One of the greatest barriers to evangelism is that most believers spend all their time with other Christians. If you don’t spend time with unbelievers, you won’t understand what they’re thinking.
COMPLAINTS:
a) “Church is boring, especially the sermons. Messages don’t relate”.
Learn how to communicate God’s Word in practical, interesting ways. The unbelievers aren’t asking for watered-down messages, just practical ones.
b) “Church members are unfriendly to visitors. I want to feel welcomed without being embarrassed”.
The greatest emotion the unbelievers feel when they visit is fear – of not belonging (cliques), of not knowing the inside terminology.
c) “The Church is more interested in my money than in me”. Offering is only for those who are a part of our Church family; visitors are not expected to give.
d) “We worry about the quality of the church’s child care”. The Church must earn the trust of parents. If you want to reach young couples, you must have an excellent programme for their children.
Take the time to “read the defense” – understand and anticipate the objections unbelievers will have before they voice them.