The next step is to help leaders understand the spheres of outreach that exists within their community. Today we are going to move from understanding to implementation. If we, as leaders, are going to create a system that will stimulate evangelistic activity throughout the local church, then we will have to develop strategies for each sphere within our community. To help us think through the issues, I forced myself to ask ten questions under each area. Feel free to add to the conversation by sending in your own questions or another spin on the questions I came up with.
Strategy #1: MODELING – Creating an example to follow.
- As a leader, how would your followers say you are modeling personal evangelism throughout your community?
- As a leader, how are you keeping your heart passionately engaged in the harvest?
- As a leader, how are you upgrading your evangelistic skills?
- As a leader, is evangelistic activity built into your weekly schedule?
- As a leader, how are you serving and connecting with community leaders?
- As a leader, how available are you to people in need?
- As a leader, what fun activities with unchurched people are you participating in?
- As a leader, how do you identify “men and women of peace” in your community?
- As a leader, how do you engage people in spiritual conversation and keep them engaged?
- As a leader, have you ever considered hiring an evangelism coach?
Strategy #2: EQUIPPING – Creating missionaries to be sent out.
- How are you stimulating outreach prayers for friends, family and neighbors of your people?
- How are you heating up evangelistic passion within your people?
- Is evangelism training a part of your spiritual formation plan?
- How do you identify and celebrate those with the gift of evangelism in your church?
- Do you have an evangelism tool that is taught throughout the church?
- What opportunities do you have for people to engage in entry level evangelism?
- How are you teaching and mobilizing your people to love their neighborhoods and cities for Jesus?
- What pre-evangelism events or opportunities are being created through your small groups?
- What pre-evangelism events or opportunities are being created through your public worship services?
- When was the last training event you offered to help people share their faith?
Strategy #3: SOWING – Creating connection opportunities for the unconnected.
- How many people live in your “Jerusalem” that have no knowledge of your ministry?
- How are you creating awareness of your church throughout the community?
- What are the internet tools you can use to sow seeds throughout your community?
- What are the promotional tools you can use to sow seeds throughout your community?
- What are the media outlets you can use to sow seeds throughout your community?
- What partnerships can you form that will enhance the church’s image throughout your community?
- What community events or service projects can you join to live out the gospel?
- How many pre-evangelism contacts are you planning to make this year throughout your community?
- What percentage of your budget is dedicated to sowing your message throughout your community?
- If people know about your ministry, what is the first thing that comes into their mind when it is mentioned?
Well, how did I do? What did I miss? How would you tweak the above questions?
“I pray that you will be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” Philemon 6
