Evangelism Coach

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Alpha USA is organizing a Conversational Evangelism Conference

Date: May 16 & 17, 2008

Place: Twin Cities MN

Mark Mittelberg, Becky Pippert, Garry Poole, Dan Kimball, Richard Peace, Rick Richardson and Todd Hunter will be speaking at one or both of these Conferences (the other was at the end of February, 2008). They will help us understand the cultural changes we are experiencing, and the impact these changes have for evangelism. They will also introduce effective tools such as Seeker Small Groups, Seeker Bible Studies, and the Holy Conversation Project. You will receive practical training, and you’ll be invited to join the conversation with questions and contributions from your own experiences.

Information at: Twin Cities: Conversational Evangelism Conference

I can’t say it any better.  Read the story of Pete… « CHRIS ELROD DOT COM

Hospitality, or welcoming visitors, is only a part church based evangelism, but it’s not evangelism as we define evangelism.  It helps create a context for evangelism to happen in a church context.

Who takes the initiative to greet?

When visitors show up at your church for the first time, how quick are your members to take the initiative to greet?  Do they approach people they haven’t met with

• I don’t think I’ve met you yet, I’m . . . .
• This church has so many services, I’ve not met you yet.  I’m. . . .

An important part of helping people connect to the church is the quality of welcome they receive upon their first visit.  Take the initiative and make the greeting.  See also: 10 Tips for Greeters

A cultural note about hospitality

Since the ministry of Evangelismcoach.org is to the Americas, we see many churches in Latin America that do their hospitality very different than what is expected in North American churches. 

In the Hispanic churches that I have visited or coached at, I’ve not been to the coffee section after a service, because there usually isn’t one.  If there is some snack, it is for sale, with all the proceeds going towards the building.  As I’ve been translating the article "Avoid First Time Visitor Nightmares" (free with your subscription to our newsletter),  my helpers note the difference between hospitality practices in North America and in Hispanic churches in Latin America.

Some practices:

• Coffee and snacks after the worship services
• Teams that make home visits Sunday afternoon with cookies or bread and more information about the church
• Take home materials that explain the church and its programs
• Ushers that serve as additional greeters and campus guides
• Parking lot attendants to steer visitors to available spaces
• Videos on church website with testimonials about how people connected to a church.

Let me ask you this?

What are some things that your church does to welcome visitors and help connect them to your church?  Please comment here.  I’d love to have you share.

Some people find it hard to talk about their personal faith journey.

It could be that you have never been asked, or it could be that you’ve not taken the time to think it through. You simply know that you follow Jesus.

This questionnaire can help you grow comfortable in talking about your faith, and can also be used to help small group members get to know one another.

1. My first recollection of being in church was
2. The closest I have felt to God in my life was
3. The time I have felt the greatest doubt or distance from God was
4. If I could thank God for just one incident in my life it would be ______ and why?
5. If I could thank God for just one person in my faith journey it would be _______ and why?
6. If I could name a turning point in my life for my relationship with God it would be ________ and why?
7. If I had to tell someone why I am a Christian I would have to say

Free Download

Download a free copy of this as a PDF to distribute: Personal Faith Inventory

You are free to download and distribute this as long as you leave the credit to www.EvangelismCoach.org in Place.

Can you imagine what it would be like if churches were marketed as breakfast cereals?

• Post Modern Flakes, I tried these, there were too Sweet and I needed to take Alka-Stetzer
• Frosted Liturgicals, best served chilled with extra trappings
• Reform Church Crunch, now 25% more fortified against change
• Holy Ghost Toasties, a scoop of nuts in every box!
• Cell Church Congra-bits, homemade flavor, less committees
• Cheeful-ios, Popped with psychology and a pat of answers
• Praisin’ Bran, All Hymns for Older Believers
• Multisite-O-Meal, merging with a church near you!
• Sweet-N-Seeker, Flavored with tasty sound bites
• Contempo-Pops, new from HillSong Farms

Okay, just having a little fun there.

Source: Ministry Marketing Coach.

God has appointed us to live in certain places at certain times (Acts 17:26).  It’s reasonable to extend this to the church that you are connected with being planted in the neighborhood.

• Who are the unchurched in your community that your church could easily reach?
• Who are the unchurched, that your church could read with some effort?
• What would it take for your church to reach the “easily” and “some effort” group?
• What changes in philosophy, program, and structure would you need to make in your church to reach the “easily unchurched?”
• What might block your church from reaching the unchurched?
• Who has God brought to your attention that is unchurched?
• Would you feel comfortable inviting them to your church?

Source: Brian Clark, PC USA church planter in Northern Virginia.

I’ll let this video speak for itself.  It serves as a reminder that we might just spend too much time in church and not enough time with the people around us.