Evangelism Coach

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In late October, I am scheduled to go to Faith Community Fellowship Church in Mt. Vernon Washington, to help facilitate a 4 day workshop on personal evangelism, as part of the Dunamis Course series for Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International (www.prmi.org).

Here are some testimonies:

• “I liked how the Holy Spirit was allowed to move.”
• “The scriptural foundation is very valuable.”
• “There was an atmosphere for healing prayer to take place.”
• “The ministry is so authentic. So helpful!”
• “The lessons built confidence in me as to how the Lord is leading me.”
• “The whole atmosphere was safe and loving. No pressure. Everything is explained and low-key .”
• “There is a good balance between teaching and lab time.”

I write this sitting at the airport (Thanks for free wireless!), way too early in the morning. 

I’m headed to Tampa for the Transformation Pastor’s Conference, where I will be speaking a couple of sessions on on the role of personal evangelism and evangelism training in transforming a church.

What exactly is Church Transformation?

I’ve spent the last month talking with pastors around the US about church transformation.   A few are in really difficult situations (Leaving Egypt and Not Liking it).

From those discussions, it seems that a common idea is to help move a church that is stuck or in serious decline, and lead them into a new vision of what God has for them, thus launching a new life cycle of growth.

Stetzer calls them Comeback Churches.  I’ve seen other various titles, like Boomerang church, Redevelopment, Revitalization.  Seems the common word now is Transformational.

Moving from Attractional to Missional

Simply based on my conversations and reading, a common thread these pastors were sharing was working with congregations to shift from exclusive focus on attractional tweaks to becoming more missional and engaging their community.

Attractional ministry focused on quality programs, excellent hospitality, and marketing to get people in the door.  This was sometimes called a “magnetic” church.

As I’ve looked at Evangelism Committee reports, church information forms, and mission studies, a lot of churches still think that making small process adjustments to their parking lot, greeting process, or welcoming will help them reach out to the neighborhood.

Attractional ministry is based on the idea that visitors are coming to your church already, and that if you do enough marketing, you can get more foot traffic in your door.  Your hospitality will help the newcomers “stick” (see www.stickychurch.com), and your church will grow.  It’s a variant of “if you build it they will come.”

Missional however moves to help the church re-engage its neighborhood. 

Some pastors are in island churches, meaning their church is mostly commuters who used to live in that neighborhood.  The culture around the church has changed (demographically, socio-economically), but the church has not adjusted accordingly, thus being a cultural island.

Missional helps the church get out of hoping people will visit them to actively engaging the needs and people of the community, and in the process both demonstrating and sharing the faith in Jesus as Lord.

Many of the pastors I spoke with this past month are trying to move congregations in this direction.  They still seek to improve their attractional ministries, but now realize that churches have to be connected to the neighhborhood.

It’s a journey process, and some have moved further along than others. 

Block Party to Pre-School

Ten years ago, an island church invited me to do some Evangelism Consulting with them about launching a new worship service.  The average age was 60, and no young families in the neighborhood.  They were in survival mode and needed something to get new people.

The pastor wanted a new worship service, but the congregational elders didn’t. 

Instead, I lead them into a brainstorming process, and out of that process they decided to do a block party.

The congregation organized the block party.  Food, games, inflatables, and so on.  Members hung door hangers around the neighborhood and invited the local community to come.

As a result of that block party 10 years ago (and its continued annual repeats) this church has discerned the neighborhood needs and launched several new ministries to reconnect with the neighbors:

• Preschool (now with an annual budget larger than the churches).
• Meals on Wheels.
• Neighborhood Watch
• And other ministries.

This church has become much more missional in it’s mindset and has lots of new vitality and energy to serve. 

Now they are being more intentional about actively sharing their faith along with serving the area and that is where more intentional evangelism training will come into play.

A regular conference that I participate in as a speaker is the Evangelism Dunamis. 

Dunamis is the greek word for ‘power’ and used to refer to the infilling and empowering work of the Holy Spirit.

This is part 6 of 6 in the foundational coursework for Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International, on the person and work of the Holy Spirit.  Part 1 is always offered as a make up section in all the other parts, so that it is easy for a person to start with any of the parts in the course.

I have had the joy of teaching the evangelism tract for 3 years now, and use other parts of this body of material in all our teachings through the Americas.

From the PRMI website:

The Dunamis Project of PRMI has as its fundamental purpose the equipping of an extended fellowship of Christians, both clergy and laity, in the ministry of the Holy Spirit all of which is for the glory of Jesus Christ.

The Dunamis Project provides a setting where Christians not only receive teaching, but also begin to experience the reality of spiritual leadership as promised to us by Jesus Christ – that is to have the Holy Spirit within us for salvation and Christian character formation, and upon us for the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit enabling us to witness to Jesus Christ.

Each Dunamis Project track is directed by a Faculty member of the Dunamis Fellowship. The Director will pull together a team needed to conduct the events over a three-year period in this one location. The team will include people gifted for hospitality, administration, intercessory prayer, worship and prayer ministry. The teachers are selected from members of the Dunamis Fellowship Faculty with the advice and consent of the Pastor of the Dunamis Fellowship. The events take place either at a retreat center or at a local church.

It is envisioned that the Dunamis Project will produce Holy Spirit-empowered leadership for local congregations, prayer groups, evangelism programs and mission outreach. The roots of this ministry and the creators of this course are Presbyterian and Reformed and the material is especially designed for those in the Reformed family of churches; however, the Dunamis Project is for the whole body of Christ.

PRMI’s calling is to provide spiritual leadership for the movement of the Holy Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit is moving worldwide, this means that if we are obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit and are consistent with Jesus’ purposes to bring salvation to all humankind, then the Dunamis Project will have a cross-cultural mission expression.

It is envisioned that the Dunamis Project will be adopted and adapted to meet the leadership development needs of other sodalities, churches and movements within the body of Christ and the Reformed stream of Christianity that share the same vision and goals as PRMI.

Moving from theory to practice is an important part of the Dunamis equipping. So we teach on healing and then move into prayers for healing as led by the Holy Spirit. (A Dunamis Project track consists of all six of the five-day intensive equipping events offered over a three-year period.)

The Dunamis Project founded in 1991, has been offered in a number of locations around the world. It continues to grow.

The Dunamis Project is . . .

• Biblically grounded
• Rooted in the overall context of the Reformed ethos and Reformed theology
• Located in a specific stream of Holy Spirit renewal
• Presents Holy Spirit empowered ministry in a particular manner.

Typically, the course lasts Wednesday evening through Sunday morning.

Registration fees cover all room and lodging, but the vision of PRMI is advanced through love offerings received at such events.

Here is the series:

1. Gateways - foundational course on worldview and theology
2. Spiritual Gifts — analaysis and practice with manifestational and motivational gifts.
3. Prayer - how to pray, and lots of time praying.
4. The Healing Minsitry of Jesus - learning about cooperating with the Holy Spirit in continuing the work of healing.
5. Spiritual Warfare.
6. Evangelism — Personal Evangelism in the Power of the Holy Spirit.

See our Training Schedule for next scheduled Dunamis events and to register.  See www.PRMI.org  for the full and current schedule

In just a few weeks, I am scheduled to go to Victory Bible Camp in Palmer Alaska to help facilitate a workshop on personal evangelism, as part of the Dunamis Course series for Presbyterian Reformed Ministries International (www.prmi.org).

The Evangelism Dunamis in the Power of the Holy Spirit emphasizes learning God’s vision for evangelism, and motivations and skills on personal evangelism

The Evangelism Dunamis also seeks to develop practical evangelism  skills in cooperating with the Holy Spirit in doing the work of personal evangelism.

Dates for the conference

October 8-12, 2008

Location for the The Evangelism Dunamis 

VICTORY BIBLE CAMP is located near Mile 94.8 of the Glenn Highway. A well placed sign points to the turn from the highway.

WHAT TO BRING: bedding, pillow, towels, Bible, notebook.

TRANSPORTATION: If you need help between Anchorage and Victory Bible Camp or can HELP TRANSPORT, please contact Pat Cook (local coordinator — I can put you in touch).

DIETARY: Meals served at VBC can not accommodate dietary restriction. There are kitchens available in some of the dorms for personal food preparation.

Training Seminar Fees: 

Early Registration, $172.00, To Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Late Registration, $182.00,  From Thursday, September 25, 2008

To Register

Contact Information

1. Your Name(required)
2. Email(valid email required)
3. Address
4. City
5. State
6. Zip
7. Telephone
8. Church
9. What is your biggest fear in personal evangelism?

 

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Gas on the Fire:

The Fuel for Evangelism 

 

Tips to keeping your

Evangelistic Temperature High

 

Date:

August 7, 2008 9pm EST

 

I will be presenting at the PC USA Transformation Pastor Training event in St. Pete’s Beach Florida at the end of September.  The conference is open to pastors from other Christian denominations, you don’t have to be PC USA to participate.

If you are in the Tampa area, I’d love to meet you and say hello.  Feel free to use the form on the Contact Us page to set up a visit.

From the www.PresbyGrow.net website

Transformation Pastor Training Event

September 29 - October 2, 2008

Tradewinds Resort, St. Pete’s Beach, Florida

Are you…

The pastor of a church in Transformation?

Considering accepting a call to a church in Transformation?

Discerning whether Transformation is your calling?

Discerning whether or not your church needs to go through the Transformation process?

…then make plans to attend the Transformation Pastors Training Event Sept. 29- Oct. 2, 2008. You can expect to attend seminars, participate in small group sessions, engage in periods of prayer and discernment, as well as connect with other pastors and leaders in Church Transformation.

See PresbyGrow’s website for more information on registration and conference fees.

You can register a couple of different ways:

1. By downloading the registration form and faxing/ e-mailing the form to the office of Evangelism and Church Growth. Download Registration Form
2. Online, by clicking here.

Update: Looking for Evangelism Training?  Grab our Monthly Newsletter to stay informed of upcoming training events and webinars.  Check out the other training we provide 

Online Webinars

Distance Coaching

Church Consulting

Seminars / Workshops

Original Article Continues. . . .. .

During our summer road trip, we have been offered free use of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Richmond to provide a live version of our webinar on Fear Free Evangelism.

Details:

• July 10, 2008, 7-9pm
• Westminster Presbyterian Church, 4103 Monument Avenue
• Free, but a love offering will  be received.

More details, registration information, and publicity helps are at the Live Evangelism Training Page.

You can Register online.

How can you help me get the word out?

Bookmark: Use the bookmarking features (SHARE THIS tab) below to post to myspace, facebook, etc. . . .   I’d appreciate you sharing this page to your profile.

Email: Create an email to send to your friends that direct them to the following links.

• About Us: http://www.Evangelismcoach.org/about-evangelismcoachorg
• Online Registration: http://www.evangelismcoach.org/fear-free-evangelism-live-Richmond
• Sample Video: http://www.evangelismcoach.org/2008/05/fear-free-evangelism

Flyers, Bulletins: Post the flyer or print copies of the bulletin inserts (includes registration information)

• Half Page Flyer, for bulletin Inserts or to simply give away to your network.
• Full Page Flyer, for posters, or inserts

Register online.