Sharing Your FaithLesson 5:

Review of Evangelizing Your Community (Ch. 3-4)

Overview

July 9: North, “Public Information”; “Christian Living”July 16: TBAJuly 23: Vacation Bible SchoolJuly 30: North, “Conversational Evangelism”; “Friendship Evangelism”August 6: Personal Evangelism (White)

Evangelizing Your Community

North, Stafford. Evangelizing Your Community. Nashville, TN: 21st Century Christian, 2007.

Original publication: 1973

Chapters 1-2

Thesis

• Acts 2:47 “having favor with all the people.”• Acts 5:13 “the people held them in high

esteem. “

Are there practical things the church can do to more fully accomplish this result?

Creating an Evangelistic Congregation

Public Information

1. Make the Building Attractive and Inviting

Public Information

2. Use Good Signage to Give People Information

Public Information

3. Have a Good Website

Public Information

4. Treat Visitors Well From the Moment They Come to the Parking Area and Make Them Feel Welcome

Public Information

5. Serve Your Community In Ways to Build Goodwill6. Make a Conscious Effort to Be Sure Representatives From Your Congregation Are Involved in a Wide Range of Community Organizations and Activities7. Make An Impact In the Neighborhoods Where Your Members Live8. Make Use of Local Media and Mailings to Help People Know About Your Church

Christian Living

The elders of a congregation need to develop a strategy for nurturing every member in Christian living.• “Since elders of the church are charged with

‘feeding the flock,’ the elders, educational director, and minister need to work together to be sure that there is a coordinated plan for teaching the congregation how to demonstrate Christian living wherever they are.” (39)

Christian Living

Help your members to be aware of the situations in which they can demonstrate such qualities and encourage them to make the most of such times.1. In local schools2. At the workplace3. In the neighborhood4. At ballgames5. At other locations (hospitals, bank, store, etc.)

Pros & Cons

PROS• Very basic.• Very practical.• Very goal oriented.CONS• Good marketing does not equal good evangelism.• A church focused too much on any of these items

becomes a country club instead of a church.• Community Work: Real needs vs. Invented needs

Sharing Your FaithLesson 5:

Review of Evangelizing Your Community (Ch. 3-4)