Evangelistic methods that work

[Esaias]

Those of you involved in evangelism, what methods actually work?

http://www.bible.ca/evangelism/e-har...evangelism.htm

Here's a Campbellite analysis:

There have been three significant periods of evangelism in churches of Christ during this century. We must understand all three to understand what is necessary to teach valid prospects today. The three periods mark the effectiveness of "The Gospel Meeting", "The Cottage Meeting" (or home Bible study), and "The Visitor or Contact Meeting".

"The Gospel Meeting"

From 1900 to 1950, the Lord's church in America had many rural congregations and few preachers. Members were not very busy each evening and many non-members would attend a meeting. People were more direct and more at ease with confrontation in that age, so powerful, direct preaching, which was based on clear Biblical proofs, was very effective. The period was closed by TV sets, more cars, and many more secular activities in which to be involved.

This period of the Gospel Meeting was a special time when our method was uniquely qualified to fit the life style and daily activities of the majority of our rural and small-town neighbors.

"The Cottage Meeting"

From 1955 to 1970 people were at home most nights with their TV sets on. Weak brethren were staying away from services to watch a favorite TV program. Yet, people were still curious about the Bible and their religious knowledge. You could knock on the doors of two contacts and end up with one Home Bible Study.

Some cottage meetings (the 1950's term for home Bible studies) were with filmstrips; some studies with charts, and some with a question sheet at the kitchen table. Always, there was an open Bible. In the 60's I averaged three and up to six studies a week. It was a thrill to study one on one, even though it was different from a gospel meeting.

Yet, more money and more activities pulled people out of the home. More mothers were working. More families started eating out. Now when you knock on doors, 2 out of 3 families are not at home. People are more urbanized. They don't respond as well to people at their door. Private home Bible Studies are much, much harder to arrange unless someone has already visited our service a few times.

"The Visitor Meeting"

From 1980 to today people have become more and more busy, urbanized, and empty as they fill their lives with more secular activities. They have spent so much time with TV that they don't want to talk about religion or any difficult, controversial topic until they are confident of a controlled conversation. Yet, they still have serious religious need. It is hard to penetrate their busy world and touch their spiritual needs, though.

When you can't get them to come to most services of a gospel meeting to preach to them, or they are too busy for 10 cottage meetings, what can you do to teach them? Most adults (as opposed to children of members) who are baptized today, do fit one predominate pattern in areas where the church is better known.

Most converts are first impressed by the good life of a righteous member. Secondly, they accept an invitation to a service, then return a few times until they are ready to accept a Bible study. They are baptized after four to ten studies.

Converts in large urban areas also come down three or four other routes (walk-ins, neighborhood Bible studies, Radio/TV call-in programs, and correspondence courses) but converts from these methods are only a small percentage of total adult converts at this time. Of course we occasionally convert someone from repeated attendance to a Gospel Meeting or to a home Bible Study which they agree to before they ever attend a service but it doesn't happen much today.

Somewhere there are other approaches that will touch the spiritual needs of people today if we keep looking for them. For most of our efforts though we need to follow the things that work the best while we experiment with the many Biblical options that are open to us.

[Esaias]

bump

[houston]

Do you need attention?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by houston

Do you need attention?

Always, bro.

[Michael Phelps]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Those of you involved in evangelism, what methods actually work?

http://www.bible.ca/evangelism/e-har...evangelism.htm

Here's a Campbellite analysis:

Now you're just meddling........