2013 Evangelism Summit Training

“A Strategy For Building A Strong Evangelistic Church”

Teaching Notes

Cornerstone Conference

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Your Cornerstone Conference Evangelism Council Is Serving As The Teaching Team

EVANGELISM DIRECTOR: Mike Ainsworth Phone:  336-656-7936, ext. 128Office:  PO Box 150 Toll Free: 1-877-367-9622Browns Summit, NC  27214-0150 Home:  8194 McClanahan DriveBrowns Summit, NC 27214

M25 DIRECTOR: Mark Richardson Phone: 919-742-1055COUNCIL SECRETARYHome: 17381 US Highway 64 WestSiler City, NC 27344

COUNCIL MEMBER: Juan Vazquez Phone: 787- 550-7155HISPANIC MINISTRY COORDINATORHome:  6463 Coral Vine WayWhitsett, NC 27377

COUNCIL MEMBER: Roger Barefoot Phone: 336-263-1312Home: 1111 West Old Glencoe RoadBurlington, NC 27217

COUNCIL MEMBER: Myron Bruce Phone: 434-770-2395Home:  PO Box 11604Danville, VA  24543

COUNCIL MEMBER: Jonathan Hill Phone: 276-650-2376Home:  726 Beechnut Ln.Martinsville, VA 24112

COUNCIL MEMBER: Bill Phipps Phone:  704-564-9223Home: 13232 Idlewild RoadMatthews, NC 28105

COUNCIL MEMBER: Tommy Vass Phone 336-786-2215Home: 814 White Pines Country Club RoadMt. Airey, NC 27030

COUNCIL MEMBER: Tim Wolfe Phone: 336-765-8844Home: 2855 Carrollwood DriveWinston-Salem, NC 27103

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Welcome

Welcome! We are glad that you have joined us for the “location name” Regional Evangelism Summit Training.

Purpose: The Evangelism Summit is focused on Pastors and Leaders and serves as an catalyst to reignite passion for Evangelism & Outreach in the local church.

Goal: Our goal is to provide helpful and practical tools for evangelism that can be applied by each Pastor (and Leader) in the local church.

Training: Our training tonight will be focused on providing you with the strategy (and tools) for Building A Strong Evangelistic Church.

Introduction

We need to be reminded that the mandate given to us as Christ’s church permeates every activity in a healthy (evangelistic) church. In Matthew 28, Jesus gives his Last command to His first disciples:

(18) “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Being effective at outreach and successfully reaching out to your local community requires:

Prayer Vision Focused Mission Commitment, and it requires Planning

Leroy Armstrong, Jr., Senior Pastor of The House of Hope Church, gives greater meaning to the word “Planning.” “Planning is the process of clarifying (or discerning) ultimate God given directions(s) and identifying a course of action to get there.”

Planning is strategic. Planning takes time. Planning is non-negotiable. It’s not a solo act. The discerning Pastor always involves his key leaders working together with synergy and commitment to fulfill the biblical mandate.

Our emphasis is not just about putting evangelism on the annual Calendar, (even though that would be a first great step for many congregations). It is about creating an atmosphere

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of expectancy in the congregation and developing momentum that will keep your leadership focused on this primary value – to reach out to the unchurched in your local community, connect them to the life of the church and ultimately into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Tonight we will provide a simple “How To” strategy for Building A Strong Evangelistic Church. Let’s begin by taking a look at this chart, which serves as a graphic representation of how each piece of the strategy fits together (review aspects of the chart):

This Evangelism Strategy will utilize a “gap” analysis format. The “GAP” Analysis is a simple technique that organizations use to determine what steps need to be taken in order to move from its current state to its desired, future state. (Also called need-gap analysis, needs analysis, and needs assessment.)

Our GAP Analysis will consist of FOUR STAGES that will assist you in creating an intentional ACTION PLAN for EVANGELISM in your local church.

Each of the FOUR STAGES require that we answer a key question.

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Overview

Let me give you a brief overview of the FOUR STAGES that we will explore in our training tonight.

Stage One Answers the Question: Where Are We? This is your starting point for Building A Strong Evangelistic Church. Thom S. Rainer, says “Trying to create an evangelism strategy can be a futile exercise in blind leadership, without first assessing where you are now.”

The first stage involves three “check-ups.” These check-up’s should involve all leaders and should be conducted in a group-meeting format: 1. OUTREACH CHECK-UP: This helps you determine what’s working, what’s not and

what the results of previous outreach goals were for the past year.

2. VALUE CHECK-UP: This helps us ensure that EVANGELISM is a top value of the church and is supported by the core leadership, staff and congregation.

3. COMMUNITY CHECK-UP: This exercise helps review (3) core characteristics of your community and determines if and how your church should respond in the coming year.

Stage Two Answers The Question: Where Are We Going? Using the information gathered from stage one, you will conduct what we are calling a VISION EXERCISE.

Stage Three Answers The Question: How Do We Get There? This third stage involves what we will call a MISSION EXERCISE. Stage Three involves setting Annual Outreach Goals and leading individual ministries in setting Ministry Goals that support the Outreach Goals.

Stage Four Answers The Question: What Is Our Outreach Plan? In stage four, we will put the plan together into a Master Plan. This combines the information gathered in Stage 3. The Master Plan is then activated with a list of Check points that are created to help leadership keep on track with the plan and assess the success of each initiative.

Let’s jump into the details…

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Planning for Evangelism is about Leadership. If we are to have Strong Evangelistic Churches, We Cannot Ignore…

The Role of the Pastor in Evangelism

The pastor is the catalyst to the overall success of any outreach program/emphasis. His/her input, involvement, and example are paramount. We cannot expect our pastor to attend or at least verbally support every ministry activity in the church. His/her focus must be on helping people find Christ as their Lord and Savior, and training members to do the same with family, friends, co-workers and others in their community circles.

There are two levels of pastoral involvement in evangelism in the church.1. Personal Involvement Live the gospel every day. The pastor’s personal goal each week is to share the

gospel with someone and see that person come to faith in Jesus Christ. A pastor does the work of an evangelist, reaching out beyond the comfort zones to share the gospel with people he/she doesn’t know.

Stay close to the action. The pastor is the primary leader of the outreach/evangelism program at church. Even with a designated staff person for the evangelism program, the pastor’s personal involvement and visibility is essential in the effort. People need to see their pastor winning others to Jesus Christ. He/she needs to be seen on the front lines of evangelism in the church.

Maintain your circle of influence. The pastor must keep a personal circle of influence and must have time for a circle of friends with whom to witness.

Pray daily for souls to be saved. The pastor is a prayer warrior, especially when it comes to praying for the harvest. Amazingly, when the laity in the church sees the Pastors prayerful spirit for the harvest, many of them also will mimic that same passion for souls.

Respond to cries for help. As the church grows and its ministry becomes more specialized, the pastor may not be able to be involved in the lives of every single convert. But to fulfill the call to ministry and be like the Lord who called us, he must personally answer enough of those cries for help that he gets his hands dirty and his heart broken by helping hurting people at funerals, in the hospital, or in special need.

2. Corporate Involvement Enlighten the church. Church members may fail to witness because they are not

educated or challenged on evangelism. The pastor must preach on the subject of soul-winning, challenging members about the biblical mandate to share their faith. The pastor should keep the flock accountable before God concerning the commission every Christian has received from God.

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Enlist the church. Evangelism must be given priority as a major emphasis of the church. If not, the members will be enlisted in so many committees, social functions, and recreational activities that they will have no time to commit to outreach.

Equip the church. Pastors, we need to learn to work with a team of members to develop meaningful relationships with lost people (i.e. through acts of hospitality and grace). The pastor needs to be the primary person who leads in the equipping of the saints. As the pastor makes it a priority not only to share faith but also to equip the congregation, he/she will reap greater benefits from both his example and the training of others.

Engage the church. The church must seek to keep its witness strong and vibrant in the community. The pastor will engage the congregation to go into the community and share their faith with everyone who is in their personal circle of influence. The pastor leads by example and challenges members to do the same.

If the church is to reach its community, it will be largely because the pastor has led the way.

How will this be accomplished? What are the necessary components that make up a plan or strategy for Building An Evangelistic Church?

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Stage One: Where Are We?

In America… Many are surprised to learn how many Americans are unchurched. The number

was 100 Million in 2007. Today, one out of every three adults is unchurched. This represents some 125 million Americans.

Millions of young Christians are disconnecting from church as they transition to adulthood. In his book, You Lost Me, David Kinnaman reveals the startling results of a new nationwide study of 18- to 29-year-olds with a Christian background. We are losing a generation!

Among Pastors… 79% of American Pastor’s feel that their churches are ineffective in their overall

program of Evangelism.

PRESENTER NOTE: “Reflections on a Decade of Church Consulting” should only be touched on and used primarily as a “quick list” to serve as a “primer” for the next section. You may quickly list each point and offer a comment on just one or two. We will leave the material in to be used at your discretion. There is one (1) PowerPoint slide for this section.

Thom Rainer can identify with these pastors. Recently he shared an article with denominational leaders entitled, “Reflections on a Decade of Church Consulting”. In his ten years working with churches, Rainer has discovered that…

1. Churches often wait too long to address decline. (Some churches don’t do regular checkups, and thus they have no means of knowing they’re sick. Others recognize the symptoms but choose to ignore them. By the time they admit decline, the pattern is so entrenched that reversing the trend is not easy.)

2. Statistics really are helpful. (I realize that numbers can become an idol—and that we must fight against—but numbers do tell us something. Most often, they tell us to ask more “why” questions. Why has the church declined in attendance for five years? Why did the church reach 50 people last year, but attendance grew by only fifteen? Why has worship attendance in the second service plateaued?)

3. Churches often settle for numerical growth rather than life transformation . (Churches may want to grow, but they seldom evaluate the source of the growth. If the church increases in number at all—even if the growth comes only by believers transferring membership from another local church—the church is satisfied. Few churches evaluate how many non-believers are converted through their ministry.)

4. Churches do not know their community. (As part of our consultation we would do a demographic study of a church’s ministry area and then ask the leaders to describe their community prior to their seeing the study. Frankly, I’m amazed by how many church leaders were not aware of the demographics of their ministry field. They often lived among a people they do not know.)

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5. Most churches aren’t ready for conversion growth if God were to send it . (The biblical call to make disciples demands a discipleship strategy (Matt. 28:18-20), but few churches have one. They do not have the “nursery” of discipleship ready for baby Christians. Seemingly, they assume new believers will grow simply by showing up each week.)

6. In most churches, somebody wants the congregation to make an eternal difference. (I’ve never seen a church so unhealthy that nobody was seeking God and His power. The good news here is that just a few people can ignite a renewal fire in a local church. Somebody sees in faith what God might do, and he/she can be a significant support for the pastor.)

7. God is still growing His church. (I’ve worked with churches that, to be frank, I thought would never grow. Churches so divided that their communities know them as a combat zone seldom give you hope for Great Commission growth. Nevertheless, I’ve seen God work miracles by restoring unity, strengthening and refocusing leaders, and sending members into the community to share the gospel.)

Let’s try to answer the question, “WHERE ARE WE” by getting a CHECK-UP. Let’s start with the:

Outreach Check-up

PRESENTER NOTE: IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO LIST ALL THE SUB POINTS. THE POWER POINT WILL HAVE THE MAIN POINTS ONLY (THE PARTICIPANT NOTES WILL HAVE THE SUBPOINTS SO YOU CAN SAY…”WE WON’T COVER ALL THE OUTREACH QUESTIONS TONIGHT, THEY ARE IN YOUR NOTES.”

Look at a few of these questions:1. How many new people joined the church last year?

a. How many people made decisions to receive Christ?b. What percentage of the adult population participated in the outreach activities of

the church? (Brought someone with them?)

2. From a broad perspective (overall church):a. What are those things that we need to preserve? Why?b. What are those things that we need to change or avoid? Why?

3. What big outreach campaigns/events did the church as a whole engaged in last year?a. What type of campaign was it? (Invitation, Mailing, Event, Sermon Series,

Missions, Community Service, etc.)b. What worked well?c. What could be done better next time?d. What was the outreach result? (new visitors and members, conversions, etc.)

For Example in your notes there is an example of some outreach goals

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(THERE IS NO POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR THIS EXAMPLE)Date / Season Campaign TypeEaster The Passion of the Christ Direct Mail & Sermon

SeriesMemorial Day Honor Our Heroes Special Worship Service &

Lunch For Military Families

Fall Marriage Enrichment Direct Mail & Invite Campaign

Seminar Sermon Series

Summer Acts of Kindness Community Service Outreach

4. What specific outreach activities did your various ministries conduct last year?a. What was attendance? How many of these were first-time visitors to the church?b. How many members invited new people to this activity?c. How many new people joined the church as a result of this activity?d. What worked well?e. What could be improved next time?f. How can we do a better job of increasing participation in these events?

For example, in your notes there is an example of the outreach activities:(THERE IS NO POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR THIS EXAMPLE)

Ministry Type of ActivityWomen’s Spring Fashion Show

Guest Speaker on Marriage Girlfrienz

Children’s Summer Picnic Craft Night Vacation Bible School

Men’s Men’s Retreat Camping Trip

The second CHECK-UP we will need is the:

Values Check-up

Every church has values whether they are clearly stated or not. In this check-up we want to ensure that EVANGELISM is held in high regard among the core leadership, staff and the congregation. Wayne Cordiero, in his book, “Doing Church as a Team” helps us understand the usefulness of a VALUE, he says:

“A value can be likened to a ‘homing device’, an internal guidance mechanism that keeps you on course. A value is what helps you to make in-flight corrections to your attitude, motives, activities, and emphases. You will need to make many in-flight corrects along the way, but if you have not clearly defined your core value, you won’t know what to correct to!”

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Evangelism needs to be a part of everything a church does, not just a specific team who evangelizes. With that said, we need to ask ourselves:

What are the CORE values of the church? Where on the list of values is outreach? Is it a value that permeates every ministry?

If Evangelism is A Value…

How is it modeled in the goals from last year?

How is it modeled in the various ministry activities?

(Review the church calendar!)

One way to look at this is to: Have each ministry leader calculate what percentage of their ministry focus is “in”-

reach vs. outreach. Are there any activities that need to be discontinued to make room for new evangelism and outreach areas?

Also, consider: What percentage of the church budget is spent on “in”-reach vs. “out” -reach? Is

there a balance? If not, does something need to change?

Community Check-up

We have discovered Three Common Challenges that most of our churches are facing:A Church May Be:

Growing Older In Terms of Average Age (And Unable To Adapt To The Worship & Learning Style Preferences/Expectations of Younger (Emerging) Generations.)

Experiencing Racial, Ethnic, Socioeconomic and Population Density Changes In Their Community (Attendee’s are not representative of the immediate culture and may drive from surrounding communities.)

Experiencing A Diminishing Sense Of Visionary Direction That Formerly Fueled Their Forward Progress.

Now, let’s look at Three Key Factors about your surrounding communities help shape the focus and outreach mission for your church.

1. Community Factor One: Demographics There are a number of web based “Demographic Report” services that can be found

the web including www.outreach.com. However, the U.S. Census Bureau has tons of demographic data and various search tools that can be accessed for free at www.census.gov. Using information from a Demographic Report, you should complete a demographic profile (a copy of this is in your notes) for the church.

PRESENTER NOTE: IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO LIST ALL THE SUB POINTS. THE POWER POINT WILL HAVE THE MAIN POINTS ONLY (THE PARTICIPANT NOTES WILL HAVE

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THE SUBPOINTS SO YOU CAN SAY…”WE WON’T COVER ALL THE DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS TONIGHT, THEY ARE IN YOUR NOTES.”

Consider these important questions:

a. Considering who we are and the resources we have, what is the demographic profile of those we are most likely to reach?

b. Where are these people located in our community?

c. What are the needs of these people? What outreach programs do we have in place to reach these people?

d. What demographic factor, if any, has changed since we last checked our report?

e. If there were changes, how does that impact our current outreach focus? Do we need to change it?

2. Community Factor Two: Geographic’s: Have there been any significant changes to the “Geographic’s” (i.e. new roads, new

housing. change of traffic flow, etc.) in our area this past year?

If yes, how does that impact our church and outreach initiative for the coming year?

Are any new housing projects planned for the coming year?

3. Community Factor Three: Psychographics: (Psychographics are those unique characteristics of your local community “culture.”)

What major community and/or public events are happening in the coming year?

How can our church connect with these community events?

Have there been any significant changes in our community that we should respond to? Any new or emerging needs?

PRESENTER NOTE: IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO SHARE DETAILS OF ALL THE EXAMPLES BELOW. THE POWER POINT AND THE PARTICIPANT NOTES DO NOT HAVE THE EXAMPLES. QUICKLY MENTIONING THEM, OR HIGHLIGHTING ONE OR TWO CAN MAKE THE POINT.

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YOU CAN SAY… “Now, let’s look at an example of how churches have used the Demographic Profile report in their outreach strategy and therefore become more successful in their Evangelism Efforts:

Example One: Our first example, FIRST CHURCH. DISCOVERY: First Church discovered a significant shift in the age profile of their community in the demographic profile—from a median age of 50-64, to a median age of I8-35. This was the result of several new, affordable housing complexes being built in the area. RESPONSE: They responded by expanding programs toward a younger age group, and even introduced a Saturday night service specifically geared to that generation. They add an Alpha Marriage Course geared at young couples. Children’s ministry was also given much more attention, and they expanded programs for younger families. The church experienced significant growth and a “re-energizing” of their mission. They continue to meet the needs of the seniors, who remain their core group and long-standing members, but new programming has ensured that future growth will meet the needs of the changing community.

Example Two: Our second example, SECOND CHURCH. DISCOVERY: Second Church discovered that the demographic profile in the community reflected a very low percentage of married people. Up to that point, their focus had been on children and couples, and church growth had slowed over several years. RESPONSE: They introduced a new singles ministry (that included Divorce Care), as well as community outreach events specifically targeted to singles of all ages. Growth returned to its normal pattern and the church ended up growing the largest singles ministry in the area.

Example Three: Our third example is THIRD CHURCH. DISCOVERY: The growth in the percentage of Spanish speaking people increased considerably in the community surrounding the church. The community demographic had changed as younger Spanish speaking families moved into new tract housing neighborhoods within a few miles of the church. RESPONSE: By adding a Hispanic Service and increasing the availability of children's programs and community outreach for this segment of the community, they were able to bring in a whole new group to their church, while retaining the core adult membership.

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Stage Two: Where Are We Going?

The heart of Evangelism is how we should relate to world around us. It requires that we compassionately communicate the gospel in a way that is culturally relevant so that men and women every where can come to know, love and serve Jesus Christ. Because each church is unique, and is reaching a specific community, it is important that we define and clearly communicate this through a Shared Vision. A Shared Vision must first be a Prepared Vision.

Nehemiah Teaches the Importance of Preparing for Vision He Collected Information. (1:1-3) He had a Holy Discontent with the status quo. (1:4) He Fasted. (1:4) He Prayed. (1:5-6) He Waited on God. (See 1:1-2:1)

John R.W. Stott, an English theologian, states, “Vision begins with a holy discontent with the way things are.”

Vision is a picture of what God will do in the future.

When it is properly communicated, Vision creates Passion which raises Commitment brings Unity and Reward (God’s Blessing)

PRESENTER NOTE: HOW TO KEEP AUTHENTICITY IN VISION WILL APPEAR ON ONE (1) POWER POINT SLIDE AND IN THE PARTICIPANT NOTES. QUICKLY LISTING THEM, OR HIGHLIGHTING ONE OR TWO CAN MAKE THE POINT.

How To Keep Authenticity in Vision: (Seven Questions) Is it biblically based? Is the motive to glorify God? Does it start where you are? Is it relevant to your community? Is it received by others who have heard it communicated effectively? Is it demonstrated by passion? It is demonstrated by commitment?

It is important that the pastor and core leadership take time necessary to set a clear direction for the church by preparing and sharing vision.

Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church says, “The process of establishing vision and values is a painful one. We get lulled into mediocrity, we lose sight of what could be through God’s power that is available to us.”

We would like to briefly give you a 4-step process for preparing Vision.

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PLEASE NOTE: We don’t intend to diminish the role of the Pastor in receiving vision from God for the church. We honor and celebrate this Spirit-directed work. We would, however, encourage Pastors to consider what role your leaders WILL have in both the discovery and delivery of vision.

In his book, “Transitioning: Leading Your Church Though Change” Dan Southerland states “The success of any vision comes down to one issue: will the majority of the people... get behind it?” Let’s look at the (4th Step) Vision Exercise together:

Vision Exercise

PRESENTER NOTE: IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO LIST ALL THE SUB POINTS. THE POWER POINT WILL HAVE THE MAIN POINTS ONLY (THE PARTICIPANT NOTES WILL HAVE THE SUBPOINTS SO YOU CAN SAY…”WE HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH THE VISION EXERCISE TEMPLATE IN THE RESOURCE SECTION OF YOUR PARTICIPANT NOTES, SO FOR THE SAKE OF TIME WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS…

Step I: Begin With Envisioning the Future

1. Imagine that it is five years from now you are having lunch with a colleague in a local steakhouse and overhear the family at the next table talking about your church. What are they saying?

2. What three words would you, as a core leader of the church, use to describe your church?

3. The local newspaper runs an article on the most active churches in the area. Is yours one of them? Why or why not?

4. You are in conversation with a first-time visitor to your church on a Sunday morning. Why did they choose to attend your church?

5. You and your family have been re-located to another state. What are you going to miss most about your church?

Step 2: Pray & Listen (over a period of several days)

Strong Evangelistic Churches Are Known For Being Churches Of Prayer! Dr. George Bullard who is a Ministry Colleague with The Columbia Partnership, recommends that the Pastor lead the entire congregation to enter into what he calls, “100 Days of Prayer and Discernment.” He says, “Prayer is a vital part of the ministry of congregations. It is a major part of the fuel that provides energy and empowerment to congregations. Prayer movements in congregations seldom happen without some forethought or intentional action.” He

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recommends that congregational participants be grouped in prayer triplets. These prayer triplets meet to pray for the future of the church. The prayer triplets encourage greater dialogue about the future of the church as well as strengthening the interpersonal relationships of those involved. The goal is to discover and discern together God’s calling on the church. (We have included more information about Prayer Triplets in your notes.)

Step 3: Describe Your ChurchAfter a period of prayer and discernment, describe your church in no more than 100 words, using adjectives to paint a clear picture.

Step 4: Capture the Vision (Group Exercise)1. Ask each leader (or Prayer Triplet spokesperson) to review their description of the

church and call out the adjectives or descriptions that capture the essence of their vision. List these words so everyone can see.

2. Ask for feedback on specific discernments regarding God’s call on your church.

3. As a group, agree on one or two sentences that capture the calling, the essence and the description of the church’s vision.

Remember: The vision statement is about WHERE we are going (a future picture of the church) and WHO we will reach (our target audience).

The mission statement (which we will look at next) is HOW to reach the vision.

Let’s take a look at an example of a vision statement:

VISION EXAMPLE:

We envision GRACE CHURCH as an authentic and active Church attracting and impacting young families in the triad community for Jesus Christ.

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Stage 3 How Do We Get There?

The Question of “How Do We Get There?” defines the third stage in our GAP Analysis approach. Remember, we are creating an intentional ACTION PLAN for EVANGELISM in your local church. Our goal is to build a strong evangelistic church by having an ACTION PLAN.PRESENTER NOTE: “HOW CAN REGULAR CHRISTIANS BE TURNED ON TO EVANGELISM” SHOULD ONLY BE TOUCHED ON AND USED PRIMARILY AS A “QUICK LIST” TO SERVE AS A “PRIMER” FOR THE NEXT SECTION. YOU MAY QUICKLY LIST EACH POINT AND OFFER A COMMENT ON JUST ONE OR TWO. WE WILL LEAVE THE MATERIAL IN TO BE USED AT YOUR DISCRETION. THERE IS ONE (1) POWERPOINT SLIDE FOR THIS SECTION.

Before we explore this third stage, we want to emphasize the importance of the Pastor surrounding himself with a TEAM. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”

Leaders must to be on board or the best plans may never get off the ground. This can sometimes be a difficult task. Often leaders are like most people in the pew. Pastors often ask, “How can regular Christians be turned on to evangelism?” Based on a survey done of pastors by LEADERSHIP Journal, there are six mindsets and actions embodied in churches that are evangelism-focused:

1. Salvation of lost people is the church’s top ministry priority. Evangelism—specifically, sharing the gospel for the purpose of conversion—must be a clearly stated objective. The allocation of time, energy, and resources must match the goal.

2. (As we’ve already stated) The pastor leads. Many pastors don’t feel that they’re good evangelists. But the issue is not how many people the pastor leads to Christ each week; rather, it is a matter of how up front the pastor is with his or her efforts. The pastor regularly calls believers, likewise, to share their faith. And the pastor encourages leaders to assess whether their ministries are outwardly focused, and how they can be made more evangelistic. A church is only as evangelistic as its pastor.

3. Evangelists are identified and unleashed. In every congregation there is a small percentage that feels especially burdened for those without faith. These are the people who express the urgency of reaching lost people, ignite the congregation, and demonstrate that regular people can share their faith. They lessen the fear factor for others who are just getting started. They become the E-team, the organizers of the program. And they show the congregation that evangelism is not just the pastor’s job.

4. Every believer is coached in sharing his or her faith. The fact is that most believers won’t articulate their faith unless they’re taught. Witnesses need a witnessing plan—whether it’s homegrown or prepackaged, a personal testimony or a carefully crafted apologetic. Not everyone will memorize and recite a lengthy presentation, but some of what they learn will stick, and that much they’ll tell others—if they’re taught.

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5. The church gets frequent reminders of the importance of sharing their faith. Baptism services, particularly where the role of others in attendance in leading the person to Christ is told, keep a congregation excited. They see that God uses ordinary people to bring others to faith. At the least, they will be more likely to bring friends to church where they can hear the gospel.

6. Evangelism and prayer go hand-in-hand. Every pastor interviewed led his church to pray, regularly, and by name, for the salvation of his congregation's relatives and friends. Without fail, those congregations recognized that God responded to their prayers.

With these in mind, let’s conduct the Mission Exercise:

Mission Exercise

PRESENTER NOTE: IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON EACH SUB POINTS. THE POWER POINT WILL HAVE THE MAIN POINTS ONLY (THE PARTICIPANT NOTES WILL HAVE THE SUBPOINTS SO YOU CAN SAY…”WE HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH THE MISSION EXERCISE TEMPLATE IN THE RESOURCE SECTION OF YOUR PARTICIPANT NOTES, SO FOR THE SAKE OF TIME WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS…

Your Mission Statement Creates your foundation. Defines your heart and passion. Prioritizes your ministry directives. Directs your resources. Focuses your goals. Is the path for reaching your vision.

1. What is the current mission statement of the church?2. After completion of Stages One and Two, does this mission statement still apply?3. Does it provide direction for reaching your vision?4. If it needs updating and/or changing, use the following exercise with your leaders to

derive a more accurate mission statement for the year ahead:5. Write down brief answers to the following questions:

Who are we? (name of church) What do we do? (our primary mission)

Who do we serve? (our primary target audience)

Why do we do it? (our desired outcome)

Now combine the answers into a complete sentence, which comprises your Mission Statement.

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Remember… to be a STRONG EVANGELISTIC CHURCH: Your mission statement must have outreach at its core. Your mission statement must be written on the hearts of your members. Your mission statement must reflect your culture.

Let’s look at one example of church mission statements that reflect a focus and a value on reaching the unchurched, as well as building up the Body of Christ.

MISSION EXAMPLE:

Grace Church is called by Christ to glorify God by being a caring community serving our neighbors and inviting them to follow Christ in a life-changing way.

How do we develop a plan and strategy?

We believe that: Vision and Mission will demand a strategy if it is to become a reality. Strategy should involve order and introduce needed change.

First, You Will Need To Establish Annual Outreach Goals:

As you are leading your team through this process, it is important, at this stage, to review a brief summary of the process, so that as you develop the annual goals, your leadership team has a clear understanding of how all ministry activities contribute to the overall plan. (The “pyramid” image explains each step of the planning process.)

PRESENTER NOTE: IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE DETAILS HERE. THE POWER POINT WILL HAVE THE MAIN POINTS ONLY (THE PARTICIPANT NOTES WILL HAVE THE SUBPOINTS SO YOU CAN SAY…”AGAIN, WE HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH THE PLANNING TEMPLATES IN THE RESOURCE SECTION OF YOUR PARTICIPANT NOTES, SO FOR THE SAKE OF TIME WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS…

The overall goals (initiatives) for the church should, and probably will, include both “in” and “out” reach focus.

INTERACTION: What are some examples of Outreach Goals that you have or might set for your church?Examples of Outreach Goals: (overall church)

Reach 20% of the Hispanic community.

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I00 salvations for Christ. Baptize 50 new believers. Conduct 4 “all-church” outreach events. 50% of all adults will bring one person to church with them next year. All ministries of the church will have at least one outreach event. Launch an invitation campaign in the new housing complex. (Opens in June) Train our First Impression Team & achieve a 25% increase in connection rate.

Remember Good goals have the following ingredients: Measurable, Realistic, Specific, Aligned with Values, Vision and Mission and Agreed by all

Second, Distribute these goals to all ministry leaders (together with the Ministry Goals Exercise pages. Allow the leaders at least 2 weeks to complete their ministry plans for the year.)

Based on all the information gathered in Stages I (Where Are We) and Stage 2 (Where Are We Going), as well as the focus of your church mission, what key outreach goals will we embrace in the coming year?

Step 1: Review the list of church-wide outreach goals for the coming year.

Step 2: For each goal, write down specific action items and goals that would be applicable in your ministry, using the template (see example).

Step 3: For each goal, write down timeline information. (When do you want to do this?)

Sample of a Children’s Ministry PlanGoal #1: Provide specific connection opportunities to the military families in our community

Ministry Goals: Timeline Resources Needed:1. Host a family fun picnic for

military families with children under age 10.

Summer(July)

Invitation CardsEvent Team Leader

LocationFood, games, etc.

20 Volunteers2. Build a contact “bridge” with the

community service agency that serves our military families. Create opportunity for the church to support one of their activities

Early Fall(Ongoing)

Point PersonFund Raising

Internal Campaign for GivingAssess one needs are known

Goal #2: Introduce new outreach opportunities to the single parent households.Ministry Goals: Timeline Resources Needed:

1. Create a network of volunteer child care helpers to support single parents.

Winter(Ongoing)

Call Campaign & Internal Communication w/ Volunteers

Flyers & NoticesCoordinator (system?)

2. Organize a family movie night with food for single parent families.

January Location (church?)Cost of Movie RentalInvitation Campaign

Once you have completed the charts for each of the goals, summarize them with your team and then submit them to the core leader designated to combine all the plans.

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Sample of a Small Group Ministry PlanGoal #1: Provide specific connection opportunities to the military families in our community

Ministry Goals: Timeline Resources Needed:1. Launch 5 new small groups on

the military base.Fall

(September)Small Group Leaders who are in the

military.Curriculum

Invitation Tools (Plan a campaign)Goal #2: Introduce new outreach opportunities to the single parent households.

Ministry Goals: Timeline Resources Needed:1. Provide 2 new small group

curriculums that focus on the needs of military families.

Winter / Spring Point Person / LeadSurvey/Interviews with military

families to assess needsCurriculum writer

Leader Training

Stage 4 The Outreach Plan?

Review The Process: You have established your Outreach Goals, distributed them to all your ministry leaders and summarized them with the entire team. Now all the ministry leaders are asked to submit their plans/activities that support the Outreach Goals of the church.This is then assembled into one MASTER PLAN for the church. This Master Plan shows the Primary Ministry, Goals, Timeline and Resources Needed for each goal.

For Example:

Goal #1: Provide specific connection opportunities to the military families in our communityMinistry Goals Timeline Resources NeededChildren Host a family fun picnic for

military families with children under age 10.

Summer(July)

Invitation CardsEvent Team Leader

LocationFood, games, etc.

20 VolunteersBuild a contact “bridge”

with the community service agency that serves our

military families. Create opportunity for the church

to support one of their activities

Early Fall(Ongoing)

Point PersonFund Raising

Internal Campaign for Giving

Assess one needs are known

Small Group Launch 5 new small groups on the military base.

Fall(September)

Small Group Leaders who are in the military.

CurriculumInvitation Tools (Plan a

campaign)HospitalityPreaching/Teaching

Reality Check!

Review the MINISTRY goals that support each CHURCH goal and ask the following questions:

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Is the goal in line with our mission, vision and overall direction for the year? What goals can be combined in a church-wide campaign? Are there any times of the

year that have too much? Too little? What is the overall “flow” of the year? How does this align with the planned

preaching and teaching? Do we have the resources? (i.e. is the goal realistic) What needs to be cut? What needs to be postponed? What needs to be changed (increased or decreased) to meet our resource

limitations and overall goal?

Once this discussion is complete, you will have a revised set of goals for all ministries, and perhaps even some new ideas that should be shared with the ministry leaders.

Only when you have completed this “reality check” can you proceed to put together Part 2 of your annual plan.

Using the finalized list of goals, by ministry, now develop the annual plan on a month-by-month basis.

See the example:

Month Preaching / Teaching Topics

Activity Ministry/ies Involved Communication/Outreach Method

JanuaryFebruary

March Easter The Passion of the Christ

Drama Team Direct Mail & Sermon Series

AprilMay Memorial Day Honor Our Heroes

LuncheonPreachingHospitality

Children

Special Worship Service & Lunch For

Military FamiliesJuneJuly Family Fun Day Children Direct Mail

Invitation CardsVolunteer

Involvement

Create Workable Checkpoints & Signposts To Keep Everyone Focused

Every church has its own method of ongoing communication. We encourage you to use every means of communication to keep every leader moving forward to implement the “MASTER PLAN!” Here are a few ideas:

You may want to have a monthly “check—in” meeting with all leaders, during which each leader gives a snapshot of goals being worked on and results achieved in their ministries.

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You may want to implement a bi-monthly email feedback for ministry leaders to complete that summarizes ministry activities and results on goals and action plans.

You may want to schedule a quarterly review meeting with all leaders over a meal, and have each leader summarize their ministry action plans and results for the other leaders. Include a discussion on any new directions, ideas and changes in the plan.

Follow The Plan!

Continue to Promote Your Outreach Goals!

Celebrate Your Success!

Rejoice In Every Soul Saved!

CONCLUSION

We’ve explored four preparation stages in a proven “HOW TO” strategy that will move you and your congregation from discovering “WHERE WE ARE”, “WHERE WE WANT TO BE” and “HOW TO GET THERE” to putting it all together in a workable MASTER OUTREACH PLAN that sets the course for Building A Strong Evangelistic Church.

Take the training back to your congregation, share it with your leaders and work together to create a Master Plan of Outreach for your church. We have included the templates, work sheets and timeline charts in your training material packet that compliment the training this evening.

Thank You

I want to thank you for attending tonight! We appreciate our host pastor and the congregation here for their hospitality and allowing us to meet here.

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