For years the church has been living in the sin of silence…the Great Commission has been the “great omission.” Despite the fact that Jesus told believers, five times by imperative commands, to go into all the world to make disciples, fewer than 1 in 10 will ever share their faith with someone who is lost. Even worse, only 1 in 20 has ever led in their entire Christian life more than one person to Christ. How tragic! Believe me, I was no better. That is why today I have a fire for evangelism. I must share the gospel because as Jeremiah 20:9 says, “his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.
Josh Weidmann writes in one of his blogs about the few keys to making door-to-door ministry and invitations work. Here are a few of them:
- Have something to give them. A person is going to look at your face first and your hands second to see what you are selling; they will assume that is why you are there. It is best if you have something you can leave with them. I will usually take a Bible, and a business card.
- Be conscience that you interrupted something. They weren’t expecting you – and truthfully they may be annoyed you just “showed up.” Say something like, “sorry to interrupt you…” or “Hi, I am so-n-so and I will take just a second of your time…” I also will usually thank them for answering the door when I leave.
- Introduce your self in a way that lets them know you are not selling something. They will automatically assume you are selling something – or that you are Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness. Relieve their suspicions by quickly saying something like, “Good evening, My name is so-n-so and I am the pastor of the such-n-such church right down the street. I just wanted to take a second to introduce myself and invite your to our service on Sunday. I also brought some information about our church if you’d like to know more…”
Just let them know you are not going to give them a sales pitch – about a product, your church, or even Jesus. Make yourself available to listen, and if they want to talk, they will. - Be brief, unless they want to talk longer. Last week, our youth pastor was passing out the Easter bags and he said one guy just came out of the house and wanted to have a whole conversation on the porch. This was unexpected, but Shannon said it was cool when the guy just entered into a conversation with Him. We laughed later about how the guy probably just was lonely with only he and his dog home, so Shannon was a pleasant surprise. Whatever the cause, be ready to talk longer if they want to – and if they don’t, be okay with that.
- Keep track of where you go. I use a map in my car that a Realtor gave me to track where I go. There are also other ways to do this electronically with maps on your phone or computer. Whatever the means, just try to keep track where you go so
you know where to start next time, and
you don’t hit the same homes too many times at the risk of being seen as a pest.
- In the end, remember that there is power in a personal invitation. There may be some people out there that need someone to show up on their door step to get them to go to church – the very thing their family or coworker has been inviting them to for years. Who know how God may use that visit; be willing and ready to be used.
Again its good to remember that the worst job at witnessing is still better than not witnessing at all. The power in the message and not in the messenger and God is the One Who calls and draws men and women to Christ and not you or me. You are simply being obedient and God draws people to Jesus Christ and does so by the Holy Spirit so you are not responsible for their rejecting or accepting the message (John 6:44). Sometimes you plant and someone else will water. At other times you will water what someone has planted. But as always, God gives the increase. As Paul said in I Corinthians 3:6-7, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.“ It is their response to His ability.
Please understand that Decision Cards, the ABC’s of salvation, or leading someone in a sinner’s prayer is not going to save anyone. God alone saves. No one is saved by walking down an aisle, or filling out a Decision Card, or praying a prayer. They are saved only when they believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, as Lord and Savior. Believing in Jesus is not just believing Who He is. Believing in John 3:16 means relying on, leaning upon, trusting in, and putting their reliance in.