February 3, 2003
To evangelize in a small church, ensure ownership, pastor advises
___By Marv Knox
___Editor
___ARLINGTON--"Ownership," flexibility and understanding supply the keys to evangelism in small churches, Bob Ray told participants in the Texas Evangelism Conference.
___Small churches can be effective at leading people to faith in Christ, insisted Ray, bivocational pastor of Fairy Baptist Church near Hico and director of the Baptist General Conv
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| PASTOR Bob Ray of Fairy Baptist Church. |
ention of Texas' bivocational/smaller church department.
___"Ownership is the key to motivating your church for evangelism," Ray said in a small-group training session repeated four times during the Evangelism Conference.
___"The way church members get ownership is they participate in the planning, provide leadership in the planning" of evangelistic efforts and events, he stressed. "They need time to think it through. But if they're involved in the planning, they will see it as 'ours.'"
___Consequently, any evangelistic plan must be seen by the church as its own approach, not merely a scheme dreamed up by the pastor, he said.
___"Ask church members, 'How are we going to evangelize our community?'" he urged. "Let them think about it. Let them tell you how to do it."
___Ray illustrated by describing an evangelistic flop that turned into a success. Church members said they wanted information about people in the community who needed to be reached with the gospel. So, he and his wife, Rosalind, bought cards and created a box full of information about unchurched people.
___"Do you know how many times that box was used? Never. No one opened it," he reported.
___"They just wanted a list," he explained, pulling out a piece of paper no larger than a bookmark with names of non-Christians on it. "They keep that list before them. It reminds them, and they share Christ with these people," he added, reading off names and telling who in the church contacted them the previous week and told him about it on Sunday. "This works. They own it."
___Ownership and flexibility are "definite advantages" of a smaller church, Ray said. "In our church, we do everything in business meeting. We vote on everything. Voting is a matter of communication, and they own what they vote on."
___Flexibility involves "taking advantage of the opportunities the Lord gives you," he explained, advising, "Think about your community, what works in your context."
___During the Old Settlers' Reunion in the summer in Hico, the church provides free bottled water through a booth and to participants in a 5-kilometer road race.
___The church also enters the local parade. Pastor and church members participate in community organizations, such as city and civic groups and school functions.
___"People have got to know you're real before they will listen to you about Jesus Christ," he said. "If they feel like they're important to you, you're important to them."
___Finding opportunities to lead people to faith in Jesus is as simple and direct as examining the community and seeing needs, he said.
___"Look around. See what's happening. ... Find the niche that other churches are missing and meet that need."
___For example, an after-school ministry provides opportunities not only to help children, but also to reach their parents, he said.
___Another opportunity for evangelism comes through special events and community fellowships, Ray said.
___"We dream up something to do at least one time a month," he said.
___The church often has events--such as a New Year's Eve party, Fourth of July party, St. Patrick's Day party and community birthday parties--in the local community center.
___"We don't do anything churchy except pray," he said. "But we play games with them. We feed them. And I get to meet them, get to know them, invite them to church. It's no pressure, but they find out we're just ordinary people who love them."
___Churches ought to conduct youth Sundays, in which teenagers lead all the functions of church, he said. "Let the youth do everything. Don't worry how well it's done. Parents will come just to see their son present the announcements or take up the offering. Lost parents will come to see what their kids are doing."
___Churches also ought to have an evening event for parents connected with Vacation Bible School, he added. "We invite the parents to come on Saturday night to see the stuff the kids made, and we feed them. Once they meet you on Saturday, they'll come back on Sunday."
___Ray offered one final piece of advice: "Don't be afraid to fail. If you fail, you fail. You'll know that didn't work. Don't beat yourself up. Try something else until you find what works."
___
"Ask church members, 'How are we going to evangelize our community?' Let them think about it. Let them tell you how to do it."
___
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