Evangelism: Plan of Action

Our Plan of Action

Purpose Statement: Come alongside a congregation of the Lord's church and assist them with growth for a designated time. The evangelistic effort will be accomplished by teaching, modeling, and practicing evangelism with members of the Lord's church daily.

I. Congregational work

A. Our first order:

a. of importance is to teach the congregation how to use an organized Bible study of their choosing.

b. We will teach, practice, and model for them the principles of teaching someone the gospel of Jesus Christ.

c. We will suggest several to them.

1. Back to the Bible by Bobby Bates

2. What Does the Bible Say? By James Cammock

3. To Know the Love Christ by Justin Hopkins

4. Searching for Truth by John Moore

5. Bible Correspondence Course by Allen Webster

B. Our second order:

a. of importance is to teach a New Converts Class congregationally. We believe it is important that the congregation as a whole is shown this material. Many members themselves have not been instructed after their baptism. One of the areas we hope to equip a congregation is the importance of continual education for the new convert (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:45).

II. For the Women

A. Our wives, Misty Ferris and Holley Stuart

a. will be teaching evangelism to the ladies' Bible class.

b. They will teach and model the importance of opening our homes to Bible studies.

c. Teaching the importance of compassion cards (most ladies' classes have this aspect going, just fine-tuning the effort).

d. Teaching them how to make New Movers Baskets

e. Teaching them how to use their Ladies Bible Class to get non-Christians that visit the class into a Bible Study about the church.

III. Weekly Communication

A. To instruct them on the importance of emailing the congregation weekly in regards to evangelism opportunities

B. To encourage them through these emails

C. To provide further educational materials in the realms of evangelism, such as

1. House to House Heart to Heart (HTH)

2. Rob Whitacre's Videos on Evangelism Techniques

3. HTH weekly reports of evangelism efforts within the United States.

4. World video Bible School lessons on evangelism

IV. Daily: Compassion Cards

A. Following the model taught to us by Rob Whitacre, we will teach the congregation the importance of having a compassion card ministry.

B. These cards are focused on those outside the body of Christ. The aim is to show kindness to them in their time of need.

C. Cards will be sent out for two weeks and followed up by a visit.

V. Daily: Phone Calls

A. The congregation will be taught the importance of regular calls to those who are going through traumatic situations.

B. The congregation will be taught the power of using "Text" messaging and what to say in a text message.

C. The congregation will learn the importance of regular check-ups on new converts, current Bible studies, and those in suffering.

VI. Daily: Building Congregational Fellowship Opportunities to strengthen the church.

A. Most congregations only fellowship after a designated Sunday for a meal. We hope to teach them other ways to bring the church together.

B. We hope to recommend and encourage fellowship to be done inside and outside the building. We will encourage some of these to be done and gradually add to the congretation to strengthen their bonds. This will also benefit when visitors see an active congregation in and out of the building.

1. In the building

a) Fellowship through shared meals (min; once a month).

i. First Sunday luncheon after worship

ii. Meals for Highschool Graduates (Once a year)

iii. Meals for Widows and Widowers (Once a year)

iv. Meals for Youth (Once a quarter)

b) Fellowship through work projects

i. Weekly group cleaning of the building

ii. Weekly group cleaning of the grounds

c) Fellowship with regular game nights (min once a quarter)

i. These are good to have for all generations

ii. Also good to have for a specific generation

d) Fellowship through direct demographic needs

i. Ladies Day

ii. Men's Day

iii. Youth Day

iv. Ladies Bible Study

v. Men's Bible Study

2. Outside the building

a) Fellowship with small group get-togethers.

i. Young Adult Bible Studies (Once a week following a college academic calendar).

ii. Holiday Tea Party (Once a year)

iii. Group trips to go places (Twice a year)

b) Fellowship through benevolent works in the community (once a month)

c) Fellowship through meals shared outside the building

i. Men's Coffee

ii. Women's Book Club at a local Coffee shop

VII. Weekly Door Knocking

A. We will be going out combing the neighborhoods (twice a week)

B. We will distribute flyers for congregational events such as Vacation Bible School and Gospel Meetings.

C. We will be asking those we engage if we can pray for them or someone they know

D. We will ask people we meet if we can assist with minor community service/ benevolent opportunities.

VIII. Monthly New Movers Baskets

A. We will teach the congregation the value of meeting and greeting those new to the community.

B. We will be modeling how these "New Movers" baskets will be brought to people who have recently moved to the community.

C. We will be teaching the congregation how to obtain New Movers' information.

IX. Monthly Benevolent Opportunity

A. We will teach the congregation how to look for opportunities to show kindness.

B. We will model how to engage in a benevolent opportunity and make the most of each encounter.

C. We will be encouraging the congregation to have eyes for the needy (Galatians 2:10).

X. Restoration

A. Upon our arrival, we will ask the congregation for a list of brethren who have fallen away.

1. We will teach the importance of restoring the wayward member (Luke 15)

2. We will model for them how to visit a wayward brother (Jude 1:22,23)

B. Upon our arrival, we will ask the congregation for a list of brethren who are not regular in attendance.

1. We will be teaching them the importance of building up those who are weak in their faith.

2. We will be modeling how this is done with compassion and instruction (Galatians 6:1,2)

XI. Two Organized Door Knocking Campaigns a Year centered around a special invite (Gospel Meeting, Mariage Workshop, Vactaion Bible School, ECT).

A. We believe that congregations of the Lord's church should work together and have knowledge of each other within a 120-mile radius. This is an approximate two-hour drive. We are confident churches will drive this far to assist with a local door-knocking campaign.

B. We will contact these faithful congregations and ask them for assistance in reaching the lost in our community. We will also offer them our expressed desire to assist them in

reaching the loss of their community. By doing this, we will also strengthen fellowship among other faithful congregations.

C. We will teach them how to map out their community.

D. We will teach them what to say at the door, what to give at the door, and how to make a contact.

E. We will model this for them by teaming people up in groups of three.

F. We will encourage the whole congregation's turnout for these events by using everyone's ability to the utmost for the glory of God.

1. Bags being stuffed with materials

2. Drivers

3. Meals prepared for doorknockers

4. Compassion Card writers when we have immediate responses.

XII. Mentoring opportunities for other congregations

A. We believe that what we will be doing also needs to be taught to others (2 Timothy 2:2)

B. We believe this can be done by sending small groups to spend a week with us in the field.

1. Elders

2. Preachers

3. Members

C. We will equip the mentee with materials and methods to bring home to their community and begin the work of an evangelist in their hometown.

D. We will teach, model, and practice these principles alongside the mentee so that when they return home, they can implement what they learned at their hometown congregation.

XIII. Mentoring opportunities for youth boys, grades 11th and 12th grade.

A. *Not available till the Summer of 2024

B. We believe that we should encourage young men to become faithful followers of Christ.

C. We believe young men should know how to conduct an organized Bible Study.

D. We believe that these young men should be taught the skills of going out to their community and engaging people for the cause of Christ.

E. We will teach these young men the importance of evangelism and modeling and practicing these efforts with them.

1. This will be a one-week opportunity during the summer months

2. We will offer this youth opportunity for five weeks during the Summer.

3. Each accepted young man (11th-12th grade) will reside with us for the week. They will learn the life of an evangelist from seeing how our homes model evangelism as their hosts.

4. During the one week, these young people will be fed three meals a day and offered a place to stay, cutting down on the cost of food and lodging. We want every young man to be offered this opportunity, regardless of economic ability.

5. These young men will be an active part of our congregational times during that week.

6. These young men will be encouraged and taught to give the congregation a 5-8 minute devotional on Wednesday evening.

7. The young man will come to us Saturday evening and return home Thursday evening of the following week.

XIV. Post Evangelism Campaign for the Congregation.

A. Continual communication

1. Weekly communication for the first three-six weeks after departing

2. Monthly communication afterward

a) This communication will be a two-way report.

b) We will use this report to encourage those that we are currently working with, and the current work that is being done will be communicated with them so that each congregation is being encouraged together (Proverbs 27:17

B. Return visits

1. A return visit to review and see how the work is maintained within three to six weeks upon departure.

2. One team member will conduct a lengthier stay for a weekend within six months of our departure to review how the work continues. During this weekend, we will be visiting and preaching and teaching that Sunday.

3. One team member will conduct a lengthier stay of a weekend through Wednesday within six months of our departure, with which we will be offering a free gospel meeting.

4. We will encourage each other to visit as the years come and go.

5. We hope these congregations will turn and send their new converts to visit us in the field for hands-on training.

6. Our long-term hope is that these congregations will send out evangelists who have been trained and equipped on their own.

XV. Training on how to approach visitors.

a. Teach the members how to approach vistors; they do not like being overwelmed.

b. Teach members how to get contact information from vistors:

i. by sitting close to them,

ii. giving a little vistors bag,

iii. and teach them several approaches.

c. Teach the congregation to establish several groups of members who will approach the vistor.

d. Vistors are hot contacts for a congregations prospect list, so will teach the importance of getting their contact information so we can send compassion cards, visit, and even call them.