Chapter 4 &5 Family to Family
Out of the House, Into the World
Gerald says, “But I’m talking about a different kind of food.” Duck looks puzzled. Gerald continues, “Duck, the Bible tells me that man cannot live by bread alone.”
Gerald shares the gospel. Duck melts in a heap of hurt turning to hope. He receives Christ. A long road is still ahead: vocational rehabilitation, some counseling, lessons in life skills. Gerald and Patsy walk him through it, and almost a year later Duck has a studio apartment and a steady job. Early one evening, before dinnertime, there is a knock on Gerald and Patsy’s door. They open it to find Duck, far better looking than when they first met him, loaded down with bags. “Hungry?” Duck says, “I made dinner …”
Healthy families spend quantity and quality time around God’s purposes. If we truly want our children to accept the gospel, then our commitment to Christ must spill over to those around us who do not know Christ. As families, we must make it a priority to share the good news. A major one of the best and nonthreatening ways of doing that is called ministry evangelism.
Ministry evangelism was a priority to Jesus. It should be a priority in any family that wants to live the Great Commission. The Bible tells of Jesus’ compassion in many places, but none more poignantly than in
According to Charles Roesel and Don Atkinson in the book Meeting Needs/Sharing Christ, ministry evangelism is “caring for persons in the name of Jesus Christ. It is meeting persons at the point of their need and ministering to them physically and spiritually.
“The intent of ministry evangelism is to present the good news of God’s love in order to introduce persons to Jesus,” Atkinson writes. “Ministry evangelism is not manipulative. Ministry is given lovingly and unconditionally. But the reason for it all, God’s love for lost persons, is always shared.”
It is important in this day and age to give visual evidence that Christian families are different. Christianity is something that you live and that people should want, not a list of do’s and don’ts.
Key Principles for Ministry Evangelism
Your family can live its faith in full view of your friends, neighbors, and acquaintances
Look—Keep your eyes open. Do you see a neighbor who seems depressed? Do you see a mother struggling to care for her children? Do you see the man next door trying to drag his new refrigerator from the pick-up to the kitchen alone? Big need or small need, you can share the love of Christ.
Listen—What are people saying and how are they saying it? Are you hearing them or only listening to the words? While they may not always be as clear as we would like, careful attention to what people say will reveal much about their needs. Pay attention.
Linger—This does not mean overstay your welcome, but it does mean to be there for your neighbors, family, and acquaintances. Invest some time. Hang over the fence talking a few minutes longer than you normally might. Stop, check in, and look and listen for how Jesus may use you to bless and ultimately to share Christ with those in your community.
Ministry evangelism is so effective, in part, because it breaks down barriers. Your intent is to share the love of Jesus and, ultimately, to share how the person you are ministering to can know Jesus Christ as their Savior. But rather than enter into dialogue on this issue by means of a theological confrontation, you are entering a relationship that breaks down barriers and builds trust. Research shows that people are more than twice as likely to allow a person to share his or her faith when evangelism is combined with simple acts of kindness.
Servanthood evangelism is a sister to ministry evangelism. Ministry evangelism calls for a longer-term involvement including the potential to build a relationship. Servanthood evangelism is most often a one-time effort, though it has proven to be very fruitful. Servanthood evangelism is a combination of simple acts of kindness and intentional personal evangelism. It can include having a free car wash just to create the opportunity to explain that you are doing it to show the love of Jesus. Door-to-door light bulb giveaways, lawn work … there are many service things you can do for free to help break down barriers.
Tips for Effective Family Evangelism
Make Sure Your Family Unit is Truly a “Family Unit”
Your Own Needs Must Be Lower Priority
Start Now
Be Patient
Family Evangelism with Special-Needs Children
Individuals with special needs and their families represent one of the largest unreached people groups in America. Thus, it is imperative that local congregations catch the vision to reach this group with the gospel. According to special education teachers and those fluent in this kind of ministry, the most effective approach is family to family contact through genuine concern and servant-oriented ministries.
Sadly, there are several misconceptions relating to special-needs children. First, most people tend to lump all impairments into the same category with the assumption that physical needs are always related to mental deficiency. Nothing could be further from the truth. Like everyone else, special-needs children and adults must be dealt with individually. The truth is those with physical or mental challenges need the saving grace of the gospel message. In many cases, these individuals will excel beyond their supposed difficulties and often become bold, personal witnesses.
Individuals with special needs and their families represent one of the largest unreached people groups in America
This leads to the second misconception that somehow special-needs individuals must always have limitations placed upon their activities and behavior. This is a wrong assumption. If you are the Christian parent of a special-needs child, please know that, like all other Christians, those with impairments must also be obedient to the call of evangelism. This means that families of special-needs children must not limit their community involvement in evangelism for the “sake” of the child or the parent. In most cases, special-needs individuals can be very effective in evangelism and often become an asset in doing family to family ministries.
CHAPTER 5:
Out of Your World, Into Your Church
Neighborhood Block Parties
Whether in a rich, poor, or middle-class neighborhood, the evangelistic block party can be very effective. Success stories abound of even small churches drawing several hundred to a block party. Larger churches have drawn thousands.
An evangelistic block party involves identifying a neighborhood and providing a meal and program. Activities that suit the people in the neighborhood and the facilities are arranged, with special activities for children. Music is a vital part. A testimony or gospel message should be provided.
In the case of the McMichaels, the idea was for the church to sponsor the event in the McMichaels’ neighborhood, drawing on the McMichaels’ relationships, thus bridging the church to the community.
The evangelistic block party should be:
Inclusive—As you meet your neighbors you will doubtless meet other evangelical believers. Include them. Work together to impact your neighborhood or subdivision.
Intimate—It is a special evangelism event using a personal evangelism thrust, thus making guests feel they are the center of attention.
Intentional—Evangelism should be the priority, and proper planning will have the party flow to the point of a gospel presentation. An interesting program, food, and entertainment are among the vehicles that carry the event to the point of sharing the message.
Informal—Yes, you must do a lot of planning, but it is, in effect, “planned relaxation” or “planned fun.” Have a structure, but do not be ruled by it. Reaching people is the point, so the focus of the hosts (who may be very numerous) must be directed toward the people.
Interesting—Make the program relevant and fun. If there is a message or a testimony, keep it (or them) short and crisp. Plan activities according to the interests and make-up of the neighborhood.
Imaginative—Be creative. Many holidays, events, interests, and seasons can be a good excuse to have a party. It may be a Super Bowl party, a fall festival, a pasta party, an end-of-the-school-year party … think, be creative. The only firm rules are: Show Christ’s love and share the gospel.
People will come to an event of this type who would never come to church
Family Mission Trips
The JESUS Video
The JESUS Video is a feature-length film that shares the story of Christ according to the Gospel of Luke. It has been seen by more than 1.5 billion people in more than 220 nations and translated into more than 400 languages. More than 73 million people are known to have accepted Jesus Christ after viewing it.
Twenty-one percent of Americans receive Christ when given a clear presentation of the gospel through the JESUS Video
But it is working great in English, too! Recently, a JESUS Video was sent to every household in Alabama: 1.7 million. The response cards noting decisions for Christ are still being received. In one area of 50 homes, 48 decisions for Christ were recorded.
According to statistics gathered by the JESUS Video Project ministry team, “Twenty-one percent of Americans receive Christ when given a clear presentation of the gospel through the JESUS Video.” In Syracuse, N.Y., recently, a salvation was recorded for every video given, based on three people watching the video.
The Center for World Missions credits the JESUS film with “touching more lives than any other evangelistic effort in human history.”
The JESUS Video Project (1-800-29JESUS) can provide details on the low cost (as low as $5 per video) and easy process of distributing the JESUS Video. It can be a churchwide project, or simply the ministry of your family to your neighborhood.
The JESUS Video is an effective way for nonChristians to come to Christ. It is also a nonthreatening, effective way for Christians to share with their neighbors and friends. Because the video is packaged as a gift, it is both personal evangelism (shared door-to-door) and event evangelism (watched in a group).
It is an incredibly effective way to get the gospel into your neighborhood. ft creates opportunities for follow-up. In fact, you would not do it without plans to follow-up. And it is easy, ft is nonthreatening to the person witnessing and to the person it is given to. You can deliver it as a gift without having to say much of anything.
Encourage your church to get involved in the JESUS Video Project. The church can use the video as a tool to saturate a particular neighborhood with the gospel. You can use it to give to neighbors and acquaintances as you go on mission for God with your family.
The healthy, on-mission family will make a conscious effort to integrate ministry and the church. The missions-minded church will make that easy for the family.
