Awesome Evangelism Visit(s)

So, we divided up into two teams.  Justine took Adam, our youth pastor.  I took Jacob Wilson, pastor of Barterville UMC and general idea-generator.  We hit a neighborhood I had been to about a year ago.  MOst folks weren't home, as it was middle of the day.  And that's ok-- sometimes it's good to get a lot of cards out!  But we had three people we got to talk to.

First was a fellow who said he "just has not felt the need to go to church."  Now, normally, I would have talked about what he thinks his "need" would be, and then describe the Bible's definition of his need.  But for a number of reasons, I knew it was not the time. The Gospel would not have gotten a hearing, and as I was sensing that he will one day respond to communication at a later time, I moved on.  I hate that, because a part of me thinks, no you have to tell him now. I hope I was right.

Next house, a woman opens the door with a maybe a three year old on her hip.  We told her who we are, asked if she had a church.  Long story short, she visited the church about 3 years ago, I visited the house they were living in after they came to the church, but they moved.  She remembered the church and we had a great time reconnecting.  Then while we were still talking, her husband showed up and we were able to really talk to them about all the ministries of the church.  So let's hope they come!

I asked Jacob what he thought about that visit.  He was pumped, of course, but he had a great suggestion about getting contact information.  To see it, you'll have to watch the periscope video.  Get the periscope app on your smartphone or tablet and follow aaronjmansfield  Maybe I will post it to youtube.

Anyway, we hit another house and it was another family who came sometime back but had not been since.  It was cool to reconnect there, too.  We had a chance to invite them and remind them of the love of God.

Jacob was excited that we made a contact that will probably come to church.  He said, "What would happen if every month you had a family of four join the church?"

Right! Your church will grow!  The tough thing is... getting more people out and getting the time to do the visits.  I guess I would say, many many days I wish it was all I did!

Mentors

You need a mentor for the significant areas of your life.  I have been privileged to have good mentors right when I needed them.  As far as ministry is concerned, I was lucky to learn from Howard Willen, my pastor at First United Methodist in Lexington, KY from 1995-2000.  He took me to school in things like prayer; bible study; visiting in hospitals, nursing homes, jails, and homes; how to do a funeral; and preeminently in evangelism... making contacts with people, looking for the open door to share Christ, and asking them to put their faith in Him.  If I had not seen that done, I would have a hard time imagining what it looks like or how to do it!

We were doing some planning for an upcoming evangelism training, and I guess I mentioned Howard a number of times, to the point where it was suggested that we make WWWD bracelets for evangelism training... What Would Willen Do?

Visiting House to House

Visiting from house to house is the most controversial evangelism strategy I use.  If I stood on a street corner with a sandwich board and a microphone, perhaps that would be the most controversial.  What I mean by controversial, is that it spawns a lot of negative reactions in ministerial colleagues.  It’s the one I take the most grief for, and have to defend the most.  But, I also get a lot of encouragement. So people are divided on this one.  Two interesting tid-bits: the most encouragement I get is from people whose doors I knock on!  They are glad someone took the time to come by and is out doing the work!  I also get a lot of people telling me it doesn’t work, and yet those same people have never tried it, much less done it consistently.

We took a vow as a United Methodist elder to “visit from house to house.”  We love to dodge this.  Cynically, I have had a number of UM leaders tell me those are “historic” questions that don’t really fit who we are today.  Others confine it to visiting people who are members of your church.  Nope.  It’s the shepherd roaming the hills to gather the harassed and scattered flock. So you go from door-to-door.  And it works.

But you have to do it consistently, over the long haul.  In my first church, when I started this, I had a number of people say, “we tried that and it didn’t work.”  I asked them what they did.  They went out one time, two by two (because that’s what the Bible says), with some fresh baked bread that had a card that said, “The Bread of Life.”  “And no one came,” they told me.

I had to break the tough news to them.  You never engaged with our neighbors about Jesus beofre, you went out one time with fresh bread (which is a great idea) but there was no follow up.  The folks they visited literally had no clue what it was about!

What you have to do in visitation is be consistent.  Go back again.  If the people you talk to are remotely receptive, keep going back, with an invitation to services, to a special event, to a cookout at your house…

I will probably be talking about this forever and telling this same story, so bear with me.  When I was appointed to my first church, I had no clue about anything!  Larry Baker me a map of Clark County, one of those really detailed road maps.  One day driving back out into the country from town, I heard the Lord speak, “Every house to the county line is mine.”  I kind of went a little farther, into Estill and Powell counties, but I reasoned those places belonged to the Lord, too!  I got to the house, made a bookmark on card stock that had basic info about our church.

Then I started systematically visiting every church in a large swath of the county I had decided was my church’s area.  I went to every house at least once, most houses more than that, and the houses where someone was receptive to me and the invitation to church, I went to those houses many, many times.

The reasons visitation works is that you find people you don’t even know exist. You talk to people you would never get to.  Is it time consuming?  Yes.  It proves its worth when someone comes because you took the time to come to them, talk to them, pray with them, they know you love them enough to break down barriers!  And they tell their friends and family who also come!

Remember to take church members with you and teach them how to do this.  If you get some help, oh man can you cover some ground.  You can hit hundreds of houses in a few hours with 3 or 4 people.  Remember… to go back.  People who had not yet come to church would call  me their pastor.  I would get called to hospitals of jails on behalf of people I did not know well, but had stopped by their house.  I was the only pastor they knew.  We had 7 people come to our church because I visited their family members in jail. I was called to do funerals and got to minister to even more people in a family because they called the pastor who would visit them.

The how to:

Make some kind of card, not on printer paper.  You need something that can stand up to being placed in a door, or held between a screen door and the main door.  I have used bookmarks on card stock.  With just basic information about the church—contact info, directions to get there, service times, etc.  Lately I have been using a tract from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the classic “bridge” illustration.  Then I use an address label to put the church info on. They get our info and a really good basic intro to believing in Jesus.

Rehearse what you are going to say when someone opens the door.  “Hi, my name is Aaron.  I am the pastor at Morehead United Methodist Church.  I am just going out in the community, getting to know people, inviting them to church.  Do you have a church that you go to?”  That’s it.  Their answer might lead to some more conversation.  If they seem interested, I make a note of it in a notebook I keep for the purpose.  Then I write them a note, thanking them for their time and again inviting them.  And then I know that that is a place I will go back to.

That’s it.  If you will do visitation regularly, and consistently (meaning all your life), you will see church growth and conversion.

I will tell some other stories later that help show how it’s done and the fruit that comes from it!

Was It Really a Fish Story?

Or was it about trying new things to see what will work?  What will be fruitful?  Doing whatever it takes to get the job done?

I will do anything short of sin to win someone to Christ.

Because Everyone Loves a Fish Story

Last Saturday, a bunch of us were out at Wes and Justine Holland’s, hanging out and digging into what it will mean to live the lives we are already living with Gospel intentionality.

But we were also fishing.  For once, I was catching more fish than Mike.  Actually he had not caught any.  I just thought I needed to make that REAL clear.  After every fish I caught I would say, “it’s all that good, clean Christian living.”  I could feel him glaring at me from the other side of the pond.

Because the Holland girls feed the fish hotdog buns, there is a trained bass who will follow you all over the pond.  Doesn’t matter what side you are on, he’s there.  Won’t bite a white grub or a rooster tail.  Nothing.  But he will try to eat any bluegill you hook.  Finally Lily Holland says, “just put some bread on your hook.”  Bread? On a rooster tail? (because I am too lazy to change hooks).  I give Mike a piece and tell him to try.  He just throws it in “to see if the bass will even go for it.”  He does.  By that time I have the bread on my hook and immediately catch him.  Mike lost his mind.  You snooze you lose.

So I start fishing out into the deeper part of the pond.  I catch 3 more bluegill.  All that good, clean Christian living!

So there’s this carp that lives in the pond.  About 30 inches long.  A monster in that small space.  All of a sudden, my bobber disappears.  Not a little jerk or a slight dip.  Gone.  I pull back and start hollering.  At first all I can see is its head, and I think I have caught some giant catfish lurking at the bottom.  Looks like you could drive a car thru its mouth.  Then he turns and I can see that carp diamond pattern.  “I’ve got Bruno!” Yeah, he has a name… because in years no one has caught him.  He’s a legend.  I get him to the bank and we are all freaking out.  Mike is crying because if I say “good clean Christian living one more time” he’s going to have to kill me… we are trying to get him to shore and then he pushes off against the bank and snaps my line like it’s nothing.  Mike is quick to say “it don’t count if you can’t get him out!”

Then 5 minutes later, Mike hooks him!  He likes hot dog buns, I guess.  Mike says, “He looked right at me and broke my line!”

I walked back up to the house to get an Ale-8 I had put in the freezer (always looking ahead…) then I hear whooping and hollering.  McKinley has hooked Bruno!  That fish is hungry… and dumb!  Never in my life had I seen what I saw… an epic battle with a fish in a farm pond.  McKinley let him take out line and Bruno fled to the deeps.  I thought we were going to have strap McKinley in to a seat to pull this monster in.  For about 10 minutes, McKinley zigged and zagged, walking around the pond.

Bruno is tiring out, coming to the surface.  What a magnificent fish!  Mike has his shoes and shirt off, keeping it country, about to jump in and grab Bruno.  Then another tremendous twist and jerk and he breaks the line again!

I thought the most redneck thing I have ever done is put bread and a bobber on a spinner bait… and caught fish that way.  Turns out there’s more… the most redneck thing I will ever do is take my marine rod to a farm pond.  With a bobber.  And hot dog buns for bait.  Bruno will be mine.  Oh yes, he will be mine.

Don't Get Dressed First

Here is an example of the principle of life transference, which was the key to the Methodist Class meeting, the key to life change.

I bring it up to show that the work of evangelism is not about adding more stuff to a busy to-do list.  It’s not adding more meetings or another Bible study.  Church is not an event you come to on Sunday, it is lived out in daily life with your family, friends and co-workers.  Seeing church as a set of events or meetings to go to is why we aren’t disciples making disciples, but I need to stop there or I won’t get on with the point of this!

So…it’s not another class or another meeting, it’s doing what you already do with Gospel intentions.  It’s what Peter said, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who ask to give the reason for the hope you have” (1 Peter 3:15).  Anyone can do this because every believer has many stories to tell about how God worked in them.

So, how can I live my life on mission?  How can do what I am already doing and put some Gospel purpose into it?

I like to fish.  I am not good at it.  There is a difference.  But it is one of many things I like to do.  So one of the best things I can do is take someone who doesn’t know Jesus.  Think of the many things you already do with other people.  Ok, now take someone with you who doesn’t know Jesus.  And sit back and be amazed at the doors God opens.

So, fishing with a friend, we get to talking about stuff.  Nothing too heavy, just things like being frustrated with our kids.  It’s hard work, raising kids.  So I told him the story of something amazing Jesus did in my life as a dad.

Soon after John and Joe’s mom, Melissa, died, we moved into a house in Lexington.  Getting ready for school was awful.  9 days out of 10, one or both of the boys were melting down, crying.  It was just awful.  I hated it.  I hate it when days start off bad.  I didn’t want them going thru all that, I didn’t like that I was yelling and impatient with them.  I knew what was up… We moved into a new place and it was painfully obvious at every moment that Melissa was not with us, never would be again.  It was grief, and we were wrecks.

I hit my knees in prayer, “God, help me!  Fix our mornings,” I cried out.

And Jesus spoke.  Plain as day: “Don’t get dressed first.”

That was it!  I had had it!  Seriously, God? I am on my knees, ruined, and all you’ve got is don’t get dressed first?  What does that even mean?

But I knew it was from God so it was more than worth a try… I had to do it.

In 2 or 3 days I figured it out.  I knew exactly why Jesus had said what He said.  When I am dressed and ready, I think everybody should be dressed and ready.  I get impatient to say the least.  And add that to the thick grief in the air… man.  Not good.

When I stayed in my pjs, got the boys moving, got breakfast ready, things went smoothly.  No more meltdowns… probably because I had the time and the mindset to care for them rather than hustle them out the door.  The boys got to chill for 10 minutes or so while I got dressed.

I told this story to my friend, knowing he is not a believer, but also knowing he would get a clear picture of what Jesus can do in our lives.  I told him, “Jesus fired me from being the boss of the family and made me the chief servant.”  And because there is more to say, I added, “and He’s done the same in my marriage.  My goal is to outdo Jessie in showing her honor.”

You have plenty of ways that Jesus has done something awesome in your life.  And you will have plenty of opportunities to tell people if you are willing to do so when they ask.  My friend brought up stuff with raising kids because we are friends.  Your friends will have issues they want to talk about, and if Jesus has worked on you about something, just tell them!

How Did We Get Here

I.
"I feel it.  The blood of ancestors rests in my chest.  The power is so great" --Propaganda, "How Did We Get Here?"
Jean-Jacques Arnal came to America from France in 1910, 20 years old.  Then came World War I and France called all her sons back to fight.  He survived some amazing events--another story.  He met 4 brothers in his unit, and after getting to know him decided he was an ok guy and they told him about their sister, Maria.  It was a bit strange-- they were fighting in Northern France, and Jean had been living in America, but Maria's town in the far south of France, Mauleon-Licharre, was not 40 miles away from his little village, Laruns.  He travelled halfway around the world twice and fought a war to meet a woman who lived forty miles away!  He was French, she was Basque; I suppose the language and cultural differences were ridiculously huge compared to 40 miles...  They married and Jean made it back to San Francisco in 1920.  He was my mother's grandfather, and I loved him dearly.  He died when I was 10.  Meme died when I was 4, and I still remember a lot about her... like how she was so small she had to sit on the Los Angeles phonebook to drive.  And how I could do no wrong when she was around!

II.
"I get a feeling I can't describe,
I see this place when I close my eyes,
Wake me up if we ever arrive
Tell me, how did we get here?"
  --Andy Mineo, "How Did We Get Here"

Eva Zoellin was born in 1880 in Bitterwater, California.  Middle of nowhere.  Used to be the right in the main range of the California condor.  She was my dad's great-grandmother, and she died when I was 4.  I remember her, too.  She was an old pioneer woman, raising cattle on huge tracts of scrubby California hillsides.  As a child, she remembers making tamales for a gang of bandidos who "protected" her family's cattle.
She went to the Baptist church in King City, CA.  When my dad was a boy he asked her why she was a Baptist (he and his family were Episcopalians).  She said quite emphatically, "I'm not a Baptist.  I'm a Methodist."  But there was no Methodist church in King City.
And yet, there was some kind of Methodist work way out in Bitterwater when she was a girl.  All I can figure is some circuit-rider headed out into the middle of nowhere, because he heard there were some people living out there.  Whoever it was, I am glad he took the effort to go where few would be interested in going!  I have her Bible, and I try to get a sense of her spiritual life--her son Ken was in the Navy in World War I, and World War II.  Her daughter, Joy, was a nurse in World War II.  She died in Belgium in 1945.  There had to be years of worry and grief, and some of the notes or scraps of paper in her Bible, I can't help but think they were related to her prayers in those times.

III.
"How did we get here? In a dream-school, now when I swim here, God planned it, I'm one of the fish here" --JGivens,  "How Did We Get Here?"

Last night, I woke up thinking that even where things seem improbable and accidental--like, how did I get here?-- God has a purpose.  Everyone I meet is someone God wants to save--perhaps He already has, but it is good to check and see!  No matter how many twists and turns there were in all your generations meeting so that you might be here, "God does not want anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9), and "God wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4).

There is also great freedom in this!  It does not depend on me, but on God!  We are not called to save anyone.  God does that!  We introduce people to Jesus.  We wait, pray, and trust that His Holy Spirit has prepared the ground, and when the time is right, His action in Jesus Christ will save them, the same way He saved us.

Let these thoughts motivate and encourage you!  You can step out and tell a friend about what you have found in Jesus.  You will eat 21 meals this week.  Tithe them! eat two of them with someone who does not know Christ.  You will talk about things important to you-- your kids and grandkids and favorite football team.  They won't shut you down (unless you're a Tennessee fan...).  They may see that Jesus is as precious--even moreso-- to you than your children.  If you are in a church that reliably preaches the Gospel, invite a friend so they can hear the message.  If you are not in a church that reliably preaches the Gospel, well, go somewhere else.

ALSO: go to jdpayne.org and subscribe to this email Missiologically Thinking.  He keeps focus on the main thing in our gospel work.  He will challenge you to look around at what you see, and get into mission!