It’s Time to Double Down on Evangelism
December 4, 2024
David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061
866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
The following is excerpted from the new book and Bible course An Evangelistic Church for the 21st Century:
Aggressive evangelism is a fundamental of the faith.
Most of the large aggressive churches of bygone days are dead or dying. For example, Highland Park Baptist Church of Chattanooga, Tennessee, no longer exists. The home of Tennessee Temple Bible College, Highland Park had a great emphasis on world missions. They campaigned on that. They had huge, enthusiastic missionary conferences in which hundreds of God’s people surrendered their lives to that glorious work and went across North America and to the ends of the earth to preach the gospel and plant churches. Highland Park had a great emphasis on evangelism. They campaigned on that. It was called “the church of the green light.” There was a model of a traffic light near the church auditorium that was always showing green. They went door to door; they preached on the streets; they conducted children’s Bible clubs; they started gospel preaching chapels across that part of the South; they had youth camps; they operated a rescue mission, etc.
The evangelism at Highland Park was corrupted to a large degree by a wrong methodology, but campaigning on evangelism and world missions is Scriptural and must not be given up. Every true New Testament church will be be a church of the green light.
Many churches that are still doctrinally sound are dying because their evangelistic outreach is small. They are “King James” and use the hymnal and preach separation from the world and practice modesty in apparel to some degree, but they are not growing through life-changing conversions. The children make professions of faith, as children tend to do in Bible-believing churches, but a great many of them depart during or after adolescence. The fruit that remains is exceedingly small.
Christ likened evangelism to fishing and sowing:
“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mt. 4:18-19).
“A sower went out to sow his seed ... Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God” (Lu. 8:5, 11).
“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good” (Ec. 11:6).
This tells us that we must sow a great amount of seed and we must have many lines in the water.
Modern fishing laws restrict how many lines you can use and the type of bait, etc., but God has no such restriction.
Farmers are restrained by the amount of land they have, but God’s people have the entire world.
Always analyzing, adapting, modifying
The difference between being fruitful and less fruitful in soul winning is often determined by relatively small things. I have observed this in fishing. When I was a growing up in Florida, I went bass fishing a lot with my dad and granddad. We fished mostly for largemouth bass using top water plugs. It is a fine art that requires a lot of knowledge and experience to achieve proficiency. When we lived in the Pacific Northwest in the 1990s, I learned how to fish for trout, salmon, Kokanee, and walleye. The difference between a good fisherman and a mediocre one often comes down to small things, such as how you work the lure (how fast you reel it, how you twitch it, how deep you work it, etc.), how well you discern the fish’s bite, how you fix the bait on the hook, what color lure you use, how fresh the bait is, how deep you fish, and dozens of other “little” things. Two fishermen can go to the same lake at the same time of the day, but one can consistently catch more fish than the other if he is wiser about the little things. I remember when I learned how to work a Buzz Bomb lure effectively to catch salmon off the shores of Whidbey Island north of Seattle. I had gone out to the hot spots where the other salmon fishermen were congregating, and I cast my Buzz Bombs out into the Pacific Ocean until I thought my arm was going to fall off, but I returned home empty handed. I had the right equipment, the right color and size Buzz Bomb, the right hat, and I was at the right place at the right time, but something was missing. One day a friend showed me that I was jigging the lure too aggressively, that I needed to let it stay closer to the bottom and jig it more gently. Bingo! That was the missing piece of the puzzle. My salmon fishing became very effective. In fact, my two boys and I caught at least 220 pounds of salmon that fall, largely because of that one simple tip.
The same is true for evangelism. Two Bible-believing churches can operate in the same city and one will be more fruitful than the other simply because of the difference in zeal and effectual planning and the details of how things are operated.
Having a “program” is not enough. It must be conducted wisely and must be re-evaluated regularly.
I think of a pastor who started a church in a large northern city and was effective there in winning people to Christ. When he retired to Florida, he tried the same thing. He and his wife knocked doors and did whatever they did in the city, but they had no fruit. He didn’t try anything else and simply concluded that the people in his new area can hardly be reached. He preaches in a very small church that is not seeing adult conversions.
Aiming to reach every type of person in the community
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mr. 16:15).
The church should plan a way to reach every person and every type of person in the community: youth, parents, seniors, drugees, drunks, gang members, harlots, businessmen, soccer moms, etc.
This requires prayer for wisdom, good counsel, planning, and re-evaluation. And it requires that all of the members be involved, for different members can reach different kinds of people.
House-to-House Visitation
This is the only way to go through the community in systematic manner. The community is divided into sectors so the church can reach every single part of it.
One plan is called Visitation Night Outreach Stations. It encourages participation by every member, which is important.
The church is like a farming family. Every member is expected and required to participate in the work of farming. Likewise, it is necessary to gather the church members together regularly for a church-wide focus on evangelism.
The following is adapted from Pastor Billy Britt:
“How can we get more people involved in outreach? What are some ideas that work in reaching people? I respond with one answer to both questions: ‘We use the Stations of Outreach.’ This outreach ministry is designed to use various outreach methods to involve as many people as possible in reaching and witnessing actions. Instead of limiting outreach only to those members who will visit lost people or prospects door-to-door, why not broaden the horizons of outreach? Before the regular visitation time, set up seven stations where adults can do some form of outreach. The stations can be set up throughout the church so that the various methods, such as making telephone calls or writing letters will not interfere with one another.”
The Outreach Stations plan provides alternate outreach methods and allows more people to get involved. You can figure out other methods that work well for your church. The goal is to instruct and exhort the members that each one must serve Christ in evangelism and to involve as many of the members as possible in the church’s outreach.
Some suggested Outreach Stations are as follows: (1) Door-to-door canvassing station. This station is for those who are involved in covering parts of the community systematically by going door-to-door. This is the station that uses tools such as tracts, flyers, John/Romans, advertisements for home Bible studies, correspondence courses, church newsletters, etc. Follow-up on interested contacts is essential. (2) Prospect visits station. Set up a table to hold prospect cards which bear the name, address, and other information about each prospect. These are people who have visited services, contacts made by church members, unsaved parents of children who attend Sunday School or other church events, etc. Those who are willing to make a personal visit can pick up prospect cards here. (3) Absentee visits station. Ask class secretaries to compile a list of members who have been absent for two or three consecutive Sundays. Some people may feel more comfortable visiting someone who already is a member of the Sunday School. At this station, outreachers can pick up the name and address of an absentee who needs to receive a visit. (4) E-mail and telephone station. Some people who do not feel comfortable making a personal visit may be willing to write a letter or an email or make a phone call to absentees and prospects. If you have access to listings of new residents, allow outreachers to contact these persons and invite them to attend Sunday School. Calls can also perhaps be made to recent visitors expressing appreciation for their visit and encouraging them to attend again. (5) Prayer station. Sunday School rooms can be designated as prayer rooms. These rooms should be located away from the other stations so that those praying will have a quiet place to pray for outreachers who are making visits as well as for the lost and unchurched persons the outreachers are visiting. Prayer always makes a difference.
To get new prospects, the entire church should be geared to collecting contacts (through personal evangelism, tract distribution, friends and relatives, church visitors, home visits by SS teachers, etc.).
Again, we should always be evaluating every program to see if it can be improved, to see if something needs to be changed. Is there anything we could do to make it more fruitful? Are we going at the right time? For example, one church stopped Thursday night visitation and started Saturday visitation, because after covid people don’t want strangers knocking on their doors after dark. Do we have the right approach? Are we saying the right things? Are we leaving the right material? Are we doing everything possible to get every member involved? Do we have the best tracts? Are we doing anything to reach foreigners? Are there other places we can go? Are there ways to get more people involved? It is wise to get the active members together regularly to share their ideas on this subject.
For more about the visitation program, see the free eBook Ideas for Evangelism.
Refreshments after the Service
For many years, we have served refreshments after our main weekly service. The goal is to encourage unsaved people to stay around so we can minister to them, and it has worked very well. We train our people how to deal with the visitors.
One man is in charge of making sure all visitors are dealt with and followed up. When an individual is showing good interest, he assigns a church member to meet with that individual to take him through the Seeker’s Bible Study.
Gospel Meal
One church near a military base served a meal after the main service to encourage young men to stay around. The church families prepared the meals by turns. Many came to Christ through that ministry.
Visitor Pies
Pastor Doug Hammett, formerly of Leigh Valley Baptist Church in eastern Pennsylvania, wrote, “We deliver a pie to first time visitors the week following their visit to the church. Just a friendly, brief visit to say ‘thank you for coming.’ I then follow up with a brief pastoral visit and try to enlist them in a Bible Study. This has had a great affect on bringing more visitors back for a second look at least.”
Another twist on this idea is to make pies and deliver them to new move-ins in the immediate church area, together with literature and an invitation to the church. This is a good summer project for teenage girls. They can go to the home of a godly lady church member each week, make the pies, pray together for the Lord’s blessing on the outreach, and have them ready for visitation. This could possibly get more people involved in evangelism, at least on the fringes, who otherwise would not be active. As they work and pray in this way, they start thinking about the visitors and the soul winning aspect of the church services.
It is important to leave the right packet of material on such visits. It should be a mixture of tracts, information about the church, a church newsletter if there is one, perhaps an interesting book, etc.
Monthly Gospel Meeting
For several years, we have devoted one main service each month to the gospel.
For that service, everything is geared for the unsaved: the hymns, the music specials, the preaching. We show videos. We put on plays. We teach the unsaved visitors new songs. We have testimonies. We have men assigned to a table with tracts and other materials. We have little gospel videos that people can put on their phones. We train the people to deal with visitors. We encourage the members to focus their evangelism effort toward getting visitors to this meeting.
During our church workers’ meeting the week following the gospel service, we analyze the gospel meeting to see if there is something we improve. We analyze everything: the preaching, the testimonies, the videos, the songs, the specials, etc.
Street Evangelism
Street evangelism can be most effective when something can be done to draw a crowd, such as music or children’s singing or a literature booth.
Gospel Stands
The Jehovah’s Witnesses set up small stands at strategic places. These feature Bible verses and other writings. They talk with and distribute material to those who show interest. This is something that might be used by Bible-believing churches.
Tracts
See the chapter “Using Tracts in Evangelism.”
Special Occasions and Events
Plan for outreach when people congregate together, such as sporting events, religious festivals, county fairs, parades, and bazaars.
Research the events in your area and make plans to use those events for evangelism, for sowing seed, for making new contacts, for finding those who are interested in attending church. A gospel booth can be set up (or multiple ones) with tracts and other gospel materials; tracts can be distributed; a music group can play to draw a crowd; testimonies can be shared, etc. An attempt can be made to sign up people for a gospel Bible study or a correspondence course.
See the free eBook Ideas for Evangelism.
Ministering to Foreigners
Immigrants, whether temporary (such as students) or permanent, are often lonely in their host country. Some find it difficult to make friends. Churches can reach out to these people and help them with any needs they might have and get to know them and share the gospel with them.
The main thing that is needed for this ministry is loving hospitality and a good knowledge of the gospel and wisdom in dealing with people.
Churches that do this should try to get tips in dealing with these particular people by talking to missionaries who work among them.
See the free eBook Ideas for Evangelism.
Internet and Social Media
The internet is the most effectual communications media that has ever existed. It is used for evil, but it also can be used as great tool for preaching and teaching. The church can use web sites and Facebook and other social media. What about TikTok? Can it be used for gospel video clips?
An effective web site and/or Facebook site is much more than mere information about the church. It contains Bible preaching, gospel material, testimonies, gospel videos, gospel correspondence course, and apologetics material). An attractive, well-designed, well-maintained web site and/or social media site should be i advertised on all of the church’s literature.
The content should be updated frequently.
Gospel Broadcasts
In some places it is possible to run gospel broadcasts on radio and television. We ran gospel broadcasts on multiple stations in Nepal in past years. We advertised the correspondence course by this means.
Gospel Ads
In some situations, it is possible to place gospel ads in newspapers or radio. This is a good way to advertise gospel correspondence courses or Bible courses. For many years, Metropolitan Tabernacle in London paid to place small gospel billboards in the London Underground stations.
Home Bible Studies
In our missionary work, we assign the more mature church members to lead gospel Bible studies. We use the Seeker’s Bible Study, which is available for free at the Way of Life web site, www.wayoflife.org. The Bible studies are held in the homes of those who are visiting the church and showing interest, and these are encouraged to invite their neighbors and friends and relatives to the studies. Oftentimes people will attend a Bible study in a home when they won’t attend church. Or we will meet the individual wherever he chooses, such as a restaurant or coffee shop.
The Bible studies can be advertised in the gospel tracts, on bulletin boards, etc.
See the chapter “Sowing and Reaping.”
Mass Mailings
Religious Surveys
These can be effective in some areas.
Correspondence Courses
In some places, gospel correspondence courses are effective. Hundreds have taken our correspondence courses through the years. The courses can be advertised in the gospel tracts, on bulletin boards, etc.
Other Ideas
For more about these and other ministries, see the free eBook Ideas for Evangelism.
Aggressive evangelism is a fundamental of the faith.
Most of the large aggressive churches of bygone days are dead or dying. For example, Highland Park Baptist Church of Chattanooga, Tennessee, no longer exists. The home of Tennessee Temple Bible College, Highland Park had a great emphasis on world missions. They campaigned on that. They had huge, enthusiastic missionary conferences in which hundreds of God’s people surrendered their lives to that glorious work and went across North America and to the ends of the earth to preach the gospel and plant churches. Highland Park had a great emphasis on evangelism. They campaigned on that. It was called “the church of the green light.” There was a model of a traffic light near the church auditorium that was always showing green. They went door to door; they preached on the streets; they conducted children’s Bible clubs; they started gospel preaching chapels across that part of the South; they had youth camps; they operated a rescue mission, etc.
The evangelism at Highland Park was corrupted to a large degree by a wrong methodology, but campaigning on evangelism and world missions is Scriptural and must not be given up. Every true New Testament church will be be a church of the green light.
Many churches that are still doctrinally sound are dying because their evangelistic outreach is small. They are “King James” and use the hymnal and preach separation from the world and practice modesty in apparel to some degree, but they are not growing through life-changing conversions. The children make professions of faith, as children tend to do in Bible-believing churches, but a great many of them depart during or after adolescence. The fruit that remains is exceedingly small.
Christ likened evangelism to fishing and sowing:
“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mt. 4:18-19).
“A sower went out to sow his seed ... Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God” (Lu. 8:5, 11).
“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good” (Ec. 11:6).
This tells us that we must sow a great amount of seed and we must have many lines in the water.
Modern fishing laws restrict how many lines you can use and the type of bait, etc., but God has no such restriction.
Farmers are restrained by the amount of land they have, but God’s people have the entire world.
Always analyzing, adapting, modifying
The difference between being fruitful and less fruitful in soul winning is often determined by relatively small things. I have observed this in fishing. When I was a growing up in Florida, I went bass fishing a lot with my dad and granddad. We fished mostly for largemouth bass using top water plugs. It is a fine art that requires a lot of knowledge and experience to achieve proficiency. When we lived in the Pacific Northwest in the 1990s, I learned how to fish for trout, salmon, Kokanee, and walleye. The difference between a good fisherman and a mediocre one often comes down to small things, such as how you work the lure (how fast you reel it, how you twitch it, how deep you work it, etc.), how well you discern the fish’s bite, how you fix the bait on the hook, what color lure you use, how fresh the bait is, how deep you fish, and dozens of other “little” things. Two fishermen can go to the same lake at the same time of the day, but one can consistently catch more fish than the other if he is wiser about the little things. I remember when I learned how to work a Buzz Bomb lure effectively to catch salmon off the shores of Whidbey Island north of Seattle. I had gone out to the hot spots where the other salmon fishermen were congregating, and I cast my Buzz Bombs out into the Pacific Ocean until I thought my arm was going to fall off, but I returned home empty handed. I had the right equipment, the right color and size Buzz Bomb, the right hat, and I was at the right place at the right time, but something was missing. One day a friend showed me that I was jigging the lure too aggressively, that I needed to let it stay closer to the bottom and jig it more gently. Bingo! That was the missing piece of the puzzle. My salmon fishing became very effective. In fact, my two boys and I caught at least 220 pounds of salmon that fall, largely because of that one simple tip.
The same is true for evangelism. Two Bible-believing churches can operate in the same city and one will be more fruitful than the other simply because of the difference in zeal and effectual planning and the details of how things are operated.
Having a “program” is not enough. It must be conducted wisely and must be re-evaluated regularly.
I think of a pastor who started a church in a large northern city and was effective there in winning people to Christ. When he retired to Florida, he tried the same thing. He and his wife knocked doors and did whatever they did in the city, but they had no fruit. He didn’t try anything else and simply concluded that the people in his new area can hardly be reached. He preaches in a very small church that is not seeing adult conversions.
Aiming to reach every type of person in the community
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mr. 16:15).
The church should plan a way to reach every person and every type of person in the community: youth, parents, seniors, drugees, drunks, gang members, harlots, businessmen, soccer moms, etc.
This requires prayer for wisdom, good counsel, planning, and re-evaluation. And it requires that all of the members be involved, for different members can reach different kinds of people.
House-to-House Visitation
This is the only way to go through the community in systematic manner. The community is divided into sectors so the church can reach every single part of it.
One plan is called Visitation Night Outreach Stations. It encourages participation by every member, which is important.
The church is like a farming family. Every member is expected and required to participate in the work of farming. Likewise, it is necessary to gather the church members together regularly for a church-wide focus on evangelism.
The following is adapted from Pastor Billy Britt:
“How can we get more people involved in outreach? What are some ideas that work in reaching people? I respond with one answer to both questions: ‘We use the Stations of Outreach.’ This outreach ministry is designed to use various outreach methods to involve as many people as possible in reaching and witnessing actions. Instead of limiting outreach only to those members who will visit lost people or prospects door-to-door, why not broaden the horizons of outreach? Before the regular visitation time, set up seven stations where adults can do some form of outreach. The stations can be set up throughout the church so that the various methods, such as making telephone calls or writing letters will not interfere with one another.”
The Outreach Stations plan provides alternate outreach methods and allows more people to get involved. You can figure out other methods that work well for your church. The goal is to instruct and exhort the members that each one must serve Christ in evangelism and to involve as many of the members as possible in the church’s outreach.
Some suggested Outreach Stations are as follows: (1) Door-to-door canvassing station. This station is for those who are involved in covering parts of the community systematically by going door-to-door. This is the station that uses tools such as tracts, flyers, John/Romans, advertisements for home Bible studies, correspondence courses, church newsletters, etc. Follow-up on interested contacts is essential. (2) Prospect visits station. Set up a table to hold prospect cards which bear the name, address, and other information about each prospect. These are people who have visited services, contacts made by church members, unsaved parents of children who attend Sunday School or other church events, etc. Those who are willing to make a personal visit can pick up prospect cards here. (3) Absentee visits station. Ask class secretaries to compile a list of members who have been absent for two or three consecutive Sundays. Some people may feel more comfortable visiting someone who already is a member of the Sunday School. At this station, outreachers can pick up the name and address of an absentee who needs to receive a visit. (4) E-mail and telephone station. Some people who do not feel comfortable making a personal visit may be willing to write a letter or an email or make a phone call to absentees and prospects. If you have access to listings of new residents, allow outreachers to contact these persons and invite them to attend Sunday School. Calls can also perhaps be made to recent visitors expressing appreciation for their visit and encouraging them to attend again. (5) Prayer station. Sunday School rooms can be designated as prayer rooms. These rooms should be located away from the other stations so that those praying will have a quiet place to pray for outreachers who are making visits as well as for the lost and unchurched persons the outreachers are visiting. Prayer always makes a difference.
To get new prospects, the entire church should be geared to collecting contacts (through personal evangelism, tract distribution, friends and relatives, church visitors, home visits by SS teachers, etc.).
Again, we should always be evaluating every program to see if it can be improved, to see if something needs to be changed. Is there anything we could do to make it more fruitful? Are we going at the right time? For example, one church stopped Thursday night visitation and started Saturday visitation, because after covid people don’t want strangers knocking on their doors after dark. Do we have the right approach? Are we saying the right things? Are we leaving the right material? Are we doing everything possible to get every member involved? Do we have the best tracts? Are we doing anything to reach foreigners? Are there other places we can go? Are there ways to get more people involved? It is wise to get the active members together regularly to share their ideas on this subject.
For more about the visitation program, see the free eBook Ideas for Evangelism.
Refreshments after the Service
For many years, we have served refreshments after our main weekly service. The goal is to encourage unsaved people to stay around so we can minister to them, and it has worked very well. We train our people how to deal with the visitors.
One man is in charge of making sure all visitors are dealt with and followed up. When an individual is showing good interest, he assigns a church member to meet with that individual to take him through the Seeker’s Bible Study.
Gospel Meal
One church near a military base served a meal after the main service to encourage young men to stay around. The church families prepared the meals by turns. Many came to Christ through that ministry.
Visitor Pies
Pastor Doug Hammett, formerly of Leigh Valley Baptist Church in eastern Pennsylvania, wrote, “We deliver a pie to first time visitors the week following their visit to the church. Just a friendly, brief visit to say ‘thank you for coming.’ I then follow up with a brief pastoral visit and try to enlist them in a Bible Study. This has had a great affect on bringing more visitors back for a second look at least.”
Another twist on this idea is to make pies and deliver them to new move-ins in the immediate church area, together with literature and an invitation to the church. This is a good summer project for teenage girls. They can go to the home of a godly lady church member each week, make the pies, pray together for the Lord’s blessing on the outreach, and have them ready for visitation. This could possibly get more people involved in evangelism, at least on the fringes, who otherwise would not be active. As they work and pray in this way, they start thinking about the visitors and the soul winning aspect of the church services.
It is important to leave the right packet of material on such visits. It should be a mixture of tracts, information about the church, a church newsletter if there is one, perhaps an interesting book, etc.
Monthly Gospel Meeting
For several years, we have devoted one main service each month to the gospel.
For that service, everything is geared for the unsaved: the hymns, the music specials, the preaching. We show videos. We put on plays. We teach the unsaved visitors new songs. We have testimonies. We have men assigned to a table with tracts and other materials. We have little gospel videos that people can put on their phones. We train the people to deal with visitors. We encourage the members to focus their evangelism effort toward getting visitors to this meeting.
During our church workers’ meeting the week following the gospel service, we analyze the gospel meeting to see if there is something we improve. We analyze everything: the preaching, the testimonies, the videos, the songs, the specials, etc.
Street Evangelism
Street evangelism can be most effective when something can be done to draw a crowd, such as music or children’s singing or a literature booth.
Gospel Stands
The Jehovah’s Witnesses set up small stands at strategic places. These feature Bible verses and other writings. They talk with and distribute material to those who show interest. This is something that might be used by Bible-believing churches.
Tracts
See the chapter “Using Tracts in Evangelism.”
Special Occasions and Events
Plan for outreach when people congregate together, such as sporting events, religious festivals, county fairs, parades, and bazaars.
Research the events in your area and make plans to use those events for evangelism, for sowing seed, for making new contacts, for finding those who are interested in attending church. A gospel booth can be set up (or multiple ones) with tracts and other gospel materials; tracts can be distributed; a music group can play to draw a crowd; testimonies can be shared, etc. An attempt can be made to sign up people for a gospel Bible study or a correspondence course.
See the free eBook Ideas for Evangelism.
Ministering to Foreigners
Immigrants, whether temporary (such as students) or permanent, are often lonely in their host country. Some find it difficult to make friends. Churches can reach out to these people and help them with any needs they might have and get to know them and share the gospel with them.
The main thing that is needed for this ministry is loving hospitality and a good knowledge of the gospel and wisdom in dealing with people.
Churches that do this should try to get tips in dealing with these particular people by talking to missionaries who work among them.
See the free eBook Ideas for Evangelism.
Internet and Social Media
The internet is the most effectual communications media that has ever existed. It is used for evil, but it also can be used as great tool for preaching and teaching. The church can use web sites and Facebook and other social media. What about TikTok? Can it be used for gospel video clips?
An effective web site and/or Facebook site is much more than mere information about the church. It contains Bible preaching, gospel material, testimonies, gospel videos, gospel correspondence course, and apologetics material). An attractive, well-designed, well-maintained web site and/or social media site should be i advertised on all of the church’s literature.
The content should be updated frequently.
Gospel Broadcasts
In some places it is possible to run gospel broadcasts on radio and television. We ran gospel broadcasts on multiple stations in Nepal in past years. We advertised the correspondence course by this means.
Gospel Ads
In some situations, it is possible to place gospel ads in newspapers or radio. This is a good way to advertise gospel correspondence courses or Bible courses. For many years, Metropolitan Tabernacle in London paid to place small gospel billboards in the London Underground stations.
Home Bible Studies
In our missionary work, we assign the more mature church members to lead gospel Bible studies. We use the Seeker’s Bible Study, which is available for free at the Way of Life web site, www.wayoflife.org. The Bible studies are held in the homes of those who are visiting the church and showing interest, and these are encouraged to invite their neighbors and friends and relatives to the studies. Oftentimes people will attend a Bible study in a home when they won’t attend church. Or we will meet the individual wherever he chooses, such as a restaurant or coffee shop.
The Bible studies can be advertised in the gospel tracts, on bulletin boards, etc.
See the chapter “Sowing and Reaping.”
Mass Mailings
Religious Surveys
These can be effective in some areas.
Correspondence Courses
In some places, gospel correspondence courses are effective. Hundreds have taken our correspondence courses through the years. The courses can be advertised in the gospel tracts, on bulletin boards, etc.
Other Ideas
- Afternoon Sunday Schools
- Jail Ministries
- Public Schools
- Outreach to colleges and universities
- Nursing Homes
- New Move-Ins
- Bus Ministry
- Tent Gospel Meetings
- Planting New Churches
For more about these and other ministries, see the free eBook Ideas for Evangelism.
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Sharing Policy: Much of our material is available for free, such as the hundreds of articles at the Way of Life web site. Other items we sell to help fund our expensive literature and foreign church planting ministries. Way of Life's content falls into two categories: sharable and non-sharable. Things that we encourage you to share include the audio sermons, O Timothy magazine, FBIS articles, and the free eVideos and free eBooks. You are welcome to make copies of these at your own expense and share them with friends and family. You may also post parts of reports and/or entire reports to websites, blogs, etc as long as you give proper credit (citation). A link to the original report is very much appreciated as the reports are frequently updated and/or expanded. Things we do not want copied and distributed are "Store" items like the Fundamental Baptist Digital Library, print editions of our books, electronic editions of the books that we sell, the videos that we sell, etc. The items have taken years to produce at enormous expense in time and money, and we use the income from sales to help fund the ministry. We trust that your Christian honesty will preserve the integrity of this policy. "For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward" (1 Timothy 5:18). Questions? support@wayoflife.org
Goal:Distributed by Way of Life Literature Inc., the Fundamental Baptist Information Service is an e-mail posting for Bible-believing Christians. Established in 1974, Way of Life Literature is a fundamental Baptist preaching and publishing ministry based in Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. Brother Cloud lives in South Asia where he has been a church planting missionary since 1979. Our primary goal with the FBIS is to provide material to assist preachers in the edification and protection of the churches.
Offering: Offerings are welcome if you care to make one. If you have been helped and/or blessed by our material offerings can be mailed or made online with with Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Paypal. For information see: www.wayoflife.org/about/makeanoffering.html.
