Evangelism Ideas

[darlene]

Yes, it is the whole class that participates, the class leader is the one who delegates and organizes.

This may not be the place but I'm going to include 3 pages from the handbook that I've complied that deal with the duties of the class leader, called The Creative and Effective Sabbath School Class Leader and Teacher. There are 62 pages (Word document). If anyone wants a copy I can email it to you. We sent it to all our SS teachers and pastors.

Sabbath School Class Member Care Suggestions

► Follow-up all newcomers and keep an up-to-date prospect list.

► Arrange to contact by personal visit or phone call all missing members who

miss two weeks in a row.

► Keep an up-to-date roll of all members.

► When a member celebrates a job success, has a birthday, or is ill, pass a

get-well card around the class for members to sign.

► The class should have a definite programmed response to members in stress

and loss. All need to be stretcher-bearers for members who have life crisis

such as death or illness in the family, loss of job or financial support, etc.

► Congratulate and celebrate fellow members job successes. Life during the

week should not be divorced from the spiritual life of members.

► Appoint spiritual partners for each member. They can phone each other

during the week if they have questions about the lesson, meet for dinner or call

to check if their partner is missing from Sabbath School, etc.

► Be on a first name basis with all members in your class.

► Classes should be comprised of a variety of church members, not just

special friends. Alll need to learn to accept everyone. It is a real challenge to

be in a class with those you don’t know or like, but this is our Christian duty!

► Have a telephone committee who will contact members if something comes

up during the week that requires immediate loving action. For example: a

member is involved in an accident or is suddenly taken ill. Members can

arrange to look after children or supply food for family members and most

importantly, to pray for them.

► Arrange for an outside class social activity at least once a quarter.

► Learn how to relate with members who face crisis of divorce.

► Begin welcoming Sabbath School visitors in the parking lot and provide an

umbrella and/or valet service.

► Use the 5th Sabbath for something different and special.

Ideas For Reintegrating Non-Attending Members

► Make sure the class record is taken every week. The record is the key

resource for identifying missing members.

► Memorize the names of your class members, their spouses and their

children. Be acquainted with their work, hobbies and leisure-time

activities.

► Give missing members a reason to come to your class. Make sure the

lesson is well-planned and interesting.

► Sensitize yourself to others’ needs. Try to discover the reason that a

member chooses to stay away. Look for hidden hurts that you can help

heal.

► Invite missing members to a church activity such as a dinner, a picnic, or a

party. Often people stay away because they lack fellowship and a sense of

belonging to the group.

► Train your class members in visitation skills. Assign names to be visited or

contacted during the week.

► Every special Sabbath School Program or church activity is an opportunity

to call the missing member to let them know what is happening. Offer to

pick them up if transportation is a problem.

► Mail a copy of the new quarterly to each missing member. Better yet, take

it to them.

► Mail or deliver a bulletin to each missing member every week. Keep the

absentee in touch with what is happening in church.

► Encourage regular members to place missing members on their personal

prayer list. Prayers can reach behind closed doors, and they can melt cold

exteriors.

► Remember missing members with a greeting card on their birthday,

Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, and other special occasions.

► Never give up! People will often put up barriers to avoid being hurt.

Persistence will break down those barriers.

NAD Sabbath School Handbook

Tips For Visiting Missing Members

► Pray for the absentee daily. Pray especially before you visit that angels of God may

attend you and that the Holy Spirit will give you wisdom.

► Know as much as possible about the missing member: name, family members,

occupation, age, and interests.

► In some cases, it may be wise to phone ahead for an appointment. Identify yourself with

the church and a specific Sabbath School class if that is appropriate.

► Approach the home with a cheerful, optimistic attitude. Determine to be warm, tactful,

and gentle.

► Have a friendly visit about things they are interested in, such as family, hobbies, and

occupation. You might ask what led them to Christ and when they first joined the

Adventist Church.

► Bring greetings from the Sabbath School and your class.

► Mention some interesting thoughts from last week’s Sabbath School lesson, Sabbath

School program, or sermon topic.

► Be enthusiastic about good things that are happening.

► If confronted by a personal problem or a negative experience they have had with the

church, do not argue, condemn or defend the church. Don’t take sides. Let them

unburden themselves and express your sincere feelings of regret. Say something such as,

“I’m sorry to hear what happened. I can understand why you feel badly. On behalf of

the Adventist Church I want to apologize and ask your forgiveness.”

► Offer something appropriate to the missing members such as Bible study guides, a good

book, Signs, Adventist Review, a video or a sermon tape.

► Give an invitation to come back to church. If you are unknown to the person, it may be

wise to wait until the third or fourth visit to make such an invitation.

► Assure them that you and the members of your Sabbath School class will be praying for

them.

► Stay no longer than about 20 minutes. Close with prayer, mentioning the names of

family members and specific needs that they have expressed.

► You may want to invite the person or family to your house for a meal or fellowship

group.

► Assure them you will come again; then keep your promise.

[Dr. Shane]

Evangelism.

► Our prophecy seminars mostly pull in people that already believe in the Bible. Many of them are active in other churches. This is a good group and prophecy seminars have been productive. I have no problem with them. However they only reach a small segment of the population.

► Our health message is to be our right arm. Our conferences should come up with a weight-loss program that helps people lose weight and introduces them to Christ and the Seventh-Day Adventist church. We already have a lot of programs on Adventist TV. That is a good step in the right direction. Now the pastors and lay people need a program like the stop smoking program was.

► Creation evangelism also draws in a group that prophecy seminars do not. A good program needs to be put together as these types of campaigns draw in scoffers and skeptics that need to be dealt with in a way that don't let them dominate the programs and take the lime light. Creation evangelism has some very strong points for Adventism. The Sabbath is connected to creation which distinguishes Adventism from other creation-believing churches. The topic of creation also leads to introducing Christ as Creator and Savior. It is also easy to introduce vegetarianism as it was the original diet. I would like to see a five to ten day program put together for pastors and lay people to use. Adventist TV is also doing a lot with this topic which is a very good step.

► Another good form of evangelism is to take out a small want ad in the local newspaper offering free Bible studies. Run the add all year long. These small ads are normally cheap and will draw in a few Bible studies throughout the year. Put a catchy phrase in it to interest the people and change the phrase every 10 to 20 weeks. Things like "Free Bible studies: Jesus is the bread of life" "...Jesus is the true Valentine" "...life with purpose" "...mending broken souls" "...healing for the divorced" "...freedom from shame"

Currently I am running a 2"x5" ad (which is not a small ad) in our local monthly paper paper for $30/month which is promoting our Christian satellite service. Since it has so many Christian channels on it, I figure many non-Adventists will be interested and once they get it they will have 3ABN, LLBN and Hope channel along with 3ABN radio, Life talk radio and Radio 74. Compared to other Christian channels, our programming is excellent. Just getting it into people's homes is a good thing. And even if they don't end up becoming Adventists (as many won't) just having the Christian channels in their homes will better their relationship with Christ.

[Dr. Shane]

The local weekly newspaper's office is two doors down from my office. So today I walked over there and placed a small ad offering the free Discover Bible studies. Cost me $5 for a month.

[Taylor]

For an online school or in person studies?

[Dr. Shane]

I put the bibleinfo.com address, as well as their PO Box and listed 3ABN's prayer line.

[Stan]

That is money well spent...