Tips for evangelism events
These tips have been brought to you by contributors from Church Army Evangelists,Activate, Purpose Driven Church Europe and Christians to encourage you to Share Faith through Words and Actions
Community action
Mobilise your church for a day of community action. Identify real needs in the community - elderly people who need help with their gardens or company, schools, community centres or old people's homes with decorating needs, public areas that need cleaning up - and challenge your church to give their time to show God's love and their commitment to the community. Include things that the elderly and young can do. Repeat annually to show it is not just one-off. A practical initiative called Streetreach is taking off all over the country. A Church Army evangelist recently led a team of people who gave up their holiday weekend to clean up their community.
They picked up rubbish, cleared alleys and helped in local residents' gardens. Hundreds of cakes were baked and personally delivered to local parishioners. Toys were spring-cleaned for the local toddler group, and some people even made requests for prayer when they realised the team were Christians.
Our evangelist comments: "People are surprised that the church cares enough to get its hands dirty in a very real way."
Cheery trader
Get your church or the local churches together group to sponsor a cheery trader award. With the help of the local paper, invite votes for traders from a specified area - a row of shops, a town centre, an out of town shopping complex, or a whole town. Hand out voting forms at busy times outside the shops, and encourage the shops to distribute them as well. Put a suitable bible verse, perhaps from Proverbs, on the form, and hold a simple awards ceremony, when you can speak briefly about service to the community and thank those who serve us.
Car boot sales
Many people who never come to church are at car boot sales on Sunday mornings. If they won't come to you, why not go to them? A stall that provides a focus for prayer and reflection can provide a helpful contrast to displays of bargains, and our experience is that people will ask for prayer, healing or just to be heard if you make it clear that these things are on offer. If you are there regularly, people will come back. You will be amazed at how open people will be about discussing the important issues of life if you meet them in a context where they are comfortable.
Community fun day
Why not lay on a totally free fun day as a gift to the community from the church? Welcome them with jugglers and clowns - you probably have suitable people in the church - and think about a band or street theatre. Have energetic and quieter activities for various ages - bouncy castle, inflatable slide and Gladiators-style game to use up energy, karaoke, face-painting and candyfloss to replace it. Lay on tea and cakes for their parents and grandparents with plenty of seats, plus barbecue and prayer room. Advertise outreach activities such as parent and toddler groups or faith exploration courses.
Film or TV night
Invite friends and neighbours round to your house to watch a film and to discuss the faith issues that it raises over a drink and refreshments - don't let them be surprised to have a discussion. Films tell stories and touch on the big questions of life, so go for a popular film rather than one with obvious relevance to faith. Alternatively, do the same with an instalment of a soap opera (issues of relationships and life events) or even a football match (issues of morality, justice, prejudice, commitment), depending on the interests of your friends. Visit the Reel Issues website.
How green is your mission?
Many people in our community are passionate about the environment but don't think the church has any relevance to it. Why not use this as a mission tool by having regular meals on LOAF principles - that's Local, Organic, Animal-friendly and Fair-trade, or by broadening the "ownership" of the churchyard to include local people interested in archaeology, heritage, education, conservation or natural history? Or you could give out low-energy light bulbs at Candlemas, discuss flood prevention with reference to Noah, or promote growing you own food for harvest.
Chocolate party
Have a party as a base for inviting people to groups such as mothers and toddlers, parenting skills or a pathfinder weekend. After a chocolate fondue, have chocolate-related party games. Have a quiz where all the answers are linked to brands of chocolate. While children are busy, ask adults to watch an advert for the new "Believe" branding of Mars bars, and ask them what the marketers think is the link between belief and chocolate.
Pampering parties
Everyone loves to be pampered! Beauty therapists and hairdressers find people pouring out their hearts to them when they relax. Gather a few friends and give each other a facial and a manicure. Play some relaxing music, and read some poetry from the psalms while everyone is lying back with a cucumber over each eye. Then continue the music and invite people to talk to God silently about their deepest longings or things that trouble them. In closing, offer all the things that have been thought to God, and ask him to answer those prayers in whatever way is best.
Reading groups
Book groups are gaining in popularity due to the Richard and Judy show. Join or set up a reading group or book club. Gather a group of friends or neighbours, mostly non-Christians, and choose a book to read over an agreed period. Then get together in a home, a coffee bar or a pub to discuss it - how you feel about the main characters, how they handle crises, life issues that arise, matters to which you can relate. Other people's choice of books will open your eyes and broaden your horizons. Books without obvious spirituality may provide more opportunities to discuss spiritual issues openly. Perhaps every month or so select a book with low-key Christian theme of grace or love and introduce the principles of Christian love and grace into the discussion
Cracking the code
With the DVD release imminent, interest in the The Da Vinci Code is continuing. Why are people so fascinated by the book and its offshoots? Which bits do they think are fact and which fiction? How do they assess whether something is true? If it were all true, how damaging would it be for Christianity, and why? What did Jesus say about the issues it raises? Find a not too defensive Christian book responding to it, think the issues through yourself, and put it aside. Gather a group on mostly non-Christian friends and ask them these questions - you will be amazed by their answers. Whatever you think about The Da Vinci Code, the controversial film and novel seem to have got people of all faiths and none talking about spirituality and Christian matters. Somehow, Christians should be joining in these conversations.
Steve Hollinghurst of Church Army has written an excellent booklet, called "Coded Messages - Evangelism and The Da Vinci Code". Da Vinci Code. In it, he suggests running a Da Vinci Code event, either for people who want to talk about the book, or to show the DVD and have a discussion afterwards. Steve's booklet gives a number of tips on how to run such an event.
Thank you for the music
If you are part of a local band or music group, ask you conductor or leader if you can do a programme of carols or Christmas music at shopping centres or schools as part of service to the wider community. You can explain the joy and comfort people get from listening to this type of music. Offer to write the programme and perhaps include a simple and appropriate prayer for the community in it.
All the world's a stage
Why not invite the Lacey Theatre Companyto perform their Word on the Street or Christmas shows at a local community theatre. This is an entertaining evening suitable for non-Christians as the bible is acted out in 75 minutes told in a modern and entertaining way. Church members should be encouraged to bring a non-Christian friend.
42 the answer to life the universe and everything?
Evangelist Nick Green in Stockton has organised a series of events based at his local Planetarium and Observatory to encourage discussion about our creator God. His series of 4 sessions are titled- The Wonder of the Universe; Martians and ET; The Hitchhiker Guide; and God Stephen Hawking and the big bang. These provide opportunities for those interested in the stars and planets to explore low-key theological issues in a non-church environment.
Matthew Party
Host a Matthew party! We read in Matthew 9: 10-13 that Jesus hung out with sinners and had dinner with them, so why can't we? One of the best ways to build relationships with people who do not come to church is over a meal or a barbecue. If you live in a street with other church goers ask them to help you set up a Matthew party and invite the rest of the street. In a low key way share with those who turned up why you wanted them to know that you love and care for them. Your guest will notice your camaraderie and be curious about what you have in your life that makes you want to do this.
Neighbourhood Easter egg hunt
One for next spring, but in the run up to Easter invites neighbours and their children to an easer egg hunt in a suitable garden of a church member. Serve some light refreshments (and hot cross buns) for parents and older kids as the young ones go off looking for their eggs. Keep the time short, sun and focussed and make sure they know you are a group of Christians celebrating new life in Christ this Easter season.
Times and seasons
Easter and Christmas are occasions when the church can reasonably expect some residual Christian memory or interest- increases in church attendance or fairly common on these occasions. However, people are open to marking other festivals in the year fuelled by a renewed desire for a rhythm in life and a sense of the sacredness of nature. Think about creating celebrations that are attractive and accessible to spiritually minded non church goer that provide a spiritual atmosphere for expressing their feelings and beliefs and that make space for use of actions, still space, mediations and imagery.
Wrapping up Christmas
Why not offer a free gift wrapping service at Christmas time in your local shopping centre providing the opportunity to express God's love and extending an invitation to your Christmas services. Carols or words of blessing could accompany this idea.
Beg and bless
This Halloween instead of trick or treating encourage your local church youth to go out in teams and ask for unwanted clothes or accessories. Make clear that these will be donated to Christian projects in the third world and give out specially made bookmarks with a suitable message of hope and thanks. No tricks but treats for everyone.
Tea in the graveyard
It is common for many people to visit family graves at times of the year such as Christmas, Easter, Mothering Sunday and Father's Day. Think about setting up a small stall with flasks of coffee and tea, some snacks and leaflets on bereavement and a chance to pray if appropriate. You will find a number of people ready to find God through visiting a graveyard and many open to the spiritual side of life and appreciative of a warm drink and some food.
Spiritual gardening
Churches together in Burnham-on-Sea working with the management of a local garden centre have set up a peace garden in a quiet spot within the garden centre. It uses biblical plants to create peaceful surroundings where issues of peace can be reflected upon. There are biblical references for the labels and a prayer walk can be conducted round the garden or offered on a leaflet. This is intended as a quiet space for people to sit and reflect, to help those interested in creation be pointed in the direction of the creator of all things.
Mind body spirit
Mind body spirit fairs are now a regular occurrence in many of our towns and cities. Instead of protesting about them, it is far better to engage with the thousands of people attending them by having a stall inside. Christians have set up stalls at these events called Church Army researcher to speak at Mind, Body, Spirit festival this weekend or Journey to wholeness and use labyrinths, prayer cards, Christian icons and free healing prayer to engage with those visitors looking to find truth. It is interesting that sometimes Christians running these stalls find that non-Christian healers come to them for prayer at the end of the day. Always make it clear that you are Christians who pray to God in the name of Jesus.
Discussion on destiny
Millions are interested in life after death issues. Host an event billed as Life after death…is this all there is? and run it at a community centre rather than the church and you will be amazed at the response you will get- especially if you offer refreshments. Make sure you have the help of a church leader or theologian who is able to communicate the issues clearly and in a way non-churchgoers can connect to.
Wedding fairs
If you know that your town is hosting a wedding fair- see if this provides the chance for local churches to have a stall to promote the spiritual side of marriage and encourage couples to understand more about the services and opportunities offered to them by their local churches. If your church has good premises and members of the congregation with the right skills, you could even offer a low cost wedding package including flowers, food, photographs and cars.
Washing feet
At Easter time why not ask local beauty parlours or hairdressers if member of your church can offer a FREE foot washing service as an act of Christian love and service to their customers. For customers taking up this offer this represents a good opportunity to talk about why you are doing it and to give out appropriate low-key literature about relevant services or issues.
Telling it straight
If you or others within your church have acting gifts why not make use of the many excellent sketches available and perform some short and entertaining dramas in local shopping centres or high streets. Ask local college principal and head teachers if you can perform them to their students.
Some sketches are available for you to use at
Caring for the churchyard
With the help of the "Caring for God's Acre" project in Hereford Diocese, a group of churches who struggled to maintain their churchyards, have broadened out the "ownership" of their churchyards to include local people interested in archaeology, local heritage, education, conservation and natural history.
Working together to bring about a more sustainable approach to looking after the churchyard builds new relationships. It also demonstrates that the church is beginning to address important environmental issues such as biodiversity.
Energy Conservation
One example is the church which decided to work together with the local energy efficiency advice service to promote lifestyle changes in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. They invited people to come to church at Candlemas and gave away free low energy lightbulbs. Encouraging churches to address creation care can speak powerfully to many in the community who are concerned about the environment. These people may not have considered that the church is engaging with the debate or producing effective action.
Food, Glorious Food
Our ultimate aim is to feed people spiritually, but there is an old saying that the way to a person's heart is through their stomach. So why not get cooking?
Think of every opportunity to invite people to eat - summer barbecues, bonfire potatoes, Murder Mystery dinners, Christmas dinners, mince pies, hotpot suppers, pizza parties, hot cross buns and more
You can even make an event out of food preparation. Consider gathering people to make bread together and use the quieter times for discussion or subtle meditation. There is much symbolism about bread in the Bible that you can use.
Cookery Demonstration
Cookery TV programmes such as "Ready, Steady, Cook" are more popular than ever, so why not put one on in your church or community centre?
How about using a dinner lady and a vicar or minister? Get your table top cookers from a local industrial hire shop, gather a store cupboard of ingredients and interview your rival cooks for menu details. Throw in a few amusing personal stories and keep it short and entertaining. Remember that everything on TV looks spontaneous, but it is all carefully scripted and timed. Maybe end your event with a challenging, food-themed thought for the day.
Discussion Groups
Discussion groups can range from a cosy chat over coffee or a glass of wine to a great debate about a current hot topic.
Invite people to bring something that makes them feel "Mad, Sad, Bad or Glad". It can be anything - a photograph, a press cutting, a poem, a piece of music or a news story. Ask them to be willing to say at least one sentence about it. This is a great conversation starter and the choice of item speaks volumes about the person.
At future meetings people could bring their favourite film clips and talk about them.
Craft
In recent times, there has been increased interest in traditional crafts. If you are excited by things like knitting, crochet, embroidery, quilting or card-making, why not gather a group of like-minded people to meet regularly? Chatting while working on crafts together is a great way of sharing faith and building friendships.
Meetings can easily be held in your own home - but maybe you could consider setting up a session in a residential home and involving the elderly residents. If you are interested in doing this, ask at your local home. They will almost certainly give you a warm welcome.
Holiday at Home
The elderly often feel marginalised and forgotten. One way of countering this is to hold a holiday club for older people.
Church Army evangelist Alison Wooding runs such a club. She says that a typical week might include activities in the morning such as board games, jigsaws, craft or newspapers. A hearty lunch can be followed by entertainment in the afternoon. You could also include a trip out to a local site of interest.
The ideal time for a Bible-based thought for the day is just before lunch. The period immediately after lunch could be set aside for prayer ministry.
