The first is a series of articles called “Continue to Change the World” based on the book Change the World by Michael Slaughter, a pastor of a large-membership teaching church in Tipp City, OH. This series expands on selected concepts in Slaughter's book.

Continue to Change the World homepage

• Introduction
• Just Go
• Windblown Christians
• Church vs. World…Win, Lose, or Draw?
• Decision Priority 1: Make Disciples

The second series is called “Book of Acts Sermon Starters.” This series is aimed at pastors and laity who preach. The purpose is to provide a series based in Acts because it provides great examples of evangelism by followers of Christ empowered and emboldened by the Holy Spirit.

Evangelistic Preaching Helps homepage

Book of Acts Sermon Starters Introduction

• It’ll Happen (The Promise of the Holy Spirit) Acts 1:1-11
• The Holy Spirit…Here…Now (Pentecost) Acts 2: 1-13
• Switched (Empowered by the Spirit) Acts 2:14-36
• Now What? (Responding to the Spirit) Acts 2:37-47
• Get Up! (Personal and Social Restoration) Acts 3:1-10
• No Longer Afraid (Holy Boldness) Acts 4:1-22

[Episcopal News Service] What are you doing right now to make the world a better place? The answer to that question could change how you live your life.

At least that is what the Rev. Wayne Schwab, coordinator of the Member Mission Network, would like to see happen. With the help of a grant from Trinity Wall Street, Schwab launched training of trainers for Member Mission in 2008 to "lead in teaching the baptized to see themselves as missionaries" in the world.

"It's about living your faith and talking it, and in each area of daily life; the seven daily mission fields, that is so critical," said Schwab.

The seven daily mission fields are: home, work, community, the wider world (including political life and social action), leisure or recreation, and church -- both individual spiritual health and sharing in church life and its outreach.

"You might say 'my mission is running a good company,' but it goes beyond that," said Schwab. "It's about how you vote, how you talk at cocktail parties when a controversial issue comes up."

As Schwab, the Episcopal Church's evangelism officer from 1975-93, tells it, the concept behind Member Mission was decades in the making.

In retrospect, he said, "I was always trying to put evangelism inside of mission."

When the Members Are the Missionaries: An Extraordinary Calling for Ordinary People

by A. Wayne Schwab, Member Mission Press, 2002. 203 pp.

a book review by Evan Gel

Of course we all know that Jesus is as concerned about what we do from Monday through Saturday as what happens on Sunday.  He deeply cares about real people who have learned to see all of their life as a mission for Christ without becoming obnoxious.  Wayne Schwab has done his homework here with sound, Biblical theology and useful practical application.  He gives us the Biblical foundation for every church member becoming a missionary, illustrating with real-life experiences of fifteen particular individuals in as many different contexts.  Then he shows us through examples how to go about creating a church that sees its vision as preparing every member for their particular mission in the world in which they live and work and play.

This is not just a book about ideas and theories, but a practical, resourceful collection of probing questions and specific ways to help every church member to exercise their calling and specific mission every day in every area of life.  

Schwab’s “daily mission fields” include the following:

• Home: (family and/or close friends), 
• Work: (school and volunteer work), 
• Local Community: (neighborhood, town, or city), 
• Wider world: (society, culture, economy, government, or environment in country, state, nation or world),
•  Leisure or recreation: (any activity used to rest or refresh yourself) and 
• Church: both your own spiritual health (your inner life with God, including the maintenance of your physical and emotional health that supports your spirituality), and your share in church life and its outreach (your life in the congregation, district, or communion in the U.S. or worldwide church).

Personal spiritual growth, small group re-enforcement and accountability, worship and preaching that inspires every member to “just do it,” non-judgmental encouragement and support, leaders who lead, discovering mission fields…it’s all here, and more.  And it’s not from some theorist, but from an Episcopal pastor, and first evangelism staff officer of the Episcopal Church, who practices this in his ministry through the years of change and challenge.  From the first page to the last, this is a motivating, equipping book that won’t let you down, but will get you moving, and help you to get others to join you in what Christ has called us all to do and be…every day in every aspect of our lives.

The book is also enhanced by a guidebook available through MemberMission.org

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Usually, we think of mission as ‘what the church does in the world.’  When we say ‘church,’ we usually mean the congregation or some larger church body.  We don’t think about what the individual members ‘do in the world’ as mission.  It is time to see what individual Christians do as mission.  When we do, we take a giant step from the past into a new reality of mission.”

“People who say they do not know where God is leading them or what God really wants them to do, often do not recognize God’s presence in what they want to do.  If what they want to do is an honorable, giving thing, then God is speaking to them.  God speaks to us very loudly and very strongly.”

Click here for the (mp3) audio file of this article

Ritual response: While teaching an undergraduate communication course, I learned this two-word phrase. In communication, ritual responses are automatic utterances said in reply to some question such as, "How are you doing?" "Fine." I wonder if local churches sometimes slip into ritual responses with regard to evangelism.]]> michael@ellisonbradley.com (Kwasi Kena) frontpage Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:52:39 +0000 http://www.evangelismconnections.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=118:worship-as-evangelism&catid=13&Itemid=33 http://www.evangelismconnections.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=118:worship-as-evangelism&catid=13&Itemid=33 Since returning from the Worship Symposium of Calvin College at Grand Rapids, Michigan, I have been doing a lot of thinking about worship in the church. Worship is and will remain the key element of Christian expression. We remember that worship was vital to the life of the early church and that Jesus regularly went to the synagogue. If, for the average church member, Sunday morning worship is the main or primary experience of God, then it is important for us to consider carefully what we do in worship.

Every congregation I know at least says it wants to grow and share the good news. (We call this ‘doing evangelism’). I enter every congregation in which I serve with a mind for growth. After all, that is what we are called to do as a people of God, isn’t it? In addition to the vital aspects of our Christian ministry of offering care to the needy and justice to the oppressed, we are called by Christ to a ministry of evangelism, that is, to share the good news and make disciples of all the nations.

Unbinding Your Soul, Your Experiment in Prayer and Community

Reviewed by Evan Gel

So here you are, pastor in a church content with things as they are, or a brand new church, or a good church that could be a great church and you want to get them off first base and moving toward what’s next.  Where do you start, what do you do, how do you do it, and what do you use to get there?  If it were I (I’m retired after four decades of ministry in four congregations in four states and a dozen years as my denomination’s minister of evangelism) I’d start with this book.  The author provides all kinds of helps on how and what to do, and all the materials you’ll need to begin to move your faith community from here to there gradually, spiritually, and thoroughly!

The church is working hard trying to live out its mission: “The Church that Loves Their Neighbors.”  Most recently the idea of an “after-school” ministry to children in the neighborhood is underway.  The program is called “After the Bell.”  The principal of the nearby elementary school and the Sunburst Elementary School program director were consulted and gave their blessing.  

Less than a dozen students currently attend, but it is very early in the program, and, if enthusiasm can count for as much as experience the casual observer can’t help but “catch the spirit” of the children, the leaders and volunteers.

“There a lot of things I could say to you today. I could tell you about the times I did drugs and nearly died. I could tell you about things that should have landed me in jail. I could tell you about running away and living on the streets at fourteen.”

He paused dramatically and continued.

“I could tell you all those things… but they would not be true.” Then he and the audience burst out into laughter. He continued saying, “I grew up in a Christian home and never experienced any of those things. God blessed me to avoid many of the pitfalls that my friends experienced.”

Long before the worldwide web and the information age, the Apostle Paul recognized the value of training, and networking with others.  Paul was an exceptionally gifted evangelist and teacher, and he saw the value in equipping others to do the work of the ministry. He encouraged those he trained (like Timothy) to follow his example and train others as well. The impact of this strategy caused the church to grow exponentially in the first century. Many people used, and continue to use their gifts to strengthen the kingdom of God. However, giftedness in evangelism is not what characterizes most believers. Evangelism is not first and foremost an issue of gift; it’s an issue of discipleship. The first thing Christ ever taught His disciples was “Follow Me and I’ll make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).

“Here is the church, and here is the steeple.  Open the door and see all the people.”  So the saying goes.  But on a recent Sunday morning a church in Phoenix, Arizona, was a notable exception.  The parking lot was full of cars, but the pews were empty.  The church sign said: AM worship cancelled; it’s time to “be the church.” 

Scores of the church members in ten to twelve teams scattered throughout the immediate community with rakes, shovels, garbage bags, weed whackers and lawn mowers to fulfill the message on their common identifying T-shirts: “The Church that loves their neighbors.”  They trimmed palm trees, cut grass, pulled weeds, raked yards, picked up trash, washed cars and even did some dry wall repair at one home;  all completely gratis, to the astonishment of those served by the church’s teams.

A church in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, has found the answer, at least for them.  Once a month the church provides a free meal for the community.  It’s called simply the “New Day Meals” program.  It was inspired by Isaiah 58:7a “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen…Is it not to share your food with the hungry?”  Members of the congregation build relationships with people who come regularly.  Spiritual talk comes naturally and opportunities to pray with and for them abound.  “They feel our love and respect and they are responding with openness to God,” says Lyle Zumdahl, the pastor of Bethany Reformed Church.

This is one of the things that a community church in Phoenix, Arizona, is doing to reach out to its changing community. At a time when the economy is threatening jobs, pinching family budgets, stressing family life and challenging lifestyles, the church, which is situated on a very busy thoroughfare, is attempting to provide a healthful opportunity for the people all around it.

No, you’re not reading a spelling error. On the contrary, this article’s title is actually a contraction for phenomena that is happening with the current generation of “church-goers.” Today the question people are asking is not, which church do you attend but whether or not you go to church…period.

Today people interested in a faith community are choosing a church based not on the denominational tag, not even on location or architectural style or liturgy, but on services they provide for the whole family, single individual, divorcing, or remarried person.

- Romans 12:10

Here in this wonderful scripture, Apostle Paul reminds the church of their responsibility and great need for hospitality. This expression means that they should readily and cheerfully entertain strangers. This is a duty which is frequently enjoined in the Scriptures. Hebrews 13:2, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." 1 Peter 4:9, "Use hospitality one to another without grudging." Paul makes this especially the duty of a Christian bishop: 1Timothy 3:2, "A bishop then must--be given to hospitality;" Titus 1:8. Hospitality is especially enjoined by the Saviour, and its exercise commanded: Matthew 10:40,42, "He that receiveth you receiveth me," etc.

I just received a flyer in the mail, advertising a conference to help churches retain their visitors. The conference is called, “Sticky Church”, and promises to help churches “close the back door”.

Stickiness: what an interesting concept! (I first learned about it in the book, The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell.) How sticky is your church? What do you do to promote stickiness to your visitors? Once upon a time, when I was a pastor, Bring-a-Friend Sundays were very popular. I got pretty good at promoting this idea and getting the church to draw a big crowd. Sometimes, we would almost double our worship attendance for that Sunday! The church people would get excited to see such a crowd! But the following Sunday, maybe a few would come back. Within a few Sunday’s, no one was returning. Though we had an exciting day, it was depressing that we didn’t find anyone who really wanted to be a part of us.

This toolkit is designed for anyone, clergy or lay, interested in evangelism and looking for resources that will help them understand more fully what the Bible requires of us. We hope to provide you with information that will assist you in sharing the grace of God and the salvation of Jesus Christ with others and encourage you as individuals and as churches to awaken to the many opportunities you encounter each day to be an evangelist.

Resources in this edition of the Toolkit include books, CDs, pamphlets, and video media produced by the partner denominations of EC. The entries include descriptions of the item, the cost, and information on how to obtain the resource. The Toolkit is currently available in PDF format at no charge by clicking on the link above or on the toolkit menu items anywhere on this site.

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Over the summer a white, circus-sized tent appeared on the grounds of St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Troy, N.Y., garnering looks of interest from all who passed by, according to Marilyn Dyer. Although known throughout the community for its "innovative approach to ministry," St. Timothy reached a high point in its aspiration for doing things differently by organizing a "revival" or "renewal" -- an evangelism and worship trend currently making its way across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).