Engaging Communities: A Practical Approach to Evangelism

Would you like to know about ten unique ways that your small group can evangelize together? Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and Dereksit down with special guest Kiersten Telzerow to discuss ten innovative ways that small groups can break out beyond the walls to share the good news with people in their community. 

Note: Kiersten is still finalizing her program and is not yet a doctor. 

10 Ways Your Group Can Evangelize

• Kiersten - Groups Pastor @ NCC in DC
• DMIN: Wholistic Discipleship– passionate about ways that groups can engage in mission on a regular basis– being the hands and feet of Christ
• Do the leg work up front– don’t just sign your group up for something - because then everyone will feel like they have to do it and that’s not mission ;)

Of first time Health Assessment takers 87% evangelism is self selected as low

• Set up Personal, Local and Global
• Personal—1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (Plant, Water, and Harvest)
• Local/Global—Homa and Away Teams

• Don’t overcomplicate it- first and foremost- don’t try to put a 1-week overseas trip on the calendar for all 15 people in your small group- never say never, but the likelihood is that may not happen.
• Keep it simple and consistent- if we know those who experience the greatest transformation in community in a small group- why wouldn’t we believe the same to be true of mission? The more we keep showing up– the easier it gets. It’s like flexing a muscle. If we don’t have the gift of mercy or evangelism- it can be harder to flex this muscle- so start with something easy.
• Pray about & strategize it- What’s one of the areas that’s a great need? Is there a local cause that is close to the church or your small group? Are there places that a group could rotate so maybe it doesn’t work on everyone's schedule all at once, but you can take shifts. Serving 2 Saturdays/month.
• Find what people are passionate about– leverage strengths/ gifts in group. & the most important thing is do it together– model it together, live it out- express the Gospel through our lifestyle/everyday living.

Practically speaking:

1. Prayer Walk- Reimagine mission – what that could look like in your group– prayer walk your neighborhood or around your church. Every summer our groups engage in 40 days of prayer walks- in their neighborhoods, at their workplaces, etc. Prayer walking is still living on mission! **Have everyone in your group be praying for 3 people consistently in their sphere of influence.
2. See if your group can “adopt” a cause like taking turns providing respite care to families who are fostering or every year your group puts together shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
3. Food- Make lunches for homeless friends- if that doesn’t already exist- make that a small group! Or, every other week I’m a part of a reconciliation lunch at our Dream Center and I’ll bring people with me– listening to people’s stories is a way of partnering with Jesus- doing what He did wherever we go.
4. Evangelize in your own neighborhood–(together or individually) If you all live in the same community- ask what you can do in your community. Several of our group members all live in the same area and so we realized there was a gap of a chaplain down at our police precinct- one day we had an incident in the neighborhood and I just said hey I’m a pastor, I live over here- if there’s anything I can do please let me know… there’s several of us from the same church in the area if anyone needs anything.
5. Never underestimate the small- hidden things. Our small group is made up of bakers- we are always baking things, giving them away, etc. So one time we made a batch of cookies with invites to Easter services attached. I thought- small things- maybe it’ll cheer a neighbors day up. Everyone in the group can do this wherever they live- but just deliver goods to neighbors on a regular basis- you never know the difference. Recently I had a neighbor I’ve been praying for, and she came up to me and said I just needed you to know the difference you made by dropping off those sweets- I’d like to go to church with you one day if that’s possible. I was floored- over a batch of cookies.
6. Neighborhood block party.  Invite your group host home to had a block party (or someone else in your group if thats better) to invite their street to a block party.  Either the group, the church, whoever can sponsor it and have a gathering.  This is a great way to live for Jesus in front of lost people
7. Write out your 1-, 3- and 10-minutes testimony and share it with your small group.
8. Identify your One Life who doesn’t know Christ and share with the group what stage you are at with them (plant, water, or harvest) and your next step.
9. Have a party with your small group and invite your One Life(s). Let them see Christians having fun.
10. Explore people different than you, attend an ethic mom and pop restaurant and learn about their culture.