Friday, May 15, 2015

6E Strategy

Recently, I had the opportunity to hear Randy Mullinax of the Georgia Baptist Convention share what is known as the 6E Strategy of evangelism. Sometimes we label things we do in the church as evangelism that may not qualify as evangelism. He states three things must be in place for evangelism to occur: 1) The lost are present, 2) The Gospel is presented, 3) People are given a chance to respond. How often do churches have I had one & two in place and neglect the third part?

Randy states there are six evangelism strategies we can weave into the fabric of our church. Let me share those with you:
1) Prayer Evangelism:  This is praying for the lost by name. Every small group/Sunday School class should be praying for the lost. One church saw nine people come to Christ in a revival; all nine were on the prayer list.
2) Ministry Evangelism: This is the helping people part by meeting needs (physical, financial, etc.)
3) Team Evangelism: This is where we as church do outreach together. It may involve a visitation night where we go out and make visits as a church but we also provide opportunities for people to write cards and make phone calls as well.
4) The Sunday Morning Experience: Yes, our Sunday morning worship service is an evangelism opportunity. That's why it is incredibly important we have greeters, proper signage, a great children and student ministry, and we clearly present the gospel.
5) Personal Evangelism: This is where people in our church share the gospel. My mind immediately thinks of Bill Sawyer. Some months back I went to lunch with him and then he took me to pick up my car in the shop. He had shared his faith with the cashier and the mechanic and just about everyone else we came into contact with!
6) Event Evangelism: These are block parties, Fall Festivals, revivals, etc. Again, one must remember that the lost must be present, the gospel is presented, and there is an opportunity to respond.

Looking at the baptism rate of our West Campus, there is much room for improvement. What can God do if we put much prayer and action into these six areas? I'm excited to find out!