Building Evangelism Into Your Building
Before all the coronavirus shutdowns, Central spent some time emphasizing personal evangelism in a very important series. We spent a few Sunday nights with sermons–the subjects of which you would likely expect. Then, though, we spent a few Sunday nights demonstrating a few methods that we feel are simple but effective.
Then…the shutdowns happened, and we are praying we don’t lose all our momentum!
But, before the shutdowns, we were also involved in a building project. We have been expanded our lobby space and moving things around to make a new nursery and creating a small balcony (where the nursery used to be). This Sunday, Lord willing, we’ll meet in this renovated space for the first time.
In the process of this renovation, though, the elders talked about how we need to keep the motivation for personal evangelism going. I mentioned something I had heard brother Rob Whitacre talk about at Polishing the Pulpit. He spoke about how we often put everything in our lobby (or other “common areas”) except things that are helpful to personal evangelism–and then we tell people that personal evangelism is our most important work. It doesn’t make any sense!
So, when we finish our renovation this week, we have literally built in an area that is going to be our “evangelism center.” It has two parts.
- The first is a simple but beautiful piece of furniture where we will have on display materials that our members are encouraged to take and use to study with others. “Back to the Bible” booklets, “Searching for Truth” DVDs, and free Bibles will be part of what is there, and we are sure the materials will change and be updated over time. There are other materials that will be on there that can be used and returned (we have the Jule Miller “filmstrips” on flashdrive, for example).
- Right beside the center will be a tract rack, but it will not be filled with materials on just “any” subject. We are specifically choosing tracts that are evangelistic in nature and that answer commonly-asked questions. Many of these will be from House-to-House, but, again, we hope to keep this up-to-date.
I have prayed for months now that this part of our renovation becomes more than just a pretty feature or a “good idea.” I have prayed that it equips our members with materials that are being constantly used to teach the lost. In many ways, I pray it’s the most important part of our entire renovation because our number one work as God’s people is reaching people with the message of Jesus. I pray we are constantly having to replenish the materials in the evangelism center because our members are in constant studies with people!
You may not be going through a renovation, but is there some way you can put personal evangelism as a focus of the place where you meet? It may be time to rethink your lobby space and quit piling up more and more flowers or flyers or furniture and, instead, remember the main purpose of the church. It might just be an old rickety table with a few Bible study booklets for members to take and use. If that’s all you can do, though, that little table might become the most valuable piece of furniture in your entire building.
If we are going to talk about personal evangelism being our most important work, maybe it’s time we starting showing it by putting it into our buildings and equipping our members. At least, it’s something to consider!
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AUTHOR: Adam Faughn
