ISEMA Newsletters
Mobilizing the Church
by Larry Rosenbaum
One of the main purposes of the ministry I work with, SOS Ministries, is to recruit and train Christians to witness for Jesus Christ. We believe that every Christian should be involved in some way in witnessing for Jesus. But is this a realistic goal? What do other Christian leaders say?
At the International Congress on World Evangelization, Dr. George Peters stated that “as a church was mobilized to do evangelism, we can expect only 10 to 15 percent to be involved in what he called `active, confrontational’ evangelism. He went on to conclude that 20 to 30 percent of a congregation could be expected to be trained in a friendship or relational approach to evangelism. The rest would be encouraged to pray for the work of evangelism.” Dr. Joe Aldrich stated, “I doubt that 10 percent of Christians will ever be effective in (confrontational) evangelism….As a general rule, the confrontational approach should be a methodology reserved for the abnormal rather than the normal witness experience” (Lifestyle Evangelism, pp. 79, 81).
In contrast to this, Mark McCloskey, in his book Tell it Often, Tell it Well, asserts that it is both possible and realistic to expect every Christian to be involved in evangelism. These “experts,” he notes, are simply describing the church as it is, not as it ought to be. Jesus expects all of us to witness for Him. “You shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto me…unto the uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 1:8). If the power of the Holy Ghost is available to all Christians, then the responsibility to witness is also for all Christians. As John Stott said, “Evangelism is a responsibility laid by Christ upon His whole church and every member of it. So the people of God must be both mobilized and trained.”
I have no problem with those who prefer “friendship” evangelism to “confrontational” evangelism. But many choose it because they want to avoid persecution. You can only escape persecution by compromising the message. Many Christians expect the “silent witness” of their lives to result in salvations. Your friend may not see the difference Christ has made in your life. Or he may attribute that change to your self-will or innate goodness or the psychological value of believing in something. You need to tell your friend that it is Jesus who has changed you. Eventually you must also confront your friend with his sinful condition and need of a savior. This will offend some people and lead to rejection. And being rejected by friends is more painful than being rejected by strangers. “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).
Getting Started
This past month, I have spoken with several pastors and church leaders. One pastor has been bringing his worship group to San Francisco with us. He wants to involve his church in a variety of outreaches including prison ministry. Another pastor is taking some church members door-to-door in his community. Other church members are involved in mailing evangelistic literature to neighbors of the church. Anyone can stuff envelopes. A third church is setting aside a month for evangelism. They are canceling their regular meetings so they can do various kinds of outreach. They have also started a regular weekly street outreach. A fourth church is seeking to recruit hundreds of members for church-on-the-street rallies, as well as begin a coffeehouse ministry. A fifth church is training members to witness to friends and people at work. They meet twice a month to share their experiences with one another and pray for those they are witnessing to. They also have a weekly outreach at the University of California, Berkeley, using a sketchboard and evangelism surveys.
While I am encouraged by what is happening in these and other churches, much more needs to be done. Even in these churches, only a minority of the members are involved in evangelism. Here are three things you can do to help change this situation: 1. Commit yourself to get involved in some kind of outreach on a weekly or monthly basis. 2. Encourage others in your church to join you. 3. Challenge your pastor and church leaders to give evangelism a greater priority in your church.
The change must begin in our own lives. We need to stop being spectators and start doing the work God has called us to. We need to make evangelism a priority in our own lives and stop making excuses for ourselves. It is not so important where or how you witness, but that you be involved in telling unsaved people about Jesus in a consistent way. Once you get started, you can encourage others to join you.
Coming Events
Saturday January 7-March 4 Downtown Dallas Street Blitz. Contact Rev. David O’Dell, Operation Christlift, 3400 W Park Blvd #2117, Plano, TX 75075, (214) 519-0195.
Sat. February 11 Chinese New Year Parade Outreach, San Francisco. 300,000 attend this parade. Contact SOS Ministries, Box 27358, Oakland, CA 94602, (510) 531-5325.
February 23-March 1 Mardi Gras Outreach, New Orleans. Contact Heart-Fire Ministries, Box 14031, Milwaukee, WI 53214, (414) 445- 9490, Rescue Atlanta, Box 965029, Atlanta, GA 30066, (404) 924- 0201, or Christ in Action, Box 4200, Manassas, VA 22110, (703) 368-8286.
March 11-12, 18-19, 25-26 Spring Break Outreach, Corpus Christi, TX. “America’s Third Coast.” Over 200,000 on beaches. For more information, contact Street Ministry for Jesus, Box 8222, Corpus Christi, TX 78468, (512) 991-1111.
March 17-18 South Texas Street Ministries Conference, San Antonio, TX. Contact Operation Christlift (address above).
April 29 Fiesta Celebration Outreach, San Antonio, TX. Contact Operation Christlift (address above).
May 4-6 National Street Ministries Conference, London, England. Contact Scott Hinkle, Box 30642, Phoenix, AZ 85046, (602) 661- 6406.
May 27, 1995 March for Jesus. Public praise marches scheduled for hundreds of U.S. cities and every nation on earth. Contact March for Jesus, Box 3216, Austin, TX 78764, (512) 416-0066.
June 15-17 National Street Ministries Conference, Columbus, Ohio. Contact Scott Hinkle (address above).
June 24-July 8. Christ in Action Boot Camp (for youth ages 14- 17). Contact Christ in Action (address above).
June 30-July 8 SOS-San Francisco. Contact SOS Ministries (address above).
SOS MINISTRIES is looking for two men with a desire to learn about and do evangelism to live in their ministry house. For more information, contact SOS Ministries, Box 27358, Oakland, CA 94602, (510) 531-5325.
ROCK CONCERT EVANGELISM Pastor Reb Bradley has put together some tracts specifically designed to minister to specific rock groups, using lyrics from their songs to bring out the gospel. Write him for samples at Hope Chapel Christian Fellowship, Box 1401, Fair Oaks, CA 95628, (916) 967-HOPE.
HANDS FOR CHRIST is offering Christian tracts and bumper stickers on a donation basis. They also need used Christian Bibles, books and tapes to distribute to Third World countries. Contact them at 5720 Williamson Rd NW #111, Roanoke, VA 24012, (703) 362-1214.
JOB OPPORTUNITY: Assistant Ministry Director. Help build on present ministry. Creation of new ministries. Training churches in personal evangelism. Public relations. Ministry operations. Additional job openings in various skill areas for both men and women available. Contact Outreach for Christ, Box 4326, Virginia Beach, VA 23454, (804) 428-8227.
DO YOU WANT TO START A FOOD AND CLOTHING EVANGELISM MINISTRY IN YOUR CITY? We will come to your city or you can come to ours. Victory Ministries has over 10 years experience in ministry to the poor. Contact Victory Ministries, Box 360833, Columbus, OH 43226, (614) 252-2500.
CONSULTING SERVICE FOR CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES AND CHURCHES–FUN DRAISING, PUBLIC RELATIONS, ADMINISTRATION, CRUSADE PLANNING. Contact David Patterson, The Patterson Group, 3380 Green Meadow Dr, Danville, CA 94506, (510) 736-7823.
It’s Time To Renew Your ISEMA Membership!
“Two are better than one… and a threefold cord is not easily broken.” Yes, a new year has arrived. Once again, we want to urge you to become a member of ISEMA if you have not already done so, linking up with other evangelism ministries and Christians who believe in the Great Commission. If you are already an ISEMA member, now is the time to renew your membership for 1995. As the only association of street ministries in existence, ISEMA depends on your active involvement.
Once again I want to thank you for your prayers and financial support for ISEMA. We have had a serious drop in income during the past year and we really need your help. If you cannot afford a membership, even $10 per year will help with the cost of send ing this newsletter to you each month. Please consider sending monthly support to help us continue this ministry to street ministers, most of whom are very poor and can’t afford to support us.
Please continue to send us information about what is happening in your community, teachings on evangelism, information about upcoming outreaches, etc. so we can share these with our readers.
Our Tape of the Month is Solomon’s Porch: the Church in Public Places by Richard Paradise. Richard is Director of Proclamation at New Hope Christian Fellowship, Sacramento. This teaching presents a strategy for involving the entire church in public evangelism outreach, a strategy we have found very effective in San Francisco and one that can be used in your community as well.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
