“Sorry, cousin. There’s no way I’m going to church with you.”
Alex had invited his cousin Kurt to church many times, with no success. Alex’s heart broke for Kurt. He knew Kurt was struggling in the ways so many young people do today: depression, loneliness, even thoughts of taking his own life. Alex knew his cousin needed Jesus.
Then, Alex asked Kurt to come to an event all led by young people. This is different! I think you’ll like it.”
Kurt came to the event that night, and heard the testimonies of many young people his own age. He heard the gospel for the first time in a way he could really grasp and understand.
During the invitation time, Alex was playing in the worship band on the stage when he got a text. It was Kurt, in the audience, asking Can I come forward?” That night Kurt dramatically gave his life to Christ!
One week later, Alex said, I’ve never seen the Holy Spirit work so fast in someone’s life. My cousin is a new person!”
Another life is rescued. Praise God! Now, there are so many more to reach.
Jesus invites us to join Him in His mission: To seek and to save (rescue) the lost” (Luke 19:10). Evangelism is all about rescue.” People are dying. We have the Good News that can save them!
We know the command of Jesus: You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
A rescuer knows you can’t rescue dying people from the life saving-station. It’s not about the rescuer being comfortable. Rescue is all about going to them. We must meet lost people in their world, not expect them to come to us – starting with where we live, and to the ends of the earth!
Rescue Jesus Way
Jesus knew that to reach lost people with His message, He had to go to them. Where did Jesus find people? He would connect with lost people in their world – in their homes, at the park, on the street, in the public spaces. You never saw Jesus set up hours at the synagogueand expect people to come to Him!
Mass evangelism remains an effective tool in the Kingdom toolbox. We have seen the power and impact of the Gospel in large group gatherings, much like the story of Alex and his cousin, Kurt. But how can proclamation evangelism events be even more effective to win people to Jesus? How do we get more lost people to come? What could this look like to have greater impact with our time and resources, and rescue even more from darkness?
The ultimate key is God at work, through the power of prayer. If God’s people are praying, then consider these four keys to follow:
Key #1 — Think Lost
It all starts with thinking lost.” Don’t plan a mass evangelism event with your preferences. Design an event with a lost person in mind.
Ask questions like, What would make a lost person feel comfortable? What would make them want to come? What would help a lost person feel connected?”
This simple idea is a game changer. As Christian ministry leaders, we get way too comfortable in our Christian sub-culture, with our own traditions, methods, and ways of doing things.
We even have our own mass evangelism culture. Lost people are different today than they were even ten years ago. They’ve moved! We may need to adjust our approach to meet them where they are, so they can hear and respond to the Gospel that can change their lives forever.
Consider asking lost people directly, Is this the kind of event that would interest you? Would you come? Would you like it?” If not, adjust, and be willing to innovate and change.
Start with a Think Lost” mindset. It sets you on the course for everything else.
Key #2 — Think Tribe
The entire world is divided up into countless tribes.” What’s a tribe? A tribe is a group of people who share common interests and culture.
I have invested many years in planning effective evangelism events targeting specific tribes. We have facilitated outreach events for the parent tribe, the singles tribe, the business-and-professional-leaders tribe, even Native American tribes, and certainly the youth tribe.
What are tribes you know well, and believe you could help reach with the Gospel? Here are a few ideas of tribes to consider: The mom tribe. The dad tribe. The college / university student tribe. The athlete tribe. The extreme sports tribe. The married couples tribe. The community leader tribe. The youth tribe. (Plus, there are a bunch of sub-tribes within the youth-tribe!) You get the idea!
Plan an event in a place where that tribe is comfortable and feels welcome. This often will mean having an event on neutral ground,” and not in a church.
A big key is to mobilize believers IN that tribe to lead the way! Create an event where they take ownership – in planning, promoting, and praying to reach their tribe for Jesus.
Always remember to think tribe.”
Key #3 — Think Felt-Need
Ask this question, What felt-need could we address that lost people would care about?”
Lost people today don’t care very much about sin. But they do care about specific issues that impact their lives every day. They care about the symptoms that lead to the disease of sin! Then they’re looking for a cure, which we know to be Jesus.
Depending on the tribe, there are many different felt needs that could help draw a crowd and make for an effective rescue event. For example, lost people struggle with loneliness, depression, stress, anxiety about the future, and fear, and they’re looking for answers with hope! They also are looking for practical help with how to improve and manage their lives, including relationships, finances, health, and more.
Develop a creative title for your message, letting people know what kind of practical help they will get by attending your event. For many years. I helped coordinate and offer a parenting seminar, Five Needs Your Child Must Have Met at Home.” Or a luncheon for business leaders, How to Have Peaceful Living in a Stressful World.” One event featured, Finding Unsinkable Hope in Uncertain Times.” You know you’re on the right track when people say, I need to hear that!”
Then, don’t self-identify as an evangelist.” Lost people understand speaker” or author” or another word that isn’t weird to them.
In your presentation, be sure to bridge naturally to a clear, simple presentation of the Gospel. This can’t be bait and switch.” Show how Jesus is the ultimate answer to the felt-need you’ve been addressing.
Don’t forget to think felt-need.”
Key #4 — Use Hope Stories”
Finally, use testimonies, or as some call it, Hope Stories.”
Peter says: Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15 NIV).
Every follower of Jesus has a hope story.” There is no better case for the Gospel than for someone from a tribe, sharing about the difference Jesus has made in their life.
We’ve all seen the power of testimonies. Why aren’t these used more?
Every proclamation evangelism event, every church service, every youth service or event, every small group gathering – can naturally feature at least one hope story, if not more.
In our HowToLife Movement student-led evangelism events, 90% of what is spoken from the platform are testimonies/hope stories. They continue to effectively open hearts for the Gospel, every time.
The outline for a hope story is simple: My life before Jesus, the turning point, and my life since Jesus. Answer this: What difference has Jesus made in my life? How is my life different because of Jesus?
Hope stories are engaging for lost people. A testimony shows that Jesus changes lives! That’s what lost people really want to know.
This approach is not only ideal for an event but also works for the everyday believer. Your Hope Story opens doors like nothing else! Use your story, to share His story, to change their story.
If you’re not using hope stories often and regularly, start now. No one can argue with a hope story! God will use the stories of His followers to impact and open hearts. This simple idea will transform your event, I promise.
Jesus modeled Go to them”
Jesus modeled Go to them” in John 4. Jesus said I must go through Samaria.” He went to the Samaritan world, and didn’t expect them to come to His. With the woman at the well, Jesus found common ground on a topic that mattered to both of them (water). He stuck to the message of a relationship, and didn’t make it all about church or religion (even when she tried to change the subject!). By the time this story was done, the woman had reached her entire village for Jesus through the power of her hope story.
Veteran evangelist Ron Hutchcraft pulls all of this together in his simple formula for a high impact rescue event: If the prayer is there, if the lost are there, if the Gospel is clear…the harvest will be amazing!
Lost people are ready for Jesus. Let’s go to them with the Good News that can change their lives forever.
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