This week has been our Regional Pastor's Conference (we are forgoing the normal district conference because of the Synodical Conference) and while suffering from the normal highly uncomfortable chairs and the truly odd lack of coffee and doughnuts (What are we Baptists?!) it has been a thought provoking practical conference. Our focus has been evangelism. Oh no, not another evangelism conference! Actually I have gotten some things out of this conference. You have to be impressed when the keynote speaker says all programs are failures. Granted he did seem to like Kennedy's "Evangelism Explosion," but that was because it didn't just fill peoples heads, it also gave them "on the job" training opportunities. I can see where the actual experience could be helpful because if they are like me actually doing something makes it easier to do in the future.
The seminar also gave me some ideas on how to involve our shut-ins in outreach. As I visit our shut-ins, I am giving them the chance to help us by praying for our visitors both for any needs they have expressed and that they receive the Gospel. It also gave me some time to reflect on ways that I can practice what I preach. Something, I admittedly struggle with as the wife and I suffer from the affliction many in our congregation suffer from we only really know people from the congregation.
2 comments:
Hah! I'll leave my "Evangelism Explosion" comments to myself because I'm sure that you would like your blog to remain "family friendly." :-)
"All programs are failures," does get to the heart of quite a bit of the "missional" stuff I've been reading and writing about.
I can certainly see the "on the job" training aspect being helpful. I think there are other ways to get this accomplished, however, than doing door-to-door cold calls.
Glad you had a good time!
Me too, I hate door to door cold calls, in fact, I find it down right terrifying. One of the ways that I am considering doing "on the job" training is by hosting "Matthew Parties." Inviting a few families from church and having them invite a family a piece not from the church.
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