by Kameron DeVasher | Sep 6, 2023 | Public Evangelism
Believe it or not, we’re only three short weeks away from Discovering Revelation! As you’re reading this, literally thousands of people are seeing Discovering Revelation ads on their social media feeds and clicking on the Discovering Revelation registration website. Right now, billboards are popping up in strategic locations across the state followed by hundreds of thousands of handbills arriving in mailboxes on the final days before the campaign begins. But the most important advertising won’t be on social media, highway road signs, or even in people’s mailboxes—it will be done by you!
While we may assume people attend evangelistic meetings because they saw a billboard or received a handbill in the mail, the reality is that most people choose to come to a series of meetings as the result of a confluence of several factors. For example, in the past few days someone may have briefly glanced at a Discovering Revelation ad on their Facebook feed and thought little about it. That small seed of thought, however, will be watered by the corresponding billboard they see on their way to work. In another week or so, a Discovering Revelation handbill with more details about the topics that will be covered and the location the meetings will be held will “just happen” to arrive in their mailbox. Now they are genuinely curious and will either go ahead and register right then or at least be open to discussing it if someone were to bring it up in conversation. That’s where you come in. When after all that preparation, you approach your friend, co-worker, neighbor, or Adventist-curious family member to personally invite them to attend the meetings with you, their odds of being receptive to your appeal will be far greater! And when they do show up on opening night and they fill in their card at the registration table, they’ll most likely check “someone invited me” as the reason they came, without itemizing the subtle yet invaluable inroads made by the advertising ahead of that personal invitation.
The point is, our best results in terms of attendance will occur when we harness the preparation of public advertising by mustering the spiritual courage to step out and invite people, many of whom may indeed just be waiting for your personal appeal. Your personal efforts during these last few weeks are vital! So please pray for, look for, and by God’s grace initiate those divine appointments where you can invite someone to Discovering Revelation!
by Stephanie Howard | Aug 3, 2023 | Public Evangelism
Bob walks into Sabbath School for the first time after enjoying four weeks of engaging Bible messages during Discovering Revelation expecting to find a church full of eager Bible students. If Bob were to walk into your church, would he find the enthusiastic, welcoming saints he is looking for or will he only find five people huddled together in a little group in the sanctuary who don’t even notice his arrival?
To make sure your church is ready for the Bob’s from your fall evangelism to show up at your Sabbath School, you need to start planning now. The last thing you want is to have your new friends from the meeting feel like they don’t belong. Instead, coming to Sabbath School should feel like they are coming home! Here are some questions to discuss at your Sabbath School Council or Board Meeting to help you evaluate your Sabbath School and where you may need to make some changes.
- If we were brand new to your church, how would we feel as we walked into the building? Is it awkward? Would you know where to go and what to do? Does someone greet you, sit with you, and take an interest in you?
- Are the same people you met at the meetings also there in Sabbath School? Do those folks or others like them greet you when walk in on time? Or is the church kind of empty at the start and only as it gets closer to the worship service do more people start to trickle in?
- Are we going to use Sabbath School as part of phase 2 of or evangelistic series? When you say the Discovering Revelation Meetings are over many people will just stop coming and assume they have gotten all they can from you about Revelation. To avoid that many successful evangelists plan a “phase 2” of their prophecy series to let their guests know that there is still more to learn. For the first few weeks after the series, you can plan to use Sabbath School, the sermon time, and prayer meeting as “follow up” meetings, thus helping establish your guests into the habit of church. You will hear more about what studies to use and how to announce the follow-up or phase 2 in the Discovering Revelation trainings and zoom calls.
- Are we going to start a new beginners Sabbath School Class? If so, will we use the “In Step with Jesus” lessons prepared by the General Conference for new believers, or will we use some other resource? Who will teach it? If we don’t have a class specifically for new believers, where would the best class for new members to attend?
- Is our Sabbath School generally “visitor friendly”? Do we stay on topic? Do we use the Bible? Do we draw them into the study and help them to feel like they belong?
Use questions like these to reflect on how prepared your Sabbath School is to receive new believers in the coming weeks. As you do, pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to make your Sabbath School program just what our Adventist-curious friends need to discover the truth as it is in Jesus.
by Kameron DeVasher | Aug 3, 2023 | Public Evangelism
Discovering Revelation begins Monday, October 2—only weeks away now! While public advertising like billboards, social media, and direct mail handbills certainly has its place, evangelistic success rests to a great degree on our personal effort to invite people to hear the Gospel message. That’s why this is the perfect time for Operation: Andrew!
Operation: Andrew is a special initiative designed to encourage every church member to pray for and personally invite specific friends, family members, co-workers, and neighbors to the upcoming evangelistic series. “But wait,” you may protest, “I’m happy to pray for people, but I’m really not an outgoing person—someone else should do the inviting!” To address this concern, let’s talk a little about the project’s namesake, Andrew.
We really don’t find much about Andrew in the Bible. His far more well-known and outgoing brother, Peter, gets most of the attention. In fact, on the few occasions Andrew’s name is mentioned, nearly every time it is followed by the phrase, “Simon Peter’s brother.” And when you read the Gospel record, we’re only really told two things about Andrew—he was Simon Peter’s brother and, more importantly, he was always bringing someone to Jesus.
In The Desire of Ages, p. 141 we read this striking inspired commentary: John directed two of his disciples to Christ. Then one of these, Andrew, found his brother, and called him to the Saviour… These examples should teach us the importance of personal effort, of making direct appeals to our kindred, friends, and neighbors. There are those who for a lifetime have professed to be acquainted with Christ, yet who have never made a personal effort to bring even one soul to the Saviour. They leave all the work for the minister. He may be well qualified for his calling, but he cannot do that which God has left for the members of the church.
There are many who need the ministration of loving Christian hearts. Many have gone down to ruin who might have been saved if their neighbors, common men and women, had put forth personal effort for them. Many are waiting to be personally addressed. In the very family, the neighborhood, the town, where we live, there is work for us to do as missionaries for Christ. If we are Christians, this work will be our delight. No sooner is one converted than there is born within him a desire to make known to others what a precious friend he has found in Jesus. The saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in his heart.
So, while not everyone can be an Apostle Peter, we can each be his brother, Andrew. To that end, we’re encouraging every church that is participating in Discovering Revelation to launch their own Operation: Andrew initiative on or around August 19. Distribute these Operation: Andrew cards and make a special appeal during the Personal Ministries time of the worship service to appeal to everyone to take up the challenge. Who is the Lord impressing you to pray for and invite to Discovering Revelation? Ask Him today and see who He will put on your heart.
by Kameron DeVasher | May 4, 2023 | Personal Ministries, Public Evangelism
Many churches are missing a vital element in their work that can literally make or break their evangelism success. All the wonderful outreach activities a church conducts may be highly organized, strongly supported, and even well attended, yet still fall short of their soul-winning potential. Why? Because the spiritual interests these activities develop are not diligently followed up. What’s missing is the vital work of the Interest Coordinator!
When outlining the leadership positions of a local church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual first mentions those responsible for the administration of the entire church body like elder, deacon/deaconess, clerk, and treasurer. After those, it lists leaders of “departments and other organizations” that manage specific areas of church life such as children’s ministries, education, health ministries, and Sabbath School.[1]
It might surprise you to learn that on that first list of church-wide leaders is the Interest Coordinator. It may also surprise you to know that the only local church officer specifically mentioned in the work of the church board is the interest coordinator.[2] Though many have never heard of, much less served as an interest coordinator, apparently this is a vital position in the local church. So, what in the world is an interest coordinator and why is it this job so important?
To answer these questions, let’s turn to the source.
An interest coordinator should be elected to make sure that interests developed through the church’s missionary outreach are cared for promptly. This person is a member of the board and the personal ministries council and works directly with the pastor and chairperson of that council.
Duties of this office include:
1. Keeping an organized list of all interests received by the church.
2. Assisting the pastor and chairperson of the personal ministries
council in enlisting and recruiting qualified members for follow-up service.
3. Presenting to the board a monthly report on the number of interests received and followed up. When an interest is sufficiently developed, it should be shared with the pastor.[3]
Apparently, every department of the local church is expected to develop “interests”—spiritually curious non-Adventists—and share those names with the Interest Coordinator. The Interest Coordinator is then responsible to “make sure [those interests] are cared for promptly.” The three subsequent duties of this position simply explain how the Interest Coordinator makes sure follow-up ministry happens: keep an organized interest list, recruit members for follow-up service, and report interest progress with the board each month.
This may sound like a basic or even minor task but take a moment to consider how such a focus on intentionally seeking out and following up with new interests could radically alter your local church. Every department would plan activities and initiatives specifically aimed at discovering spiritually interested people in your area. Members would be enlisted to promptly follow up those interests with Bible studies or personal invitations to other spiritually enriching activities. Board meetings would prioritize discussions of how to minister to these new interests and coordinate plans for finding still more in the future. The culture of the church would shift from merely planning events to truly seeking and saving the lost!
Now imagine an entire conference filled with local churches that made finding and following up new spiritual interests one of its highest priorities! The soul winning potential is almost incalculable but certainly not impossible.
Visit with your church’s Interest Coordinator this week to see how you can help follow up with the spiritually interested souls in your area. If you don’t currently have an Interest Coordinator in your church, talk with your pastor or elder to find out what can be done to move in that direction.
[1] Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, 2022 ed., Ch. 9
[2] Ibid, p. 137, 138
[3] Ibid., p. 91
by Mark Howard | Jan 3, 2023 | Bible Study Offer
There are really only 3 ways to get a Bible study. You can: (1) ask in the morning; (2) ask in the afternoon; or (3) ask in the evening. In other words, you’ll rarely if ever get a Bible study unless you ask for one. So just ASK! BibleStudyOffer.com makes it easy to ask people personally, which produces by far the best results. You can also ask through various advertising methods. Below you’ll find a list of ways to generate Bible study interests using BibleStudyOffer.com:
- Church Services and Events – Visitors who attend your church services or ministry events are often interested in Bible studies. By pointing them to BibleStudyOffer.com, you can offer Bible studies to everyone who visits your church with a simple, non-intimidating question:
“Have you heard about our Bible school?”
Church members don’t have to be study leaders to tell guests about the Bible school. Anyone can highlight the resources and study options available with BibleStudyOffer.com. by directing them to the church’s BSO resource center (see “How to Setup Your Bible School,” #9, p. 15 of this manual). Enthusiastically tell guests about these resources; let them know they can study them on their own or with a study coach; show them how to sign up using the church signup card, website, or phone number; and be sure to let them know there is also a set of children’s lessons available for the young people in their lives!
- Ask People You Know – You can offer Bible studies using BibleStudyOffer.com to friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and other acquaintances. Simply ask the question:
“Have you heard about BibleStudyOffer.com?”
Give them a sample pack, public display card, pocket tract, or business card, and say:
“It’s a ministry run by my church that offers free Bible study resources. You can get study guides and videos on over 20 topics. People love them because they bring together the most relevant Bible verses on a variety of topics so you can know what the Bible really says. You can study with a study coach – which is how I’m involved – or on your own. Do you think you’d be interested in something like that?”
An alternate method uses the principle of gaining trust by asking for a favor, just like Jesus when He asked the woman at the well for a drink (see John 4):
“It’s a ministry run by my church that offers free Bible study resources. You can get study guides and videos on over 20 topics. Anyway, they’ve asked me to be a study leader but I’d really like to get some experience by studying with someone I know. Would you be willing to go through some studies with me?”
If your friends shows interest, offer to study with them and determine which study resource they would like to use. If they say they’re too busy or seem otherwise uninterested, respond by saying:
“That’s no problem. I totally understand! Why don’t you hang on to this [pocket tract/card/sample pack] and when you get a chance, check out the website. You can sign up there for the free studies anytime.”
- Share Using Technology – Using the Miscellaneous Graphics Package in our downloadable digital resources, you will find pre-formatted graphics that make it easy to offer Bible studies by sharing BibleStudyOffer.com over social media, text, or email. Included on the website is also a promotional video designed for sharing.
- Church Member Advertising – Even when not personally offering studies, church members can generate interest with BibleStudyOffer.com advertising materials. Pocket tracts and business cards can be left at restaurants, gas pumps, hotels, and stores. Public display cards can be set up with permission in many doctor, dentist, auto mechanic, hairstylist, laundromat, and business office waiting rooms. Vehicle stickers can be also be used to advertise, along with the great gear like t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, mugs, etc., available through the BSO website.
- Door-to-door Outreach – A time-tested way to find Bible study interests is by simply going door-to-door telling people about BibleStudyOffer.com. When using this method, it is true that the greater percentage of people will not show an interest. Still, because you meet so many people in such a short amount of time, there is a good chance that you’ll find a few who are interested. And when the whole church is organized for door-to-door outreach, it is a quick and effective way to find multiple Bible study interests. For example, if you found only one person interested for every 10 you contacted, and you had 5 groups in your church who could contact 10 homes in an hour, then in one short afternoon your church could generate 5 Bible studies!
Wearing name badges when going door-to-door can express that you represent a larger organization, increasing trust with some people. A file formatted to print a name badge insert sheet, consisting of four 3” x 4” inserts on an 8 ½” x 11” page—each containing the BibleStudyOffer.com logo—is available for download in the “Resources” tab of the Coordinator Panel of the website. There is a Word document file, in which you can type the names before printing, and a PDF file, in which you print the page “as is” and neatly write in the names. In either case, you will need name badges that hold 3” x 4” inserts (NOT 4” x 3”) with lanyards.
It’s ideal, when going door-to-door, to go with a partner. It can also be beneficial for a young person or child to join you as this brings down people’s defenses, as well as giving the young person an experience in personal soulwinning. Bring along several sample packs (see “How to Setup Your Bible School,” #8, p. 16 of this manual), along with some business cards and pocket tracts (these can all be ordered by coordinators in the “Store” tab of the their Control Panel of the website). Those with experience using religious surveys when going door-to-door may choose to offer the BibleStudyOffer.com study options at the conclusion of the survey. Or, you may choose to use a short and direct canvass such as the following:
“Hi, my name is —–, and this is —–, and we’re passing out flyers about BibleStudyOffer.com. [Give public display card or tract.] Have you heard of us? [Wait for response.] Okay, well it’s a free offer for Bible studies. We have prophecy studies, topical studies, and children’s studies. The prophecy studies go over what the Bible says about the end times, and include DVD presentations that cover the same topics. The topical series goes over things like Why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world, God’s plan of salvation, What happens when people die, How to live a fuller life, and things like that. The children’s lessons are like the topical ones, only designed for a younger audience. Do any of these sound like something you’d be interested in?”
If the person says “Yes,” let them know the two study options:
“We currently have two study options. We can drop off a couple study guides for you each week for you to go through on your own, or we can arrange for a study coach to go over the lessons with you. Which one would work better for you?”
Note: If the person conducting the survey will also be the study coach, they would just say “We can drop off a couple study guides for you each week for you to go through on your own, or we can come by and go over the lesson with you personally.” Also, if the person at the door is of the opposite sex, the study coach needs to take someone of that same sex when he or she returns to give the study.
If they show interest in studying with a coach, respond with
“Great! The lessons generally take about an hour to complete. We just need to find a time in your schedule that works for you. When is the best time to come by?”
Take note of their answer on the signup card, and leave the presentation folder with them, saying
“I know you’re going to love these lessons! Let me leave this with you so you can get started filling out the first lesson, and I [or “a study coach”] will be by [at the time discussed in the previous step].”
This is a great time to offer a short prayer before leaving. Keep it short, simple and positive, by saying something like
“Let me pray with you before I go. Lord, I want to thank you so much for giving us this opportunity to meet today. Please bless my friend ________ and his/her home, [and family, if applicable], and guide us both as we prepare to study the Bible together. We thank you for your love and mercy, and we pray these things in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Conclude by saying something like
“I hope you have a wonderful day, and I look forward to seeing you next ____________.”
As soon as possible after leaving, be sure to sign them up for the “Study with a coach” option using the website or a church signup card.
If the person would rather have you drop off the lessons for the “Study on my own” option, you would want to respond by saying
“That’s great! I know you’re going to love these lessons!” [If you haven’t already done so, hand them a presentation folder and say] “Let me leave this with you so you can get started filling out the first lesson.”
As with the previous example, take this opportunity to pray with them before leaving. Keep it short, simple and positive, by saying something like
“Let me pray with you before I go. Lord, I want to thank you so much for giving us this opportunity to meet today. Please bless my friend ________ and his/her home, [and family, if applicable], and bless [him or her] as [he or she] studies Your Word. We thank you for your love and mercy, and we pray these things in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Leave the presentation folder with them, and be sure to sign them as soon as possible for the “Study on my own” option using the website or a church signup card up.
If they don’t express interest in either study option, leave a business card or tract with them and say
“I understand. Here, let me leave you with this [pocket tract or card], and when you get a chance, check out the website. You can sign up anytime with no cost or obligation.”
For each person who expressed interest in the studies, it is essential that you record their names and contact information the best time to study or reach them, and the study option they have chosen. Read from the next section of this manual, “Study Leader Training,” to obtain further details on how to set up and conduct the study based on whichever study option was chosen. For any study interests that were signed up at the door, be sure to enter their names, contact information, the best time reach them, and the study option they have chosen on the website when you sign them up. Or, if you don’t have access, be sure to fill out this information on a church signup card, and give the completed church signup cards to one of your church’s Study leaders or your Bible school coordinator so that these can be officially recorded on BibleStudyOffer.com.
Finally, at homes where you find no one home, leave a tract or display card in the door jam or on the front porch (do not leave tracts inside the mailbox—this is illegal in the United States).
- Mailings – One of the quickest ways to find potential Bible study interests is to do a BibleStudyOffer.com large postcard mailing to homes around your church. Call Seminars Unlimited at 817-641-3643to order a mailing. This can be done by zip codes, mail routes, or by choosing a radius around your church (by distance or quantity). You can also order a supply of large postcards from Seminars Unlimited with the address area left blank. These can then be hand-addressed and mailed to church interests or inactive members.
- Mass Advertising – If you really want to increase awareness of BibleStudyOffer.com, kick off a mass advertising campaign complete with billboards, radio ads, and Internet or social media advertising. Multiple methods of advertising tend to give more credibility to the ministry in your area and increase interest significantly. We currently have two radio ads, one 13-second ad and one 30-second ad, available for download. COMING SOON, we will have a standard highway billboard graphic (14’ x 48’) and other free graphics available for download as well.
