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How to Find and Reach Receptive People

How to Find and Reach Receptive People. Receptivity in the Bible. The Principle of Receptivity. When it is apparent that people are receptive to the gospel, concentrate your human and material resources on that receptive group. Matt . 13:18-23. Matt. 13:18-23.

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How to Find and Reach Receptive People

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  1. How to Find and Reach Receptive People

  2. Receptivity in the Bible

  3. The Principle of Receptivity When it is apparent that people are receptive to the gospel, concentrate your human and material resources on that receptive group

  4. Matt. 13:18-23

  5. Matt. 13:18-23 23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." (NIV)

  6. Matt. 10:11-14

  7. Receptivity in the Bible • Matt. 10:11-14 11 "Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. (NIV)

  8. Acts 16:6-10

  9. Receptivity in the Bible • Acts 16:6-10 6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (NIV)

  10. Ellen White on Receptivity Gospel Workers pp. 136-139

  11. Ellen White on Receptivity The vision of the berry field The vision of the berry field

  12. Ellen White on Receptivity • “I began to gather the fruit near by, but very carefully, for fear of picking the green berries, ...

  13. Ellen White on Receptivity

  14. Ellen White on Receptivity • “… which were so mingled with the ripe fruit that I could pick only one or two berries from a cluster.”

  15. Ellen White on Receptivity

  16. Ellen White on Receptivity • “By looking carefully among the green berries, you will find very choice fruit.”

  17. Ellen White on Receptivity

  18. Ellen White on Receptivity • “In a little while other berries will ripen, and we can go over the bushes again.”

  19. Ellen White on Receptivity

  20. Ellen White on Receptivity 1. Gather the fruit (receptive people) near by, but very carefully.

  21. Ellen White on Receptivity 2. Among the green berries (non-receptive people) you will find very choice fruit.

  22. Ellen White on Receptivity 3. Go over the field again and again. (There will always be new receptive people)

  23. Ellen White on Receptivity 4. “The Lord has placed these fruit-bearing bushes right in the midst of these thickly settled places, and He expects you to find them.”

  24. Ellen White on Receptivity 5. First find the people close by, then further away, then come back again.

  25. Principle of Receptivity When it is apparent that people are receptive to the gospel, concentrate your human and material resources on that receptive group.

  26. Satan and Receptivity

  27. How Satan Works • 2 Cor. 4:4 - He blinds people’s minds. • 2 Tim. 3:1-8 - He blinds people’s minds with 20 sins. • Eph. 4:17-19 - He causes people to lose religious sensitivity. • Rev. 14:8, 17:8 - He causes people to believe false ideas.

  28. How Satan Works • “He rules over a vast, well-organized empire.”

  29. How Satan Works Mark 5:9

  30. How Satan Works Satan has a military organization • “Satan’s hosts are marshaled in companies.”

  31. How Satan Works He has well- organized plans.

  32. How Satan Works His army is on the move!

  33. How Satan Works He uses the “powers”of this world

  34. How Satan Works “The people of God in these last days must expect to enter into the thick of the conflict.”

  35. How God Works God has a military organization - the angels.

  36. How God Works “Angels work harmoniously. … The more closely we imitate the harmony and order of the angelic host, the more successful will be (their) efforts on our behalf.”

  37. How God Works If we are undisciplined and disorganized, angels, who are organized, cannot help us!

  38. Receptivity and Intercessory Prayer • It is through intercessory prayer that receptive people come to the attention of Christians. An intercessory prayer ministry that specifically focuses on receptive people is will open the way to finding them.

  39. Receptivity and Intercessory Prayer • “If you pray to be led to receptive people, you will coincidentally discover them—time and time again. Stop praying to be so led, and the coincidences will stop occurring.(George Hunter III, The Contagious Congregation, p. 118).

  40. Finding Receptive People

  41. Finding Receptive People There are four general indicators of receptivity: 1. What other churches are doing. 2. Find people in changing situations. 3. The “common” people. 4. People who have a common denominator.

  42. What are other churches doing? • In what geographical area are churches growing? • What kind of people are they reaching? • Who is most likely to be receptive to our type of church?

  43. Find people in changing situations • Cultural change. • Economic change. • Geographical change. • Political change. • Religious change.

  44. Receptive Times • Change in financial status. • Foreclosure on a loan or mortgage. • Outstanding personal achievement. • Change in social activities. • Christmas season. • Retirement. • Change in residence. • Moving to a new community. • A new baby. • Death of a loved one. • A change in marital status. • A change in job status. • Sickness. • First child enters school.

  45. Very resistant Very receptive -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 + 2 + 3 +4 +5 Resistance/Receptivity Scale

  46. Very resistant Very receptive -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 + 2 + 3 +4 +5 Rocky ground Thorny ground Good ground Stony ground Methods very important Resistance/Receptivity Scale - Methods

  47. How To Find Receptive People • What you already know. • Demographic surveys. • Community survey. • Matching ministry to needs.

  48. Demographic Surveys • Local school system. • City planning commission. • Local library. • College or university.

  49. Community Surveys • Are you an active member of a local church? • What do you think is the greatest need of this area? • Why do you think many people do not attend church? • If you were looking for a church, what would you look for? • What advise would you give a church in this area that really want to help people and serve the community?

  50. Strategies • Pray to be led to receptive people. • Caring for guests (visitors). • The 72 hour principle. • Friendship evangelism.

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