Invitational Ministries Made Easier or Witnessing by Just Being Yourself

1. Invitational Ministries Made EasierorWitnessing by Just Being Yourself Based upon Evangelism Without Additives : What if Sharing Your Faith Meant Just Being Yourself by Jim Henderson

2. What’s the Difference? Share Your Faith, Live Your Life vs. Live Your Faith, Share Your Life

3. When you hear the word… What do you think of when you hear the word “evangelism”. Think of at least two positive words that you associate with it and two negative words that you associate with it. Share in large group.

4. Why Should We Witness? To fulfill God’s mission, the reign of God on earth. It’s not our mission. It’s not even the Community of Christ’s mission. It’s God’s mission. And He calls us to help.

5. God’s Mission God is up to something! We are not setting the agenda. We are part of an unfolding story. Doctrine and Covenants 154: “My Spirit is reaching out to numerous souls even now . . .”

6. Doctrine and Covenants 163 “Above all else, strive to be faithful to Christ’s vision of the peaceable kingdom of God.”

7. But Evangelism Isn’t Easy! Program Formalized and Structured Takes a lot of Nerve Designed for extroverts

8. Luke 10 Model of Evangelism Dwelling In the Word • Listen to it read aloud • Second reading, notice where you stop • What is God saying to you today? • Share with a reasonably friendly partner

9. Ordinary Attempts Free Attention Giveaways paying attention to people because we want to nudge them toward Jesus Instead of asking them for something, we give them something…our time, attention and interest.

10. The ‘small’ things Think of a time when someone did something small for you, but it was huge. Drink of water, an opening in traffic, a door opened, a coffee paid for. What happened? What was your reaction? How, if at all, were you changed?

11. Matthew 10:42 Revised If anyone…even cowards for Jesus Gives even…small things are the big things A cup of cold water…ordinary things are the real things Because he is my disciple …good intentions count too He will not lose his reward …it counts, and God will multiply its effectiveness.

12. How to be like Jesus Ask great questions Don’t get in a frenzy to move people closer to the kingdom Operate in a relatively small geographical and cultural space Be approachable to others. Be friends with them Look for, and be, a relatively friendly stranger

13. Nothing to Lose “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose” We are the freest people on earth because we have eternal security as well as internal security. We can risk, attempt, and fail and still be safe~ What are we afraid of?

14. Why Not? Share with your neighbor two reasons why you don’t invite, evangelize, witness, evangelize or whatever term you want to use. Share in the large group. Are there common reasons?

15. Cup, Saucer, Plate Solitude Community Ministry

16. Attempting the Ordinary Ask someone the question: “How are you?” Then listen. Don’t interrupt. Don’t witness or preach or say anything religious. Just listen. Learn to be present.

17. If that’s too risky Practice noticing the people God has put around you. Take a small notebook or tape recorder with you and begin to write down observations about the people you notice whom you’ve never ‘seen’ before. Ask God to give you new ideas about how you could serve these people.

18. Are they lost or just missing? The “lost” are those who Jesus misses most.

19. The “Lost” What images do you get when you hear people referred to as “lost”? Who are the found? Which group is superior? Is it easy to relate to the lost? – to love them? To want to be with them?

20. What if they are just “Missing”? “Missing people aren’t bad; they’re just not where they’re supposed to be.” Brian McLaren

21. A coin, a sheep, a person Luke 15 verse 4 – who lost the sheep? verse 8 – who lost the coin? verse 13 – the boy chose to leave, but how did his father receive him? Were they missing or lost? What’s the difference?

22. Seinfeld Evangelism “Ordinary attempts could also be called Seinfeld Evangelism – we make a big deal out of what some people think of as nothing. We count all the small, ordinary encounters in life. We look for Jesus in all the ordinariness the way Seinfeld looked for humor.

23. Attempting the Ordinary “Momentology”: the practice of making a big deal out of the moments one experiences in life. Pay special attention and keep track of moments (e.g. getting bills paid, having correct change, hearing from an old friend). When you notice God in your own life, it’s easier to recognize him in someone else’s. Make a big deal out of others’ moments as well. wow!

24. In other words.. Be yourself. Be human. Be normal. Be real. Be intentional.

25. Making the E word go away “If being Christians meant we were the most ‘real’ people on earth rather than the most religious, evangelism as a program would disappear forever.” People aren’t shopping for a religion. They are looking for something real.

26. The Gospel According to You Two Basic Practices Jesus Used to Share the Gospel: 1. Speak the gospel: “Preach the good news to all creation”. Mark 16:15 2. Serve the gospel: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me”. Matthew 25:40

27. It’s Big! How Big is Small Talk? The primary reward of small talk is that it builds relationships. Speaking and feeling are closely related. It’s not the words…it’s the heart. The impact is enormous.

28. Conversation > Community> Conversion In a pluralistic society, the possibility of conversion, that is changing the way one perceives essential reality, is opened up through conversations with people who live with a contrasting view of reality. One adopts and internalizes the new worldview through socialization into a community sharing that new worldview. George Hunter

29. Celtic Evangelism Celtic Christians treated Outsiders like Insiders (hospitality) Celtic Christians talked about everyday issues ( real and relevant) Celtic Christians looked for the good (affirming)

30. Attempting the Ordinary Ask questions. Jesus asked a lot of questions. He didn’t always know the answers. Make small talk. How people smell each other. Be willing to be bored for Jesus. Practice normal talk. Take out the religious jargon. Say “wow” Listen!

31. Ask Great Questions Where are you from? Where do you live? How long have you been…? What would you change if you could change one aspect of your life?

32. Count to Three Wait time: simply waiting just to pause longer than you are accustomed to when you’re talking to someone. Why? People need more time to think and respond than we normally give them. Only fools rush in

33. Spiritual Formation Create a niche in your missing friend’s life by being someone “who really cares”. Grow spiritually by resisting the temptation to preach or correct Wear down a person’s will to resist God. Free attention giveaways cause the person to trust you in spite of the fact that you are religious.

34. Attempting the Ordinary “Nonmanipulative intentionality” The “phone call” ordinary attempt “Hold the door for someone” ordinary attempt

35. Five Loaves and Two Fish The “grocery store” ordinary attempt The “freedom fighter” ordinary attempt

36. Religion or Reality? Jesus wasn’t in the religion business. He wasn’t selling a religious point of view. His business was reality, and whenever he encountered a ‘reality seeker’ he responded to that person. “People don’t need a better religion; they need a better reality”

37. Do What You Can Do “15 Minutes at Borders”

38. Do What You Can Do Pray behind their backs. Pray as you walk around your neighborhood. Walk around your neighborhood. Be a Coward for Jesus (CFJ) Jesus didn’t ask us to be brave, just to be ourselves. Mystify and surprise people with kindness. Ask questions and then really listen, with no strings or agendas attached.

39. Attempting the OrdinaryDoing a lot with very little “When I see folks at the grocery store or the post office or on the street, I’m now much more open to looking them in the eye and asking how they’re doing. I might even coo at their baby – and I’m not really into cooing at babies!”

40. Attempting the Ordinary “I finally met the neighbor I’ve only waved at for two years. I actually introduced myself” Table ministry – being in the neighborhood, having dinner together for the sake of having dinner together. Welcoming the other into sacred space.

41. Attempting the Ordinary “Now I stop to talk and listen to another neighbor, an older man with few teeth, when he’s out with his dog. I think he doesn’t get too many people to listen to him, and he loves to talk.”

42. Ordinary Attempts Practice Guide Ask someone “how are you?” – and then actually listen. Pray for people “behind their backs” and tell them later. Ask a tip sensitive server in a restaurant about his or her life outside of work. Listen to someone, anyone. Give away a little money.

43. Think small. Don’t change the world, just change something. Say “wow”. Make a big deal out of small stuff. Do what’s doable. It’s all you’re going to do anyway. Count what matters. Conversations, not conversions. Be yourself. It will intrigue people.

44. Henri Nouwen “When you are aware that you are the beloved, and when you have friends around you with whom you live in commuity, you can do anything. You’re not afraid anymore. You’re not afraid to knock on the door while somebody’s dying. You’re not afraid to open a discussion with a person who underneath all the glitter is much in need of ministry. You’re free.”

45. 1 John 4:7 Dear Friends, Let us practice loving one another, for love comes from God and those who are loving and kind show that they are the children of God.