What kind of special events do you use?

Our church just went Christmas Caroling last night at an Assited Living Complex. The elderly people just loved the singing and I think they felt kinda special. It was cold and rainy, but it was really worth it to see the smiles on thier faces.

I really didn't want to go at first, because Christmas Caroling seems kinda outdated, only see it in the movies, but once I saw the smiles of joy on those old folks faces I was so glad I did it.

 

We have neighborhood blitzes every few months, and some people go door to door and invite people to church (this is normally when we have something special going on) If someone is willing to hear the gospel presented, then we do. If not, we leave with a smile. We want them to know that we are interested in them as people, not as numbers of "converts" for us.

 

Special Events...every day is an event when lived for the Lord!
Seriously tho' we pray for God to give "divine appointments" and He does.
We minister at the local nursing home at least twice a month (full service, just keep the sermons simple). We've had a Christmas Carol service there a couple of weeks ago, and shared apple juice & homemade cookies & quickbreads. The people there love it!
We took a good Evangelical version of "Legend of the Candy Cane" off the 'Web, added some great verses from Romans 5 and a graphic of a candy cane (topped with a REAL one) and voila! Instant Christmas tracts. We went and passed out 75 of them in our tiny town in less than 30 minutes. Praise the Lord!
We do door-to-door every couple of months too. There is so much fear nowadays people are hesitant to respond to people at the door. But we are not the Holy Spirit--who knows what God will use? If they take the tract we have hope God will use it later on. If they don't, at least they've heard of Christ from someone on their doorstep!
We believe the most basic, one-on-one approach is both the most personal & most effective.
"Big events" may draw a lot of people but they cost a lot, often draw people with entertainment rather than the Gospel (what you win them with is what you win them to), and even help create many "false conversions"--people who respond emotionally rather than spiritually.
We believe God can & will use a large camp meeting or evangelistic outreach,but the response numbers are often bloated at first count. It takes lots of faithful follow-up & discipleship to see the true responses.
Our belief is: keep it Bible & Christ- centered, keep it simple & keep it personal!
And always...bathed in prayer!

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SaggyWoman:
What kind of events do you use for evangelism purposes?

We have used the Power Team, (but will probably use and off shoot group if we do it another time), a drama around Halloween called "Judgement Day", plus we have other smaller events that we do as community service but take the opportunity to do witnessing, such as at fairs, in our own ball league, setting up a senior adult/single women car servicing, etc.

What works for you?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

There have been some recent studies that have shown that "big events" are not really successful in long term growth (either local church attendance or at the personal level of discipleship).

I attended the Franklin Graham crusade meeting in Lexington and the Billy Graham crusade in Louisville and wonder if there will be any significant long term impact on the unchurched in either community.

What does work are sold out Sunday school classes that are serious about developing relationships with the lost. Unchurched folk are lonely and big events just can't meet this need.