Note: This blog entry is part of a series on church planting. If you would like to see all entries that have been posted so far in this series, you can bring them up by doing a search for “church planting series” on this blog. You can also purchase the full 27 page Church Planter Coaching Guide, with multiple coaching questions for each subpoint, in the Logan Leadership store.
- How do you plan to pray for unbelievers?
- What steps can you take to cultivate redemptive relationships?
- In what ways will unbelievers hear the message of the kingdom of God?
- Describe your strategy for serving and reaching unbelievers.
- In a series of bullet points, write out the immediate action steps you’ll take to serve and reach unbelievers.
Infuse prayer into outreach
Prayer walks with and for unbelievers are a great way to begin the process of outreach. See the community through God’s eyes. Ask God for discernment and that he pour out his blessing on the people you see.
Serve in meaningful ways
When you have understood your target group, you will understand their needs, what they value, and what’s important to them. Given this information, how can you best serve them? Brainstorm options with your team. Don’t feel the need to make immediate connections to spirituality– although it will certainly be connected in your mind from the outset– but just serve freely out of a desire to help people no matter what their response to Jesus may eventually be.
Cultivate redemptive relationships
The early church grew so rapidly because the Christians eagerly and naturally shared the gospel with the people they knew. Among our natural network of relationships, there exists a pre-established commonality of love, trust, respect and interests. That’s why these natural relationships provide the most effective avenues for evangelism. In a redemptive relationship, it’s important to ask yourself how you can serve the other person and develop a genuine friendship. Remember not to force a spiritual agenda, but rather to wait until people are ready.
Focus on the “person of peace”
When God is at work in a harvest field, there is often a “person of peace,” one who is a catalyst to spark transformation within a whole group of people. A “person of peace” is typically responsive to the gospel message, relationally connected to a large group of people, and of strong reputation (either good or bad). The multiplication potential that comes through reaching a person of peace is enormous. Through their influence, the gospel can spread more rapidly.
Maximize the harvest
In order to accelerate growth when numbers are small in the early days of a church plant, consider ways to increase the number of potentially fruitful relationships. If reaching unchurched people isn’t made a priority, groups can become closed units where outsiders don’t feel comfortable and the new church will stall out in its growth. Be creative in your evangelism efforts, and remember that the outreach activities you offer need to support the building of relationships with unbelievers.