STRATEGIES FOR CHURCH GROWTH: PERSONAL AND MASS EVANGELISM METHODS
Growth, A Natural Part Of Life. Churches, like living organisms, are meant to grow. Growth is a natural part of life, and it is an indicator of life and vitality. In the book of Genesis, God commanded humanity to be fruitful, multiply, and have dominion over the earth. This command applies not only to the physical realm but also to the spiritual realm. A thriving church should experience growth in both numbers and spiritual maturity.
TYPES OF CHURCH GROWTH
Church growth can be categorized into two types: numerical growth and qualitative growth. Numerical growth refers to an increase in the number of individuals attending the church, while qualitative growth pertains to the depth of spiritual maturity, strength, discipleship, and overall development of the church community. It is important to note that a church can be relatively small in number but still have a significant impact on its community and fulfill its purpose and vision.
PERSONAL EVANGELISM/WITNESSING
Personal evangelism or witnessing is an effective method of growing the church on a one-on-one basis. It involves sharing one's faith with another person in various forms:
(a) Person-to-person Evangelism: This method involves direct communication between two individuals. It can be done through face-to-face conversations, letter writing, telephone calls, emails, text messages, and other personal means of communication.
(b) House-to-House Evangelism: This approach involves visiting people in their homes and sharing one's faith with them. It provides an opportunity to engage with individuals in their personal space and build relationships with them.
(c) Friendship Evangelism: This method emphasizes building genuine friendships with individuals and gradually sharing one's faith through both words and exemplary life. By establishing a friendly relationship, one can effectively communicate the message of the Gospel and eventually lead the person to faith in Christ.
MASS EVANGELISM/WITNESSING
Mass evangelism or witnessing involves reaching out to large groups of people simultaneously. It employs various strategies to communicate the Gospel effectively to a broad audience. Some common methods of mass evangelism include:
(a) Open-Air Preaching: This approach involves an individual or a group of preachers delivering sermons or messages in public places such as market squares, motor parks, or village squares. Open-air preaching allows for reaching a diverse crowd, whether stationary or passersby.
(b) Morning Cry: This method entails proclaiming the Gospel early in the morning while people are still in bed. The evangelists go from place to place, sharing their faith without physically seeing the individuals they are addressing. Although the preacher may not witness the immediate response, this form of evangelism has yielded positive results in some cases.
(c) Literature Evangelism: Using books and tracts, individuals can evangelize many people simultaneously. Writing Christian books, financing their publication, and distributing them effectively engage a wide audience in the message of the Gospel.
(d) Radio Evangelism: By purchasing airtime on radio stations, preachers can reach millions of people at once. Radio evangelism has proven to be an effective medium for bringing new converts into the church.
(e) Television Evangelism: Similar to radio evangelism, television evangelism allows preachers to communicate their message to a wide audience. The advantage of television is that the preacher can be seen, though they may not see the audience. Establishing feedback channels such as phone-in programs, letters, or periodic conferences helps address questions and provide further teaching.
(f) Newspaper Evangelism: Communicating the gospel through newspapers involves buying a column or establishing a Christian newspaper dedicated to sharing the ministry of the Word. Challenging Christian articles or dedicated sections in newspapers can effectively reach a broad readership.
(g) Internet Evangelism: With the increasing popularity of handheld devices and computers, internet evangelism has become a significant tool for reaching millions of people simultaneously. Platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, and other online channels allow for widespread dissemination of the Gospel message.
(h) Crusades: A crusade, in the context of church growth, refers to a large-scale religious meeting aimed at winning souls. It is a campaign against spiritual bondage, sin, diseases, and injustices in the world. Crusades can be organized in outdoor venues like stadiums, football pitches, or village squares, as well as indoor venues such as halls or auditoriums. The primary objective of a crusade is soul-winning, though healings, miracles, and deliverances may also occur.
In order to facilitate church growth, it is essential to employ various strategies of personal and mass evangelism. Personal evangelism focuses on one-on-one interactions, building relationships, and sharing one's faith with individuals. Mass evangelism, on the other hand, utilizes different mediums to reach a broader audience simultaneously. By combining these approaches, churches can effectively fulfill their mandate to spread the Gospel, resulting in both numerical and qualitative growth. However, it is crucial to remember that the primary objective of anyevangelistic effort is to win souls and lead people to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.