Affinity Evangelism

People in our churches need to be emboldened and empowered to be personal evangelists.  God has called and equipped them.  They need to be motivated and unleashed.

Many evangelistic training seminars focus on closing the deal -- sharing a verbal witness. They train Christians on how to present the gospel and how to manipulate a conversation toward that end. Though it is good that Christians be trained how to share the Gospel, that isn't the kind of evangelism training that is going to be most helpful for an Affinity Evangelism (AE) event.

For a number of years I was on a team of evangelism trainers in the Evangelical Covenant Church that taught Schools of Evangelism. The focus of the seminar was not just on how to close the deal but on understanding evangelism is a process and that we need to lead a prayerful evangelistic lifestyle. Our definition of evangelism:

"To evangelize is to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and others to lead a person one step closer to Christ."

Evangelism is a team sport. It takes many people working in cooperation with the Holy Spirit to lead a person many steps closer to Christ until they cross the line of faith into the Kingdom of God. We all have a role to play praying, caring and sharing.

For training that will help motivate your church to be evangelistic consider some of the following options:

• If you are an Evangelical Covenant Church, contact Lisa Orris, Director of Evangelism and schedule a School of Evangelism.  These are really great events.
  
• Contact the the Institute of Strategic Evangelism at the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College and ask them to hook you up with some training resources. Email or phone: (630) 752- 5904.
• Contact me via email and I will gladly come to your church or I will help you find training that fits your church.
  

Consider one of the Willowcreek curriculum:

• Becoming a Contagious Christian: Six Sessions on Communicating Your Faith in a Style That Fits You
• Just Walk Across the Room Curriculum Kit: Simple Steps Pointing People to Faith (Zondervangroupware Small Group Edition)

Focus on finding training for your church that motivates and mobilizes believers to live an evangelistic lifestyle, building relationships with the unchurched and loving them passionately. For success at your Affinity Evangelism event you need Christians who are passionate about their friendships with the unchurched and are emboldened to be inviters to fun events where the Gospel is presented.